A Night at the Opera.

10-21-13 SHORT HILLS: We were in the city, NYC, Saturday for a night at the opera, the Met, to hear ‘Eugene Onegin’ by Tchaikovsky. Because no one was using the Lincoln Tunnel that night, we zipped in and were early for our dinner res so we stopped in at the Folk Art Museum just across the square from Lincoln Center. They have a quilt exhibition, modern quilts, some with trompe l’oeil effects and a huge weather vane that is a permanent part of the display.

Café Fiorello was its regular cacophony and even bit more hectic than usual, if that’s possible, but we both enjoy the menu and the crowd.

At the main event, the voices, Anna Netrebko and Mariusz Kwiecien as the principals, and the music, Tchaikovsky conducted by Pavel Smelkov, were really awesome.

The sets, however, were dark, drab and disappointing. I remember the Met from years ago when the sets and effects were gorgeous, brilliant and amazing. The sets are an important part of the show and the experience. Some of the new productions I find wanting, they’re stark and colorless and depressing.


Folk Art Museum-quilt.

Folk Art Museum-weather vane with photo of original location.

The Met, before...

and after.