I just returned from the Met Gala and what a wonderful evening it was!

Domingo sang Chenier very well - Act 2 - but it was boring. I found myself looking at my watch. He really got reasonable applause but not great. Yes, he hit the notes...but you did not care what was happening on stage. As an antidote, I recommend the Caballe/Carreras video of that opera. I was blaming that act until I re-watched the video.

Carreras came on stage singing "C'est moi" ("It's me" in French). The audience started to applaud, and then the applause really got huge. James Levine stopped the orchestra. Jose went on to show everyone there what they have been missing. You really knew what was happening in Carmen and why. His voice really sounded just fine in the Met. I am sure they could hear him in the last seats. My only criticism was that he did not look disheveled enough - you know - he did not have torn pants or a two day old beard. I am sure the Met would have disapproved.

My seat partner, Peter, did not know I was a Carreras fan when he asked if he could sit in my box. He is, in general, a Strauss and Wagner fan. He loved the Carreras performance and asked me why the Met had not been hiring him. He actually said, "Why doesn't Carreras want to sing at the Met?" He did not come and sit in the box until the beginning of Turandot. I did my best not to sound like a raving Carreras groupie. He felt Carreras was best, Pav second, Domingo third.

At the end of the Carmen there was a huge ovation for Carreras. At the end of the whole thing, Pav came over and hugged Carreras... I loved it.

Peter agreed with me that Pav sounded very good in 'Nessun dorma' but that after that he looked and sounded tentative. Pav actually fell down - tripped over something. He got up but he looked very shaken. However, the audience loved the Turandot and gave it a very big hand. Patricia Racette was excellent.

It was so amazing to see Jose treated so warmly by the Met... It felt like we were in Vienna. He stood on that stage and looked very much at home. Wonderful. When he first came on stage and heard the ovation he had a truly lovely smile for just a second. As you can see I am still flying around the room.

Yes folks, I was sitting under the chair for the first few notes... but we all watch Jose in our own way.