It’s always a relief to have another major project on the burner while getting over a show which has just closed. Our new production of Figaro will have to be completely built and painted by the new year and you would think this would be enough to keep all of us fully occupied. But as [...]
Posts under ‘2009/10 Season’
I wonder if any experience knits people so closely together…
You would think after all these years I would have toughened up to the point that the closing of a show (ie. Iphigénie) would not leave me devastated. Sadly, this is not the case. Our rehearsals are too thrilling and the number of performances too few to leave any of us with a sense of [...]
Iphigénie en Tauride, Wednesday Nov 4
Tonight was the third time I’ve been in attendance for an Opera Atelier production (Idomeneo and The Coronation of Poppea), and I am astounded. For an ‘esoteric’ piece, it was fantastically performed. Kresimir Spicer’s performance of Oreste was profoundly good, and Peggy Kriha Dye was phenomenal. Thank you. I look forward to Figarro.
Tuesday’s Iphigénie
I arrived at the theatre last night only to be greeted with the news that Kresimir Spicer, (our Oreste) was suffering from a sinus infection, and was worried that it might compromise his performance. I dislike making announcements regarding illness to an audience, as I take it for granted they will then hear evidence of [...]
Two shows down…
Two show down and I still feel like the most fortunate director in the world. The performances of Iphigénie become riskier and more thrilling every time the singers and dancers step onto the stage. The singers are delivering their “lines” with such freedom, Tafelmusik practically has to read their minds – and they do! I [...]
Dress rehearsal… “Like no other I can remember”
Well, we have had a dress rehearsal for Iphigénie en Tauride like no other I can remember. Thank God there were a few imperceptable glitches, otherwise my heart would be in my mouth opening night. The cast of singers, dancers, Tafelmusik, choristers, and our production crew were incredibly energised even before the curtain went up. [...]
Tech rehearsal over, dress on the horizon
Last night we had our orchestra tech rehearsal – an event that is always made up of equal parts of excitement and frustration. Naturally, everyone is full of energy and anxious to run the show, but it is also Maestro Andrew Parrott’s last opportunity to go back and rerun difficult moments of accompanied recitative. The [...]
I can’t imagine what would make someone wish to be a stage manager
I can’t imagine what would make someone wish to be a stage manager. To me it seems a most stressful, terrifying job. Imagine being responsible for hundreds of lighting and fly cues throughout the course of an evening – not to mention keeping an eye out for everyone’s safety and well being, cast and crew [...]
I’ve been at the Elgin Theatre since 8:00 o’clock in the morning and there really is no other place I would rather be
I’ve been at the Elgin Theatre since 8:00 o’clock in the morning and there really is no other place I would rather be. Sometimes I look around backstage and imagine how pleasant it would be to simply move in for the duration of the show. After all, there are showers, a kitchen, comfortable couches and [...]
Who would ever have dreamed that recitative rehearsals could be so thrilling?
Who would ever have dreamed that recitative rehearsals could be so thrilling? What is so often the least interesting portion of an opera, springs to life in Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride. This has a great deal to do with Gluck’s brilliant scoring which includes full orchestral accompaniment for all recit, as opposed to the small [...]