San Francisco's Opera in the Park

We journeyed to San Francisco's Golden Gate Park yesterday for a glorious, interesting event. The weather was typical of the summer, cool, cloudy, then eventually sunny. We had a great time going with our group from Friends of the CSUS Libray. Charles and Nina Nelson, pictured to the left got us involved and we brought along our friend, Ann Engelbrecht as well, the executive director for a homeless shelter we support, Homestart, Inc. in Roseville. Yes, the guy on the very right has a sign that says, "Super Sinner." We wondered what would possess someone to get up and decide to wear that for the day, but it is San Francisco. The event ended with all singing the following, a tradition at the event:

BRINDISI Giuseppe Verdi - LA TRAVIATA Libiamo, libiamo ne'lieti calici che la belleza infiora. E la fuggevol ora s'inebrii a voluttà. Libiamo ne'dolci fremiti che suscita l'amore, poiché quell'ochio al core omnipotente va. Libiamo, amore fra i calici più caldi baci avrà. Tra voi tra voi saprò dividere il tempo mio giocondo; Tutto è follia nel mondo ciò che non è piacer. Godiam, fugace e rapido e'il gaudio dell’amore, e'un flor che nasce e muore, ne più si può goder. Godiam c'invita un fervido accento lusighier. (Godiamo, la tazza e il cantico la notte abbella e il riso; in questo paradiso ne sopra il nuovo dì.) La vita è nel tripudio quando non s'ami ancora. Nol dite a chi l'ignora, e' il mio destin così ... Godiamo, la tazza e il cantico la notte abbella e il riso; in questo paradiso ne sopra il nuovo dì. And the English version, not quite as much fun: THE DRINKING SONG Let us drink from the goblets of joy adorned with beauty, and the fleeting hour shall be adorned with pleasure. Let us drink to the secret raptures which love excites, for this eye reigns supreme in my heart... Let us drink, for with wine love will enjoy yet more passionate kisses. With you I can spend the time with delight. In life everything is folly which does not bring pleasure. Let us be happy, fleeting and rapid is the delight of love; it is a flower which blooms and dies, which can no longer be enjoyed. Let us be happy, fervent and enticing words summon us. (Be happy ... wine and song and laughter beautify the night; let the new day find us in this paradise.) Life is nothing but pleasure, as long as one is not in love. Don't say that to one who is ignorant. That is my fate ... Be happy ... wine and song and laughter beautify the night; let the new day find us in this paradise. Sorry about the fact that there are no photos of Rhonda. She did not like the one I took and was the photographer. And if you wonder what this sounds like, go here: http://uniquetracks.com/streaming/mp3/RS25/RS25_07.m3u