The final days of preparation

This is Grant Meachum, manager of the Yale Opera program, writing from my office at Hendrie Hall in New Haven.

The reality of leaving on an international trip has yet to really sink in.  The primary focus of all the singers this week is preparing for a concert performance of ORPHEE AUX ENFERS with the New Haven Symphony on Thursday night as a part of the New Haven Festival of Arts and Ideas.  If you're reading this in New Haven and are bored of Thursday night reruns, please come out to the New Haven Green on Thursday evening.  The performance is at 8:00pm, but as the locals know, space is at a premium, so arrive early.  Bring a blanket, picnic, and your fightin' shoes for the blanket turf wars that will inevitably arise.

The singers have kept a manic scheudle preparing for this trip.  In addition to preparing staging for the ORPHEE performance (which will be repeated in Milan on June 27), they have been working with our Russian diction coach Emily Olin to prepare Shostakovich's MOSKVA, CHEREMUSHKI as well as with our faculty coach Doug Dickson on music for DIE LUSTIGE WITWE (that's "The Merry Widow" if you're keeping score) and LA RONDINE.

I've been working in opera for quite a few years now, but it's still gratifying to hear music that makes me put down whatever I'm doing and take notice.  Friday provided just such an opportunity.  Four of our singers were rehearsing the Act II quartet from LA RONDINE, which is perhaps some of Puccini's most exquisite (and largely ignored) writing.  The trouble with this opera is Act III - Act I is a delightful party scene, Act II is a stunning ensemble, and Act III simply falls flat.  No matter, it's a memorable experience to hear four young singers absolutely singing their hearts out, and it can make even the most cynical opera administrator (hint - that's me) realize why we all chose this path in life.

Please stick with me (and us) as we get ready to take off on Sunday.