Getting out, getting ahead

The 27-year-old mezzo-soprano and her younger sister, Dana, a soprano, made their Carnegie Hall debuts on Dec. 28 as soloists in Mendelssohn’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” with the New York String Orchestra. The production was narrated by actress Claire Bloom.

The Bhatnagar sisters have just released their first CD, “Duets.” Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, Geeta now lives in Los Angeles; Dana resides in New York.

Outdoors

Moving to L.A. has had so many advantages. There’s so much of the natural environment. I mean, you don’t get that in certain regions of the country. I love to drive in Southern California ... I love to go to the beach, to drive through the mountains of Santa Barbara. I love to be in the earth of it: Hiking, walking are my natural salvations.

Indoor sports

With solo engagements and teaching -- I teach voice and piano privately -- my time is really tight, so I try to always make it to the gym. I go to Spectrum in Valencia. I’m a big fan of the classes -- the Spinning classes, power-pump classes, trampoline classes. I feel so much more motivated in the classes. It’s perfect!

I don’t really go to the malls or shop like that. I really hate to shop. If I go shopping, it’s to buy one specific thing. Now my boyfriend, he likes to go to the mall, but I’m just too busy.

In an effort to get things going for Dana and me, I’ve been acting as manager for our singing careers, so there’s only so much time. I may go out to a club once in a while, or to a movie, or out to dinner.

Dinner and arts

My boyfriend and I go out to dinner maybe once a week. Last week we went to Lobster in Santa Monica.

I like to paint and knit -- I love to do things that are very creative. My boyfriend and I paint, so we love to go to the Getty Center. We’ve never had dinner there, we’ve just gone to see the art. I love the Impressionists. My boyfriend and I do abstract painting, so I totally appreciate what I can’t possibly ever do. I’ve fallen in love with some of those paintings.

There’s so much more of the city that I want to see. I’m just fascinated with everything. We went to the San Diego Zoo, I want to see the Aquarium [of the Pacific in Long Beach]. You know how it is: If I plan it, my boyfriend will go along.

‘Monsoon’ party

I do have a one girlfriend here, Bhavani. Bhavani took me to a party at Tantra. And I did have fun. It’s kind of a dichotomy -- I love to meet people, but normally I don’t get out very often. She took me to a party of a friend of a friend, and there were all kinds of people. It was so diverse, Indian people, people from all over everywhere. I guess you’d have to say that Bhavani is my social guide, helping me to figure out the city.

Bhavani took me to a wonderful party at the Director’s Guild. It was a screening for the movie “Monsoon Wedding.” There was a reception after the screening where they had Indian food brought in from an Indian restaurant. And then I met the film’s director, Mira Nair. It was wonderful. I told Mira that I was an opera singer and she said, “You know, we’re taking “Monsoon Wedding” to Broadway in 2004, so you must be sure to audition for us.”

I was so excited. Afterward, I asked Bhavani, “How should I send her my CD?” She knew just the right thing: I sent the CD and a bottle of wine to the director.

So things look very good for our careers now. Of course, that doesn’t mean I have more leisure time. There’re always a thousand things for an artist to do.

-- Carolyn Patricia Scott