Sitting in the Met cafeteria listening to the orchestra intro to the first Act of Tosca. Angelotti has just rushed in, and I am brought back to the moment that eleven year old Stephanie saw her first opera on TV, and fell in love.
During the last act, I heard the aria that would seal the deal- "E lucevan le stelle." My mother wrote the title out for me, and I pinned it to the noteboard in my bedroom.
@BlytheMezzo For me, La Traviata has been my eternal 1st: 1st opera I heard (Met Saturday BC, 1st recording (Callas), 1st opera I saw live. Still hoping for the 1st prod. that treats the opera with respect and gets everything right. What would it take to rework Violetta's part for a mezzo?
@BlytheMezzo One of the best openings in all opera!
@BlytheMezzo Hey you! Would love to have you on ScreamingDivas and talk more about this. You game? And Happy Thanksgiving to you both…has been wayyy too long since I saw you! XOXOXO
@BlytheMezzo I was there, as well, buying a sandwich just in the moment when Tosca is mad about the closed doors, and I couldn’t help but to sing voice out loud: Perché chiuso! The girl in the register stared at me: It’s $14.95 🙂