NewYorkFirst.com: Opera Glasses

A Night at the Met.

Not seated in the orchestra section? Then you ought to thank Jozef Maximilián Petzval, the Slovak mathematician, physicist, and inventor of opera glasses.

In larger theater venues, viewers seated toward the back or in balconies can be a substanial distance from the stage. As much of enjoying the opera or a play involves following the story as it is performed, Petzval's glasses bring the soprano up close, from any seat.

Opera glasses help viewers focus onstage from distant points in a theater without distracting others. They are built to be small and functional, like binoculars, but specifically designed for viewing indoor performances. Some models feature a discreet light so that you can read your program without disturbing your neighbors. Opera glasses are very glamorous and come with a gift pouch – the perfect present for an opera or theater lover.

Wearable Sensuality.
Opera gloves have been recognized for well over a century as one of the foremost symbols of feminine elegance and sensuality. The very sight of the glove embracing the hand and arm of a woman sends a powerful conscious and subconscious signal that the wearer is a woman of style, elegance, passion, power and sexuality. Create your own persona with these elegant, over-the-elbow gloves, in black satin stretch spandex, so they truly are one-size-fits-all. For making entrances, among other things.

Caruso in the Kitchen.
Two hundred photographs dominate the array of international recipes contributed by musical figures, from Jenny Lind to Maria Callas in the Metropolitan Opera Cookbook. A marvelous campiness prevails, especially in the shots of Luciano Pavarotti in oven mitts and a maniacally grinning Birgit Nillson brandishing garden shears. Recipes are easily prepared and, this being opera territory, hearty. The book will appeal to opera-lovers famished for a new kind of vicarious thrill: the pleasure of trying out an idol's treasured recipe. Previously-owned 1988 First Edition.

Two Seats for the Opera.
This updated edition of "Seats New York" includes all Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres, concert halls, and stadiums, as well as numerous regional theatres and arenas. It's a clear, informative and beautiful guide for those seeking the best (or to avoid the worst) seats, as well as for those interested in searching out some of the lesser known and more adventurous venues. A full seating chart is provided for each venue, color coded by price, along with all ticket ordering information.