It’s Bastille Day. We have our General Dress rehearsal tonight for Porgy. Tomorrow I travel to Valence to see the 11th stage of the Tour de France. With all that going on why, you may ask, is my mind a thousand miles away?
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We are for Profit…aren’t we?…..
I am up here in Lake Placid for 6 weeks of concerts in the glorious Adirondacks with the Lake Placid Sinfonietta. Something is really bothering me, even though I am here in paradise. The words not-for-profit have such a negative connotation. I know it’s a widely used categorical description but it’s not accurate in the figurative sense and unfortunately on so many occasions when an orchestra’s financial situation is akin to a house on fire often the solution offered is to not to douse the flames, but to destroy the house!….
Porgy Does Lyon….
Pre-Gale. Sitzprobe. Piano Filage. If I didn’t know any better I’d suspect that we were putting together a very expensive porno flick.
The Aix Man Cometh…….
Normally when I’m is hired to do concerts with, say, the Lower Podunk Symphony Orchestra, I start looking on Expedia for cheap tickets to Lower Podunk. After all, one expects to rehearse said orchestra where said orchestra resides. Which begs the question – why, then, if I’m doing an opera with the Opera Lyon company am I in Aix-en-Povence?
Snapshots From Lyon
Being a collection of random thoughts about Porgy & Bess, Lyon, the French, and anything else that pops into my mind….
Terry Teachout and how we go from Zero to Hero! – plus a mini tribute
Ernest Fleischmann passed and I had one treasured experience with him that I want to share, but first to Terry Teachout. Terry I say thank you for your article raising the question of eliminating regional orchestras, yes thank you! He opened an even bigger debate than in my Context/Urtext post (it is somewhat related) which is: what is the definition of the word “artistic”?…..
The Queen(s and Kings) of the Night
Rehearsals for Porgy are in full swing and it’s hotter than the Hind Hinges of Hades on Catfish Row.
Porgy, Day 1 – Once More Unto The Breach…
“Dear God: Could we please get through Day 1 of our revival of Porgy & Bess without some major disaster? I’d really appreciate it. Thanks.” That’s what I was hoping for on my way over to Opera Lyon. Of course, there’s that great expression – “Man plans, God laughs.”