Grandma was born in Germany in the late 1800's. She told me every hamlet in Germany no matter how small or poor seemed to have its own concert haus and operetta company. The country was totally into music. My grandmother passed on her love of musical culture to me and I'm forever grateful. I still listen to the Met on Saturdays just like I did when grandma was sitting in her chair sewing and darning.
I live in Florida now. My area is rather a dry hole for opera.....but Ruth Eckerd Hall a half-hour from me in Clearwater puts on some passable opera. Sarasota, the home of Cong. Katherine Harris, has opera worth the two-hour drive. I saw Die Fledermaus there and really enjoyed it.
I appreciate the photos above so much. Opera, operetta, ballet and classical music are a great part of my life.
I hate today's music!
(......ducking!)
Leni
Some of the great PBS broadcasts of "Live from the Met" are now available on DVD from Amazon. I have a whole bunch of them.