Night at the Opera: Zip out of work for a quicko change into the monkey suit..should shave..looking a bit scruffy..don't feel like it.. pick paisley tie..in a rush, i look ok. Rush to grab coffee to go as i want one and for whatever reason the opera house doesn't serve the stuff. Picked up thirty minutes before curtain time by opera buddy, we talk about Saudi Arabia's religious leanings and religion in general, before you know it we're on the sixth story parking--slam-slam...quick pace to get there before it starts. We make it in good time, i run out to the lobby and get us both a box of Dotts, the official concession of my opera visits. Tonight it's the comic opera Cinderella by Gioachino Rossini. I've never seen this opera before but have always really liked any and all Rossini I've heard. The opening stage setting of a crooked, leaning room where Cinderella and her step sisters and father lived was great. The secret service bit that the chorus does as the Prince visits the first time is hysterical. The singers and chorus were very good, especially the step father(Don Magnifico) and the Prince's valet(Dandini). The costume design for this version moved away from traditional and used a fun 50's high school prom(yeah, how about that) look from the pastel sport jackets of the all male chorus to the giant aqua-net hair of the step sisters and father to the Elvis looking Dandini posing as the Prince. Great music, singing, costumes, staging, choreography and a great sense of humor made this the best opera I've seen in years. I may even go see this again later this week.