I Sang With the Santa Fe Opera

Sunday was a very busy day and we barely had time to draw a breath. We went to church with our friends, the Waldies. After church we went to the Santa Fe Bar and Grill for lunch and then we paid a visit to our friend, Young Woo who has just returned yesterday from a month in Europe. This was the first year in seven that we have not spent the Fourth of July with him watching the fireworks display from his deck which overlooks the entire city of Santa Fe as his house is on the side of a mountain. He was only going to be in town for one day as he is going to one of his other homes (he has 4) The one he is going to tomorrow is in Los Angeles. I met him over 2o years ago in Egypt when we were both taking a photographic workshop from my mentor, Lisl Dennis, and we have remained friends ever since. He is an Architect and also a great watercolor artist. He's the one who introduced me to Charles Reid and I have had hte privilege of studying with Reid and he and his wife, Judy have become good friends.

After we left Young's, we came home for about an hour's break before our good friend Bonnie Frost arrived from Albuquerque. She was staying overnight with us since we were all going to Vanessi's for dinner and to hear the Opera singers. When we arrived there, the place was packed! It literally was standing room only so we were very fortunate to have a table right by the piano. We arrived at 5:00 and the performance didn't begin until 7:00. However, Doug Montgomery played from 5:30 until the singers started their part of the evening, so we had constant entertainment.

When I entitled this blog "I sang with the Santa Fe Opera" it was no joke. The singers rehearsed all of us and on certain arias we all joined in as a full chorus and sang. It was great fun. You can see them in a group when we were all singing with them in the photograph below. The performance wasn't over until 10:30 and we didn't want it to stop. The conductor confessed that inside ever Opera singer there was really a Lounge Lizard lurking, so they sang some wonderful ballads and favorite songs of their own personal choosing as well as Operatic selections. We have been here for this event for the past four years and always thoroughly enjoy it. It's one of the highlights of our summers in Santa Fe.

I probably won't sing with the Opera again, because when I heard my voice on tape when I was filming part of the performance I discovered that I was absolutely dreadful! Oh well, so much for show business. Better stick to photography and painting!

Pcasso