It’s our seventh annual challenge to “Make Opera Your Valentine!”

At Opera Bracelets we say our product is for fun-loving, passionate opera fans. As such, I encourage you this Valentine’s Day to share a favorite opera aria, moment or duet (it is not required to be a love song) on your own Facebook page or on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or wherever you like to post things. Maybe you would rather send an email to your friends or, even better, just talk it up in person!

BUT, this is the important thing: You have to tell why you LOVE the piece and give a short explanation of what is happening to the characters in the song. The goal is to give your friends who may not be familiar with opera a little sample of how opera can rock your world! Without context, it is hard to understand why we find opera moving and beautiful. It may seem obvious to us but for people outside of opera they might think a piece is beautiful but not get the emotional connection.

Here’s mine for 2020: “Bess you is my woman now” The joy of Porgy and Bess having found love together is radiant as they reassure each other of their devotion to one another. Listening to this song and knowing that they will be separated by circumstances is heartbreaking. But the opera ends inconclusively with Porgy going off on a quest to find his lost Bess so maybe they will find each other after all...(pass the Kleenex please)