A Marathon Week

Opera House picnickers

Our picnic

It has been a marathon week!  Marathon opera and marathon pre-opera picnics!  What could be better?  Not much.  Becca wanted to go to Der Ring this year, but I was a teensy bit dubious.  Could I arrange my often uncompromising work schedule? Yes!  Could I stay awake for 17 hours of Wagner?  Yes! Yes!! Yes!!!  I had gone to two of them  about thirty years ago, and despite the fact that supra-titles hadn’t been invented yet, and hence I had only the vaguest idea about what was going on, I had enjoyed them thoroughly. I remember little about it besides the Walküre flying through the air on their horses, and Brunnhilde burning on her rock. This time, I could actually tell what was happening, and could fully appreciate what amazing jerks all those gods, giants and evil dwarfs were. Siegfried was a particularly annoying puppy!  The only really admirable character was Brunhilde.  Previously, I liked to envision myself as a combination of Dorothea Brooke and Florence Dombey.  Now I am adding Brunhilde to this totally unrealistic self-image.  Warrior saint!  Does that sound like me?  Hmmmm!  I thought not. One can only aspire.

In addition to my staying awake issues, there was the issue of dinner.  If one is a minute late for the opera, one does not get in.  I have a lateness phobia anyway, and the “not getting in” bit only serves to enhance my fears.  The opera house is surrounded by bad traffic, another cause for anxiety.  So I made Becca be ready about two hours before it started.  She was a good sport about this, and brought her knitting to while away any excess time. We have diet issues, so the restaurant options are limited and our previous favorite opera neighborhood restaurant has seriously deteriorated lately, so we didn’t want to go there. Picnics were the answer.  Apparently many others felt the same way, as the area around the Opera House was filled with picnickers dressed for an evening out.  It was a tremendously fun week, and I am sure that I won’t wait another thirty years before I go to Der Ring again.  

The day after Götterdämmerung, the final installment, I woke up with a frightful cold. It must have been all the excitement. I have had to keep to my bed for the last two days.  Bummer. But I sure am glad my cold waited until after our wonderful opera days to attack.

The Old Me on the first night!  We're excited! 

The New Me!