Blog

Thursday 7/21 – 6:10 pm We hit the New York Times Temp: 98 (it has to drop soon, right?) I had the pleasure this morning of speaking with Daniel Wakin of The New York Times, and he just filed a lovely blog post about our Hottest of All Operas.  

Thursday 7/21 – 5:24 pm Rolling out the Gatorade Temp: 98 (still… really?!?) We bought all of the lemon-lime Gatorade in northern Virginia. It is currently deployed in all dressing rooms and under every NSO player’s chair. (Product placement, anyone? I could use an underwriter… “Gatorade! Not Just for Sports!”

Thursday 7/21 – 4:14 pm Walk the Stage! Temp: 98 (still…) Opera in a multi-use venue has both assets and liabilities. Biggest challenge? One rehearsal. One dress rehearsal? One technical rehearsal? One onstage orchestra rehearsal? Yes. All at the same time. Thankfully, we were set in time for the singers to “walk the stage” this

I’m taking a moment to step away from my riveting blow-by-blow of Hot Opera, and I welcome you to spend two minutes with some rehearsal audio and video, interspersed with images from our video projection design. Featuring the rock star Wolf Trap Opera Studio.

Thursday 7/21 – 2:45 pm Load-in: Props, Costumes, Wigs (& Screens) Temp: 98 Hanging the conductor monitor on the balcony rail. There’s this pesky problem with the conductor upstage of the singers. They’ll be able to catch his cues in the monster monitor on the balcony, or on one of two TV screens in the

Thursday 7/21 – 1:50 pm Lunch Break Temp: 97 View from backstage right, my satellite office for the next 36 hours. Grabbing a few minutes for a sandwich, some Tales of Hoffmann schedule negotiations, prep for next week’s Instant Opera rehearsals. Oh, and birthday cake. (HB, Babs!)

Thursday 7/21 – 12:51 pm Fan Deployment Temp: 95 Air is circulating beautifully. Number of fans onstage and off this afternoon: 24 Number of fans (the other kind) in the house tomorrow night… thousands :)

Thursday 7/21 – 11:47am Search for this year’s installment of freezable bandanas begins. Temp: 92 Stage management is onstage, trying to make the spike tape stick to the humidity-soaked deck. Company Manager is proceeding to buy all of the available freezable bandanas from sporting goods stores in the metropolitan area.

Thursday 7/21 – 10:45am NSO load-in Temp: 91 NSO Stage Manger Donny reports that partway through the orchestra rehearsal at the Kennedy Center yesterday, the AC went out. Players thought it was an evil plot to acclimate them to what lies ahead today and tomorrow.  Would’ve been a nice idea, but we’re not that smart.