Operatic stories are often pretty crazy. Lohengrin was the son of Parzival, a knight of the Holy Grail sent in a boat pulled by swans to rescue a maiden who can never ask his identity. Which means of course that she can’t resist asking, and he can’t resist telling, and pretty much everything gets ruined because people can’t help themselves but do what they’re not supposed to.
I used to enjoy the opera several times each year, but all the waves of the COVID pandemic broke my streak of many years. It’s so great to be out again!
This particular performance was recorded for posterity by the Metropolitan Opera, and at its conclusion there was a rain of confetti. I burst into tears when I saw that each paper said “We love you!!”
It was the exact message I wanted to give to the cast, for whom I was so far beyond grateful for the performance and the entire experience of going out again. I had been to Carnegie Hall for music last month, but this was a whole new level of special.
I’ve never seen Lohengrin before, and its roots in Arthurian Legend landed much closer to my personal interests than the usual classics from the Italian repertoire (Verdi, Puccini, et al.). More than ever before, this particular opera felt as if the performance was just for me and my Mom. I love you, Mom.
