It was a particular treat to have our auditions in Munich last week in the Prinzregentheater. This was the home of the Bavarian State Opera after the war until the Nationaltheater reopened in 1963. And it was where I saw performances of Arabella, Meistersinger, and Parsifal in the Munich Festival in 1961. So to sit in that auditorium where I heard Jess Thomas for the first time, and performances conducted by Robert Heger and Joseph Keilberth - not to mention Fischer Dieskau and della Casa in Arabella - the time machine kicked in!
We had an excellent two days with richer pickings than in either Berlin or Frankfurt, the other two German cities in our itinerary. We really have a major contest building up. In 2017 it was the battle of the mezzos. This year the sopranos are on the march again! Whilst we acquired an excellent tenor in Munich it remains a fact that first class men are thin on the ground. But we are not done yet - with my colleagues likely to discover good stuff in Moscow and Vienna. I am in South Africa next month and Evamaria Wieser is off to Japan and China in September.
Back in England before my German trip I had a busy weekend. The National Opera Studio gave us their last show of the year at the RADA studios - an interesting program of excepts from largely 21st century operas including those by Adams, Benjamin, Turnage, Weir, Glass et al. There were opportunities for the dozen young artists who have spent a remarkable year at the NOS to show how much progress they have made - and they took it. It was great to remember the early showcase last September and watch them over the months at various events. I was just sad that I was not able to be at their graduation recital last Wednesday when I was in Germany.
And so on Sunday I was at the first stage and orchestra rehearsals of Garsington's Fantasio. It opened on Friday but I will not be able to get to see it until July. Meanwhile it was clear that Jenni France, Hanna Hipp, Huw Montague Rendall, and Tim Robinson are going to be star attractions - more when I see the finished article!
This week I will be in Suffolk..............
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