So...
Earlier tonight, I went to The Metropolitan Opera to see their current production of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra with Placido Domingo in the title role - singing a baritone role. It was quite interesting to hear him sing a role that never came close to challenging the upper part of his range, but, all in all, the experiment(?) worked. The rest of the cast was in very good voice tonight too, and James Levine and that orchestra really produced some beautiful sounds throughout.
As I mentioned earlier, it turned out that one of my former students and friend, Patrick Carfizzi, was singing "Paolo", the villain, in this production. During the first intermission, I happened to run into his brother in the aisles, and so I was able to be added to "the list" to head backstage afterwards. It was great getting to see Patrick again, as well as his brother Chris and his fiancée and future mother-in-law who had flown up from Ft. Lauderdale to see the opera.
I also got a kick out of watching all the women swoon over Placido Domingo, and Domingo just eating all that feminine attention right up.
Once we made it past the autograph and photograph seekers at the stage door, we headed across the street to Cafe Fiorello for some post-opera desserts. Their "Double Bucket" Chocolate Mousse... WOW!