Back in October I wrote about the gentleman who owns the grocery store near to my apartment, and how I found out that he is an opera fan and that he is married to a lady named Thaïs, after the Massanet opera of that name. The blog post about them is here. Well, last week, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and it seemed to me that the occasion provided the perfect excuse for me to invite them to Portland Opera as my guests. Yes, I know it may seem that Così fan tutte is not quite the message of congratulations one might wish to give a couple on their Golden Wedding Anniversary, but I thought that, after having been together so long, with all of the ups and downs marriage brings over that time, that they would be able to laugh at an opera that accuses women of being fickle and doesn't exactly show men in the kindest of lights, either. So, on Saturday evening, Wendel and Thaïs Pilger joined me at the Keller Auditorium for the opera's closing night. They had dressed to the nines and turned up bang on time and looking maaahvellous!

We began our evening in the first balcony listening to Bob Kingston talk about the opera we were about to see and, as usual, he was first-rate. After the talk, there was just time for a swift glass of wine before taking our seats. Wendel had provided a red rose which was waiting on Thaïs's seat when she arrived and I had scored a couple of small boxes of chocolates for them. Thaïs gave Wendel a big kiss (aaaawwwwwwww) and we sat waiting for Maestro Manahan to begin the show. Judging from their laughter they both enjoyed the silliness of Act 1. During the intermission we repaired to the Camerata Room where we drank champagne and I took the opportunity to introduce Wendel and Thaïs to anyone I thought they might enjoy. Then it was back for Act 2. We all had a fine time with that, too and clapped madly at the final curtain and curtain-calls. We then went to the orchestra level for the traditional question-and-answer session. This gave me an opportunity to introduce Wendel and Thaïs to my friend and that evening's tenor hero (in the role of Ferrando) Ryan MacPherson, who was every bit as gracious and charming as one would expect.

It was a thoroughly good evening and if they are to be believed, Wendel and Thaïs had a great time. I am very pleased! The picture, of course, is us in the Camerata Room during the intermission.

Just a couple of final thoughts on Così

Immediately before the start of the show on Thursday evening, General Director Chris Mattaliano stood before the curtain and gave his speech of welcome. It included the words "An opera composed by the greatest composer ever to walk the face of the earth, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart." Those are brave words to use in such circumstances, because of the 3000 people sitting there, you just know that about 2000 immediately said to themselves "What about (fill in the name of the composer of your choice here, Beethoven, Brahms, Puccini, go for it)" And, of course, there is some music nerd in the second balcony who put his head in his hands and moans "Has this man never seen Olivier Messiaen's opera, Saint-Francois d'Assise? Therein lies true greatness! Does this man know nothing?? Mozart- Schmozart!" Of course, Chris Mattaliano understands perfectly well that such value judgements as he had made are almost wholly subjective, and after giving a small, wry smile to myself, I thought no more about it.....Until.... Soave sia il vento. In Act 1, as many of you will know/remember, after our two heroes have gone off to war, Fiordiligi and Dorabella are left on stage with Don Alfonso and sing this terzetto, sending their wishes that Ferrando and Guglielmo be transported by gentle winds. On Thursday night, this sublime music made me catch my breath and brought tears to my eyes at the sheer beauty of what I heard. As the audience applauded at the conclusion of the trio, I could not help but shake my head and whisper internally "I'm with you on this one, Chris."

Mozart's music - particularly his operas - move me in a way quite different from that of any other composer. I think I know why that is but it really would take way too long for me to explain and I suspect that at the end of my ramblings you would be no wiser. For any of you who have the full score of this work and a basic knowledge of harmonic theory, though, I can give you one example of what I mean. In bar 22 of 'Soave sia il vento', after some truly gorgeous vocal parts supported by gentle-breezes accompaniment from the string section of the orchestra, at a place where almost any other composer of the time would have resolved the dominant chord to the E major tonic, Mozart chooses to interpolate a diminished chord, held for four slow beats during which the voice parts are doubled by the woodwinds. Earlier phrases then repeat - again we are denied resolution and by the time Mozart brings us safely home to E major (not until Bar 39!!) we are panting on the edge of our seat just waaaiiiiting for it. Blissful agony! I know of no other composer who could have brought that off in the way Mozart did. Tantric opera, that's what it is.

I had one other experience at Thursday's performance. After more than 50 years of listening to, seeing and performing in operas, for the very first time I experienced a performance in a way that I can only describe as existential. For extended periods during the opera I was so in-the-moment, that I gave no thought to suspension of disbelief, or flaws in execution, or the total silliness of the plot - it was what it was - but totally surrendered myself to the experience. What a rush!

And now for something completely different

For many of you, yesterday was an extra day off work. Thus, in a sense, today is your Monday. And what is calculated to brighten any Monday? Well a Soul Train line dance, that's what!