For a 400-year-old art form, opera had a bad fame: overweight actresses singing the words which were hard to understand in one of those romance languages you were supposed to learn in high school. And with tickets costing as much as＄145 a performance, opera goers also had a certain appearance in people's mind: rich, well-dressed and old.

    But now opera companies around the country are loosening their ties and kicking off their shoes in an attempt to keep opera alive and take it to a younger and not so wealthy audience.

    Opera producers have found that to attract this crowd, they need to associate opera with common people. Because young people don't or won't come to the opera, companies are bringing the opera to them, giving performances in such unusual places as parks, libraries and public schools.

    The Houston Grand Opera's choice is the public library, where it performs “mobile operas”, shortened version(剧本) of child-friendly operas. This summer's production is Hansel &Gretel. By performing smaller versions of large productions, producers are able to make people interested while keeping costs at a reasonable level. The San Francisco Opera, which will be celebrating its 75^th anniversary this year, is staging Cinderella free of charge, keeping costs down by employing students from its Young Artists' Training Program.

    Jack was born without eyes. He's very lucky with his timing. He grew up having other kittens to play and socialize with, and was used to people from the moment he was born since there are always kids hanging around the barn. He was a favorite amongst the students at the barn. However, when it came time to find the kittens homes, no one knew where Jack would end up. That's when I got an e-mail from my friend. All she asked was “Do you still want one of the kittens? There's one here with no eyes and no one can take him.” Without thinking I told her that I did want the kitten.

    When we first brought him home Jack stayed mostly in my room. He walked cautiously around, sniffing everything. After about a day he had no issues running around, jumping onto my bed and climbing on everything. He went through a time where he could climb the stairs, but couldn't get down. He would sit at the top and cry until someone came and got him. Every now and then when he gets disoriented he'll stop and cry. But we just call his name and talk to him and it isn't long before he finds his way back to us.

    Also, a few weeks after getting Jack, we got a new barn cat named Bear. I always take Jack outside at that time for some fresh air and exercise. He loves to run (at top speed!) around the back yard and gardens. Bear and Jack have become best friends. It doesn't matter that he can't see, Jack always knows when Bear is around. He'll run across the yard straight to Bear and wrap his front legs around his neck in a big hug. They chase each other around and wrestle, and when they're tired they'll lie down in the grass together.

    Jack is truly an inspiration. I've owned a lot of kittens in my life, but Jack is the happiest, most playful of them all. He doesn't feel sorry for himself. Heck, for all he knows, all cats are just like him. People who know Jack don't feel sorry for him. They cherish him for the treasure that he is. I have talked to a few people who haven't met him personally who tend to pity him, but they just don't understand. Jack doesn't need pity. I think Jean (who has Gumbo the eyeless ginger) said it best when she told me that cats don't have disabilities, they have adaptabilities.

    Jersey Boys

    Jersey Boys is a Broadway musical that dramatizes the rise and fall of Frankie Valli and the 1960s rock 'n' roll group Four Seasons. According to Selladoor Worldwide, the group's Beijing tour will see a brand-new production of the musical, which features Luke Sheppard as director, Mark Crossland as music director and Cressida Carre as choreographer（编舞）. Since its 2005 premiere（首演）in New York, the musical has won 57 major awards worldwide.

    2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Jan 5 to Jan 13.Tianqiao Performing Arts Center, 9 Tianqiao Nandajie, Xicheng district. 400-635-3355.

    Ticket: 199-1,299 yuan ($30-200)

    Large-scale immersive show

    The large-scale immersive show Memory 5D +, directed by Ulan Xuerong, is ongoing in Beijing from Jan 4 to 7.

    The show follows the emotional entanglement between black and white spirits, representing yin and yang, and the flora girl. As a demonstration of traditional Chinese art, the show centers on cultural inheritance and includes live performance of guqin, a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument, guzheng, a Chinese plucked zither, konghou, an ancient plucked stringed instrument and horse-head fiddle, as well as acrobatics, Khoomei, shadow play and Mongolian folk song, even chants from The Book of Songs.

    7:30 p.m, Jan 5; 2:30 p.m./ 7:30 p. m., Jan 6; 7:30 p.m.., Jan 7. Beijing Exhibition Theater, 135 Xizhimenwai Dajie (Street), Xicheng district.

    Ticket: 180-1,080 yuan

    London Philharmonic Orchestra set to thrill Beijing

    The London Phiharmonic Orchestra will wrap up its China tour with two recitals in Being on Jan 5 and 6.

    Under the baton of Russian conductor Vasily Petrenko, the orchestra will perform H. Berlioz's overture to Beatrice et Benedict and P. I. Tchaikovsky's Fantasia on Romeo and Juliet and Variations on a Rococo Theme op.33, featuring Swedish-Danish cellist Andreas Brantelid, along with other pieces.

    7p.m., Jan 5-6. Concert Hall, National Center for the Performing Arts, 2 West Chang' an Avenue, Xicheng district. 010-6655-0000.

    Ticket: 380-1,680 yuan

    Russian army's troupe to return after restart

    The Russian army's official dance and choir troupe, the Alexandrov Ensemble, is staging five shows in Beijing from Jan 4 to 7, with a variety of songs, dances and instrumental performances.

The ensemble, also known as the Red Army Choir, was founded in 1928 and has toured the globe performing Russian folk tunes and patriotic songs using Western classical music and traditional Russian instruments.

    The repertoire on Saturday comprises 24 songs and dance pieces, including Song of the Soviet Army, The Sacred War, Moscow Nights and Festival March.

    7 p.m., Jan 5-7; 2:30 p.m., Jan 6. Opera House, National Center for the Performing Arts, 2 West Chang' an Avenue, Xicheng district. 010-6655-0000.

    Ticket: 180-1000 yuan

    Are you an optimist? Do you look at your glass and see it as half full? Do you believe that every cloud has a silver lining and that generally things turn out for the best? Do you believe that if something is meant to be, it will be? If you reply "yes" to all of these questions, then you are an optimist. You probably are enthusiastic, cheerful and outgoing. You may well be successful at work and in love.

    But you may be misguided because things don't turn out for the best. You may believe that when one door closes another one opens (For example, you may fail to land a new job, but another chance will come around soon). Wrong. When one door closes, another door slams in your face. That's bitter reality.

    Now a book has been published which confirms what we pessimists(悲观者) have suspected all along. It's called The Positive Power of Defensive Pessimism. Its author argues that defensive pessimism can lead to positive results. Defensive pessimism is a strategy used to manage fear, anxiety and worry. Defensive pessimists prepare for things by setting low outcomes for themselves. They carefully consider everything that may go wrong and plan for ways to handle these problems. And this gives them a sense of control. Lawrence Sanno, a psychology professor, says, "What's interesting about defensive pessimists is that they tend to be very successful people, so their low opinion of the situation's outcomes is not realistic. They use it to motivate themselves to perform better."

    So far, so good. This is not rocket science. Defensive pessimists prepare carefully and consider what might go wrong, whether at work, on a date or even in a sports game. It makes sense to have a backup plan. There are many sayings in English urging caution. For example, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket", and "Don't count your chickens until they hatch." To have a confident and optimistic approach to life's problems is good. But listen to what Woody Alien, the American comedian says, "Confidence is what you have before you understand the problem."

    There are pros and cons to being an optimist and a pessimist. Don't feel bad if you see the glass half empty. You are a realist. But lighten up and hook up with someone who sees the same glass half full.

    With the New Year just months away, you are probably looking forward to watching the wonderful fireworks(烟花) shows. Unfortunately, the over ten million blind Americans, and scores more around the world, have never been able to experience this joyful celebration. That may change soon thanks to Feeling Fireworks, a tactile(可触摸的) fireworks experience invented by the masterminds at the Disney Research Lab in Switzerland.

    To experience the show, users stand in front of a large screen, which is made of special material. They then place their hands at the base of the screen and move them around to feel the fireworks. Alternatively, their hands can be placed in the center of the screen, where the initial explosions happen, and then moved across to explore other fireworks.

    As the fireworks begin to explode, one of five nozzles(喷嘴) at the back of the screen starts to send out water, creating shaking movements. One specializes in the “blooming(开花) flower effect,” while another reproduces the“crackle(噼啪声)” effect. The rest take care of rockets and explosions. A computer controls the timing, while a Microsoft Kinect camera tracks the person's movement. According to the inventors, Feeling Fireworks allows users to experience “tactile fireworks that are similar to physical fireworks happening in the sky.”

    First appearing at the User Interface Software and Technology conference held in Quebec City, Canada from October 22 to October 25, 2017, the low-cost technology is still in its early stage, with only a 66 percent success rate. However, the team plans to continue-improving the experience and believes the day when everyone will be able to enjoy the thrill of fireworks shows is not far. When ready, Feeling Fireworks will initially be available only at Disney theme parks, and then hopefully, at fireworks shows worldwide.

POETRY CHALLENGE

Write a poem about how courage, determination, and strength have helped you face challenges in your life.

Prizes

Grand Prizes: Trip to Washington, D. C. for each of three winners, a parent and one other person of the winner's choice. Trip includes round﹣trip air tickets, hotel stay for two nights, and tours of the National Air and Space Museum and the office of National Geographic World.

6 First Prizes: The book Sky Pioneer: A Photobiography of Amelia Earhart signed by author Corinne Szabo and pilot Linda Finch.

50 Honorable Mentions: Judges will choose up to 50 honorable mention winners, who will each receive a T﹣shirt in memory of Earhart's final flight.

Rules

Follow all rules carefully to prevent disqualification.

■Write a poem using 100 words or fewer. Your poem can be any format, any number of lines.

■Write by hand or type on a single sheet of paper. You may use both the front and back of the paper.

■On the same sheet of paper, write or type your name, address, telephone number, and birth date.

■Mail your entry to us by October 31 this year.