Parting thoughts, secret looks, and invitations!
(On the famed Ponnelle set of "Barbiere" during intermission - photo graciously taken by an enthusiastic stage hand whose name I unfortunately missed: Grazie mille, amico mio!)Well, what a whirlwind...
View ArticleGetting back into the swing of things
It's HARD to finish a soothing, relaxing, rejuvenating vacation! I want one more day to swim in the pool as the mountain waterfall plays in the background. I wouldn't mind one more back massage. And...
View ArticleLet the Tweets begin!
Ladies and Gentlemen, I MAY be crazy, but I've just elected to TRY the Twitter-universe. Wish me luck, but it was this afternoon's AMAZING first piano rehearsal of "Norma" here in Salzburg that...
View ArticleOpposing views
I read this horrific, incomprehensible article from the Guardian newspaper this afternoon, and it made me immeasurably, profoundly sad. Truly, my soul wanted to curl itself up in a corner and find a...
View ArticleToo beautiful
Just a quick post (reassuring you that I have not sold my soul to Twitter at the expense of my blog postings!), but I had to just say how unbelievably BEAUTIFUL I find the music of Bellini. It's pure,...
View ArticleIt's a November release, Baby!!!
(Can you tell I was a bit tired? "I'm doing another Rossini work, 'Stabat Mater' of Rossini." Redundant much? ;-)I had a show in Milan on a Tuesday night in July, and a driver picked me up from the...
View ArticleThe kitchen is open!
Thursday night there was quite an event here in Salzburg: the charity launch of a new cookbook (Christmas present alert!) by Evelyn Rillé and Johannes Ifkovits, entitled "Die Oper Kocht". It is a who's...
View ArticleLook, Norma...
It's NORMA day in the Alps!! Guard your children, dump the cheating Roman's, and sing joyfully in thirds!(Can you tell I'm excited for tonight?)Happy Monday!
View ArticleWorst accompanying photos EVER, but it's the best I can do for the moment!
Greetings from SUNNY Salzburg! Oh how happy I am to be able to say that! This city is simply stunning in the sunshine! May it never go away.I am happy to report that sizzling electricity pulsed through...
View ArticleWhy rain is good
It would appear that after our 3 heavenly, gorgeous sunny days here in Salzburg we may have consumed all the sunshine for our 2-week allotment. That does make me a bit sad, but it's imperative to...
View Article"Things Change, Jo"
In 1998 the Houston Opera Studio premiered the now nearly standard repertoire opera, "Little Women" by Mark Adamo. It challenged us greatly at the time, but seeing that it has enjoyed numerous...
View ArticleSalzburg Recap
No, it never gets old to think of taking part of something so historic and profound:We were blessed with amazing weather while in this lovely city: for highlighting those steeples and orange roofs,...
View ArticleSublime Surreality
Yesterday was our final "dress rehearsal" (we oddly still refer to the final rehearsal for concerts as a "Dress", even when costumes aren't involved), but because the Edinburgh Festival is such a...
View ArticleReflections
First of all, a few stats about my last 5 months:2 torn ligaments1 ankle surgery1 pair of crutches and 2 walking casts5 countries2 new roles (oh, I love you ladies!)2 new productions 1 revival, whose...
View ArticleBroadcast Alert and random thoughts
Well, that didn't take long! I blinked and my next season is starting up already! I know I'm certainly not alone with the thoughts that time flies, but this time it seemed to explode into oblivion! Our...
View ArticleThe beautiful, inspiring good news about the Arts in today's world
Please allow me to share this inspired, thought-provoking talk given by Ben Cameron - another gold mine from the astonishing TED team. There seems to be so much pessimism about what is happening in the...
View ArticleBroadening my horizons
I am currently a bit inundated with reams of notes and words being sung into a very perceptive microphone, all which will hopefully be for the benefit of your listening pleasure in a few months, so my...
View ArticlePassing By
It is with great, slightly belated pleasure that I announce the release of a new disc on which I had the extraordinary privilege of participating: please give a hearty welcome to Jake Heggie's most...
View ArticleOne of those weeks...
One of those delicious, indescribable, unforgetable, "please can't they all be like this" weeks has just come to a close, and while I'm very happy to be settling into my hotel room with a rented movie...
View ArticlePositively WOW!
Well, they don't make weeks like that too often, and for good reason - I'm not sure the heart can take it! My previous week started out with an unbelievable amount of intensive, inspiring work, and...
View ArticleI've moved!
***NEW YANKEEDIVA BLOG ADDRESS***Hello wonderful Yankeediva Readers!!May I just take one moment to THANK YOU (each of you! Yes, YOU!) for taking the time to stop by and read my ramblings? It started...
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