Today’s post comes from Pinchgut’s Liz Nielsen:-
Great day today as the orchestra arrives from all over the country and Europe. Ken and I have had Lizzie Pogson (violin) and Simon Rickard (bassoon) staying with us. Quite amazing to hear the melodies from the show coming from our spare bedroom downstairs. Simon was talking about how unusual this company is - that players like Lisa Goldberg who lives in Brussels and plays with some great orchestras in Europe wanting to come to Pinchgut each year. It is because everyone who plays with us is giving their all for the music. The experience of playing in this orchestra is as exciting for the players as it is for the audience.
Yesterday I sat in on a production call for the second half of the opera. I was curious to know how Elena makes the transformation from the Sybil back to Eurydice while still on stage. It is done beautifully right before our eyes! The three fates are working very hard. It is a very physical role for them to create the different creatures of the underworld and then become mortals again. They are a very strong presence throughout the opera. We treated them all to a massage courtesy of a masseuse from our audience.
Annie Whealy came into the rehearsal yesterday so she would have a good idea of the production before she starts her classes on the opera for her 60 students who attend her Music with a View course. Annie remarked on how wonderful it was to see such talented people like Mark Gaal, Antony Walker, Erin Helyard and Nicole Dorigo shaping the scenes together.
We move into the City Recital Hall on Sunday and then it is straight on with stage rehearsals ready for Thursday December 2 -Opening Night!
Photo of the orchtras with Antony Walker (above), Alice Evan tuning (below); and a photo from yesterday's reherelas of Erin Helyard at the keyboards with Derek Welton singing and Elena dying.
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