A Night At The Opera

Judy is waiting for my opera blog, so here it is. I'm a week late in posting, and I blame a heavy daytime workload and evening laziness that borders on sloth. After a three-month marathon computer binge, mostly work-related, I feel I've earned the right to be indolent when I'm not working. In fact, I not only deserve it, I need it. Desperately. "Down time" has taken on a new meaning lately. It largely consists of assuming a horizontal position on the sofa and staring at the ceiling. However, this abundance of work helped us pay off the sofa just the other day, so we are now debt-free as far as JC Penney is concerned.

My dear friend Russ flew in from St. Louis a week ago Friday for a much-anticipated night at the world-famous Santa Fe Opera. Spending the evening in Santa Fe meant hiring a dog-sitter to watch Murphy and Telly. Lately, Telly has been getting herself into mischief (her nickname is Miss-Chief), so I'm reluctant to leave her alone in the house for very long. She has eaten books, a bag of chocolate, tennis balls, rocks, and even pillows. Fortunately, our shoes are all intact. Under Amy's watchful eye, the dogs did just fine in our absence.


But back to the opera. Russ outdid himself on tickets, presenting us with dream seats in the second row. (I was duly impressed at his ability to procure these outstanding seats!) Ringed by distant mountains, the Santa Fe Opera House is an architectural marvel, situated high in the hills of Tesuque, only a few minutes from the Plaza in Santa Fe. After stopping on Canyon Road for a quick browse in several galleries, we dashed off to Tesuque with our tailgate supper purchased in Whole Foods. Pre-opera tailgating is a tradition in Santa Fe, but our tasty picnic paled in comparison to the tables set up in the parking lot, complete with linen tablecloths, chairs, crystal, and even vases of fresh flowers. We munched on our dinner that was eaten directly out styrofoam containers and Saran Wrap, our elegant table a Toyota trunk. Next time: table and chairs. Who knew?

As the sun set against a backdrop of pink and blue, and with bellies full, we joined the pilgrimage of opera aficionados heading across two parking lots toward the theater, a covered open-air structure that is open only in the warmer months. The open sides invite warm evening breezes to weave through the audience. Small winged creatures could be seen flitting about the stage lighting well overhead. The massive roof insured our protection from evening rains.

The opera itself, Puccini's La Boheme, was delightful, showcasing some exceptional talent. I especially enjoyed reading the libretto, available in both English and Spanish, on a small digital screen on the back of the seat in front of me. Remembering my first visit to the Met, flashlight and thick libretto in my lap, I found this 21st century arrangement a lot easier.

When we arrived home a little after midnight, we enjoyed chocolate treats and other sweets. It's likely that the opera will become an annual tradition in this household. Thank you, Russ, for a splendid evening!