Saturday Night at the Opera

Once downtown we stayed close to our hotel to eat so that once we had dined a nap could take place immediately.

We had seen a restaurant in the next street, around the corner from the hotel, which had outdoor tables and on a perfect sunny afternoon that's where we like to sit.

It's called Birraporetti's and the awning over the entrance boasts that it's a great Italian restaurant and a "heck of an Irish bar!" which is an odd mix if ever I heard one. My review is on Tripadvisor under the screen name Bavarian Chicago USA.

I went in to let the staff know that they had customers outside.

I haven't had many authentic Italian meals in the USA sadly and so wasn't going to take a chance on this kitchen giving me one but I trusted them with a cheeseburger and french fries. Guinness was my drink of choice. Carol played safe with a chicken Caesar salad. Both were good enough to quell our hunger and the gentleman who served us was good at his job.

As we sat, shaded by an umbrella, people came by riding in horse and carriage-obviously tourists and they looked happy even though vehicle traffic was whizzing by.

This restaurant is open after the Opera and we kept that in mind for a late-night snack.

Cheeseburger and fries- just what I needed

Back in the hotel room, dark and cool, we slept for an hour or so, before changing for the Opera.

The Opera House-in the Gus S Wortham center is a three minute walk away.

 Sunset

The facade of the Gus S Wortham Center, within which the Houston Grand Opera Company
performs

A long escalator ride takes you up to the entrance to the Brown Theater which is the name for the room that the Opera lives in.

We are sitting high up near the back of the house looking down to the Orchestra Pit and the stage curtain which for this Opera "Sweeney Todd"  (by Stephen Sondheim) , depicts an old map of London, where the action takes place. The orchestra pit holds over 100 musicians.

People are starting to take their seats

Of course there is no photography while the Opera is playing but during the short 20 minute intermission I get some shots of the vast lobby where people go to get a drink and something to eat and 20 minutes doesn't leave much time for either .
There's also a shop selling Opera CDs and tee shirts.

I ride the escalator down to street level so I can have a cigarette outside

and ten minutes later I have to get back in as it takes a while to get up the escalator and up the stairs beyond to my balcony seat where Carol has been sitting all this time.

A great night of theater was enjoyed by the capacity crowd and by 11 pm we were back out on the warm streets and heading to Birraporetti's where we ordered a thin crust pizza and some beer to round off a wonderful day in Houston.

Next day we would also have an opera but it would start at 2 pm, not 7.30 as tonight's had.

We would still manage to fit in an excursion to see more of Houston before the show....