Well it’s been a while, but I had a few days off so raced home to
22 May 2008
Four shows a week for the next five weeks
13 May 2008
Bluebells and wild garlic
We’re now in our final week of rehearsals and the sun has been shining on us. I spent another weekend in
06 May 2008
What a Week!!
I’ve been running like a mad thing between a forest in
It was the first night of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Saturday. The audience seemed to enjoy our efforts very much and everyone was very pleased. The asses head and tank-top are two of the hottest things I’ve worn on stage, it’s like having your own personal sauna. The weight is falling off, hurrah! (Photos of me as Bottom on stage - photo credit: Tristram Kenton)
I drove back to
29 April 2008
All Go!
Another week has flown by, and what a week. On Monday I went to the dress rehearsal of Macbeth. What an evening! Some fantastic singing and the Opera North chorus at their best. The production is very powerful and dramatic.
We worked through the entire opera over two days and we’re now ready for the ‘piano dress’ tomorrow and then we start over again with the added dimension of the orchestra.
22 April 2008
Bring on the Orchestra
Well Friday was our last day in the rehearsal room for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. We ran the entire opera and all seemed to go very well. It was a chance to sit and enjoy the other scenes and I must say it was great fun.
Everyone is very excited about moving on to stage and getting into costume and onto the set. I crept into the theatre the other day where Martin (Duncan) and his team were lighting the set for the first time, it looks beautiful and gives us a huge space to work on.
On Tuesday we will meet the orchestra for the first time. We will work through the opera just singing and playing and with such a talented group of players as the Opera North Orchestra it should be quite a day.
Last week was also my first week of rehearsals for Roméo et Juliette. Quite a contrast to the jolly summer of love that is 'Dream'. Roméo et Juliette is a tragic tale, but full of beautiful tunes. Having spent Friday morning running around an enchanted forest and cavorting with fairies; that afternoon I found myself in Verona, at the wedding of the doomed couple.
I drove home Friday evening and had a relaxing weekend at home, the last for a while I think as rehearsals are getting pretty hectic.
Tomorrow we have the ‘sitzprobe’ for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I love these rehearsals we can concentrate on the music all day and reconcile any problems we may have when performing on stage. It is a day for Stuart Stratford to guide us through the score. He is a talented young conductor with some exciting new ideas. Can’t wait!
After the rehearsal we are going out to celebrate another important birthday. Annette Saunders our répétiteur is celebrating a landmark! I am a gentleman so can’t reveal how old!! Annette is one of the unsung heroes of Opera; she spends weeks sat at the piano playing the score over and over as we get it wrong again and again. She is a great support and I would like to wish her a very Happy Birthday.
Macbeth has its dress rehearsal tonight. I will try and pop in for the first half, as I have to be in Verona by 7:30.
