Christmas in New York by Hill Melissa

Author:Hill, Melissa [Hill, Melissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2008-09-12T00:00:00+00:00

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Later that evening, having toured around and seen the majority of Verona’s wonderful sights–including Juliet’s alleged balcony (as the story was supposedly fictional, there was some doubt about that)–she and Teresa donned their finest garb and made their way back to the Arena for the long-awaited performance of Verdi’s Aida.

Inside, the amphitheatre pit was surrounded by forty-four tiers of steps which soared high above the stage area. It held up to twenty-five thousand spectators, most of whom were now taking their places on the stalls at ground level in the pit on numbered seats along the steps, or in Abby and Teresa’s case on the bare steps themselves. Abby was pleased they didn’t have to sit on seats, there was something about the steps that made the whole experience much more authentic and out of the ordinary. It was a wonderfully warm, balmy evening and the fading light, coupled with the beautifully lit ancient Arena and the air of excitement surrounding the performance to come, made for an electric atmosphere.

Then, the first act was announced, and almost immediately the hum and activity died down and there was complete and utter silence. Waiting for the music to begin and when the orchestra finally began to play the very first note, Abby felt a shiver run down her spine. She couldn’t believe she’d been so offhand about attending something like this originally–it was without a doubt, once-in-lifetime incredible.

She smiled at Teresa who too was held rapt by the atmosphere and the sheer magic of the whole experience. And as the first act began in earnest the two sat back and settled in to enjoy the performance.

By the end of the third act, Abby was an opera devotee. This was nothing, nothing like she’d even seen, heard or experienced! The way the performance was capable of arousing and enrapturing the audience was little short of astonishing. And although she didn’t understand a word of what was being sung, she could feel every ounce of emotion coming through the performer’s voice.

At one stage, in the darkness, she looked across and saw tears running down her mother’s cheeks. She could understand why. This was hair-on-the-back-of-the-neck stuff, an intensely emotional experience, and as the singer’s incredible voice built to a stunning crescendo, Abby could feel the anguish in every note.

Knowing that she was undoubtedly thinking of Jim and how he should have been here with her, she reached across and took her Mum’s hand in hers and squeezed it hard.

It was hard to imagine your parents as a couple in love, with the same hopes and dreams of any other. But her Mum and Dad had been devoted to each other and now almost three years later her mother was still grieving heavily for the love of the man with whom she’d spent almost forty years of her life, and who she still loved with all her heart. It was heartbreaking but at the same time hugely touching, and Abby prayed that someday she would experience a love like that.

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