Opera!

This afternoon, I went to a free outdoor opera downtown. The show consisted of 1-2 acts from several well known operas. This was a part of a summer series, in which concerts and operas are provided free to the public. And likely, this program gives those folks (like myself), who could not afford or would otherwise not attend, a chance to do so. My friend Laura is an amazing violinist (and a triathlete!!) and plays in the orchestra for the SF Opera. She always clues me into which operas I should attend (mostly based on popularity, I think) and when the shows are outdoors/free.

A few weeks back, my roommate and I went to the Giants Stadium (baseball) where a live stream of the opera--La Tosca--was being played on the Jumbotron screen. Laura and her colleagues were playing downtown at the Opera House while we got to sit in the stadium under the full moon and eat ballpark food! So, I still know next to nothing about operas, except it seems, every story consists of a love story (perhaps two men fighting over one woman or forbidden love) and in the end, either one or both of the men and the woman are killed...

The opera orchestra (center, back)