Mumbling Madly

Went to Utah to attend the opera with family. Madame Butterfly was dedicated to my grandpa, a founding Utah Opera board member since it began in the 70’s. It was a whirlwind trip on the heels of a hectic week of rehearsals, scheduling, dodging and ducking. I flew into SLC on Friday night and left Sunday morning. My grandpa’s house remains largely the same since my aunt continues to reside there. It’s comforting to see the old pictures and nick knacks still standing, yet, strangely disconcerting to have my grandpa know longer around…no longer living there. While searching in the cupboards my uncle found an ancient can of apricots:

We also found a historic box of starch. This was back when folks used to starch their clothes. My uncle and I spent a while trying to research the date of the box. It might stretch as far back as the turn of the century but our internet research turned up inconclusive:

The opera was beautiful; I felt horribly under-dressed as we dined at a fancy benefit dinner prior to the show. Men were wearing tuxes and women sported long gowns. I can’t believe I wore my red Dansko clogs to the opera. However, the atmosphere was elegant and festive. Relatives I used to never know but have recently become well acquainted with in the last six month were there (i.e. my great uncle, avid collector of phonographs). We sat at a special table in honor of my grandpa and sat through speeches and pleasantries.

Madame Butterfly is a feminist nightmare. Written at the beginning of the century by the legendary Puccini, the whole opera is one big heartbreak waiting to happen. Chauvinist pig, Captain Pinkerton shows up in the orient, marries a former concubine and then splits. She waits for him dutifully for three years, gives birth to his son, and sing aria after aria about how lucky she is to have him. Pinkerton finally shows up with a new, white, American, replacement bride and let’s everyone know he’s just swinging by to pick up his kid. Madame Butterfly discovers the new wife, realizes her kid is as good as gone, and kills herself. Dang.

This is my brother and I outside the theater: