Adventures in Blogging

Each day a few more of you are finding your way to this new blog address. Welcome back!

I had an exciting and unfortunate time in cyberspace at the end of December when I followed Blogger’s instructions to change the URL address…

See, I had intended to phase out the blog during 2006, so its address was www.wolftrapopera2006.blogspot.com. But I recently caved to pressure from various corners to continue writing, and it seemed clearer to delete the 2006 from the name and the URL. Blogger says to change the address to the new URL, thereby releasing the old one. Then create a new blog, name it with the old address, and put in a re-direct. It took about 30 seconds to navigate through the windows to reclaim the old address, and it was gone. I have since read on several forums that blog spammers have automated programs that claim addresses as soon as they’re released. If you end up at the previous blog address, you ostensibly find links to online gambling sites. (Hmmm… I always knew that opera production was a sophisticated form of gambling…)

Casting and Scheduling

Speaking of re-directs, we’ve had a series of changes to our first draft of the summer schedule, repertoire, and casting, and much of the last 2 weeks has been spent in pursuit of a number of different configurations. I think we’re almost finally ready to commit to one of them, and finally be able to make some real pre-production progress. Looks like we might have an 18th-century opera, a 19th-century opera, and a 21st-century opera!

What’s Ahead?

I’ll be posting about once a week through the rest of the winter (or what is passing for winter in this freakishly mild January). Here’s what will be preoccupying us during much of that time:

This week

• Finish engaging singers, conductors, directors, and designers.
• Make offers to music staff and production staff.
• Start replies to singers who have requested feedback on last fall’s auditions. (Feedback requests were accepted starting January 1, and I’ve already received over 40. If you’re waiting to hear, please be patient.)

Next week – I’m on vacation! For the first time since August 2005. (I know, how stupid is that…)

End of January

• Application deadline for the new Wolf Trap Opera Studio.
• Review applications and schedule singers for auditions in February.
• More audition feedback emails!
• Contracts, schedules, pre-production meetings, cut lists and editions, renting orchestra parts…
• (And practicing the piano feverishly… I’m doing a solo recital for the first time in 21 years. It’s very hush-hush, though. I’m not telling anyone and I hope no one comes.)

February

• Write the Spring 2007 WTOC Newsletter
• Auditions for studio artists and for Magic Flute chorus.
• WTOC 2007 season will be announced – tickets to go on sale early March!

Finally, just for fun…

Theatrical Logic

In is Down, Down is Front, Out is Up, Up is Back, Off is Out, On is In, and of course, Right is left, and Left is Right.

A drop shouldn’t. A prop doesn’t. A cove has no water. Tripping is OK.

A running crew rarely gets anywhere. A trap will not catch anything. Strike is work. (In fact, a lot of work.)

A green room, thank goodness, usually isn’t.

Now that you are fully versed in theatrical terms… Break a leg! (But not really.) (Actually, in opera it’s “In bocca al lupo!”, which takes on additional significance when you work at a place named for wolves:))