La Bohème (The Rose)

As the title implies, there was some opera-experiencing today. It was a momentous occasion since it was Boy's first real opera!

We started the morning with brunch at Caché Bistro in Yaletown, comprising of three small waffles each. Then I rushed us to the pre-show talk at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre to learn about Puccini and the opera itself.

Before Vancouver Opera's production of La Bohème started, I found an abandoned rose on a glass table and claimed it as mine. (This will be an important detail for later.)

When I opened the program, I was disappointed to see an insert with Mimi's understudy's details. This being the last performance, I thought that the main Mimi thought it unimportant to perform or that she was ill. I was very relieved to hear before the start of the show that the insert was only there because they had forgotten to add the understudy to the printed program. And then I felt rotten for having had so little faith in the understudy. That quickly melted away when the conductor entered the orchestra pit. We lucked out with having cheap mezzanine seats thanks to the OUT (Opera Under Thirty-Five) deal, so I could actually see the conductor!

The opera was as beautiful as I remembered it. Although Rodolfo's voice did not project as well as Mimi's (I find this to be very common with tenor voices in general), I was swept up in the music and found myself crying at the end. That Mimi is such a sweet, loveable character.

As we were heading out, I heard someone calling my name and was happy to see Nicky with Raddy--I had totally forgotten that they had gotten tickets to today's show as well! She saw my rose and asked Raddy why he didn't get her one, to which I replied, "Well, I found this one on a table...", which Boy quickly tried to correct. He's a romantic one :).

After having a quick chat and then heading our separate ways, I realized how hungry I was but also that it was a Sunday late afternoon, meaning my ideal food at the moment at Finch's (a prosciutto and baked brie sandwich) was out of my reach due to its being closed. Boo.

Instead I settled for a pain au chocolat at a very noisy and busy Thierry (I don't think I'll be going there again anytime soon, especially when Faubourg is far more superior in quality, selection, and ambiance) and then headed back to Boy's place, where we watched Seinfeld before I headed home for dinner with my parents.

I'm still laughing about the rose.