Saturday's performance was beautiful, hypnotic, and perfectly executed. At least, according to my friend.
I cannot say the same thing.
Want to know why???? Well, it wasn't because I wasn't there. Oh no. I was there. Orchestra Left, Row L. Seat 5. I love the Orchestra Left. Not extreme left, mind you. Left Center.
I digress.
Going back to the show, I was there, I was present, and I was very excited to see the performance. I am a big fan of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, ever since I first heard Joshua Bell play it on his Mendelssohn Violin Concerto/Beethoven Symphony cd. I couldn't wait to hear what the formidable Chee-Yun could do with it.
And Dvorak and Mozart are two of my favorite composers. To say I was excited about hearing a NEVER BEFORE PERFORMED symphony by Mozart was like saying World War Two was just a little "skirmish."
So what happened? Why could I not enjoy the show, like my date did? Very simply, it was the lady next to me.
OH MY GOD. Never before had I been so bombarded by a perfume. It was so stunningly strong that I couldn't even tell if it smelled good or bad. It permeated the air. My eyes started watering, my nose started running. The top of my mouth got very, very itchy.
What's a girl to do but start sniffling. Well, you'd think I had took out a sawed off shot gun and shot someone for all the STARES and DEATH GLARES I was getting, the most severe of which came from Perfume Lady herself! She fidgeted in her seat, inching away from me as if I had the plague. She tapped who I can only assume was her husband on the arm and whispered in his ear. And yes, I knew they were talking about me.
I got up to grab some toilet paper to use as a tissue. I came back to my seat moments later and, eyes still watering, nose still running, I blow my nose.
Well, I might as well have run naked through the Vatican.
Embarrassment colored me red. The show started minutes later, so I tried to coordinate my sniffing as best as I could with the music. Basically, when it got loud, so did I. Still, people heard me. I was so uncomfortable knowing that I was causing a scene and sitting so close to the stage that I couldn't even concentrate on what I was hearing. The opening number was totally lost on me.
Major La Poo, considering the opening number was the Mozart piece I really wanted to hear.
Darn you lady with your perfume! Darn you to heck!
Intermission finally comes. Thinking I'm oh so clever, I suggest to my friend we move seats. He agrees, bless his heart.
And guess what? It was like moving from the pan to the fire.
People, please! I know that you're going to the Symphony and I know that the Symphony is a very nice place that deserves your respect. I wrote a rather large post on it several months ago, in fact. One day, perhaps I'll post it. Anyway, please remember though, that you are in an auditorium. A beautifully decorated auditorium that still does not have any open windows or air vents. (At least, none that I can see.) Please remember that the quarters are close; you are sitting elbow to elbow with a row of strangers.
And please, I beg of you, remember that a little bit of perfume goes a very long way. And a lot of perfume just makes people sick.
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