...or Once in a Lifetime Experiences
Last night I had an experience most people will never enjoy, nor may I ever again. I had to stay during the evening's performance to help the the archivist take costume photos for La Fille du Regiment. We had finished photographing the principals in their Act 1 ensembles, and decided to wander backstage to watch some of the show.
The opera is a delightful comedy about the orphan Marie who is raised by a regiment in the French Army. While the regiment is stationed in the Swiss Alps, a now-grown Marie meets and falls in love with the handsome lad Tonio, who saved her from a nasty spill down the mountain side. Tonio and Marie wish to marry, but she is obligated to pick a husband from the regiment that helped raise her. In order to have his beloved, Tonio agrees to join the regiment and sings the aria "Ah! Mes Amis!" to prove his loyalty.
We reached the stage left wing just in time to hear Juan Diego Florez sing Tonio's aria, complete with the infamous nine high-Cs. Not only is this aria considered a showstopper, but Mr. Florez was begged by the audience for an encore on opening night. He sang the aria beautifully, and the applause echoed through the house for an impressive 2 and a 1/2 minutes! (Trust me, that is a loooong time for mid-show applause). The archivist and I eagerly watched, awed by the crowds response. Then, the most spectacular thing happened. The conductors baton hit the down beat, and Mr. Florez presented "Ah! Mes Amis" for the second time that evening, hitting the high-Cs with effortless energy as though it was the first time. The crowd went wild again, and I realized I had just been a part of a once in a life time event--watching an operatic superstar encore an amazing performance from the wings of the Metropolitan Opera.
P.S. the video is from the final dress rehearsal
