Tuesday, February 09, 2010

For Jessica

I sat behind the stage. We foreigners don't need to read the titles, I guess. I went up the stairs on stage left, but noticed during the first half that the artists entered stage right. Had psychic event. Thought "go back from the john stage right." And there was Cecilia dressed in street clothes--ok, up scale street clothes--surrounded by tall men dressed in black. I think this clump included Scholl. We noted that there was a reception for Orange, a telecom company and sponsor. Irrelevant details. But have you ever heard of a reception at intermission?

I said "hello." She said "hello." She recognized me and took my hand and squeezed it. I said "How ya doin?" or something equally ridiculous. She said "OK," and flashed me her million Dollar smile. Or maybe her million Euro smile.

This was better than anything planned. The concert was really long, so long that I missed the last metro, and I left after.

I am thinking this topic is resolved. Fingers crossed.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much ! And I´m happy for you. Any pictures ?

Jessica

Dr.B said...

I have one from the concert.

Anonymous said...

Would you mind posting it ?

BTW: It seems as if your meeting wiht CB was around not an sponsors meet and greet but around a cerermony where she received the French ordre de merite (which she wore at her robe for the sond half), as reports Le Monde today:

"Ce 9 février, Cecilia Bartoli a reçu à l'entracte l'ordre du Mérite, des mains de l'écrivain et académicien Dominique Fernandez. Elle n'a pu s'empêcher de rire en l'entendant dire qu'elle était "la musique incarnée dans une belle Romaine" ; saisissant avec malice la balle au bond, elle a gentiment remercié avant de s'esquiver prestement en coulisses avec un coquin : "César m'attend !"

Enjoy your next concerts !
Jessica

Dr.B said...

I haven't figured out how to post pictures while traveling. Look for it when I get home.
Thank you for the information. I regard our encounter as simply magic.

Dr.B said...

Cecilia has excellent French. I think I understand what this says.

Dr.B said...

Another version of the story sent to a friend:

I'm sitting in the Salle Pleyel, concert venue in Paris where I have come to see a concert of Giulio Cesare with Cecilia Bartoli. I'm sitting behind the orchestra, a place reached by going up the side aisles. I go up the right aisle. During the concert I notice that the left aisle would take me past the artists' stage entrance.

I have psychic flash and see Cecilia coming out. Ok.
When intermission comes I go out to the john. Coming back from john voice in my head says "go back on the left". Very distinct and strong.

This is all ridiculous, right? The singers never come out in intermission.

So I get about halfway down the aisle and here is some kind of procession coming through the hall led off by tall men in black suits. And there in the middle hidden by all the tall men is Cecilia. She had changed into street clothes.

And she's smiling and saying hello and holding my hand. Jesus God almighty. I say hello back a couple of times and finally ask "how are you doing?". She says OK!

And passes on. It turns out there was some kind of ceremony where she was awarded a medal. Who knew?