# The second Anna Netrebko peregrination blog



## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

OK, folks, it's 6:33 PM in New York City, and I'm here at the Hilton New York, 54th and 6th Avenue, right after the cocktail hour (I'm on the Club Level so I have the right to free wine and cheese and quiches and other perks - I mean, not "free" because I'm paying a lot to be here). Back to the room before I go for a walk, to take in the views and the people-watching of my gorgeous New York City.

Nice suite room... Bose sound, flat screen TV, tastefully appointed details, fabulous King size bed with high-thread linens.

I'm dully armed with a copy of my e-mail to Anna's agent, letting him know about my plans to nickname her 'La Bellissima,' and his answer to me saying that she was delighted with my idea, and would appreciate my efforts to make it happen.

OK, it has happened. Anna is now called _La Bellissima_ on Newsweek, on The Independent, on The Daily Beast, and Wikipedia.

I made a dent in opera history!

Tomorrow I'll send her a note identifying myself as the guy who started it with the copy of the e-mail to prove it, and will ask for three minutes of her time, by the means of her guest list.

I'm hoping for an autograph, a picture, a hand shake, and hopefully a little kiss on the cheek. If it happens, I'll be in Heaven. If it doesn't, I'll be deeply disappointed. The kiss is the part I really hope for. I don't care as much for the autograph or the picture.

You guys will get an update on whether I was able to meet her or not.

My wife has agreed with the Anna peregrination, and said she doesn't mind if I wait there for four hours.

She'll come back to the hotel if it takes too long. She is not very worried about the possibility that Anna will fall in love with me, dump her hubby, and move in with me.

I do acknowledge that it is somewhat unlikely... :lol:

So, with luck, tomorrow (or actually the day after tomorrow) at about 1 AM I'll be heading back to the hotel with an autograph, a picture, and some nice memories. Or else I'll be walking back very frustrated. We'll see.

Intense day today. Yesterday I traveled with my wife to Blacksburg, VA, to meet our son at a football game. It was spectacular. Virginia Tech beat Miami 38-35, great game, suspenseful until the end. We had a great time, socialized with all the kids, and experienced the pride of having such an intelligent, popular, handsome, well rounded son. Then we drove back to our hometown this morning, changed, re-packed, and headed to the airport, with very little time to spare. It was highly stressful... At the last moment I couldn't find my boarding pass, and had to leave the line and run back to the counter to re-print another one. I don't know what happened to the first one.

My wife who still had her boarding pass went ahead (I told, her, "if I don't make it, enjoy New York City, I'll try to get on the next flight") and I was left behind trying to get to the gate on time, and was able to make it with, you know, about 30 seconds to spare.

I went right through as they were closing the gate, and met my relieved wife who was looking really worried, on her seat, with the empty seat to her side. She said - "You made it!" and kissed me. I love my wife.

A nice flight, great weather, and now I'm fed and wined. My wife went out to meet one of her best female friends who lives here, and I'm typing this message...

Big day tomorrow. Shopping, visiting places, meeting my best friend and his new wife at 6 PM at the Metropolitan Opera Grand Tier restaurant, and _Anna Bolena_ at 7:30 PM. Hopefully, Anna Netrebko after the performance.

Life is good.

Life will be perfect if Anna gives me three minutes of her time tomorrow.

Life will be just good if she doesn't.


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

Sounds like lots of fun! Sweet suite at the Hilton! I have stayed there twice (work-related) so it's fun to know exactly where you are (I don't know NYC well)

May I ask--you say you will send her a note tomorrow and ask to be on the guest list tomorrow? How do you send the note? thanks--you know why I want to know!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Alma, how exciting! Hope everything goes swimmingly. Enjoy the opera too.:tiphat:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

There is a thread here explaining how to do it, as advised by member rgz. I'll try what he recommended.

http://www.talkclassical.com/8853-loveliest-soprano-13.html#post211746


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

This is so exciting. I love hearing of other people's experiences & get vicarious pleasure from theirs.

Fingers crossed.


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## AnaMendoza (Jul 29, 2011)

I'm excited for you--holding my breath and hoping that all goes well. Can't wait to hear about it!


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

Almaviva said:


> There is a thread here explaining how to do it, as advised by member rgz. I'll try what he recommended.
> 
> http://www.talkclassical.com/8853-loveliest-soprano-13.html#post211746


Thinking of you TODAY! Fingers crossed!! thumbs held!! (as they say in German)

And thanks so much for the direct link. I've copied the info and assume I can find the "backstage entrance in the concourse section under Lincoln Center for the green room entrance"--I assume this is where you would go after the show to find out if you made it onto the list?

So EXCITED to hear!! This will be the first place I visit Tuesday morning to see what happened.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Good luck, have fun, and there better be pics of you and Anna!


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## ooopera (Jul 27, 2011)

I'm also excited! Can't wait to see your report. Enjoy!


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Almaviva said:


> We had a great time, socialized with all the kids, and experienced the pride of having such an intelligent, popular, handsome, well rounded son.


Chip off the old block, eh? :lol:

Seriously, I hope you have a fabulous time at the Met this evening and are able to meet La Bellissima afterward!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Thanks everybody, and yes, fingers crossed.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Good luck, Alma! Hopefully there's no way Anna will turn down a meeting with her most devoted (non-restraining-ordered) fan!


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

With a bit of face powder and my Cher wig I can do a pretty good Anna impersonation. 

Something to think about, if this doesn't work out.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Couchie said:


> With a bit of face powder and my Cher wig I can do a pretty good Anna impersonation.
> 
> Something to think about, if this doesn't work out.


You'll need a couple of tennis balls and a tight dress to do the cough cough assets. Alma won't be looking at your face.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I kissed Anna and she kissed me back!!!!!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Tell us the whole story, Alma.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

:clap: fantastic!!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

OK, folks, full report to follow. Rather exciting, I'm in heaven.

Got there, talked to the usher, asked about what rgz had said (Green Room, guest list, etc.). I got the cold treatment, the guy said if I don't have a connection with her, it's useless, and said I'd have to be on her guest list in advance, I couldn't be added at the last moment.

I said "I do have a connection" and showed him the email from Anna's agent Sean. He said "try to contact him, then."

I sent him an e-mail from my wife's iPhone explaining the situation (and reminding him of the La Bellissima nickname and the fact that it's been picked up by Newsweek and The Independent) - at about 5:15 PM. 

His answer, at 6:05 PM (the performance started at 7:30 PM - some pretty nervous 50 minutes of wait for an answer - while I was beating on myself for not having thought of emailing the guy sooner, and feeling pretty pessimistic due to the fact that it was such a late thing, on a holiday to boot - Columbus Day - but then, miraculously, he did check his email and did reply):

"......(my first name), indeed, your hard work has paid off. I noticed it's also now on her Wikipedia page. Anna is flattered by the nickname. 

I added you to her backstage list for tonight.

Best, Sean."

I'll give you all the details later of the rest of the evening - dinner, performance. But let's cut to the chase. After curtain calls, I went to the backstage door and said my name was in Anna's guest list. They let me into a square room with a security post, and to the right there was a small door to a long corridor, with a security guard there holding a list. He asked me for my last name, I gave it to him, he said, "You're in - walk to the end of the corridor and talk to the lady there." I peeked on the list - 7 people, typed names, and my name added at the bottom, handwritten. I got to the end of the corridor, the lady took me to the green room. I took pictures of the room, and the sign on the door. Simple room, the only green thing is the carpet. Some sofas, armchairs, a piano.

I waited five long and nervous minutes. The lady came back and said, "Ms. Netrebko won't be coming to the Green Room but she said you can go to her dressing room, I'll take you." 

I went there, her dressing room door was closed, and there were 4 people ahead of me - an elderly gentleman, a middle-aged couple with an adult son. Soon three old ladies with flowers joined us - this completed her list of 8 guests. (Again, stupid me, I should have brought flowers).

Then she opened the door, looking drop-dead gorgeous, with a stylish green dress, black curly hair. She greeted warmly the elderly gentleman by first name (obviously a friend), they exchanged kisses, and talked for a long time. She asked him what he thought of her hair. He said it looked very good, she played with the curls a little and re-arranged them, looking at the mirror, they talked a little bit more, embraced, and he left.

Then the middle-age couple got in, the son had a camera - all three shook hands with her - no kisses. The son said it was his parents' wedding anniversary, a special occasion, and they wanted a picture with her. In spite of the signs "no photography" she said OK. He took the picture of Anna and parents, didn't try to take another one including him. They left. She didn't warm up to them a lot, was very quiet with them.

Then it was my turn. I got out the copy of her agent's email acknowledging my efforts to nickname her "La Bellissima" (the old one from February 2011, not the one from today which I only had on the iPhone), shook hands with her, and said, "Ms. Netrebko, I'm the guy who started your new nickname!" She immediately warmed up and opened a big smile, and very informally said "I noticed it, it's catching on, thank you, it's nice!" Then I said, "can you sign my program?" She said "sure" and signed it, didn't write anything else (stupid me, I should have asked for a message). Then I said, can I take a picture? She said "Of course!" I asked one of the old ladies behind me to take the picture and - gasp! - put my arm around her waist. She didn't protest or pulled away. The ladies took one - I look pretty serious on that one. They asked - do you want one more? I said, yes, why not? They took another one which looks better. Then I turned to Anna and said "Can I kiss you?" She made a surprised, hesitant face, and I rapidly added "on the cheek!" She said "You can." I planted a rather full kiss (not wet but more than a little side peck) on her right cheek, and to my surprise, she planted another one right back on my cheek. The ladies were delighted, smiling. I shook hands with her again, and left, floating in heaven!!!

I walked back the corridors in a daze, made a wrong turn once (it's pretty easy, but I was a bit disoriented), left through the stage door, where a small crowd was waiting for the artists. I felt pretty smug that I got a much more personalized treatment.

I'll print the two pictures, the two emails (from February and from today), cut off the page with her signature, and frame these souvenirs. One day I'll tell my grandchildren - "You know that fabulous late 20th century, early 21st century soprano Anna Netrebko, nicknamed La Bellissima? I got her nickname going, and met her, look at this frame."

By the way, it's forbidden but I got pictures of her curtain calls. 

I'll upload the pictures later.

Anna looked big with the Anna Bolena costume. But guys, you'll see the picture later, this woman is not fat in person. She is - again, pardon the cliché - drop dead gorgeous. About all that discussion we had, I'd say that her body mass index is pretty normal. Dressed as a regular woman (not a queen), all feminine, with her curly hair and stylish dress, and in person up-close, she is actually much more beautiful and attractive than I had anticipated. I was thinking of the Photoshop thing, and all the make-up and opera costumes, and was prepared to find a much more normal-looking person. No. She is G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S in person. And that smile...


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

This is so exciting! I want to see pictures! *girlish squeal*


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

So happy for you! Isn't it great meeting your idol (even if your meeting was a bit more personal and intimate than mine) 

Did you tell Mrs. Almaviva about being both a kisser and kissee?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Now, the rest of the evening. We had reservations at the Grand Tier restaurant, my wife and I, my best friend and his new wife (they've been married for four months - fabulous woman, we love her). We got in at 6:05 (right after Sean's reply). By the way, I could have taken my wife to the Green Room but she said she would rather go back to the hotel with our friends because she didn't know how long it would take - but she was pretty excited for me, I called her right after I left Anna's dressing room and described the whole situation). Actually it didn't take long at all. Curtain calls ended at 11:10 PM, I was at the backdoor at 11:15, at about 11:25 I was taken to Anna's dressing room, stayed there for some fifteen minutes (counting everything, from waiting for her door to open, to listening to her conversation with the elderly gentleman and with the middle-age couple, to my time with her which wasn't much more than 3 minutes). So at about 11:40 I was done, my wife should have stayed.

Anyway, I'm disorganized (still in heaven). Back to the dinner.

Appetizer, I ordered brandade stuffed calamari with steamed clams, Spanish chorizo, piquillo peppers, and crushed fingerling potatoes. Entree, plancha-seared branzino with caramelized fennel, stewed tomatoes, capers and lemon olive oil. Wine, Poully Fumé (Loire) 2008. My wife had chicken liver and truffle torchon, pickled cipollini, pistachio and frisée salad, fig jam and toasted fig bread for appetizer, and her entrée was jumbo lump crab cakes with pea leaves, whole grain mustard and scallion sauces. Dessert (during intermission), for me was chocolate soufflé créme patissière, with a glass of DisznoKo Tokaji Aszu, 6 Puttonios, 2000. My wife had a Tarte Tatin for dessert with spiced caramel and vanilla chantilly, and tea.

The food was exquisite, much better than last time (the Don Pasquale event). Great company, our friends told us about their honeymoon in Italy, we talked about opera and future plans to travel and watch opera together.

The performance is next, I'll just post this one.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

OK, the performance.

_Anna Bolena, _tragedia lirica in two acts, music by Gaetano Donizetti, libretto by Felice Romani, based on Ippolito Pindemonte's _Enrico VIII ossia Anna Bolena _and Alessandro Pepoli's _Anna Bolena.

_New Production, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, 10/10/11, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Stage direction David McVicar. Set Designer Robert Jones. Costumes Jenny Tiramani.

Cast:
Anna Bolena, Anna Netrebko
Giovanna (Jane Seymour), Ekaterina Gubanova
Enrico (Henry VIII), Ildar Abdrazakov
Lord Rochefort, Anna's brother, Keith Miller
Riccardo (Lord Richard Percy), Stephen Costello
Mark Smeaton, Tamara Mumford
Sir Hervey, Eduardo Valdes

I love this opera. It is not among the most popular ones from Donizetti but I think it has good dramatic impact, beautiful music, some good quintets, a short mad scene, it is delicate and elegant, with a good build up of drama, with the second act being appropriately more exciting than the first one. I have the DVD with Joan Sutherland, and I've ordered the new release with Anna Netrebko and Elina Garanca. I don't have any CD version of it.

Conducting - So, so. Armiliato is a nice guy and I've seen him in other works and concerts, but I don't think he was at his best tonight. I think it was a subdued performance, and the orchestra was not responding to him as well as it does to Jimmy Levine.

Staging - disappointing; being it a McVicar staging, I was expecting more. It is very sober and dark, which indeed matches the mood of the opera, but I definitely did not like the big intrusive slanted wall with two large columns that look like fireplaces. It made the stage cramped, and disturbed the dynamic use of space. It moved all over the place and each location in my opinion was worse than the preceding one. That thing is big. And it doesn't look good. The two most beautiful moments in terms of scenarios were exactly the two times when that annoying wall was removed from sight - the outdoors with tree trunks, and the final scene in the dungeon. The only visual impact was the figure of the executioner at the end. The scenarios weren't beautiful, weren't stylish. They looked heavy, monochromatic, with the occasional splash of color (like Anna's red bed). It could have been A LOT better. I've never seen such a subdued staging by Mr. McVicar.

Besides, the cramped space made for a stand and deliver style. There was little opportunity for good acting. Anna did her best with facial expressions, but she couldn't really use the space like we've seen her doing.

Singing:

Anna Netrebko - Phenomenal. Outstanding. Spectacular. OK, I know that I'm biased, but believe me! This is the best vocal performance of hers I've ever seen, in spite of a couple of errors in the first five minutes (she probably wasn't warmed up enough). It makes such a difference to have a role well suited to her fach! She was unbelievably good, and got some very long ovations. And - believe, me guys - I HEARD SEVERAL PEOPLE SHOUTING "LA BELLISSIMA" DURING THE CURTAIN CALLS! The nickname is definitely catching on!!

Ekaterina Gubanova - Almost as good. The only difference is that Anna has a more beautiful timbre. But Ms. Gubanova was great, and to tell you the truth, she looked good too (poor thing, now I regret my thread making fun of her appearance). Besides, unlike Anna who stumbled a little at first, Ms. Gubanova was technically very good throughout the night, except for slightly strident high end - but don't read me wrong, strident is too strong a word, the emphasis is on slightly - besides, this was probably due to illness since the announcer said that she was ill but had decided to perform anyway. Oh, by the way, I saw her passing by when I was waiting at Anna's door, and also saw Keith Miller. I didn't talk to them.

Both Anna's and Gruberova's acting skills were very good.

Abdrazakov- excellent. Very good and potent bass voice, he suffered from low volume in one occasion during a lower range passage but otherwise was rather perfect. Acting was correct.

Tamara Mumford - big pleasant surprise. Extremely good mezzo in a trouser role, great stage presence, got long ovation during the curtain calls, good acting.

Eduardo Valdes - correct in his small role, no more.

Keith Miller - small role although a little longer than Valdes' - Keith did very well, sung beautifully, and acted well.

Stephen Costello - weakest link. His tenor has beautiful lyric qualities but is not very potent, and tended to get smothered by Anna's and Ildar's big voices. His acting was a bit uninvolved. He seemed bland.

This performance had pluses and minuses. The singing by all principals except Costello was very good. On the other hand, the weak tenor, the uninspired conductor, and the bleak staging with crowded space and poor dynamics took away a lot of the enjoyment.

On DVD (the performance was being filmed, it probably will be part of a live composite DVD or at least Met Player) I would recommend it for Anna's, Ekaterina's, Ildar's, and Tamara's singing, but it wouldn't be highly recommended due to the other shortcomings described above.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

rgz said:


> So happy for you! Isn't it great meeting your idol (even if your meeting was a bit more personal and intimate than mine)


Yes, definitely. I can't describe the excitement of kissing Anna Netrebko and being kissed by her... It was great.


> Did you tell Mrs. Almaviva about being both a kisser and kissee?


I did. She didn't mind. My wife is pretty excited for me, and she called our friends to tell them about my success, including the kissing part.
Seriously, guys, my wife knows that my thing with Anna is just fan behavior.

-------------

To everybody who enjoyed this report and rooted for me, thank you.

The pictures will be uploaded later, and will come to this thread.

It's 2:38 AM and I'm still too excited to go to sleep.

Wife is sound asleep... I don't feel like dealing with the pictures now, but they will come.

Tomorrow is our last day in New York City, and again, I probably won't be uploading pictures (we have several things to do tomorrow), will probably only deal with this once we get back home (6 PM flight out of La Guardia, should get home about 10 PM) so you'll have to wait more. But they'll come.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

OK, I can't sleep anyway, I did download the pictures.
I'll post one of them, without my face. The thing is, with my activity as a moderator, we've had some rather disgruntled members who reacted with incredible rage once banned. I will not upload a picture that could identify me. But it's me all right, holding the copy of the email and the program.









Click on the image for a bigger picture. Isn't she gorgeous?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Curtain calls, Anna in her dressing room (I cropped out my left of the picture), door to the Green Room, interior of the Green Room, Grand Tier restaurant - Mrs. Almaviva is on the right, friend's wife on the left. Soufflés on the table, yummy!

Again, click of the pictures for larger image.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

View from our front row seats with MetTitles (for those who don't know this amazing device)









Facade of the Met with the Siegfried banner


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Brilliant Alma, I'm really happy for you.


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## ooopera (Jul 27, 2011)

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Alma, that's awesome! I'm so happy for you! 

And she really looks fab on the picture. Green colour is gorgeous!


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Yay you, Alma!


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

Soooo excited for you!!! This is fabulous, and you deserved every second of her attention! Thanks for sharing this with us!!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

OK, guys, when will I calm down and resume normal life? I'm still in heaven.

I took the laptop to the club lounge for breakfast, in order to print my boarding passes from the receptionist's printer.
So, during breakfast I saw a couple holding the program from yesterday, and asked them if thew had been to the opera. They said yes, and added that Anna Netrebko was magnificent. I said, "wait until you see this" and showed them my pics with her on the laptop. They were very impressed, and we talked about the performance. Hehehe, I can't come down to Earth, I'm showing the picture like a teenager in love...

Some more words about how Anna looks in person.

She is a lot more lively than in interviews, when she tends to adopt a serious tone. She reminded me of the playful Anna of the documentary in the La Traviata rehearsal with Villazón, and that concert when she sang the Giuditta aria (with the same conductor Armiliato) and threw roses to the gentlemen and messed up the first violinist's hair. She smiles a lot, moves a lot with natural grace, and is very charming and feminine. OMG, her attractiveness index (if there is such thing) just goes straight through the roof. Anna is now 40 and a mother, but in person she looks very girlish.

Pictures can't capture the natural flowing motion, her smiles, and her general excitement. She seems like someone who really enjoys life and loves what she does. She seemed relaxed and pleased after her performance (with good reason, she was just spectacular) - and this, just minutes after spending three hours singing out loud to a packed, cavernous, huge opera house.

When I was waiting at the door of her dressing room and listening to her conversation with her elderly friend, I was having to pay attention to my jaw so that it didn't drop. Same with the ladies behind me, they were all saying - "OMG, how beautiful she is, isn't she wonderful?" Looking at how she was cheerful and lively talking to her friend, looking at herself in the mirror, making herself even prettier, my admiration which is already considerable as you all know, reached even higher levels.

And definitely, folks, whoever thinks that Anna is getting fat hasn't seen her up close with her regular womanly clothes and looks. She's got a very healthy BMI. The woman is HOT!!!! Oh, and when I put my arm around her waist, there's no excess there. Everything is in the right place. The cough cough assets as you can see by the picture were well covered. But Anna is gorgeous! Gorgeous! Fabulous! OK, OK, I need to calm down [Alma runs to have a cold shower]


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Apart from her physical beauty it's good to hear that she didn't disappoint personality wise but that she's as nice and vivacious as you/we imagined her to be.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

She does sound very nice, Alma.

And speaking of Anna's Anna, I found a video posted by the NYT of her singing Coppia Iniqua. It's a LOT better than the Vienna production, at least singing-wise.

Clicky


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Just finished reading through all your posts. So happy for you Alma.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

I must confess that I got a little teary-eyed reading your posts, Alma. I know how much this pilgrimage has meant to you, and it's wonderful that it all worked out even better than expected. Great story!


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Alma, this is absolutely fantastic! I am so glad that you were able to meet AND KISS (!) La Bellissima. :kiss: (I had to be content with handshakes from my favorite tenors.)

You'll be on Cloud Nine for quite a while. After meeting Siegfried Jerusalem and (later) Jonas Kaufmann, I probably spent a week walking around with an idiotic grin plastered on my face.

Really, I'm thrilled for you and so happy that your visit to New York turned out to be so memorable!


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## MAnna (Sep 19, 2011)

How can this be? Anna was with you and she was also on Charlie Rose last night at the same time... Maybe you saw her evil twin sister instead!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

thanks everybody. posting from la guardia from my cell phone on a slow connection. great trip which ended with a perfect meal at the michelin starred the modern restaurant at the MOMA. my order three courses first mushroom soup with fried crispy raviolli. second lobster with caviar and sea urchin. third duck breast witn peppercorn sauce. wine pouilly fuisse burgundy yesterday i typed it wrong had pouilly fume loire.. dessert beignets with caramel sauce cinammon ice cream and apple confit. frugal wife had tarte d,alsace and salmon horseradis cruh and cabbage. food was perfect and way better than yesterday. short cab ride to la guardia to beat the traffic 25 minutes from hotel to counter and now 150 minute wait to board plane early flights are fully booked. wonderful trip great memorIes. I will add pics of the moma meal later and certain cough cough assets from a sculpture there. Only disappointment moma was closed except for the restaurant and the sculpture garden so I wasn't able to see the de Kooning exhibit.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

evil twin? she was definitely with me at 11:25 and ten minutes earlier with 4,000 people taking curtain calls. whatever you saw must have been recorded earlier. if you are doubting my story pm me your email and i will send you proof. This actually pisses me off. It would have to be a pretty elaborate hoax. Look at the clock at the wall on the green room showing 11:17. Tell me how Anna would be at a tv studio 10 minutes after curtain call. Call up the met and confirm that Anna bolena ends at 11:15 pm. If you still have doubts I can forward to you her agents email to me placing me on her guest list and you can see on her official site that he is her agent they even have a pic together. Finally I can send to people here who know my full name the full pictures and they can see my facebook page and vouch for me that it's the same person. Take your pick mamascarlatty soapiro gaston keummhorn and chi townphilly all know my complete info. I don't take lightly being doubted as I am a serious person and old enough to not engage in silly hoaxes.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> evil twin? she was definitely with me at 11:25 and ten minutes earlier with 4,000 people taking curtain calls. whatever you saw must have been recorded earlier. if you are doubting my story pm me your email and i will send you proof


Haha, MAnna was clearly joking. Guess when it comes to Ms. Netrebko, it's srs bsns :lol:


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I'm so glad, Alma, that everything worked out so well for you, and that Anna is as gorgeous in real life as she seems. She certainly comes over as full of fun and joie de vivre in her interviews.

AND - told you she wasn't fat!!


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Hey, does anyone know if 'creepy' is more than ten characters? Oh,...why, no, it is not.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

rgz said:


> Haha, MAnna was clearly joking. Guess when it comes to Ms. Netrebko, it's srs bsns :lol:


You got that right. If it was a joke my apologies. I don't follow regular tv that much and have no idea whether it is credible or not that Anna might have been interviewed for some tv show that aired later so I took her joke as her actually doubting my story.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Hmmmmpht.  She looks a bit fat to _me_. *flips Cher-wig hair*


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Couchie said:


> Hmmmmpht.  She looks a bit fat to _me_. *flips Cher-wig hair*


You guys are so lucky that from a bad cell phone connection it is hard to issue penalties and ban people! Calling Anna fat or doubting my story is worth 10,000 penalty points and a temporary ban of 300 years


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Only disappointment moma was closed except for the restaurant and the sculpture garden so I wasn't able to see the de Kooning exhibit.

Most museums are closed Monday. MoMA is closed every Tuesday... that way the tourist can visit MoMA on Monday when the Met and Guggenheim etc... are closed.


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

Thank you so much for sharing Alma. It was a joy to read. It is wonderful that you got to fulfill your dream and to such a satisfying extent too - you are one lucky man!


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

Alma, Nice going! I know that this will stay with you for the rest of your life. Congratulations are indeed in order here! :cheers:


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

Alma, so happy that you had this wonderful experience! And it makes me feel not so crazy. If you know what I mean, and I think you do! 

By the way, I took MAnna as a clear joke with that smilie, but if you're reading this on a phone it's probably hard to tell! Settle down, we all believe your wonderful adventure! I am so so excited for you!!!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Back home. 
Wow, what a long weekend!
The posts from La Guardia are hilarious with all the multiple spelling mistakes from the small virtual keyboard on my smartphone (the battery died) then my wife's iPhone (which is much easier to operate; oh boy, I'm getting an iPhone next). I won't correct the posts... they add to the atmosphere of the thread.

Yes, MAnna's post got me pretty angry... and yes, on a small screen and without the body language and tone of voice, one never knows if someone is being serious or just kidding around.


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

Wow Alma I'm soooo jealous... to get a kiss from the sexiest opera star alive!! I'm sure you had this face in that picture:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Aksel said:


> She does sound very nice, Alma.
> 
> And speaking of Anna's Anna, I found a video posted by the NYT of her singing Coppia Iniqua. It's a LOT better than the Vienna production, at least singing-wise.
> 
> Clicky


Yes! Yes! Like I said, she was just perfect for the role and sang beautifully!


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## CountessAdele (Aug 25, 2011)

Congrats Alma! Sounds like an amazing experiance! I have to confess at first I didn't know much about her, but thanks to a certain forum moderator I'm now quite under her spell.


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## MAnna (Sep 19, 2011)

Almaviva said:


> evil twin? she was definitely with me at 11:25 and ten minutes earlier with 4,000 people taking curtain calls. whatever you saw must have been recorded earlier. if you are doubting my story pm me your email and i will send you proof. This actually pisses me off. It would have to be a pretty elaborate hoax. Look at the clock at the wall on the green room showing 11:17. Tell me how Anna would be at a tv studio 10 minutes after curtain call. Call up the met and confirm that Anna bolena ends at 11:15 pm. If you still have doubts I can forward to you her agents email to me placing me on her guest list and you can see on her official site that he is her agent they even have a pic together. Finally I can send to people here who know my full name the full pictures and they can see my facebook page and vouch for me that it's the same person. Take your pick mamascarlatty soapiro gaston keummhorn and chi townphilly all know my complete info. I don't take lightly being doubted as I am a serious person and old enough to not engage in silly hoaxes.


Sorry for the confusion. My evil twin brother hacked my account and was playing an awfully cruel hoax. I have seen Anna personally myself and no doubt can validate the photos too.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

MAnna said:


> Sorry for the confusion. My evil twin brother hacked my account and was playing an awfully cruel hoax. I have seen Anna personally myself and no doubt can validate the photos too.


I'm not amused. I don't think your take on this is funny. Not at all.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Alma, we all love you but you might consider taking yourself a teensy weensy bit less seriously, I think it'd make you a happier guy.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

No I think HE'S joking now.


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## CountessAdele (Aug 25, 2011)

mamascarlatti said:


> No I think HE'S joking now.


 I can never tell with Alma.


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