Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
    praise him with the harp and lyre,
 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
    praise him with the strings and pipe,

Psalm 150

Friday evening Rebekah and I experienced a sweet serendipity when we dusted off our nice clothes, drove downtown, and spent a few hours enjoying some of the best that Raleigh has to offer.

It was a beautiful evening, so we parked in a central location. We walked to dinner before strolling on to the Performing Arts Center, and eventually back again.

If we thought our two weeks at sea involved elevated dining experiences, then our visit to Ashley Christensen’s Poole’s Diner set the bar higher still.

Rebekah had the Marinated Avocado (with Honey Crisp Apples, Buttermilk Blue Cheese, Almonds, and Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette) followed by Roast Lilly Den Half Chicken (with smoky Triple Chicken Stock and Herb Scented Whipped Yukon Gold Potatoes).

I enjoyed the Caramelized Onion Tart (with Benton’s Bacon, Gruyere, and Sherry Vinaigrette) along with the Hanger Steak (with Chimichurri, Red Wine Melted Eggplant, and Tobacco Onions). We split a side dish of Brussel Sprouts (with Oyster Mushrooms and Sherry Cream) and then Fall Spice Chocolate Cake (with Graham Cracker Crumble and Mandarin Curd) for dessert.

I only write all that because you can’t go somewhere like Poole’s and just say, “Rebekah had the chicken and I ate the steak.”

After a relaxed dinner we walked through the delicious night air holding hands, up to the arts district and into the Ballet.

Carolina Ballet and Haute Culture:

Now I am not typically a dance guy. However, while my cuisine was being elevated then why not a little elevation on the entertainment side too?

Good grief. The beauty was overpowering.

The Carolina Ballet, accompanied by a remarkably gifted Chamber Orchestra, performed interpretations of “The American” (Antonín Dvořák), “Death and the Maiden” (Franz Schubert) and “The Four Seasons” (Vivaldi).

We had literally the best seats in the house. Front row, center. Other than this image of the orchestra warming up, I honored the “no photography” rule.

So here is what I thought, what I am thinking – especially listening to the soaring energy and lyrical phrasings of Vivaldi: I am thinking about how exposure to the fine arts is in a sense a touchstone of civility, and about how we need a more public civility so desperately right now.

And I use the word “desperately” with care and intention.

I am not suggesting imposing certain classical tastes on other people. But I am talking about a more widespread exposure to and appreciation of performances like this.

It’s like the day we listened to renowned soprano Renée Fleming in Tampa. As a rule I don’t like opera music. But she sang with such compelling beauty I knew I was in the presence of something transcendent, almost divine.

Beauty, quite simply, speaks to the soul. Maybe I could go so far as to say that beauty is the language of the soul.

Regardless, I do believe there is an undeniable connection between beauty and civility. So if we cannot agree to be more intentionally civil to one another, maybe instead we could sit together at the ballet, listening to chamber music, and allow something that calls to the cadence of deeper truths to speak to us all.

I’m DEREK MAUL and I am – for this brief moment – just a little more civilized than I was before!

pictures: appetizers, entrees, dessert, then the ballet…