Fallen Woman

I saved myself for the Met.  While most opera lovers were growing up with season tickets well in hand, I was hiding in my closet listening to Met broadcasts on a radio that was also a stuffed dog (my uncle worked at Radio Shack.)  All those years of listening added up to some intense fantasies about seeing my first opera, so I waited for the best, for the Met.  OK, there was one terrible production of Die Fledermaus during college, but it was horrible and during college--that doesn't count, right?  But the years have gone by and kids kept happening and I'm not getting younger, I needed an alternative plan.  Local opera is surprisingly available, but how could Opera Grand Rapids compete with all those girlhood fantasies?
It couldn't.  I was just going to have to go for the virtual experience.  Fathom Events does live broadcasts of opera from the Met.  I have been talking about this since before we were married, so when I rolled over and asked Kurt if he wanted to go see La Traviata he was up and dressed before I'd closed my iPad.  We were in good company and the theater was full-the kind of full I expect for a Harry Potter film.  The Met was gorgeous and the broadcast was good.  Natalie Dessay sung her lungs out.  The set was perfect.  It was everything I'd hoped for.  The only sour note was the ticket price, but only because it was unexpected.
I will be going again.