[Looking at history and our area’s unique political and religious attitudes.]

As I was saying. These words were the intro to an unexpected opera experience. Christopher Macchio is not exactly a household name, unless you are an opera fan in New York.

We were watching a memorial honoring 50-year-old fireman Corey Comperatore, who was murdered during an assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. He died protecting his wife and daughter from the assassin’s bullet. The story is one of heroes. The shooting began at 6:11 PM.

Twelve weeks later, at the same time on October 5, a moment of silence was called. At the end, a bell tolled in a 200-year-old fireman tradition. Then followed the well-known operatic “Ave Maria,” by golden-era type, classical-crossover vocalist, Christopher Macchio. This was the  penultimate, but first back up to earlier in the afternoon.

Macchio had the stage with his awesome medley of religious and patriotic songs as reportedly 105,000 people came in. Multiples of that watched live-stream on RSBNetwork and other sources.

Shortly afterward, artist Scott LoBaido live-painted with his fingers a stylized American flag. At the end, he removed a layer near the center to reveal a likeness of Comperatore in his fire-fighting gear. The dramatic event caused his sisters’ to well-up.

In a long list of presenters, Senator Vance, referred to the well known Psalm 23 with ‘though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You art with me.’

Building toward the program, country music legend Lee Greenwood gave an emotional rendition of his 40-year classic ‘God Bless the USA’. True to his tradition, President Trump took the stage during the stimulating patriotic ballad. Greenwood finished with a manly hug between the two. Then Greenwood saluted as he left the stage.

I made my career in public speaking, sometimes before thousands, often in a university class, other times before a very small intimate group of judge and jury. It paid well, because I was a professional, who knew my business, and was skilled in presenting. But I have never encountered an individual who has the talent of speaking for two-hours holding an audience attention with facts, figures, and relatability like President Trump, on a day-in and day-out basis. It is fascinating to observe a skilled artisan.

His events close with the catchy chorus of the disco hit enshrined by the Library of Congress, ‘Y-M-C-A’. As his own Emcee, the President encouraged the group to be engaged by Macchio in inspirational concert. The maestro projected, “Nessun Dorma.” You have heard it, even if you do not know the name. It is from the final act of Giacomo Pucci’s “Turandot,”  dated 1926. The well-known aria ends with “I will win. I will win. I will win.” Macchio was awesome.

If Mrs. Seal’s Latin class was correct, the title translates as “None Shall Sleep.” Trump has used the aria three times at his first event after each of two shooting attempts and this occasion. Why? There is always a back story.

“Nessun Dorma” is the background music to the closing scenes from “Sum of all Fears,” a Jack Ryan movie about an international  group of shadow-government officials who join to start WW3 with a nuclear bomb, so they can control power and money as the surviving quasi-government. After the nefarious plot is uncovered, the white hats from their respective cultures systematically terminate the terrorist deep-state traitors while the aria plays. Oh, it is dramatic there also.

Trump remained on stage in a spiritual reverie as Macchio gave concert. Next the tenor was forceful with the stirring “Hallelujah”. Although slightly shifting from the religious, he blended “America the Beautiful” in operatic style. Then he was back to a religious theme.

My co-author/bride’s favorite, “How Great Thou Art,” has been identified for 60-years with the deep, booming baritone George Beverly Shea, who lived to 104. He received a Grammy award and multiple hall of fame acclamations. It is a different time, different style, but baritone Shea has a worthy successor in tenor Macchio.

His final opus was “God Bless America,” getting the crowd to join in. With that crescendo, Trump and Macchio walked off stage with a father-son arm on shoulder.

Most of us are more relatable to Lee Greenwood country style, but count this as one Okie who became a fan of at least one opera virtuoso, Christopher Macchio.

Think about it. Like music styles, let us set differences aside where we can, to come together with areas we can agree. Do you prefer to live in a Greenwood and Macchio culture or the twerking of an ignoble group for the adversary. It is a binary choice. God bless America.