I seem to have been having a busy domestic week what with dentist, flu jab and haircut! But there has been fun other stuff as well with a dazzling new chopping board from Joseph Joseph as well as cleaning out my fridge and making all diverse things accessible - feels like opera!
But seriously the real thing has as usual been music and opera, kicking off with the dress rehearsal of ENO's new Aida on Tuesday morning and an uplifting Tuesday evening event organised by Intermusica in aid of the Pelican Cancer Foundation at St James' Church, Islington.
The concert was remarkable on many levels. There was an extraordinary participation as performers by Intermusica staff members a huge proportion of whom are talented string players and excellent singers. The company has its own choir and string orchestra which were augmented in this occasion by additional friends including past and present members of the King's Singers. Most distinguished of these was Al Hume, a founder member whom you can spot in the photo above with his double bass of which he is a professional practitioner. Intermusica's boss Stephen Lumsden (seen above) ended the evening conducting the combined forces with Brahms' Geistliche Lied. There were other distinguished contributions from Jacques Imbrailo, Roger Vignoles, Susanna Hurrell, and Martin James Bartlett. This was altogether an inspiring and encouraging evening.
Photo: Tristram Kenton for the Guardian
Gwyn Hughes Jones and Latonia Moore in English National Opera's new Aida
Aida last night at the Coliseum was a huge success for the opening of the ENO season. In the title role was the exceptional Latonia Moore who alone is reason to rush to hear this Aida. And she was partnered by the indispensable Gwyn Hughes Jones, effortless in dealing with the fiendish demands of Verdi. With the excellent Musa Ngqungwana as Amonasro and Michelle De Young as Amneris completing the line up, Verdi's challenging opera was well served.
Keri-Lynn Wilson, who had impressed so much when she conducted Fanciulla del West here in the Coliseum, added to her laurels with tremendous leadership again last night. Her fiery energy inspired ENO's great chorus and orchestra to match the passion of the piece.
Tomorrow morning something a little different - the ENO understudy run through of Aida!
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