At the Met

The stage is set for the premier of Mozart’s Don Giovanni as an enigmatic woman enters the Metropolitan Opera House, the crowd parting before her as she glides up the lavish red and gold staircase towards the most expensive seats in the house. Her blue-black gown glitters with hand-sewn beads in a pattern evoking the creations of Gustav Klimt. Her delicate fingers grasp a jeweled shawl made of precious crystals that catch the light, reflecting her rainbow-hued silk sash. Framed at the entrance of her private box by an elaborate goldwork design, she pauses a moment to take in the sights and sounds of the orchestra tuning before taking her seat behind the curtain. Like an actress who plays many roles over a lifetime, the woman behind the stunning headdress and aloof expression remains a mystery to all.