Brian Dickie

Friday night

Our "Bravo Club" had a well attended meeting at the Harris last night.  A small reception was followed by attendance at 30-40 minutes (not nearly enough) of the rehearsal of Act 1 - followed by a talk by Thomas Bauman of Northwestern, a former colleague (disciple?) of Daniel Heartz and the great and revered Joseph Kerman at UC Berkeley.  Alas he did not attend the rehearsal and has little time to come to a performance such are the burdens of responsibility for the Musicological department at Northwestern.  However it was extremely kind of him to pop in to meet our excellent and growing club of under 40s.

The production continues to grow - we have the pre-dress this evening.  Here we have the happy meeting of Pedrillo (Matthew Garrett) and Belmonte (Michael Colvin).

Tidying up

An important event before each of our productions is the lecture by Andrew Patner at the Cultural Center on the Thursday preceding our opening performance of each production.  This means that we had one yesterday.  Andrew was as erudite and thoughtful as ever - for those who have not been to one of his very personal lectures the last will of course be for Nixon in China on May 11.  This is one of the many helpful events organised to enhance your enjoyment of our forthcoming production.  Do not miss it.

I have noticed that Jane Glover's book Mozart's Women has been an editor's choice in the Sunday New York Times for the last four weeks.  I hope I do not really have to remind you to read it - this will be the last time I promise!

This evening we have stage and orchestra of Abduction, and more light without doubt - and I just came back from the rehearsal of Nixon.  They are already at the end of the opera with Kissinger's famous last exit.....

Piano Dress Day

Abduction now has costumes and some lights so we are getting to see more every day - normal enough.  We  add the orchestra tomorrow and Saturday  - and so to the General on Monday.  There are fifteen more pictures in the album to the left - uncaptioned and no time for clever descriptions tonight!  It has been a long day - more tomorrow.

Meanwhile at the CSO they have announced the appointment of Bernard Haitink as Principal Conductor!  This is wonderful news - to have Bernard Haitink in town on a regular basis will be a tremendous treat for all who value the extraordinary musical integrity of this man.  I wrote a good deal about him here when he in Chicago in March and we must all look forward to the Mahler 3 in October.  What a nice coincidence that we are doing Abduction just now conducted by Jane Glover.  This is the opera that Haitink made his Glyndebourne debut with in 1973 - and it was also the debut work of Jane Glover at the Sussex opera house........

Enough for tonight.

Onward and upward

Nixon is proceeding extremely well after only a couple of days production rehearsals.  The Chorus has been wonderfully prepared by Stephen Hargreaves and they are young, talented and full of energy - just what the Director needs.  We are fortunate to have Kevin Newbury directing proceedings with such fluency and authority. Robert Orth (above in rehearsal this morning) is dominating as Nixon and leading a splendid cast.  I am delighted.  This piece is proving to be a thrilling experience for all concerned and the mesmerising music of John Adams is going to astound many newcomers to this opera over the next four weeks.  Book now - the best seats are disappearing fast.

Meanwhile at the Harris (left) the gorgeous sets of Kimm and Andy for Abduction are coming to life - lighting of Act 1 was completed this morning and everyone is pleased.  We are in for a beauty!  Ticket sales are running neck and neck with Nixon so book now for this too!

And the orchestra readings began this afternoon and continue this evening with the singers joining for a Sitzprobe from 8pm. All sounds great on the evidence of the Overture........

This evening there is another in the remarkable series of events planned by our exceptional Education Director Deborah Oberschelp.  This one is at the Cultural Center at 6pm - not to be missed.  But there are plenty more - look at the COT website for information on the enormous range of programs around our last two productions of the season.

Another varied day

Tuesday is the day of my weekly staff meeting. We made it short this morning - everyone working flat out.  This is the busiest time of our season with two productions at varying stages of preparation so sitting around in meetings is not too popular.  We tried, reasonably successfully, to get through the short agenda quickly.  I am thrilled by the performance of the Box office, further proof of the effect of the great freshness and innovative spirit of our Marketing Director Colleen.  When it shows up so dramatically in the numbers it is exciting for all.  The sales of Abduction are surpassing our Figaro figures for last year at the same time.  Opera companies are not used to doing that.  But Abduction has not been seen here for 22 years so maybe there is a pent up demand........no, I think its just good marketing, and that bodes very well for the future.

A good lunch meeting with a brilliant young potential Board member.  He would be a fantastic asset - I hope he will join us.

This afternoon we were on the stage again with the beginnings of some lighting - early stages for a show which will depend on lighting to a great degree.  But not too soon to see that it will be a very photogenic show - as you can see here (click to enlarge) and in the few new pictures in the Album to your left.  There will be a more complete collection after the Piano Dress on Thursday.

And today is ANZAC Day - an important day in the Australian and New Zealand calendars, marked by a splendid reception given by the Australian Consul-General here - Bob Charles.  Our two Australian designers, Andy and Kimm, came along and clearly attached great importance to this.  There was an excellent exposition of the importance and significance of April 25 1915 - by a wise and entertaining Australian Admiral.  This was followed by US, NZ and Australian national anthems and then the Last Post - altogether a moving ceremony.

IU

Just thought that I would let you know that there is a very touching website from the Music School at IU in memory of and tribute to the five students who lost their lives in the accident on Thursday night.  You can reach it here.

On stage at last

Abduction arrived in the theater at last this afternoon and evening.  A day of the usual slow sorting out of all those tricky technical details thast have been waiting to taunt all concerned.  Good progress has been made - but these rehearsals are really tiresome!  More of the same tomorrow no doubt with a good run through in the evening we hope.

There was an unusual event at the Chicago Cultural Center at lunchtime - a recital by Samuel and Lindsey Ramey.  There was a full house, and very noisy they were too - great and justified enthusiasm as Sam and Lindsey sang Ravel, Schumann and Gershwin.  This Monday lunchtime series is one of the jewels in the programming of the City's cultural staff at the splendid Tiffany ceilinged Preston Bradley Hall. 

And don't forget to buy Sam's recording of Bluebeard's Castle in preparation for his COT performances of this wonderful Bartok opera in May 2007.

Tomorrow is another fun filled day at the office - Nixon had the day off today but is back at work full time tomorrow. 

Abduction Run through

We had a very good run through this afternoon - on the stage from Monday.  11 days to go!  It is in splendid order - we now have to get all the technical elements in the same fine shape and we will be happy!

By popular demand there are some pictures of today's rehearsal in the album to the left.  I will be adding to this as and when I have time over the coming days.  The production is going to look really beautiful so watch for some lovely things next week!  And here (left) you can see our wonderful two sopranos.......Sarah Coburn (above) and Leah Partridge.

Nixon production rehearsals start tomorrow afternoon so we are all at full steam ahead.  The next five weeks is going to be interesting!

Some serious music

Our friend Andreas Waldburg-Wolfegg runs a wonderful little concert series - Lake Shore Chamber Music.  This evening he put on a splendid and important recital.  Music of the New Century: American Music for the Flute

The wonderful Catherine Ramirez - an astonishing artist, and Kuang-Hao Huang played.  And the program included the first performance of a new work commissioned by Andreas from Daniel Kellogg (left) called Into Utter Forever. Daniel was there and introduced the piece with charming modesty.  We also had Toru Takemitsu's Voice and a remarkable piece by Laura Elise Schwendinger called Rapture - an excellent and appropriate title.  The world needs more of this kind of event - absolutely top class music making pushing the boundaries.  Bravo!

By the way Kuang-Hao Huang is joining the piano faculty at the Chicago College of the Performing Arts in September - an excellent acquisition indeed.

We have a final run through of Abduction tomorrow afternoon before starting rehearsals in the Harris on Monday.  Watch this space for news tomorrow night!

Bad day....

Our hearts go out to the Music School and five families at Indiana University in Bloomington where they are mourning today the loss of five gifted young singers in an air crash last night.  We have close personal as well as professional ties with IU - COT feels this loss especially keenly.  A sad day.