This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I have lived away from Salt Lake now for more than 15 years. One thing I always counted on when coming home is the courtesy of Utahns.
Unfortunately, my husband, son, and I got a dose of extreme rudeness at Ballet West's production of "The Nutcracker" the day after Christmas.
Directly behind us sat a well-dressed woman in her 40s who seemed to think that she and her young daughter were in their own living room. What else could explain her chattering throughout the entire first half of the production?
At the intermission, another patron asked her to not talk during the second half of the ballet, and I seconded the request. She was incensed and felt that we had insulted her. During the rest of the ballet, she glowered and made snide comments.
I have been to many productions in the San Francisco Bay area and around the world, yet I have never seen such poor manners. Ballet West put on a fine performance. Unfortunately, one rude member of the audience spoiled it for several of us.
Lisa M. Berti
Monterey, Calif.