It’s Saturday, the 17th of May, 2008. There’s something important about this date but I just can’t quite put my finger on it. But I know it’s important for some reason. Let’s see now….. what is it? Oh! That’s it! It’s my Mom’s Birthday!
Happy Birthday, Mum! I hope you and Dad are enjoying this day in beautiful Chautauqua, N.Y. I wish I was there to celebrate it with you. Chautauqua, home of the famous Chautauqua Institution, with its fabulous art, dance, lecture series, architecture, music, oper…….
Oh God. Opera. That’s the other thing about today, isn’t it? I’m conducting the premiere performance of a brand new production of Porgy & Bess tonight! How could I possibly forget that. It’s been almost three years in coming and now the beast which has been looming in the distance of my life for so so very long is sitting in my lap trying to bite my head off. Mon Dieu!
Tonight is the night. Despite the custom here of wearing pit black – long-sleeved dress shirt and pants – I shall be decked out in my full regalia. It is somehow necessary for me, as if I don’t wear my custom neo-Nehru outfit it just wouldn’t seem right. I’ll wear the pit black on Monday.
The first few performances are being recording by Radio France. They have a broadcast scheduled, and I’m sure it will be available on the web. I shall try to find out when that shall be. Oh, and note to self: remember to ask the director if the fact that Serena and her entourage are almost late onstage for their bit at the beginning of Act III is a change in staging, or are they just late? Need to know.
I guess there’s nothing left but to shave, take a shower, get dressed, and go lead the cast of thousands. No pressure. Just remember to breathe.
Hey Bill, got around to reading your blogs on Porgy in Lyon. Sounds fabulous! Good luck with the rest of the run, and a pox on the lighting director. Cheers and bon chance.