On Jan. 9, my mother and I went to see Giacomo Puccini’s opera “La Boheme.” I have been infatuated with this specific opera since I was little, I remembered always hearing it at home and in the streets of my stomping ground during high school. Along with recently taking a class regarding the history of opera with one of my favorite professors, that further instilled my love of Puccini. I have been in love with going to operas at the Metropolitan Opera House since I saw Cher in Moonstruck. And by this opportunity, I wanted to make this moment one of the major stepping stones of my life. So I decided to embody La Boheme literally. I wanted to wear something truly spectacular and something full of love and of my own making. I knew before this opportunity that I wanted to create a La Boheme coat, so I started sketching and designing the fabric to be used. So one night in my dorm, I sketched out the whole coat and designed the fabric on spoonflower.com with the original poster design by Giovanni Ricordi. Once I received the fabric I waited to have my full thought space at home to make the coat. And within two days the coat was finished.
On the night of the opera, my mother and I went to Mood fabrics and walked around for the whole day. I wore my La Boheme coat along with my beautiful, handmade neopolitan earrings I received on Christmas from my favorite designer, Nunzio Russo. I needed a little bit of luck that day. When we walked up the stairs to the Met with the rush of people, we embraced it as much as possible. I loved to see the people all dressed up and excited to go to the opera, it reminded me of the people in Napoli that would make it a whole event. My mother and I took our seats and we could see the whole famous stage set that Franco Zeffirelli designed. I loved the set, wardrobe, the voices and the whole atmosphere of the opera house.
I believe my experience was different than everyone else that went to the opera that night. Prior to that, I memorized all the arias, I knew the background of Puccini, and I fell in love with it all before I saw the opera with my own eyes. I was searching for that pause where I felt like it was only me in the audience and I was so fortunate to have that happen.
In the third act aria “Addio,” when Mimi sings to Rodolfo, I paused from the lyrics and just listened. I listened to her voice and just closed my eyes. That was when I knew I found something that I loved and that I couldn’t imagine my life not being devoted to opera. Walking back to our hotel, I knew that night was one of the best nights of my life, and I can not wait when I am older and get to be a part of this opera world.