A Pair of Queens Beats Your Hearts

Florida summers are a tough time to be in relationships. Residents push the limits of the skin-to-clothes ratio, and it’s way too hot to cuddle: a disastrous combination that threatens the demise of many committed romances. If your love life has fallen apart during the heat wave, don’t get sad — get perspective. Check out the racy, love-crossed world of opera; you’ll feel that your life is oddly normal.

In Maria Stuarda, an opera so controversial that it was banned in the 1800s and not resurrected until 1958, Queen Elizabeth I and her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, are on the outs. The source of their squabble is, inevitably, mistrust over a common love: the rapscallion Leicester. Will Mary get out of prison? Will Queen Elizabeth I wed her love or the man who could unite her kingdom? In all of this turmoil, will either woman lose her head? There’s only one way to find out: Catch Maria Stuarda tonight at Cinema Paradiso (503 SE Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale). It was recorded live at La Scala in high definition, so you’ll see every twitch and sneer. Historical accuracy? No guarantees. Tickets cost $10 to $15. Showtime is 7 p.m. Visit www.fliff.com.
Mon., Sept. 8, 2008