There are many reasons that WTO is a well-oiled machine, not the least of which is that my colleague Lee Anne and I share a birthday. (Well, the date, not the year…)
June 21.
First day of summer.
Longest day of the year.
Almost always overrun with opera.
Since June 21 is a double birthday – and since WTO is expert at celebrating birthdays in general – we generally do some serious celebrating (being overrun-with-opera notwithstanding…). This year is even more special, as it’s our centennial! Yes, Lee Anne’s age and mine = 100!
Since this Sunday will be filled to the brim with Wolf Trap goodness (Michelle DeYoung’s master class in the afternoon, and the National Symphony Orchestra with Emanuel Ax in the evening), our colleague Morgan engineered an early surprise party…
This afternoon, our Foundation colleagues were treated to a special edition of “A Little Lunch Music” – a mini song recital by WTO Artist in Residence Michelle DeYoung! Her breathtaking performances of Duparc and Brahms were by themselves a lovely early birthday present. But imagine our surprise when the whole opera company broke out into this skewered version of this song (lyric by the incomparable Joseph Li):
“Well don’t you dare say “no,”
Just come and sing with me.”
I said “I just don’t know.”
She said “Shut up, come to D.C.”
These women are our destiny
We say Kim Witman and Lee Anne Myslewski!
Well, Kim is blogging through the night,
Infusing the opera world with new light.
Taken by her keen, profound insight,
Oh we were bound to work together, bound to work together.
Our tireless friend Lee Anne leads this team,
Our ideal leadership, admin dream.
We felt it in our hearts such great esteem
We knew were bound to work together, bound to work together.
Deep in their eyes
The comp’ny sees its future.
We realize
They are our best chance.
They called us up.
I don’t know how it happened.
We got to chat and they said…
“Well don’t you dare say “no,”
Just come and sing with me.”
I said “I just don’t know.”
She said “Shut up, come to D.C.”
These women are our destiny
We say Kim Witman and Lee Anne Myslewski!
Thanks all, for a truly lovely birthday surprise!
You two! What a combo!! Happiest birthday(s) to you both and — the song for you from the company is just one more reason to marvel at how you can pick the best singers AND the nicest people!!