It is such a special treat to take in an opera at the Met at Lincoln Center, and one of the best parts starts well before the performance. The Metropolitan Opera House is one of my favorite interiors in New York, because when you walk in and encounter these quasi-futuristic, brilliant twinkling masterpieces, you can't help but be transported, uplifted and inspired. They were originally hung in 1966 when the Met moved to Lincoln Center, designed by an Austrian man named Hans Harald Rath, and just last year were completely refurbished and re-crystalled in Austria by Swarovski.

A tip if you're seeing "Tosca" and not feeling up to being emotionally crushed: It has a relatively happy ending if you leave before the third act!