Testimonials

Richard Joel

Rosa Ponselle in Norma

Dear Metropolitan Opera,

More than 75 years ago, my love affair with opera began with a Met performance of Norma in Atlanta, Georgia. I was 11 years old and Rosa Ponselle, Marion Telva and Ezio Pinza set the standard with which I have judged this incomparable art form for three-quarters of a century.

To me, opera always has been bigger and more colorful than life, and Met stars have been the giants who have brought me pleasure. When my friends were seeking baseball cards and the signatures of movie stars, I was collecting autographed photos of Met singers.

Whenever the Met traveled to Atlanta, I seldom missed a performance. When my academic career took me to other states, my teaching contracts guaranteed time off for Met performances. Over the years, trips to New York have taken me to wonderful performances at the old Met and the new.

One of the most memorable evenings occurred when I was on a furlough during World War II and introduced my young wife to the Met and her first Norma, which became her favorite opera, as it has always been mine. In her memory, I hope to perpetuate our love of opera with a gift annuity that is earmarked for the Met's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.

Sincerely,

If the Met has been a part of your past, please join Richard in being part of its future.

The Encore Society
The Metopolitan Opera
Lincoln Center, New York, NY 10023
212-870-7388
e-mail: encoresociety@mail.metopera.org.