Well, it's finally here, opening night of Il Trovatore! After a great final dress rehearsal on Wednesday night and a day of rest, everyone should be pumped up to give it their all. It was fun having an audience to play to, and happily they were sitting far enough back that I couldn't see a single face! I try not to look out into the hall, afraid of seeing some people I know making faces at me (you know who you are, don't do it!)
Speaking of the dress rehearsals, I must pay homage to Terry Allen and his crew of OPERAtors and Piedmont Opera board members, who so deliciously fed the cast and crew both Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Here is a photo of the kitchen crew from Tuesday night. Chief Terry, also known as Chef Terry for bringing three sumptuous pecan pies each night plus many other goodies, is second from right. I found the pecan pie irresistible, so much so that I felt like Scarlet O'Hara getting laced into her corset when it came time to put on my gypsy dress. Relief came with a change into Mother Superior's forgiving robes!
Sharing a dressing room with Amanda Moody has been a real privilege. Not only is she beautiful and extremely talented, she's a really nice person! I've learned a lot about singing and the life of the performer from her. Here she is (above) in her beautiful costume for the role of Leonora's confidante, Ines.
Next door to us is Shannon Magee, aka Azucena, the wild gypsy woman! One of the joys of being "on the hall" with most of the principals is to hear the warm-ups going on all around. I can attest that Shannon's voice is really stunning and powerful! Here she is, looking especially ferocious, but note the cell phone in her hand! She was probably checking in with the baby-sitter for her son, aged 2 1/2, who travels with her wherever she goes. After the photo, she invited me in to view a very large spider in her dressing room and to determine whether it was dead or alive. When it started crawling toward us, we both knew the answer, it had to perish, and I was the one asked to do the nasty deed. Luckily I had on substantial shoes. We all have our special calling.
I have special guests arriving this afternoon, my sister Elinor and brother-in-law Billy from Columbus, Georgia. They will attend tonight along with my long-suffering but patient husband Bill. (The rehearsals do take a toll on your at-home life.) On Sunday my nephew Keith from Atlanta arrives, along with several friends from Blowing Rock and environs. That doesn't help in the nerves control area!
But on with the show, be there!!
La Z, M. Superior and H. Monk
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