one random week day I get an email from Hollywood asking me if I would like to go to the Metropolitan Opera. to which of course I responded yes. (I mean, honestly, who wouldn't? it also helps that I've been wanting to see an opera forever.) I kid you not, literally a few hours later I get another email from Hollywood that reads like this: "we have free tickets to go on Tuesday." nice.
so the night of the opera arrives and it turns out we are seeing Ariadne auf Naxos. I've never heard of the opera, but it was an opera nonetheless so I was perfectly content. our seats were A-MAZ-ING. we were almost literally in the laps of the people on stage. and right in the center of the orchestra as well!
I was even lucky enough to score a seat behind this lady:
I mean, really? this isn't the royal wedding. it isn't Ascot. WHY in the world did she think it was necessary to wear a hat to the opera?? especially since the opera is a place where everyone sits and it's already hard enough to find a viewing spot with people sitting right in front of you. put a hat into the mix and it just makes it worse. le sigh.
to thank Hollywood for scoring us these awesome FREE tickets to the opera, I decided I would treat us both to a glass of champagne during the intermission. so I'm waiting in line and while waiting I end up talking to the very nice gentleman in front of me. small opera chit chat about what our favorites were, which I of course had none seeing as this was only the second opera I had ever been to. finally it's my turn to order the drinks and I tell the man at the bar two glasses of champagne. while waiting I look to the left and the right of me at others ordering and notice that everyone is paying with cash. so I asked the bartender if it's cash only - which it was and I didn't have the THIRTY SIX dollars to pay for the two glasses of champagne. and wouldn't you know, the gentleman who was in line in front me paid for my drinks. I didn't ask him - he just jumped in and handed the bartender the money. I couldn't believe it. after thanking him profusely I asked him how I could get in touch with him to repay him the money. he wouldn't let me - said it was his treat to me and that I should enjoy the opera. all I can say is, karma is going to come back to that man in a good way. :)
after the wonderful free champagne, we went back to our seats for the second half of our free opera. even though I definitely enjoyed the experience, I am going to complain about one little thing here. this opera was legit the longest thing I have ever had to sit through! seriously at the end of it, the two main characters were singing "I love you" to each other over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and... well you get the idea. and now you also get a sense of what I had to sit through! but it was a great night in the end and one I hope to have more of in the future. :)
(a picture of what the opera house looked like from behind our seats)
p.s. - I didn't have my actual camera, so please excuse the bad iPhone photos
