1002. An opera! A new friend! Many friends have challenges, problems, and heartaches, and I wish I could help!
I had a very choice experience at the opera! Last Friday night I went to "The Elixir of Love" at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. The lead tenor was my great friend Eric Taylor, who I met several years ago in St. George. I accompanied him there a few times, and we became dear friends!
A year ago when I was still in St. George, he came and visited me at his Christmas vacation. I asked him to sing for my dear friend Fae Pickleseimer, who was 97 years old. He sang several songs to her, and she loved it! She since has passed away. Last year I traveled to Salt Lake City in January to hear him sing the lead in "La Boheme", which was also wonderful! The link below is of Eric Taylor singing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al4Njh5HlsI
He sang this in a Metropolitan Opera audition, and won the Western States:
A link below is to the audition and his story:
This last Friday, also in the opera was an amazing young tenor named Gregory Watts. I had first met Greg in Las Vegas when he was performing for SUU in the college vocal competitions, where my grandson Ben Lieske also performed. Greg was also at SUU when Ben came up there for a year before his mission in Taiwan.
Greg Watts sang the role of Dr. Dulcamara, who was selling the potion -- (elixir) and did a beautiful job of his performance! So at the curtain calls -- actually the bowing, as they didn't have a curtain -- I stood up quickly when he came in. After the performance the singers were in the hall greeting people, and someone tapped me on the shoulder. The person told me there was a lady who wanted to speak to me. That dear lady was the mother of Greg Watts!
She was in a wheelchair, and such a gentle lovely woman! We took pictures, and I got her e mail to send pictures to her. We have started a wonderful friendship! I found out she has a disease referred to as IBM inclusion body myositis.-- It is progressive, and very painful. Her story can be read at:
www.chivecharities.org/story/
Fifteen years ago, she didn’t need help standing, walking five miles a day, doing pilates, or crafting cheeky decor for Richard’s man cave. But gradually, her muscles weakened, she had a few falls, and stairs became a struggle. Her increasing symptoms pointed to multiple sclerosis, maybe ALS, but testing revealed Linda had inclusion body myositis, a progressive, inflammatory muscle disease.
She wrote a beautiful story about her situation, and Chive Charities gave her a 2017 Wheel Chair Accessible Dodge Grand Caravan, where there is a lift for her wheelchair, and she can ride safely! I need to get her permission to publish her own story. It is poetic and dramatic, and shows she is a gifted writer also!
I am getting acquainted with her, and she is a delightful, cheerful person! She has a darling sense of humor and her devoted husband takes care of her daily! They have a beautiful love story, and are making the best of a difficult situation.
If you like opera and you'd like to hear my grandson singing "Questa o Quella" from Rigoletto, here is the link: (Copy and Paste)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDD9DTuawdQ
Life is so interesting -- at times heartbreaking, and also heart warming! Right now I have a dear dear friend whose husband, only 63, will be put in a Care Center a week from today, as he has altzheimer's, and it has been getting worse by the day. He has his doctorate, and was head of the Music Department at Dixie State University until 5 or 6 years ago, when he began showing early problems with altzheimer's. I have another dear friend who is just 51 years old, in a wheelchair, with a nerve disease where she also is in constant pain, and even her eyesight is affected.
I am also great friends with the young couple Skyler and Jamie Scott who are expecting quintuplets, and experiencing some related problems. She is almost 23 weeks along, but babies will be more likely to survive at 24 + weeks. They hope to be able to go to 32 weeks. They moved from St. George to Phoenix where there are special doctors who are experienced in helping multiple births survive. Prayers for them are truly helping!
And also, I have a dear sister whose son may pass away in 2 days -- with complications with his liver. Each of those dear people have their own touching story. I also know many happy stories! We each have our own challenges and problems in life, and hopefully we can help each other along, and pray for each other, and be loving and kind!
A year ago when I was still in St. George, he came and visited me at his Christmas vacation. I asked him to sing for my dear friend Fae Pickleseimer, who was 97 years old. He sang several songs to her, and she loved it! She since has passed away. Last year I traveled to Salt Lake City in January to hear him sing the lead in "La Boheme", which was also wonderful! The link below is of Eric Taylor singing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al4Njh5HlsI
He sang this in a Metropolitan Opera audition, and won the Western States:
A link below is to the audition and his story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLvwMgXOMpo
"Hier soll ich dich denn sehen," 2017 MET Council Semi-Finalist Eric Taylor
Greg Watts sang the role of Dr. Dulcamara, who was selling the potion -- (elixir) and did a beautiful job of his performance! So at the curtain calls -- actually the bowing, as they didn't have a curtain -- I stood up quickly when he came in. After the performance the singers were in the hall greeting people, and someone tapped me on the shoulder. The person told me there was a lady who wanted to speak to me. That dear lady was the mother of Greg Watts!
She was in a wheelchair, and such a gentle lovely woman! We took pictures, and I got her e mail to send pictures to her. We have started a wonderful friendship! I found out she has a disease referred to as IBM inclusion body myositis.-- It is progressive, and very painful. Her story can be read at:
www.chivecharities.org/story/
Fifteen years ago, she didn’t need help standing, walking five miles a day, doing pilates, or crafting cheeky decor for Richard’s man cave. But gradually, her muscles weakened, she had a few falls, and stairs became a struggle. Her increasing symptoms pointed to multiple sclerosis, maybe ALS, but testing revealed Linda had inclusion body myositis, a progressive, inflammatory muscle disease.
She wrote a beautiful story about her situation, and Chive Charities gave her a 2017 Wheel Chair Accessible Dodge Grand Caravan, where there is a lift for her wheelchair, and she can ride safely! I need to get her permission to publish her own story. It is poetic and dramatic, and shows she is a gifted writer also!
I am getting acquainted with her, and she is a delightful, cheerful person! She has a darling sense of humor and her devoted husband takes care of her daily! They have a beautiful love story, and are making the best of a difficult situation.
If you like opera and you'd like to hear my grandson singing "Questa o Quella" from Rigoletto, here is the link: (Copy and Paste)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDD9DTuawdQ
I am also great friends with the young couple Skyler and Jamie Scott who are expecting quintuplets, and experiencing some related problems. She is almost 23 weeks along, but babies will be more likely to survive at 24 + weeks. They hope to be able to go to 32 weeks. They moved from St. George to Phoenix where there are special doctors who are experienced in helping multiple births survive. Prayers for them are truly helping!
And also, I have a dear sister whose son may pass away in 2 days -- with complications with his liver. Each of those dear people have their own touching story. I also know many happy stories! We each have our own challenges and problems in life, and hopefully we can help each other along, and pray for each other, and be loving and kind!
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