Happy to Have MET You

The past two days have been incredibly productive...in two completely different ways. Last night, I got home from work at about 6:30, unbelievably exhausted from my lack of sleep (which has accumulated slowly but surely over the past 3 months). I decided it was time to catch up - so I went to bed at 8:00 p.m. (yup). And I woke up today at 8:30 a.m. 12 1/2 hours was exactly what I needed.

And it's a good thing I slept that long, because I could not have gotten through the day without it. For tonight, Kelly and I went to the METropolitan Opera to attend a performance of Puccini's Il Trittico. Running time: 4 hours. We left at midnight.

I got in line for the tickets this afternoon at 3:00, waited 3 hours, and purchased the two $20 Orchestra tickets at 6:00. And the performance was absolutely wonderful. I don't know how they do it, but the MET rotates about 4 different productions every week, each with its own separate massive set. Il Trittico is a collection of three one-act operas (Il Tabarro, Suor Angelica, and Gianni Schicchi), so each act had its own elaborate, huge, gorgeous, awe-inspiring set. And in front of each seat there are "MET titles", where one can read the translations. This place is so legit.

All three acts were phenomenal in their own way, but the third was my favorite - it was genuinely hilarious and beautifully presented. Not to mention that at the end, the room in which the whole act was set descended to reveal the roof of the building, set against the skyline of Florence. It was absolutely breathtaking and spectacular. Everything was great: the music, the orchestra, the performances, the sets, the lights, the costumes, the direction. I shouted "Bravo!", "Brava!", and "Bravissimo!" as loud as my lungs would allow.

And if you're wondering: yes, I felt exactly like Cher felt when she went to the MET in "Moonstruck". Except my experience was better: Nicolas Cage didn't come with me.