About OperaGifts.com

          Who am I? I am a poet.
          What do I do? I write.
          How do I live? I live!          
          
              ~ Rodolfo (La Boheme)

Valerie Champagne, President

Well, I'm a poet of sorts. I am a web designer. What do I write? I write code. How do I live? I live. I am a developer of web sites, a teacher of software, a dreamer of dreams, hunter of geo-caches, and a lover of opera. I am also mother of Charlie. Charlie is a 'tolerater' of opera, especially if he is actually in the opera and gets to either juggle (Pagliacci) or hold a sword (Mikado).

I live in beautiful, Olympia, Washington. I am a native of West Chester, Pennsylvania which is west of Philadelphia, birthplace of Marian Anderson (1897-1993) and Mario Lanza (1921-1959).

The Conception of OperaGifts.com

One day, while I'm teaching a class (Web Usability Techniques) I show the class a good place to register a domain name (godaddy.com in case you were wondering). Just off the top of my head I type operagifts.com as an example. The site informs me the domain name is available! What?! A great name like that? Available? So.... I just had to buy it. The work that followed was a labor of love. The result— this site. (but please buy something... I mean, music may be the food of life but a sugar-free almond latte is $3.65.)

Site Dedication

I believe opera invites us to a place that exists only as a frequency. You may not be invited upon the first hearing; but, if you open your ears and your heart the music will eventually call you there. And in this highly personal, solitary space you may glean a sense of connection with others; free from the borders of language, country or century.

This site is dedicated to that part of us that, while listening to the great music of the masters, accepts the invitation, and goes.

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