Close proximity to world-class opera was not on our list of requirements
when we were looking for a house in The Valley. But the fact that it
exists is not a surprise. If anything, we have come to expect the
unexpected. We marvel at the wealth of talent that seems to be in
endless supply here and do our best to take advantage of the many
cultural opportunities that present themselves. So when we received a
postcard in the mail alerting us to a concert to be put on by the Green
Mountain Opera Festival that very evening, we made an impromptu decision
to round up our houseguests and go.
Of the eight of us, none had anything near the proper attire. In the
basic "good hygiene" triptych of not leaving the house without clothes
that are: one, clean; two, free of rips and holes; and three,
appropriate, the best we would each be able to manage on such short
notice was two out of the three. Knowing this, I swallowed hard and
purchased eight tickets anyway. I figured what we lacked in sartorial
splendor we would make up for in revenue stream.
My husband and I had had the privilege of hearing one of the singers-a
bass, I believe-earlier this spring. Based on that experience, we had
high expectations for the evening's concert. My in-laws, who traveled
widely and have been to the opera in places like Vienna and Prague, may
not have been so optimistic. In fact, they seemed downright confused
when I asked them if they cared to join us for opera that evening.
"Opera? In Vermont?" they asked.
Nor were they much reassured when I informed them that the concert would
be taking place in a barn. Nevertheless, they put on their best "we'll
be good sports about this" smiles and joined the rest of us for the
short drive to the beautiful Inn at the Round Barn.
Once there, we sat spellbound as, one after the other, sopranos, altos,
tenors, basses, and countertenors (who knew there was such a thing?)
stood on a makeshift stage and filled that cavernous barn with trills
and thrills the likes of which had no right coming from the mouths of
mere mortals. Being new to opera, I am not familiar with the correct
terminology. I'm pretty sure the phrase "blown away" is not part of any
music critic's lexicon; nevertheless it most aptly sums up the way we
all felt about that performance-my in-laws included.
The Green Mountain Opera Festival, sponsored by the Green Mountain
Cultural Center, is now in its fifth year. It is a member of the
prestigious Opera America, and musicians and singers of the highest
caliber come from all over the United States to spend the summer
performing in The Valley. As of this reading, the festival is in full
swing, with a series of concerts, open auditions and master classes
culminating in a fully staged, costumed opera - Donizetti's Lucia di
Lammermoor - at the Barre Opera House June 18 and 20. Opera? In
Vermont? Most definitely, yes. And how lucky we are for it.
Sharon Johnson lives part time in Warren, Vermont.
