“Rosina’s cavatina was simply spectacular. Easily the best I’ve heard in all my years attending operas,” JaVale McGee was saying animatedly.
Kenneth Faried nodded eagerly. “The transposition up to F Major was a stroke of genius, really. The cadenza took my breath away with those impossibly high notes. And the actor who did Bartolo, he captured the angst and suspicion of the role perfectly. What did you think, J.J.?”
J.J. Hickson scowled. “I can’t believe I let you two drag me to some lame opera! I wasted the whole night when I could have been banging honeys.”
JaVale and Kenneth gaped at their teammate. “How could you dislike the Barber of Seville?” JaVale exclaimed. The hot-pink suit he was wearing seemed to glow in his incredulity. “It’s the seminal, defining work of Rossini’s illustrious career, a career marked by multiple great masterpieces for the stage!”
“That’s great and all, but it was just a bunch of people singing in a language I couldn’t understand. And that music, who listens to classical music these days other than old people?” J.J. asked.
JaVale’s jovial mood had abruptly morphed to annoyance. “It is fine to hold your own opinions, J.J., but it would be wise not to display your ignorance so blatantly. Il barbiere di Siviglia is the pinnacle of comedy in music, and even a plebeian like yourself should be able to appreciate the fine nuances of Sterbini’s libretto.”
“Whatever, guys,” J.J. responded, not interested in arguing his position. “My apartment’s just a few blocks that way. You guys can go have your fancy post-show cocktails, and I’ll just go home and think about all the women at the clubs that were denied a chance at J.J.’s stud-rocket.”
“That’s not a bad idea. I’m pretty tired myself,” Kenneth agreed. “JaVale, why don’t we head back to your place?”
“Sounds good to me,” replied JaVale. “See you, J.J.”
As J.J. walked away from his two teammates, he thought he could hear JaVale say to Kenneth in a sultry voice, “Let’s see how Fa-Reaky you can really get!” This phrase conjured odd images in J.J.’s head, and he began to walk just a little bit faster.