I found this article to be fascinating and very descriptive. From the past two articles I find I have had to reexamine what the definition of an opera is. My dictionary defines an opera as a theatrical presentation in which dramatic performance is set to music. I guess this ritual does fit this definition, but I guess I was biased in my opinions due to my exposure to a certain type of Western opera.
As far as this ceremony in particular, I found myself lost in the acts of the ritual; Frederick Lamp's description was very detailed and accurate, and though he did not know all of the secrets of the initiation ritual, he seemed to have a firm grasp on what it entailed and could provide a very specific and thorough reiteration of its events. I really liked all of the insight into the themes of the ritual, from the concepts of east and west in relation to birth and death to the snake and the color white. This helped me to understand why the ritual went as it did. Though I was still mystified by the masked dancer in black, and the dancing cook. These, while very interesting, were something I would like to discover more about, especially from the prospective of a woman.
I think that all cultures have some sort of ritual period undergone by adolescents where they transition to adults, though obviously not always this rigidly defined. The ritual was very intense, calling for perfection from all females, a mistake was out of the question. The period of time females were isolated also seemed very long to me. This culture places a greater importance upon initiation out of childhood. While it was very fascinating to read, it remains a foreign concept that I still have desire to discover more about.
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