Eagle’s Trace resident shares her love of the opera with others
When Beth Beissel heard that her favorite opera, Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, was opening at the Houston Grand Opera — just 30 minutes from her apartment home at Eagle’s Trace, an Erickson Senior Living community in west Houston — she knew she had to attend.
But Beth didn’t want to go alone. “With a thousand new friends to choose from, I decided to let my husband Jim off the hook,” recalls Beth with a laugh. “I knew I’d find someone to go with me.”
She also decided to create a club, which has been meeting for over a year. Eager to spread the word, Beth put out advertising for the club’s first event: a DVD showing of an opera at the on-campus theater.
“It was a hit, so we’ve continued the showings,” she says. “One member even volunteered her seven-hour DVD set about the life of Giuseppe Verdi! We plan on breaking it up into segments and showing them on Sunday afternoons.”
The club itself has also been a hit, welcoming a diverse group of residents.
“We have members who had never seen an opera, and then we have those who have been to the MET every month for years,” says Beth. “Each person shares their talents, which has been a big help.”
With convenient cultural attractions and volunteer opportunities, Eagle’s Trace residents like the Beissels have everything they need — on campus and nearby — to make the most of their worry-free retirement.
“I’ve received so much from living here,” says Beth. “Being a contributor to my neighbors’ happiness is rewarding.”
For additional information about the Eagle’s Trace community, visit eaglestrace.com.