We made the trip from Milan to Verona in one and a half hours because the driver was flying. I looked at the speedometer once and decided that I wouldn't look again. The driver had mentioned that it had been raining for several days prior to our arrival.

That night was opening night of the summer opera festival in the Arena and the place was packed with people, some dressed quite formally. Aida is the traditional opener but this was a new production, very untraditional in appearance. I thought it was gorgeous and the performers were wonderful. José Cura was outstanding as Radames. He sang well, acted well, and looked gorgeous. However, the director was booed during curtain calls because among other innovations, he eliminated the whole triumphal march scene which involves animals, hundreds of people milling about. etc. Instead, he inserted a very modern type of ballet which was quite beautiful. There was even a lake of water on stage with people in canoes paddling away.

The next night brought Tosca. I really don't know why this was selected to be presented at the Arena. It requires a rather intimate type of setting and in order to fill up the gigantic Arena stage, the director had to invent huge processions and elaborate on various situations. The performers looked lost on this stage. Aside from that, they were not very good either in singing or acting. Only Scarpia fit the role. He was the only good actor and singer in the cast. I don't often root for the villain, but this performance was an exception. One highlight was the conductor - a young woman. It may have been a first for the Arena as well.

Sunday seemed overcast but all was well till around 8:30 pm when the heavens opened and poured out buckets of rain. The temperature dropped and the wind whipped up. No one was permitted to enter the Arena and throngs milled about in the wet street trying to find shelter. The ever enterprising merchants outside the Arena who normally sell post cards, Arena souvenirs etc, immediately hauled out stacks of plastic raincoats - on size fits all - which they sold in a flash. Throughout the evening, in the Arena, and as a result, in the surrounding area as well, announcements are made in four languages about upcoming performances, etc. Because of the weather, these now became weather reports. Apparently the Arena has its own crew of meteorologists who monitor the weather each evening. Every few minutes we'd be filled in on how the storm was moving etc. till finally, after more than an hour, it let up enough for us to be permitted to enter the Arena. The performance of Carmen began without any further delay because they wanted to get done with the first act, at least, before it rained again. It seems that Arena policy states that once the first act is completed, they do not have to refund your money if the performance is cancelled.

José was not in top voice but neither was anyone else. The delay and the weather didn't make for good singing conditions. He was obviously quite cold and his throat was bothering him because he kept sucking on throat lozenges which he kept hidden in a pocket. His leg also seemed to be a problem and he limped quite noticeably. But regardless of discomfort, José gave his all and his emotions and acting were good. For the most part his voice was good as well, and could be clearly heard. Unfortunately, his voice cracked on two occasions when he hit a high note. Denyce Graves who was Carmen, also had vocal problems. The critic lauded Escamillo but I thought he was one of the weaker performers in the cast. The critic mentioned the audience whistling at José as a sign of displeasure with his performance. I honestly didn't hear this. From my location all I could hear were cheers, bravos, and wild applause. And more flashbulb popping than I have ever seen at an opera. I was thrilled to have been fortunate enough to see José Carreras as Don José. I wouldn't have missed it, glitches and all. And though I am slightly biased, José Carreras still is a better all around performer than most of the other tenors in the operatic world today.