#operarox

Patty halted in the front hallway.

She’d been in Holtzmann’s hole-in-the-wall apartment before, and there had generally been a constant state of messy chaos, from spare clothing thrown on chairs, unused parts covering all raised surfaces, and dog fur coating everything. When she visited, the mutt itself always jumped on her, too, but things were quiet and clean--and she was confused.

“Holtzy?”

“In the living room.”

Calling it a living room was a bit of a stretch, Patty thought as she headed there. There was just enough space for an old couch and small television that Holtz had rigged into an all purpose monitor for television, gaming, computing, and spying on a horse ranch in Montana.

Today, there was an addition to the room in the form of a step ladder. She narrowed her eyes.

“What’s all this?”

Holtz grinned as she climbed to the middle step. “C’mere.”

Patty walked grudgingly over and stood, arms folded over her chest. “Uh-huh?”

“We have been courting now for many a day.”

“Yeah, and?”

“And I have decided it’s time for our first kiss.”

Patty cocked an eyebrow. “Is it now?”

“Yes.”

After a moment of consideration, Patty nodded. “Fair enough. But y’all better understand that I take this seriously.”

Holtz threw a hand over her heart in a melodramatic fashion. “So do I, my fair lady.”

“Put that mouth to better use.”

Holtz leaned over the rim of the step ladder and cupped Patty’s cheeks. Patty looked fondly at her as the distance between them lessened until she felt the feather-soft touch of Holtz’s lips on hers. She leaned in and slid a hand behind Holtz’s neck.

I have had a GRAND time traveling to see at least one opera, concert, or recital every weekend in March. The heavy weekend travel schedule combined with working full time on weekdays has made me an even slower blogger than usual but I would like to share a few more bits and pieces from my live music adventures.

One of the most fun things that happened along the way was also totally unexpected for me. After Sarah Connolly’s recital at the Park Avenue Armory on March 17, Kim (of @operarox fame, second from right in the photo above) & friends invited me & my friends to go along to a sort of late night opera open mic night—but without any mic because we’re talking about opera singers, duh—at a restaurant in New York. There was a piano at the restaurant and an accompanist who would play whatever music was put in front of him. Young singers took turns singing works from their repertoire. My non-singing friends and I sat at a table and had drinks and nachos and took it all in. What a blast!

Some dress rehearsal shots from Griffin Candey’s Sweets by Kate at The Stonewall Inn (OperaRox Productions). Photos by Tommy Venus

OperaRox Productions and Sweets by Kate at NYC Pride March 2017

I know that people have mixed feelings about Pride, but I have to admit that I had a fantastically wonderful and emotional time this year as I marched with my opera company.