Last year, like a proud New Yorker, I helped a stranger who was walking around looking lost at the Lincoln Center. It was her last day in the city visiting from Italy and she was hoping that she'd get into the Met Opera. Unfortunately there was no show that night, so I asked her if she'd like to take a chance and get in line at the box office of the New York State Theatre for free tickets for the opening of the NYC Ballet's new production of Romeo and Juliet. We already have ours and maybe she could still get one for herself.
We parted ways without finding out if she ever got a ticket and knowing what it's like to find one's way around in a foreign country, I was just so glad I could help. New Yorkers are generally friendly; in every corner around the tourist areas and underground in the subways, there's always someone hovering nearby and dying to help out souls overwhelmed with their oversized subway maps all spread out, needing help on directions or simply how to read the map painlessly. Some of us might even get disappointed if we're not the ones asked.
It was a spectacular performance. It was a winner - Peter Martin's new rendition of Romeo & Juliet was a real showpiece. At intermission, Celine and I sprinted to the restroom and voila, there she was; she got in - Olga is her name we'll soon find out! She was so grateful for the tip, we exchanged e-mail addresses and so forth and from then on she was in touch. She's a teacher and hails from a small town in Torino, Italy.
Last Friday, she let me know she was coming to NYC and if we could meet. We decided we'll see tonight's event at the Avery Fisher Hall, part of the Mostly Mozart Series and then after the performance sit for coffee. I'm delighted to hear from her.
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LAVAZZA in a paper cup - not anywhere near the taste of coffee at the famous il caffee Sant' Eustachio in Rome, but the company more than made up for it. With plenty of time before the concert we did a lot of catching up. She's traveled to a lot more countries since I saw her last, not just for pleasure but also doing mission work in Africa. The bag of Caffar
el gianduia bitter chocolate filled with hazel nuts, is a sweet little present she brought me. I can't wait to get a bite of this hazelnutty treats.
el gianduia bitter chocolate filled with hazel nuts, is a sweet little present she brought me. I can't wait to get a bite of this hazelnutty treats. We were joined by two other ladies in her group, Kiara and Antonella, who were both ecstatic about all the shopping they did in SoHo and Tribeca. Funny that they are buying Italian shoes and clothes in New York. Why, because their euros go a long way here. Worn out from walking, but not from shopping, their next stop tomorrow - Macy's. The Frick Collection and the rest on Museum Row, and an evening show probably Phantom or Chicago are also on the list. It felt good to know that they found New Yorkers to be friendly and helpful and of course Olga does a good job of being their tour guide.
The concert program was excellent, two Mozart pieces and a Beethoven composition. The young Romanian pianist Mihaela Ursuleasa played Beethoven's cadenza with such virtuosity. My eyes welled up at the third movement of Beethoven's Piano concerto No. 3 in C minor. I was glued to my seat for her encore of what looked and sounded like a difficult Romanian composition. Never mind that we had nosebleed seats and partial views at the boxes, the music was heavenly. And of course the rest is unmistakably Mozart, playful and melodic, great music played by the Mozart Festival Orchestra. Listen to the third bassoon, as one lecturer put it and a lesson I'll never forget.
During intermission, I got to know the other ladies better. Kiara is a doctor, born and trained in Italy but works in Paris and Antonella lives in Milan. Their big complaint, Americans turn on the air conditioning up so high, the two ladies freeze their butts everywhere they go. And I thought I had a problem. We managed to scoot down to center seats with better views, but still up on the third tier, as soon as the lights went out for the last piece. What a brilliant performance and in a great hall with almost perfect acoustics. Bellissima! After all, Avery Fisher Hall is the home of the New York Philharmonic.
We said our goodbyes, but not exactly. She's inviting me to see her in Torino and I might just take her up on it since I have not seen that part of Italy. Her place is not too far from the Alps and Austria. What I would give to have that!
A lovely reunion, and for now - Ciao, Olga.
