"Who says, the suboibs ain't got no kulchur?"

"Who says, you got to go into the Big Apple and pay big bucks, if you want to see the great woiks of art?"

Not me!

Last Saturday, Lorraine and I attended a performance of Shakespeare and Verdi's Opera of Macbeth. I had studied it in high school and I never quite forgot it. We saw it on Brush Hollow Road at the Westbury Stadium Movie Theater. It was right down the block. No $45 parking fee and no $150 Metropolitan Opera seat, where you can barely see the performers. No hassle with the famous Manhattan traffic and no wearing a tuxedo.

For $20 a person (senior rate), we sat through three hours (plus) of beautiful singing, intelligent acting and a story of intrigue and murder in Scotland. It was unique because it was set in the 20th century. The cameras took us close up to the actors and you could view and hear distinctly the words emanating from their mouths. This would not be possible in the far elevation seats at the Met.

The crowd was white-haired and many viewers carried canes and crutches. These people would find it almost impossible to attend the Metropolitan Opera. No champagne was served at intermission. Popcorn was sold, but I personally frowned upon engorging oneself on that noisy delicacy while listening to opera.

The intermissions were interviews with the leading protagonists, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth, Maria Guleghina, metamorphosed from an evil, grasping, seductive character to a pleasant lady at the interview. We also were treated to a fascinating discussion with the conductor, James Levine, on Verdi's musical interpretation of the Shakespeare play.

Having the play set in modern times and modern dress brought out clearly and convincingly that political murder and chicanery are both timeless and universal. Shakespeare had done it again.

I was always a sucker for predictions and prognostications. The three witches make Macbeth feel secure that he will not be harmed, but through an interpretation of words, he is done in.

A wonderful and truly satisfying day on Long Island.

The simulcast direct from the Met was superb.