After seeing the ad for the New York City Opera Thrift Shop numerous times in the opera playbills, I finally decided to stop by and check out their merchandise.  The City Opera's thrift shop, located at 222 E. 23rd Street, offers (but is not limited to) the usual variety of secondhand men's and women's clothing.  The extensive selection of women's wear occupied much of the store.  Prices were reasonable and reflected the quality of the garments, many of which were from high-end designers.  Menswear was limited to three racks tucked in the back of the shop, separated into tops, bottoms and jackets.  Women can easily find a great outfit (especially for the opera!) while men will have to do some scavenging.

 

A walk past the fashion options and up to the second floor reveals various pieces of home furnishings, wall art and a large variety of literature.  Hidden in the corner was a box full of old opera recordings -- a steal at $1 each, but only on vinyl.  A couple of framed, vintage opera posters caught my eye, but the price range of $40-$75 didn't agree with my wallet.

New York City Opera's thrift shop is not only a great place to find secondhand goods, but also an easy way to support City Opera.  If you want to donate stuff, they'll cover the cost of your taxi ride there, or if it's large enough, you can schedule a free pick-up.  All donations to the thrift shop are tax deductible and all proceeds benefit New York City Opera.  This really is an ingenious fundraising idea on their part!

 

In other news, I have been readying myself for City Opera's Candide for quite some time. Even before being offered this student correspondent position, I've had my eye on the production.  Not only is Candide one of my favorite novels, but Leonard Bernstein is one of my favorite composers and his not-quite-opera, not-quite-musical adaptation of Voltaire's classic is one of his many masterpieces.  When I first heard "Make Our Garden Grow," the glorious finale, I was blown away; and hearing other pieces from Candide, especially "The Best of All Possible Worlds" and "Glitter and Be Gay," I was immediately drawn to it.

 

So when the staff from marketing mentioned that they had set up a window at the Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Triangle, I vowed to check it out.  The window display, featuring some costumes, sketches, and various knick-knacks from the show, was very well put together.  There were many pieces, worthy of taking a good look at and the vibrancy of the display certainly caught my eye.  If you're in the area, it's definitely a great photo-op!