Wed. Feb. 13

Here's the good news: Opera Boston Underground starts another season of club shows at the Lizard Lounge on Wednesday Feb. 13. The bad news: It's a small basement club, they don't sell advance tickets to the show, and everything they've done here has sold out. So, if you're reading this ahead of time, mark your calendar and if you're reading this day-of, be aware that you've got a shot at tickets ... as long as you don't mind standing in a line on Massachusetts Ave. in February. But what you get inside for your $8 cover, this time: Three or four mini-operas, hosted by Opera Boston Underground Music Director Gil Rose (in photo). The program is called "Quickies." It will feature Lukas Foss' "Introductions and Good-Byes," a 1960 nine-minute piece that mimicks the unfolding of a cocktail party, Samuel Barber's "An Hand of Bridge," a 1959 nine-minute opera that takes place as two couples play bridge, which would seem like they're doing exactly what my parents were doing in 1959. Both of these feature a libretto by Gian Carolo Menotti. The singers are mezzo Glorivy Arroyo and tenor Christian Figueroa, with piano by Angela Gooch. Now, we realize we said three or four pieces and only named two. That's because, as of this mid-December writing, that's all they've got up yet. But don't worry. They'll come through and the quality is outstanding. Plus, you can have a cocktail in a club  and the thrill of doing that while watching opera - partially about a cocktail party - in a place you usually rock out ... whoops, we sound like a MasterCard ad ... priceless. Show at 7 p.m.

1667 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-451-3388