As someone in their 30s who spends more time at indie-rock shows than at the sort of cultural events where you have to dress up, when I told people I was going to the opera on Saturday night, the reactions were generally varying plays on befuddlement. Most people tilted their head and said, "Really?"

That's the strange place the opera falls in these days, I suppose. The core audience is getting older, and there isn't an aesthetic of hipster cool that has stuck to opera as an art form yet. I have friends who have randomly taken up the cello lately or who are regular attendees of modern dance performances or who have unironic loves for the cheesiest musicals around—yet, the opera doesn't seem to be on their entertainment radar.

After seeing Carmen on Saturday, I wondered why I haven't personally gone to the opera more. It's not the language thing, since I've gone to Sigur Ros shows and had no idea what the guy was singing, and Arizona Opera provides translations projected on a screen above the stage. Sure, the experience is a little dry, considering there were multiple male audience members wearing bowties and female viewers wearing actual furs—but once the production began, it didn't take long to be swept up in the drama of the whole thing.

The opera's plot isn't anything too surprising (other than passing along the message to not trust gypsies), but between the stellar dance elements and the spectacular singing, it was good to see incredibly talented people doing something extremely well. Even if the context of opera as an art form was unfamiliar to me, it was hard to not appreciate the very essence of the art itself.

My question: What could Arizona Opera do differently to bring in a new audience? They have a number of affordable tickets available for their performances here, so there can be legitimate financial competition between a concert priced at $30 or more at the Rialto and a huge stage production for $25 at the Opera. Maybe it's just the same unfamiliarity I experienced.

But when you hear one of the arias performed live, it's easy to become a fan quickly, so maybe there need to be more opportunities in the public to hear opera performed.

I hope for the best for the Arizona Opera, and that they can find a new younger clientele—because I'd definitely like to go again and be able to take my kids in the future.

This multimedia project by UA student Caleb Tellez introduces us to "Natasha Noir," a local hairstylist and model.

UA student Caleb Tellez spends a morning with volunteers at Casa Maria in South Tucson, Ariz.

"The Mating Dance," by Willi Wolfschmidt, will be on display as part of The Fantasy-Expressionism of Wolfschmidt through Nov. 30 at The Kachina Lounge, at the UA Student Union Memorial Center, on the third floor.

We mentioned the Rigor Amortis reading at Revolutionary Grounds last week, but if you missed it, we recorded two of the authors reading their work from the book, which is available from Amazon:

John Nakamura Remy:

Andrew Penn Romine:

Student Josh Morgan, the chair of the UA Journalism Student Advisory Council Visual Task Force, gives you an insight on a BMX rider.

"Polka Dot Parisienne," by Valerie Galloway, is on display in Bonjour Mademoiselle, beginning Saturday, Oct. 23, and continuing through Nov. 17, at Bohemia, 2920 E. Broadway Blvd.

Indigena Imports is having a benefit sale and exhibition of Mayan traditional textiles on Oct. 29 through 31 at St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, 602 N. Wilmot Road, in the Parish Center. There will be approximately 250 handwoven Mayan pieces for sale.

The opening reception and sale on Friday, Oct. 29, will be from 5 to 8 p.m., and feature Swiss pianist Ralph Zurmuhle. The sale continues Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Saturday, fry bread and Indian tacos will be on sale after 11:30 a.m.

All activities are open to the public. Admission is free Saturday and Sunday. For Friday’s opening reception and music, planners request a $10 donation, which may be applied to a textile purchase.

For more info, see the Guatemala Project's website.

Just in time for your end of October festivities, Borealis Arts is exhibiting works that explore a connection to the observance of Dia de los Muertos. Gallery owner Nathan Saxton gives some insight in how the exhibit came together and how gathering work of this nature affected him personally.