We finally saw a show in Kansas City’s long-awaited and highly-anticipated Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

It’s a beautiful venue. There’s a lot to rave about and only a few items that disappointed me.

We attended a matinee on the final day of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s season premeire, Puccini’s Turandot. Beautiful sets. Wonderful period costumes. Stellar performers.

I lack sufficient background in opera to offer an in-depth review but I can say that as a music lover I could not have been more pleased with the performance. Of particular merit was tenor Arnold Rawls’ moving rendition of the tenor aria Nessun Dorma (Nobody Shall Sleep) at the beginning of the third act. It’s a perfect example of why live theater is so powerful.