Garsington opened last night with new production of Die Zauberflöte and a new mug to add to your collection of the mugs designed by Zeb Helm - he is back after a year off! And it was great to see him at the dress rehearsal on Monday. (Full disclosure - he is my nephew!) They are on sale in the Garsington shop for just £1
I resist for the main part writing proper reviews and anyway a dress rehearsal is a dress rehearsal. But I would be surprised if Johnny McGovern's Papageno did not set tongues wagging. A hugely attractive and charismatic young singer with a fine future ahead. We will see what the experts have to say. It opened last night.
And on Tuesday I was at the dress rehearsal of Capriccio, a piece I fell in love with at Glyndebourne as a 21 year old in 1963. It was the second of my 27 years at Glyndebourne and the divine Elisabeth Soderstrom was the Countess. Click the link above for the complete cast. So just hearing this ravishing music, the melodic genius of the elderly Richard Strauss in his last opera spinning out effortlessly and endlessly, brings back so many old memories. Am I too sentimental? Well maybe, but I don't care - there it is!
It opens tonight at beautiful Garsington and it is a wonderful cast and production by Tim Albery, splendidly conducted by Dougie Boyd and the Garsington orchestra exceeds itself. It is a must see.
On Wednesday afternoon the Zauberflöte covers gave us a really terrific rough run through - my goodness Garsington has such depth of talent amongst the new recruits to the profession. Mark my words we will be hearing much more of the Pamina and Tamino - Verity Wingate and Rob Lewis........
I am off to Montreal tomorrow for the Voice competition final stages - Sunday afternoon song final then three evenings of semifinals and finals for the opera section. I'll be home in London next Saturday.
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