Out There :: Night At the Opera

Last Friday night's San Francisco Opera gala opening signaled the official start of the San Francisco arts season. Out There made it to the War Memorial Opera House just in time for cocktails in the lobby, wine in the press room, cocktails on the loggia, oh yes the opera "Luisa Miller" in the theater, and post-performance cocktails in the Opera Ball Pavilion. The early Verdi opera was easy on the ears - see the review that starts on the front page of this very issue. Everything else was terrific for our liver.

San Francisco Opera general director David Gockley, ever the gentleman and a giant in his field, approached B.A.R. music critic Philip Campbell and OT to remark upon how consistently excellent he's found our arts coverage to have been over the years. Thank you for acknowledging Phil's and our good work, sir, and thanks for your huge contribution to the musical life of our city.

We remembered previous opera openings we've attended and their stand-out moments. Oh, the year we (accidentally, inadvertently) stepped on the train of arts patroness Dede Wilsey's gown, and she looked at us like she'd just had a bad piece of fish! The year the opera trotted out a real-live camel for our amusement at the ball, and it was easier to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a wealthy man to enter the kingdom of heaven! The year that the San Francisco Chronicle finally fessed up that their columnist, gala attendee Willie Brown, a registered lobbyist, consistently writes about politics and development projects in which he has a compelling interest. Oops, just pulling your leg, that last one hasn't happened yet.

We came, we saw, we partied, we descended deep into the Valley of Decolletage, and we survived to tell the tale. Thanks as always to the SFO press office for their gracious hospitality. Thank you to the Company for putting on such world-class productions. Thank you to the SF fog bank for breaking the oppressive heat wave just in time for opening night. Thanks to Bacchus, the god of wine. Now bring on the season!