Another Classical Crush

Yesterday, Sultan, Julie and I went to see Opera in Dolores Park. They performed an assortment of great pieces including Mozart, Verdi, Rossini, Wagner, and Gershwin. The result, for me, was soul clensing. Sultan got us VIP seats because he works for one of the media sponsors.

I make no secret of my crush on Joshua Bell the famous violinist. But when Luca Pisaroni stepped on stage I rustled with my program: "Who's that!?" and placed a little heart next to his name on the program. Then, of course, Sultan wrote "Lilia Pisaroni", and Julie wrote "Luca + Lilia = true love forever" and placed a heart around it. Yeah, my friends are clever.

Other favorites were Oren Gradus looking and sounding frighteningly furious as he sang Il lacerato spirito (Simin Boccanegra), and Twyla Robinson singing Sombre foret (William Tell) with anxious excitement. Of course, Susan Graham continued to earn her reputation and Grammy. But all the artists were wonderful.

Luca wore glasses and a blue velvet jacket that was a nice indirect metaphor for the fine texture of his voice. The weather was cold -- it even misted on us throughout the performance. The singers drank hot liquid between sets and many performed with their necks completely engolfed in warm scarves. I continue to be inspired by San Franciscans, yesterday because thousands sat in the near-rain to listen to a little Opera.