Winter

Wow, it's gotten a lot colder in Brussels recently... I don't know if you've heard but there's been a big cold snap all over western europe.  It's going down to -10 C tonight and tomorrow night, and colder temperatures and significant snowfall might be on the way.

Great news for the skiers and snow sculptors, but not so much for me, as the snowy weather is arriving just in time for me to leave for Canada on Saturday morning.  Still, I've been enjoying the crystal-clear skies and dry cold.  Not everyone is enjoying it; a child was crying on the way to school yesterday, complaining about walking in the cold, and her mother was heard to exclaim, "Arrête de pleurer, ça va geler!" (Stop crying, your tears will freeze!).

 
In general people here seem quite surprised by the temperature; it is not entirely normal to be quite so cold here this time of year.  There has been quite a bit of variability, though: our first february in Brussels in 2008 was exceptionally warm.


I have been a bit "under the weather" myself recently, fatigue and shivers, some sort of flu I think.  Fortunately no sore throat or sniffles, so no impact on the voice, apart from a lack of energy.  I'm continuing to prepare for Eisenstein; it's really fantastically funny music and it's going to be hilarious to perform it together with  new colleagues at the end of February.

Earlier this week I met and had a cup of coffee with Paul Dinneweth, the conductor of the Antwerp Die Schöpfung, and we talked through the score together.  It all seems pretty straightforward, with tempos that make sense; I was happy to have the opportunity.  Yesterday I had a brief trip up to the Vlaamsopera in Antwerp to audition for a new project, a retrospective of Wagner that plans to re-orchestrate his music to form a sort of "BiOpera".  It was good to audition there again, to increase my visibility with that company; I don't sing any Wagner, but their invitation to audition shows that they haven't forgotten me.  Tonight I plan to drop in at the Brussels Choral Society rehearsal to finally meet Eric Delson, their conductor, and have a listen to the choir.  Mike and Joyce, friends from St. Andrew's, sing in the choir and I'm eager to hear them.


Well, that's about it.  Most likely my next post will be from Canada.... oh yes, and a big Happy Birthday to my Grandmother Rita, who's celebrating another year today!