Back in the USA

I arrived back to Washington, DC last night for what will be a three month stay in America, except for the month of May in Canada (though my European friends enjoy pointing out that Canada is in America...yeah yeah).

Initially I'm only hear for five days beause I fly this Thursday to Barcelona to compete in the international Opera Europa directing prize. I will direct a scene from "Die Gartnerin aus Liebe" (which is the German singspiel version of Mozart's La Finta Giardiniera, and I have propsed to produce the work in German with spoken texts instead of sung recitatives). Then it is back to America to direct Dido and Aeneas with AOT singers at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.

Then on May 1st is AOT's Spring cabaret gala, which I will post more in tomorrow. This is going to be a great event with lots of food, drink, and fantastic cabaret songs sung by Sophie Roland and Ryan de Ryke. That will be followed by a month teaching in London, Canada at the Canadian Operatic Arts Academy - a great new national young artist program at the University of Western Ontario, the looks to be a university music program on the cutting edges of opera.

June will be a month of catch up and preparing for next season and the season after...yes we are that far ahead! And then in July I'm absolutely pleased the AOT will be a part of Baltimore Artscape. I will have the opportunity to produce a work I've been developing for some time. It is a one-person show of 12 John Dowland songs that will explore the human grief cycle, scored just for mezzo-soprano and guitar. I'm really happy to be collaborating with one of Baltimore's most beloved mezzos, Monica Reinagle, on this project. She is a wonderfully sensitive musician, and a fantastic actor. It is great the Baltimore supports these sorts of activities each year, and I hope everyone will come be a part of these free activities.

So, it will be a Summer of posts....I will try to keep up with it all, starting with my weekend in Barcelona.