A Night at the Opera

Thursday night my mom called me and said that she had tickets to see the opera Carmen at the Capital Theater in Salt Lake.  At first I thought she wanted me to go with her, because Dad didn't want to go, but she told me the tickets were for Dale and me if we wanted them.  I asked Dale and with a little hesitation he said he would like to go.  Now for all of you who think that Dale hesitated because it was an opera are wrong.  He hesitated because he felt like he was taking Mom's seat.  I assured him that she was happy to let us go and he said that he had heard ads on the radio for it and that it sounded like fun.  So even though I am turning 40 this year.  This will be my first ever opera.
It was snowing, but it was a pretty warm snow storm so it wasn't really sticking to the road, and we made it to the opera with no problem.  I went to find our seats, because Dale had to use the bathroom and I told him I would meet him at our seats.  I had my ticket in hand, but had no idea which way to go to get to my seat.  "Orchestra" section didn't mean much to me, so I knew I needed to ask an usher where my seat was.  Well I got inside and there was a man standing at the back of the theater.  I was about to go ask him where my seat was when I realized that it wasn't an usher.  It was Elder Oaks from the Quorum of the Twelve.  I smiled at him as I said to myself, "Just keep walking."  I soon after did find an usher and made it to my seat without further incident.  Now I wish that I had asked him where my seat was.  It would have broken the ice and we could have had a little chuckle, and  then I could have shook hands with a great man, but I missed the opportunity.  Dale soon found me and we settled in to watch the show.  The seats were great, pretty much in the center of the theater, just under the subtitles.  I guess I didn't realize that Carmen was a French opera that takes place in Spain.  I guess I just assumed it would be in English, or Latin, but I was wrong.  It didn't stop me from enjoying the show though. The music was all very familiar, which always helps me enjoy it all the more.  I was surprised at how simple the plot was.  There wasn't a whole lot of plot twists in this opera.  I guess the writer was more concerned about the singing.  Which is as it should be for an opera.  This made it easy for me to understand.  The woman who played Carmen was great and the man who played Don Jose was brilliant.  Both Dale and I really enjoyed it.  Now I can cross one of the things off my "bucket" list.  I have seen an opera.  I almost had two items crossed off my list that night.  I should have shook hands with Elder Oaks.  I am sure he is use to people coming up to him and shaking his hand.  Loralie Holmgren would have done it, but I'm just to shy.  Thanks Mom for the tickets.