Typically, the only time LL’s Thursday-afternoon strolls through the John A. Wilson Building even get a whiff of celebrity are the occasional Dan Tangherlini sighting in the mayoral bullpen. (Governance rock star, that guy!) But not this week.

Yesterday afternoon, distinguished Spanish tenor and Washington National Opera general director Plácido Domingo spent more than an hour roaming the building with a pair of WNO bigwigs in tow, as well as an official photographer. (Yes, LL had his picture taken with the maestro.) His rounds took him to the offices of most councilmembers.

A couple of members asked for a command performance from the tenor, including Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander and Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser, who rated his pipes as “excellent.”

Domingo treated Bowser and staff to a bit of Gounod’s “Ave Maria.” “We got a good taste, I think,” she said. Her chief of staff, Joy Holland, chimed in: “The first 10 bars, which is a good taste.”

So why exactly was Domingo roaming the Wilson Building halls? To ask for money, duh.

Later today, a panel of WNO bigwigs (not including Domingo) will appear before the council to make their case for a city subsidy. The mayor’s proposed list of budget earmarks leaves the opera out in the cold, even though such cultural organizations as the Washington Ballet ($1 million), Ford’s Theatre ($10 million), and the Ward 7 Arts Collaborative ($100,000) are currently in the money.

Domingo’s appeal played up the need for greater resources for arts-education programs. He then had to be rushed out to rehearse for his upcoming role in Handel’s Tamerlano.

Had you been taking in your early morning dose of Fox 5 today, you would have caught the newest development in Marion Barry’s ongoing self-reinvention. In case this gem slipped past you, I give you: Phantom: Marion Barry.

Stick with the clip to catch Barry warbling a few lines of…something…from an upcoming benefit concert in conjunction with the Carter Barron Foundation for the Performing Arts. Barry, a self-described “shower singer,” calls it “Phantom of the Opera—D.C. style.” Barry, then, reprises his role as the alternately repulsive and endearing old ghost of District politics—this time, with show tunes!

Further information about the event was impossible to locate online; a phone call to the Friends of the Carter Barron Foundation produced the following conversation:

Me: “Hello. I’m calling about a news item I saw…”

Woman, Accompanied by Factory Noises: “It’s 20 dollars. Line up one-and-a-half hours before the show.”

Opera singer Denyce Graves joins the former mayor tonight at 7:30, with further performances Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 3:30 & 7:30 at UDC’s Main Auditorium, 4200 Connecticut Avenue NW.

The Drink: Midnight Karma

The Location: Zengo, 781 7th St. NW, (202) 393-2929

The Price: $10

The Skinny: I’ve always wanted to go to the opera, but the price tag has kept me away. So when a friend tipped me off to a way to win free tickets, I was excited. When I found out it involved cocktails, I was out the door. The Washington National Opera is holding a Macbeth Cocktail Contest—three area restaurants are inventing cocktails inspired by William Shakespeare’s play. By voting for the best one, you’re entered in a drawing to win a pair of tickets. I headed to Zengo—the Chinatown-based, Latin-Asian fusion eatery co-owned by Plácido Domingo—for “The Bloody Dagger,” a red wine, sake, brandy, Asian pear, and Fuji apple concoction. But when I asked the bartender about it, he seemed baffled. And a little frightened, I think. (Calls to Zengo seeking clarification have not been returned.) After inspecting the mint-heavy cocktail list for a second choice, I settled on the Midnight Karma, a beautifully balanced mix of Tanqueray Rangpur gin, blueberries, and lime. The gin is distilled with rangpurs (a fruit that looks kinda like a mandarin orange but tastes more like a lime) and makes the drink. Unlike all those fruit-infused liquors out there, which usually taste artificial, this Tanqueray still tastes like gin—crisp and junipery. Plus, it’s strong enough to cut through the blueberries. The texture of the mashed blueberries is the drink’s only downer; they’re chunky enough that you have to chew-drink each sip. But at $10, maybe it helps justify drinking your dinner.