A 14-week season is not exactly a distance run. Compared with much larger opera companies’ marathon seasons, ours is probably more like a 400-meter dash. Nevertheless, we’ve paced ourselves for an August 20th finish line, and I don’t think I could go a step farther.
Much has been said about this particular WTOC season, for in many ways it stood apart. We did increase the number of new productions from 2 to 3 (a 50% increase is nothing to sneeze at in a company our size!), and we took some significant risks with our programming. But we take great satisfaction and pride in this season in spite of these factors, not because of them. 2008 is really just another entry in a long unbroken line of accomplishments and artistic growth for our artists and staff.
The psychic fatigue began to set in the minute I let my guard down tonight, and I know from experience that it’ll take a little while to rediscover my customary energy and optimism. Meanwhile, we can enjoy the echoes of the beautiful music and the many laughs that accompanied these last months. Verdi, Bernstein, Bolcom, Handel, Brahms and Strauss weren’t too shabby as summer companions.
I’m going underground – away from email for a couple of weeks, and from blogging for about a month. I’ll see you in September.
Kim
You’ve earned it, Kim. Enjoy your time off :)
Wow this is a great post! Loved how you connected music with the olympics! I will return to read up on things!
Wow, my cat erased all of the cool things I said, no fooling.
Basically, in a nutshell…which is almost unheard of for my writing style…
Wow!
Hey, Next season you should start a music label and form a partnership with Naxos.
It’d be great to have your young artists be able to be on a label in what promises to be a great start of a career in the art.
Especially with the chamber works and premieres.
Even if it may not work out to have a physical release, a digital release is far less expensive and I think the AFM has completely different regulations on recordings used for digital media release.
Even the Blier recitals, which would be much easier to license would be great. This could also add another revenue stream to the bottom line.
I say this knowing full well that you are severely limited in your time. However, with as much preparation the company puts into performances, it could be an almost painless and pretty transparent process to set up equipment and record.
And Nathan comes up with yet another thing to do.
At least my heart’s in the right space! :)
As always, inspired
NathanG