It felt extreme......but OK. Why not? I have never seen anyone smash anything in Munich but apparently there is a sect of folks encouraging it. I am trying to imagine life where everything is smashed. I am not sure the person who tagged this really thought it through. Smash....everything? Come on. What would you deface with your sharpie?
I have been spending my few days off studying Damnation of Faust. Berlioz is growing on me more and more and the fantastic story of Faust will never disappoint. Hard to imagine that October is already half gone. It has been snowing in Munich off and on for the last couple of days. Feels a bit early for snow. I wonder if that means we are in for a long winter? I could really do with out that. Staying in Chicago for Jan and February seems like enough winter for anyone. 
Final performance of Carmen last night. By far the best of the three performances (at least from where I was standing) Great crowd-really nice reception at the end. The picture above is from last night. Christian Rieger, myself and Ted Rhodes after the curtain call. For me its the last performance at the Bayerische Staatsoper for a while. My next performance in Munich is not until December 6th when we open Die Zauberflöte. Until then I have two Verdi requiems and a couple of Aidas. It will be a very merry Verdi November for me.
Last Lucrezia went very well and the crowd was really excited as usual with Lucrezia. I think this has been a very successful show and that is due in large part to Ms. Gruberova and our wonderful director Christof Loy (who by the way has a website almost as cool as mine). The audience gave the show a standing ovation last night and the energy felt really high. So now we say goodbye to one production for the season and move on to our Carmens. One tonight and then again two days later. Finally rained in Munich yesterday. Easily the first rain since we got back early September. We have been very lucky up until now. Perhaps fall is now here. A small shout out to my beautiful bride who celebrated 8 years with me yesterday. This fancy opera life wouldn't exist without her...
...for the last time tonight in Lucrezia Borgia. This is my farewell performance as Astolfo and I will most likely not miss it. Just being honest. Its a great production and a lot of fun. The audience always loves it and I was really happy to get to know this piece. I really had no knowledge of it prior. I only knew that it needed an incredible soprano (which we have in Ms. Gruberova) and had a very good bass aria (absolutely dominated by Franco Vassallo). Two more Carmens after tonight and then we are moving on for a while. CVH Back on the road.
Very good opening last night. I will say that the audience was a bit quiet throughout the show. Carmen is the greatest hits show and the audience usually knows exactly when to applaud. They seemed apprehensive about bursting into applause. Usually just waiting for someone around them to start and then the applause would start rolling. As a singer I will tell you we feel that on stage. Energy from the audience (for me anyway) translates into my own energy. The pictures are from the dressing room immediately following the show. My costume uniform hanging is the closest military uniform I will ever get to wear. The final Lucrezia Borgia is tomorrow night and most definitely my last as Astolfo. I will miss the Mario Brothers costume.
Thats right-...tied up and carried off. It takes 4 full size men to lift the chair I am tied to and carry it off stage tonight. Carmen opens up tonight with two more performances to follow. The final performance on October 10th will be my last in Munich for a couple of months. I will be in Hof and Berlin with a couple of Verdi Requiems with the Hof Symphoniker and also Stuttgart for two performances of Aida with the Staatsoper Stuttgart. We get back to Munich in December for Die Zauberflöte to start up.
Carmen opens tomorrow in Munich. The picture on the left is me and Denyce Graves from a Carmen production in Chicago. Carmen is always a good time and the audience will undoubtably love it. We have a really good cast this go around.
Heading out to Carmen Sitzprobe number two this morning. It's rare in a repertoire house to get so much orchestra time. It is always exciting to hear the Carmen overture with such a wonderful orchestra. Our performances begin on Sunday with a matinee and I believe that there are three performances in October and then it comes back again later in the year with some new cast members. During down time in these rehearsals I am studying my Damnation of Faust score. It has been a while since I have really enjoyed getting into a score this much. I am excited to be in Chicago in a few months for this new production.
Had our Carmen sitzprobe this morning with a very wonderful cast. More Carmen rehearsal this evening and our third Lucrezia Borgia after that. Pretty busy for a Thursday. 
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