Rome With A View

Rome with a ViewThe Curtain Is Up, but the prima donna has not stepped forward. The overture is finished, but the aria has not begun. Perhaps it's the bright lights or the beautiful clothes that heighten the expectant mood. Perhaps it's the way these extras strut and gesture. Seeming intent only on their companions, they watch the audience from the corners of their flashing eyes.In daylight, the Piazza del Popolo with its ocher-tinted buildings and domed churches, has an air of neglect. The crac...