I recently had the occasion to attend the Met in NYC for the first time. I think I am becoming an opera lover! (It all started when I watched this video of Dmitri Hvorostovsky and I was completely smitten!)
The opera we saw performed was "Turandot" and we also just so happen to have a beautifully illustrated book version of it. The sets and costumes at the Met were spectacular. The audience literally gasped during the second act when the scenery was revealed (apparently Franco Zeffirelli created this production). The whole performance was gorgeous. And of course the Nessun Dorma performed by Roberto Alagna gave me chills.