November 29 – A Night at the Opera

I went from the airport to see Aunt Anne, my Aunt Esther’s oldest friend, who was kind enough to put me up during my stay in Los Angeles.

I arrived around 5:00 p.m. Aunt Ann made delicious chicken and cranberry sandwiches which we ate with tea and pumpkin pie. Then she took me out to listen to some music!


Aunt Ann has been involved in the opera scene in Los Angeles since before the city had an opera scene, and the vibrant one that exists now is in large part a result of her hard work over several decades. She took me to the 2007 Fall Performers’ Showcase presented by The Opera Buffs Inc., an organization that she’s a board member of. I've put the link on this blog. This event showcased the work of seven young performers, who sang various pieces individually and together around the theme of “a date with the devil.”

It was superb.

In particular, Peabody Southwell and Daniel Montenegro provided a moving, sincerely rendered and technically formidable performance of an excerpt from Bizet’s Carmen, “Enfin c’est toi!” (One of the performers had the enchanting name Apollo Wong!) There were other, excellent pieces by Richard Strauss, Puccini, Wagner and others. Notably, the staging throughout was dynamic and engaging.

Another wonderful cultural surprise that had nothing to do with automobiles or aircraft!