A few minutes before the clock struck noon at the Winspear Opera House, the piano was tinkling in the background of the First Sight Luncheon. Waiters had just placed glasses of crystal clear water on the tables. Suddenly—a voice soared. It was one of the performers of the SMU Meadows Chorale group. At first, it seemed a scheduled part of the lunch. That’s when the entire Chorale burst onto the second floor balcony, holding colorful champagne flutes in their hands, singing one of the best known opera melodies of all time.
The singers, decked out in ties and button-downs, filled the room with the sublime “Libiamo ne’leiti calici” (“Let’s drink from the joyful cup”) from Verdi’s La traviata. At the conclusion, the patrons at the luncheon erupted in a finale of claps, and lunch happily continued on.
This was the scene at the Winspear, presented by the Meadows Chorale (conducted by Pamela Elrod Huffman).
