When a friend received two free tickets to the opera, Rigoletto, she wondered who to ask to go with her and tentatively offered a ticket to me! Yay! I was delighted! Haven’t been to the opera in a long time, mostly because my husband was not into opera and I couldn’t find someone to go with. The price of the tickets was a little hard for a couple of my musically inclined friends. The songs were wonderful, the voices clear and poignant, and with a text at the top of the stage in English to give you the gist of what they were singing about, one could follow the story easily. The auditorium was full, despite the pouring rain, and they even furnished plastic bags to stuff our wet umbrellas in! We went up to the top and had our pictures taken with the beautiful chandelier in the background. Then of course nearby was a food station with coffee and Cravory cookies. Carol got the chocolate chip and I got the lemon. It tastes just like the lemon bars which I dearly love. We could look down on the lobby and watch the people. Opera used to be an event where people dressed to the nines, but now, jeans and a suit jacket and tennis shoes or even more casual attire is found in the upper balcony. Of course, one must take into consideration that it was pouring rain outside and warmth seemed to be more important than glamour. Most people cheered and shouted “bravo!” at the end of a particular aria or solo, but the couple next to my friend were stone-faced the entire opera. Nor did they clap. We were inclined to wonder why they were there or that perhaps they had seen so many magnificent operas in Europe that this seemed amateur to them. In any case, Carol and I had a wonderful time just soaking in the atmosphere and enjoying the beautiful music. Viva la Opera!
Attending the Opera
