opera in camera

[calimac]

Took B. down to the local library for a little season preview by singers from San Jose Opera. Apparently they do this every year, but this year we heard about it. They're doing four operas, but one of them, Kevin Puts' Silent Night, isn't amenable to concert excerpts, so we had to be content with eight arias and duets, all from 19th century Italian operas (Lucia, Barber, Boheme). Lots of fine singing, and even characterization, despite street clothes, in a small program room. The hardest part of singing Lucia, the tenor said in introducing his aria, is pronouncing Italian with a Scottish accent.