The number one question people ask me is "how did you get the idea for Opera Bracelets?"

Once upon a time...

In 2007 my husband Andrew and I decided to spend our 15 year wedding anniversary seeing opera in New York … when we listened in future to live Saturday matinee opera broadcasts we wanted to be able to say “we were there once!”

It was planned to be a once in a lifetime trip. As a student of mythology and passing opera fan, my favorite was Die Walkure!

Afterwards, I visited the Met Opera Shop... There were many beautiful pieces of jewelry, but I couldn't help noticing that nothing really evoked Die Walkure.

Right then, standing right there I started to have an idea... wouldn’t it be great if there was a bracelet with nine aurora borealis beads to represent the Valkyries? I had learned in grade school mythology class long ago that the aurora borealis is created by the Valkyries' shields.

In the end I thought “well maybe I’ll just make my own memento.”

The next January, I had some time free from my decorative painting business.  So, during a snowstorm, I experimented with beads to make my Die Walkure Bracelet. After the nine aurora borealis beads, I thought ….well there should be a bead for Wotan… Then the idea literally spiraled (like a bracelet) into representing the whole story. 

I kid you not, it was like a light in a tunnel, the light bulb moment, all the clichés. I hadn’t even got up from the table when I realized my idea could represent ANY opera.

And I thought that if I was looking for something tangible to connect me to my opera memories, possibly other passionate opera lovers were also.

I had reached a point where decorative painting was becoming physically challenging for me (really a business better suited for earlier in one's life). I started to understand that this jewelry idea might need to happen. It might not be optional.

For a couple of years preparations for Opera Bracelets overlapped with my decorative painting business, but by 2010, Opera Bracelets was ready for business with 8 bracelet designs.

Today collection now consists of bracelets representing over 60 different operas... and...you can even find them in the Met Opera Shop!

Remember the Moment

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