Posts Tagged: live blog

Thursday 7/21 – 11:06 pm End of Rehearsal Temp: 89 What an amazingly generous, smart and even-tempered bunch of people. From the designers who have one night to realize their vision to the players and singers who gave their all to an empty house so that we could tech sound and lights, to the production,

Thursday 7/21 – 8:15 pm Top of Rehearsal Temp: 95 The only moment of recorded sound comes at the top of the show, with a jaw-dropping rendition of the Sweeney organ solo, performed by Thierry Escaïch and recorded for the April 2011 production at the Théâtre du Châtele. Chills up and down the spine in

Thursday 7/21 – 7:12 pm Wigs & Makeup Temp: 96 Meet the ladies of Mrs. Lovett’s Pie Shop, “fresh” from their wig & makeup calls.

Thursday 7/21 – 6:55 pm Dinner break! Temp: 98 Box lunches in the stage right lounge. Feels like summer camp.

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!)