A few images from the past couple of weeks

Here are some photos that I never got around to posting. Here's Duncan on Epiphany, when he came home wearing his crown. He found the fève in his class's galette des rois and so was crowned "King of the World" as he excitedly explained. He was so proud that he wore it all that night, even while asleep.


Below is Maggie on the same day, on her way into school. She had a wonderful, energizing day with her students and colleagues.


Here is one of Malcolm taken yesterday, before the general rehearsal of Elektra at La Monnaie. It was set in the mid-twentieth century instead of in classical greek times, but was still quite effective. Malcolm and I had no difficulty reading the french subtitles to help us understand Strauss's german, and he liked the production, and was really pleased to be able to attend the performance. He did explain, however, that his tastes run more to comic rather than tragic opera. In other words, more Bugs Bunny/Figaro/happy endings, and less death and destruction. I can't say as I blame him, that's about right for a ten year old.


And here is one of Malcolm in Grand Place after the show, just as twilight was approaching. The gold decorations on the building made them vivid and beautiful.


Here's a couple Canada shots: Duncan warming his feet by the excellent wood stove at the cottage.


Malcolm playing cribbage with his grandma by candle-light during the electrical outage at the cottage over Christmas.


Lastly, Maggie enjoying a cerveza at the Lone Star in Kingston, during our lunch there after going to see my grandmother at Christmastime.

* * *

I've got lots of music planning and rehearsing to do and not so much time to do it in. The most urgent thing is to arrange rehearsals for the Five Mystical Songs, which I'm singing this Sunday morning in Antwerp. The organist and I have to find some time to get together this week; while I've done it before it's been several years and I'm sure it will be different, especially since there is no choir, and so my vocal line includes some of their music, and I have to sing the solo version of the Antiphon, the last piece. That's cool, since it's very exciting music. Here's a clip of Sir Thomas Allen doing his interpretation of this work, in the orchestral version with choir.

Then it's a matter of my regular rehearsals of my opera audition arias to keep them in shape, and the review of the broadway music for February 20th, and a sing-through of the music for my recital on February 12th. I have an audition already scheduled while I'm in Canada but there are more to schedule, and I'm still trying to get the Chapelle de Boondael for this May's Schubert Recital.

Lastly I thought I'd share the latest Leonidas campaign poster.


Have a good week!