Bidding Farewell to ‘Roméo’ And Greeting 2008
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Whatever despair had sunk into the audience during the Metropolitan Opera’s final performance of “Roméo et Juliette” this season disappeared when patrons joined the stars of the production for a gala supper (featuring beet salad, veal, and lemon-mango meringue tart), fireworks, and dancing on the Grand Tier.
It was New Year’s Eve after all, with the general manager of the Met, Peter Gelb, presiding over the countdown, much in the spirit of Dick Clark.
“We’ve brought opera to Times Square, so now it’s time to bring a little Times Square to the opera. It’s only fair,” Mr. Gelb said, moments before a modest light display was set off the balcony and a cascade of confetti fell to the pristine red carpets of the opera house.
Among the 400 guests were familiar New Yorkers and many out-of-towners, such as Max Joosten, the eight-year-old son of “Roméo et Juliette”‘s director, Guy Joosten, of Belgium, and Richard and Elizabeth Casper of Cape Cod, Mass.
By all accounts, 2008 is going to be a busy year. “Vacation? Absolutely not,” Mr. Joosten, who is currently working on several Strauss operas, said.
“I love work,” mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard said.
agordon@nysun.com
