I've just snagged a $65 balcony ticket for *Meistersinger* at the Met
in NYC for next Saturday matinee.  Yes, I know that I could hear it on
the radio in the comfort of home but I've only been to one *Meistersinger*
performance and that was at the New York City Center over forty years ago
and, listening to today's broadcast of selections from Met broadcasts over
the years, I felt the urge to attend *Meistersinger* again.  The Met's Web
site listed the Saturday matinee performance as sold out but indicated that
tickets might be available for Wednesday's performance although not on the
Web.  I called up the box office and found out that there were single
tickets not only for Wednesday nite but also for Saturday's matinee.  Since
this would make it possible for me to drive up to NYC early in the day and
home that evening, w/out staying in a hotel or driving through the major
part of the night, I decided on the matinee ticket.  I don't know yet
whether I'll do another marathon as I did a few years ago for a Quasthoff
Mahler performance w/ the NY Philharmonic, when I drove to NY, attended the
concert and drove back, all on the same day, but at least I have that
option.

And here I have a question for some New Yorkers (or drivers to NY)
reading this.  My Mahler/Quasthoff marathon of a few years ago was marred
by the unexpected length of my drive up to New York from 22 miles west of
Washington.  I was making good time until I tried to get off the New Jersey
Turnpike and there the trouble began.  Traffic was continuously clogged
getting off the toll road and again getting into the Lincoln Tunnel.  I had
hoped to get into NY early enough in the afternoon that day to do some book
and CD shopping, have a nice dinner, and then go to the concert.  Instead,
the last 30 miles of travel took me over two hours and when I got into
Manhattan, I parked in the first parking lot on the West Side that I could
find, grabbed a subway and got to Lincoln Center just in time to grab a
quick self-service supper (actually not too bad) before finding my seat in
the auditorium.  So how close would I be cutting it, if I left Reston, VA,
at 6 am to make a noon-time curtain in NY? I don't really want to start out
much earlier if I want to stay awake for the opera and the drive home after
the opera which is scheduled to be over at 5:35 pm.

I have the suspicion that my plan for heroics isn't going to work out and
that I should leave for NY the previous afternoon and spring for a night in
a budget hotel.

Helpful suggestions?

Walter Meyer