BEHIND THE SPOTLIGHT

Well, last week was a bit more dramatic than expected!  Just as all of the arrangements for our upcoming workshop of The Golden Ticket were being solidified, my appendix decided it no longer wanted to be a part of my life, forcing me into the hospital for an emergency appendectomy!  Fortunately, they got it out before it burst, and I’m rather amazed that they were able to take care of it with a few tiny incisions. Must say, I’m glad I didn’t have to go through this 30 years ago in less sophisticated medical times! Other than an achey belly button, I’m back ‘in the saddle’ so to speak, and very grateful to my artistic staff - especially chorus master Jennifer Peterson - who were able to keep everything moving forward during my absence.

Today, I am confirming all of the little logistical details for the workshop, and issuing the first four days of rehearsal schedules so that the cast can have a sense of the intensive days ahead.  Our fantastic conductor Timothy Redmond arrives tomorrow, and Wednesday, we’re off to the races (or the opera!). Once we get started on Wednesday, I’ll be posting daily from the rehearsal studio, and inviting our guest artists to make posts about the workshop process. We also plan on posting rehearsal video throughout the workshop, so come back often!

In the meantime,  ALT was featured in some pretty prestigious company in an article about new opera published in Opera America magazine. I’m so grateful to all of the artists, administrators, and of course, donors, who have helped ALT to have a real influence on contemporary American opera.  The best is yet to come…