They attended opera together for 70 years until she went alone and the story behind it is beautiful

There is no love like old-school romance. An elderly couple’s tradition of attending operas for 70 years came to a tragic end after the husband could no longer enjoy it. For Sam Sporn, 95, and Ellen, 91, music is an integral part of their long relationship. Ever since they started dating, the husband has intentionally created a mutual space for the two to connect. Stemming from his wife’s passion for opera and music, Sporn left no stone unturned to become well-versed in the realm to keep his better half happy. Little did he know their sweet tradition would be in its final stages after Sporn suffered from a health condition. Their heartwarming story was teased by their granddaughter Samy Cordero, who goes by @thatgirlfrombroadcity on TikTok, in a brief video of her grandpa listening to the opera at home. 

“My 94-year-old grandpa can’t go to the opera anymore. So, when my grandma goes, he listens to the whole opera at home so he can talk to her when she gets back,” a note on the video reads. Quoting her grandpa, Cordero wrote, “I don’t really love the opera, but I love seeing her talk about what she loves.” In the video, the grey-haired grandpa is sitting with folded hands on the couch, quietly listening to the televised opera performance her wife was attending. Inspired by their loving relationship, the granddaughter captioned the post, “This is why my standards are high.” 

During the pandemic, Sporn endured multiple eye strokes that caused permanent damage to his eyesight. At 95, he is unable to read subtitles and independently navigate crowded spaces. Hence, attending the opera in person was not recommended, keeping his health in mind. Nevertheless, that did not stop his wife, Ellen, from attending the theater alone, and Sporn was a sport in letting the tradition go for his wife’s happiness. Meanwhile, he tunes into the opera on WQXR, a service brand operated by New York Public Radio. When Ellen gets back home, the couple discusses all about it, from their favorites to the parts they disliked. 

Talking to PEOPLE, Sporn, who formerly worked as a successful attorney, said, “We were [opera] members way, way back, when we first moved back into Park Slope… We used to go very often and took great joy in it.” Ellen was raised in a cultural home, with her family regularly paying visits to the opera theater and embracing the New York cultural scene at large. After she and Sporn fell in love, she also introduced him to music. “I reacted to it in a very positive way because she loved it and I love her,” he said. 

Years into their marriage, the couple had box seats at the Metropolitan Opera and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Ellen taught at York College as an ESL professor. Sporn, who called his wife his “soulmate,” was enthusiastic about her being able to attend operas still. Even though they cannot visit the theater together anymore, he looks forward to the post-opera discussions with Ellen. The TikTok video went viral, amassing nearly a million views and 153,000 likes. “Oh my goodness, this is the sweetest thing ever. He’s got the secret to a long marriage,” wrote @tiffanibrooks89 while @kenob1simp wrote, “I love this man, save him at all costs.” 

You can follow @thatgirlfrombroadcity on TikTok for more videos.