I've always loved operas. Since I was a teenager I've searched for any and all operas I could manage to find on YouTube, regardless of whether they had English captioning or not. I've always found it incredible how a person can project such emotion and mood for a whole scene with just a single aria. This is why I was more than ecstatic once I discovered that I would be able to attend an event hosted by the Dante Alighieri society where I study called 'Un Aperitivo all'Opera'. This event was created to showcase soprano Cristina Ferri and a few of her students as they recreated arias and duets from various operas.
And so on October 25th at approximately 5:45 pm I arrived at the school more happy than a kid in a candy store. It was almost as if the school had itself transformed for this special occasion. Professors showed up in blue and khaki blazers while women wore floral chiffon blouses and everyone greeted everyone with kisses upon cheeks and the romantic flutter of Italian made its way around the lounge. 6:00 pm arrived quickly and we were ushered into the library, which had been transformed from the classroom I knew all-too-well into a theater. We grabbed seats and from there the show began.
It was mesmerizing to watch as Cristina and her students each performed masterpieces of music. Each singer brought with them a unique personality to the songs and the entire room seemed to contribute to the magical atmosphere. The entire room was like a family that night, laughing alongside the pianist as he told stories and jokes about each of the singers and grinning with anticipation as the Dante Alighieri president, Luca Bonomi, introduced each aria and duet. The family even chuckled and smiled as Luca took time to explain to us, the small group of American students from a little corner in Tennessee, the significance of the performances.
It seemed like just as soon as the opera had started it was over and everyone moved into the student lounge for the second most-anticipated event of the night: The Aperitivo. Rows and bowls of pasta, crostini (toasted slices of bread with different toppings) and pizza were piled high on the tables as everyone took as much as their stomachs could hold. Loud chatter filled the room as if it was a family reunion and everyone was catching up. Even our group was subject to questions about our families and lives from keen Italian elders.
The party went on for hours it seemed as people kept refueling on champagne and snacks. It wasn't until almost nine o'clock that the international students of the Dante Alighieri society decided to retreat to our apartments. That night has no doubt won the spot of one of my favorite nights while here in Siena, and I can't wait for an opportunity to attend another magical night like the night of the Aperitivo all'Opera.