Just when you thought things were going to get boring – day after day of rehearsal after rehearsal – here comes the reminder that your in France! The Empire has Struck Back!!!
The first news i heard was during our first orchestra rehearsal. The orchestra has never played anything like Porgy & Bess (shocked! shocked!) so they’re excited to do this project. We’ll have to work fast to get everything accomplished but I have little doubt they are willing participants. But during the break someone mentioned “have you heard about the strike?”
Of course, going on strike is the National past time here in France. They do it better, and for less reason, than anyone. There seems to be a general strike called for 15 May, which just happens to be the day of our open general dress rehearsal. So to make things work we are moving the dress fo 16 May, which puts it one day before the premiere! Joy!!! I can’t wait until the singers hear about this. But to quote the General Director of the Opera – “hey, it isn’t Tristan und Isolde.” Good point.
Of course there is other re-arranging of scheduling. We’ve dropped one orchestra rehearsal, but added an hour to each of the other ones. This is to facilitate switching the days of the piano dress rehearsal and the first “Italliene” – that later being the first rehearsal of orchestra with singers. I’m starting to get paranoid about what rehearsals are where and when.
I’m sure there will be more to come. Stay tuned, Mrs. Lincoln……