I had the pleasure today of trekking down to Sharon Meadow in Golden Gate Park for Opera in the Park, the San Francisco Opera-sponsored event. It was a beautiful day and a couple thousand of us were out enjoying it.

I choose a spot up on the hill, a little far from the stage but also from the mass of people. I spread out my blanket and tried to soak in as much sun as possible while reading more from the Dalai Lama. The bouts of strong wind seemed to stretch & distort the sounds from the stage, adding dramatic effect.

The performers were absolutely amazing. I especially loved Heidi Melton, an incredible soprano. I honestly couldn’t hold back a smile when she would belt out a high note. It happens even now when I watch the video (again & again :). It came about as close to giving me goosebumps as I think opera in an outdoor setting can. I was in love. I filmed a bit of one of Heidi’s performances. I’m not sure the compression allowed for capturing the full intensity of the music, unfortunately.

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During the 20-minute intermission, the woman next to me struck up conversation. She flew up from San Diego especially to enjoy the show. She was a fascinating lady. I inquired if she followed the opera scene, and it turns out, she had for 29 years (I think that was the number). All those years ago, she met a blind woman in need of an escort to the opera, so the two of them never missed a performance in that time. In fact, the woman offered to buy her plane ticket if she would join in a 6-week excursion to Italy. They saw an opera at La Scala in Milan, a clearly memorable experience by the reminiscent tone that captured her voice. She said she never went to the opera before meeting this woman, but it became such a part of her life, that even after her friend has passed on, she continues to attend.

I was so inspired by her story. Imagine 6 weeks in Italy, taking care of your blind friend. There were so many factors I never considered. They went to museums, where she would describe the paintings to her friend. She recalled her favorite moment was painting a mental image of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. What a beautiful way to experience art—studying & describing it to make it visible to someone who cannot see it for themselves.

She was a lovely lady and recommended which operas I might enjoy and where to sit. She also told me of a Tibetan store in Castro that I should phone to learn when the Dalai Lama will be in town next. As the concert closed, she said “It was nice talking with you. Well, enjoy the rest of your life.” with a laugh.

I’m so thankful to have picked up the copy of that newspaper to learn of this event. It turned out to be such a moving afternoon on so many levels. They handed out discount coupons for some shows, so I’m excited to pick out a couple shows to attend this season. I’ve been fascinated with attending an opera since I was in junior high. Seeing Pavarotti perform on PBS was my introduction, but it was watching Amadeus that confirmed my genuine appreciation. I may never become the art buff who can spend an afternoon at a museum, but I will never turn away from an opportunity to share a room with a full orchestra and a gifted soprano.

PS I just read my post from a year ago today. Yesterday marked the 1-year anniversary of Pavarotti’s death. Interesting coincidence. Dear cosmic powers of the universe, I’m listening. I’ll buy my opera tickets by Wednesday. I promise.