tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59523857651990572762024-03-18T21:00:09.915-06:00BACKSTAGEUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-66232566750094557312015-05-27T16:34:00.003-06:002015-05-27T16:34:58.097-06:002015 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 11 <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;">Friday, May 22, 2015</span><br />
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Colorado Tour. Today we’ll be doing a double bill of <i>Hansel and Gretel</i> for the students at Bauder Elementary School in
Ft. Collins. As much as we’ve had happen
in the past two-weeks, it’s still hard to believe that we’re already on the
last day. Time… it just keeps rolling, doesn’t it? Breakfast consumed, we load
the cars and head to the school. It’s raining again and is supposed to most of
the day, so loading in will be a challenge. On the drive, the conversation
turns to the intelligence quotient. You know, would you rather be intelligent
and savvy about the world around you or would you rather be more naïve and not
as aware of things? I know… way too deep for this early in the morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5q-_DQcMHHZxSSQFl4wl4WYnDBNKAzceVNu9_YyDJc8RaGkd8JYNbHMppzC2z42slaJYyn6ZU-fqdv3eRRzO0_QW3RskfYWV4RVhP9e4btHfaY3QYSsNydvcZ_Mr7Eilf_5C38wBKGE/s1600/HG+at+Bauder+Elem.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5q-_DQcMHHZxSSQFl4wl4WYnDBNKAzceVNu9_YyDJc8RaGkd8JYNbHMppzC2z42slaJYyn6ZU-fqdv3eRRzO0_QW3RskfYWV4RVhP9e4btHfaY3QYSsNydvcZ_Mr7Eilf_5C38wBKGE/s320/HG+at+Bauder+Elem.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We arrive at the school and Brett and I head to the office to check-in.
We’re immediately greeted by Deanna, the music teacher. She’s been waiting in
the office to welcome us. She walks us down to the gym, where we’ll be
performing and on the way, we’re greeted by more of the teachers. Everyone is
so excited that we’re here. Looking around the gym, I may have to make some
extra rules for today. There are far too many temptations within easy reach;
jai alai weapons, balls of every size and bouncy-ness, hula hoops and more.
Taylor and I move as many of the items out of the set up area as we can to
lessen the temptation factor (and give us room for the set). It’s not the
students I’m concerned about – it’s our group. We’re easily distracted. Andrew moves
the van around to the load-in sight and we get things into the space as quickly
as we can to avoid getting soaked. As the Young Artists get into costume and
makeup, Taylor serenades us with various selections on the piano. The students
begin to come in. For the first performance, we have 3<sup>rd</sup>-5<sup>th</sup>
grades. They are being very quiet and respectful. I go out to do the pre-show
talk and as soon as I say that we are here to perform <i>Hansel and Gretel</i>, there’s a room full of excited faces. The
performance goes well and the students really enjoy it. There’s a lack of
energy, but at this point on tour, it’s something to be expected. It’s early in
the day and they have another performance to go, so saving a little in the tank
is a good idea. For the Q&A, we get a young man who asks a very thoughtful
question, “Why did you have a Witch in the story and not a Warlock.” He’s
picked on up the fact that the Witch is sung by a man, so that question makes
perfect sense. Brett answers by telling him the reasons that opera sometimes
casts a man in a female role or female as a male character. There’s unanimous
agreement that having the Witch sung by a tenor makes the character creepier
and funnier at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We wave goodbye to the students and reset for the top of the show. As
the re-set is happening, I talk with one of the teachers who is just gushing
about the performance. She admits that she doesn’t like opera; that it’s always
just been people screaming. I tell her if it sounds like screaming, then its
opera being done wrong. She agrees with me and tells me how much she loved the
show. Everyone’s voices were beautiful, the production was like a fairytale and
everything just came to life for her. Hmm… we may have a new opera convert…
Touring productions aren’t just for kids.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdWHJzPZzeWsEFP8OxxgmZrD7jVsUyTWA_RpU83uY9QiNYdWaUbSoylPi55n-OSJb_4RrBxyKhuEFj0O9yU82xI8SNwSKD5GWE0DFM63nwivv783KgmTksKjBXrM4MGG81aSKxBkAerc/s1600/bust+a+move+-+busted.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdWHJzPZzeWsEFP8OxxgmZrD7jVsUyTWA_RpU83uY9QiNYdWaUbSoylPi55n-OSJb_4RrBxyKhuEFj0O9yU82xI8SNwSKD5GWE0DFM63nwivv783KgmTksKjBXrM4MGG81aSKxBkAerc/s320/bust+a+move+-+busted.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After everyone gets out of costume, we jump into the car and head to a
local spot for a very quick lunch. We’ve got less than an hour before we need
to be back for the second performance. At lunch, there’s very little talking.
Sure the food is good, but it’s more than that. It is… technology. As I look
around the table, just about everyone has their eyes glued to their phones. I
don’t begrudge them that; we’ve been in the mountains for 2-weeks and had
little to no reception. They have lives outside of opera after all. I haven’t
missed it though. A break from the cyber world has been quite welcome. We
finish lunch and head back to the school. There’s just enough time to get
everyone back into costume before the second group of students arrive; this
time we have Kindergarten – 2<sup>nd</sup> grade. They are adorable. Apparently
today is pajama day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is a big school, so each performance is packed. I go out to do the
pre-show talk and I can tell that we’ve got a very special group of kids. They
are so excited, but so well-behaved too. As the performance begins, they are
hanging on every word, every note. It’s almost as if they take a breath each
time one of the singers does. As I sit backstage, I’m treated to hundreds of
little voices shouting “bravo” after every number. Andrew, Daniel and Brett are
inspired backstage as well. During the dance scene, they get their groove on. I
stop giggling long enough to snap a picture. On stage, things continue to go
well. The kids are so responsive. Leah and Katherine make their exit as Andrew
sings his aria and Leah becomes very emotional. The kids have grabbed ahold of
her heart (metaphor – go with me readers). She says that the little ones in the
front were copying every dance move she made; clapping their hands, snapping
their fingers, tapping their feet. Sometimes, during a live performance, there’s
just a feeling in the air. Something happens that’s magical – you connect with
your audience in a way that words can’t quite describe. That’s what we’ve got
going on here and we all feel it. Daniel goes on for the Sandman scene and the
kids are yawning along with Leah and Katherine. When Brett goes on as the
Witch, the laughter in the room is contagious and we’re laughing backstage,
listening to the kids respond. Daniel can’t resist and peaks through a gap in
the set to watch the action unfold. Brett takes his cue from the energy in the
room and plays the Witch as completely goofy. His rhyme today? “I’ll go inside
and feed my pet llama; I hope you don’t mind, but I’m your new mama.” The kids
are howling with laughter and this time, I can hear the teachers laughing too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When I’m directing a show, I make choices based on what I think will
appeal to an audience; try to tell the story and showcase the art form in a way
that represents the truth of what opera is. I never really know if I’ve gotten
it right until I put it in front of an audience. The way these kids are responding;
we got it right. I wish that words could convey what it sounds like as the
Young Artists take their bows. The students are cheering for them, standing up,
calling “bravo” over and over; and the best part? Their joy at what they’ve
experienced is completely genuine. It’s probably the best performance of <i>Hansel and Gretel</i> that the Young Artists
have given all season. The final show on our tour – and it’s one I will
remember for a very long time. We go out for the Q&A and, sadly, we’re only
able to take 3 questions. There’s been a surprise visit from the superintendent
and they have an award to present to one of the students. It’s a wonderful
thing, but we would have liked to spend some more time answering the students’
questions – they were such a fabulous audience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There’s an official presentation with multiple speakers and then there
are numerous photos taken of the superintendent and the winner, on our set, so
we have to wait to begin to take things down and load out. The teachers come
backstage to tell us how much they enjoyed the show and ask us repeatedly to
come back. Deanna, the music teacher, says that Opera Colorado’s program is
something that her school highly values and she’ll be bringing us back for
sure. We get to the business of loading out for the final time on tour.
Everyone is tired, but the energy of the kids is still buzzing in our minds. Load out complete, we get in the cars and
begin the drive back to Denver. Within minutes, everyone but the drivers and
copilots are asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIjBs2mqeq4n7XZkg3A92zQOW2Pn-aExmAy3k2E4iDEOu-4L_Mw63NtF_Y7Rupg00Awxaq3YjSuHeRcgZLlcSS3pQLG2xHidRfi0pg9hOfv0erqkbQxpo2oZU8TUqVMD4vcxkawNhxfQ/s1600/Daniel%2527s+delight.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIjBs2mqeq4n7XZkg3A92zQOW2Pn-aExmAy3k2E4iDEOu-4L_Mw63NtF_Y7Rupg00Awxaq3YjSuHeRcgZLlcSS3pQLG2xHidRfi0pg9hOfv0erqkbQxpo2oZU8TUqVMD4vcxkawNhxfQ/s320/Daniel%2527s+delight.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We have one final stop on tour – it’s become something of a tradition to
have the final stop of tour be a unique Colorado experience. In 2014, we stopped at the Coney Island Hot
Dog stand in Bailey, Colorado. This year… it’s Johnson’s Corner for their world
famous cinnamon rolls. Funny… they always seem to involve food. We sit at a
booth the size of Rhode Island and I snap a picture of the group as they
consider the volume of what they’re about to ingest. Daniel makes a toast to tour. It’s been a busy,
challenging and incredibly rewarding two weeks. Cinnamon delights consumed, groans
of the overly-indulgent in process, we make the final leg of our journey back
to Denver. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That’s it readers. We’ve been on the road for 11 days. Traveled over
1,600 miles, been snowed in, on roads that go nowhere, attacked by bugs of
unusual size and seen amazing sights. We’ve taken opera to more than 1,500
people. Tour is over… or is it? We’re actually not done with our travels. We
have a performance in Colorado Springs on Wednesday. We couldn’t fit that into
our official tour weeks; there were just too many requests that came in, so the
Young Artists will be doing a day trip. I won’t be blogging about that one. My
digits are fatigued. There’s more exciting news… You have a chance to hear the
Young Artists in person one final time before they complete their residency
with Opera Colorado. On Sunday, May 31<sup>st</sup> at 2:00PM, they will be
singing their Farewell Concert. Tickets are available now and we hope to see
you there. You can find more information about the performance here: </span><a href="https://www.operacolorado.org/event/young-artists-farewell-recital-reception/"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2015
Young Artists Farewell</span></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To those of you who have contacted me about the blogs, thank you for
your support. We’re glad that you enjoy them. Rest assured, tour commentary
will continue in 2016. Well beyond that we hope. Time keeps rolling… and so
will we. All in the name of this incredible art that we love… opera.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thanks for joining us on our journey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Till next year,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-21790001866794567922015-05-26T11:12:00.000-06:002015-05-26T11:12:02.896-06:002015 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 10 <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Thursday, May 21, 2015</span></div>
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morning. I got about 2-hours of sleep last night due to various factors, the
biggest culprit being a bug the size of a baseball who decided to make my room
his home base. I have no idea what it was. I know tha<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">t it could fly and it made
a hissing sound when it felt threatened. First, it claimed my shoe as its
domicile. I threw my other shoe at it, which caused an immediate cessation of
occupancy. Then it scampered into my closet so I shut the door and laid awake
the rest of the night, listening with my eyes. By the time I fell asleep it was
about an hour before we had to get up in order to get ready, eat breakfast and
check out. Brett offered emotional support and made me coffee, but because of
my nocturnal bug vigil, we left about 20-minutes behind schedule. Brett is
driving this morning, which is probably best. Daniel is following us in the van
with Andrew.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFIC-AW52YM6rxygSaIcm8vw2RGySPI4fvPnSs-44GVMp1-ZT5GDYMIf6FRRVVOvCC9Yf_qYD6Zo2t61O187FsXp5cKUa-NblVQVwebD9oOvtQxUClP9K1OX56_b9VVRS0tgBknNNJt4/s1600/view+from+Summit+Middle+School.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFIC-AW52YM6rxygSaIcm8vw2RGySPI4fvPnSs-44GVMp1-ZT5GDYMIf6FRRVVOvCC9Yf_qYD6Zo2t61O187FsXp5cKUa-NblVQVwebD9oOvtQxUClP9K1OX56_b9VVRS0tgBknNNJt4/s320/view+from+Summit+Middle+School.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We stop for gas the then begin the drive to Summit Middle School. Leah
is in charge of the tunes this morning and selects The Goat Rodeo Sessions.
It’s a mix of bluegrass, celtic and other music featuring Yo-Yo Ma and other
artists whose names I can’t remember. Taylor comments on the awesomeness that
is Yo-Yo Ma and Katherine, the pinnacle of modesty, says that she is the Yo-Yo
Ma of opera. The area got more snow overnight but it’s partly cloudy this
morning. I think all of the beauty, combined with the stress of driving the
pass coming into Breckenridge is beginning to take its toll on Brett. He begins
to have some kind of psychotic break while driving; fits of giggles. It all
seems to center around <i>Hansel and Gretel</i>
rhymes, so I don’t think he’s dangerous. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBI7EMN6VIBgxBVBC9VpAXP5E6lvFUKSVwW78bXiisIprZHrFMqTI30KNBLvniG3Hv1Qqh8qk7Tj0ApofvKKN_zoBFIugZ6rEuFz17DqZJEWqeacAUGex9tGzKtr1keJxCjycbdeE1tc/s1600/stage+shot+at+Summit+MS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBI7EMN6VIBgxBVBC9VpAXP5E6lvFUKSVwW78bXiisIprZHrFMqTI30KNBLvniG3Hv1Qqh8qk7Tj0ApofvKKN_zoBFIugZ6rEuFz17DqZJEWqeacAUGex9tGzKtr1keJxCjycbdeE1tc/s320/stage+shot+at+Summit+MS.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Brett and Andrew do an excellent job driving and manage to make up
15-minutes, so we arrive at the school just 5-minutes behind schedule. We then
manage to do the fastest set up on record, 20-minutes flat. No one lost and eye
or anything. I don’t recommend this for amateurs. I connect with Mary Jane and several of the
teachers at Summit Middle School while everyone gets into costume and makeup. I
also get to connect with Joyce Mueller from the Breckenridge Music Festival. We’re
excited to have Steve Dilts, our Young Artist Liaison here today. He’s driven
up from Denver to watch the performance and workshop and then we’re all having
lunch. Opera Colorado’s supporters are, quite simply, the best. The students
begin to come in and we’ve got a packed house today; over 250 6<sup>th</sup>
graders. We’ve decided that today is the day to try out a new bit in the show.
When we were in Salida, Brett and I found the most amazing hand puppet. It’s an
ostrich – or an emu – not sure which. This is a character element that I’ve
thought about, but haven’t tried before now. You know, the Witch has gone so
bonkers living in the forest alone; she’s created this creature to have someone
to talk to. To make it work, the tenor playing the Witch has to embrace the concept.
Oh boy has Brett embraced it; his new
creative new venture. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I am introduced to give the pre-curtain talk and readers… I’ve changed.
“Kathy” Koepke will now begin the show. I
am able to gauge the energy in the audience within seconds and know that I need
to add a behavior expectation section to my talk. I exit the stage and the show
begins. The Young Artists work like crazy over the next 50-minutes to perform
for a tough audience. It’s not that they’re not enjoying the show; they are.
Sometimes, we get a group of kids that just doesn’t respond in a way that we
expect. The ostrich puppet bit gets a couple of really big laughs so it will be
something I look at in the future. At
bows, the audience is cheering. As the Young Artists exit, I take over and
begin the interactive workshop that we’ll do for the next 45-minutes. As the
Young Artists get out of costume and makeup, they will come out and join me and
each take over teaching a section. This is something I’ve started to do each
year towards the end of the season. It’s a way for me to see what they’ve
learned during their residency in terms of presentation skills and engaging an
audience. Brett did this last year, so he works to load out as much as he can
by himself while I do crowd control. After Leah, Kathrine, Andrew and Daniel
have run through their activities, Taylor takes over for a bit and gives the
students a work out singing scales and adding numbers and clapping on certain
beats. By this point, the students are getting incredibly rowdy, so I take the
reins again with Brett. Readers, if you’ve never worked interactively with
middle school students... proceed with caution. It’s something they might want
to consider as an option for training our military before they go into combat. It’s
not for the faint of heart, but I love it. By the time the workshop ends, the
kids are engaged and, we hope, have learned some skills that they will be able
to utilize. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The teachers and our program sponsors are thrilled with what we were
able to bring to the students today. We’re showered with compliments on the
quality of the performance and the workshop. They want us back next season; at
more schools and doing more workshops. That’s exciting. I think we’re offering
something very unique with these interactive workshops. We’re connecting kids
to opera in a way that not only entertains but helps develop their skills. I
now need a nap – it takes a ton of energy to teach a group that big and I tend
to put in every ounce I can. We load out the last bit of our set and then head
to a local restaurant to meet Steve. As we arrive, we see him, standing in a
parking spot in front of the building to save it for us. Does this man take good care of us or what!?
Lunch is good but it’s especially good to have Steve with us. Throughout the
year, Steve makes sure that the Young Artists have a support system while they
are in Denver. He attends rehearsals, comes to performances and even brings
donuts and coffee. The Young Artists have come to call these occasions, “Donuts
with Dilts.” It may not sound like a big deal but, to us, it’s huge. Steve, we
appreciate you more than we can say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjevMdvZogyt0qUSavwCoowKh2pxCSr88H9y47gdCTAlh1pxWHYQeMV4cQhbrjRxusDDCX_BwKDpy4Nz0LQHMYViXEKXN0DjtDjCfJ3E6ZKxp6uUOc9D4qChCyN5t25JeyG0RxGMEm78o/s1600/coffee+with+Dilts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjevMdvZogyt0qUSavwCoowKh2pxCSr88H9y47gdCTAlh1pxWHYQeMV4cQhbrjRxusDDCX_BwKDpy4Nz0LQHMYViXEKXN0DjtDjCfJ3E6ZKxp6uUOc9D4qChCyN5t25JeyG0RxGMEm78o/s320/coffee+with+Dilts.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We persuade Steve to let us buy him a cup of coffee for the road and
then we say our goodbyes. We load into the cars and make our way to Ft. Collins,
Colorado where we’ll be staying overnight. We have a double bill at Bauder
Elementary tomorrow, our last stop on tour. Katherine’s driving the van with
Daniel and Brett is driving while I attempt to copilot. The rest of our car is
asleep within minutes of being on the road. Brett and I don’t have that luxury;
driving on I-70 isn’t something and I enjoy on a good day and today the weather
is bad and the traffic is nuts. It doesn’t help that there’s road construction
every few miles. Brett’s catlike reflexes allow him to avoid getting into a
serious accident when a truck swerves in front of us. Brett honks the horn and
we are treated to repeated hand gestures involving the middle finger. This goes
on for quite a while. Leah says we should pull alongside him and blow him a
kiss. I consider it, until I see the “Hello Kitty” sticker on his rear window –
the bundle of cuteness is holding an AK47. Things go from bad to worse when the
driver starts swerving all over, drives in both lanes and takes out construction
cones. Brett and I get his license plate; we seriously think he’s intoxicated.
We keep our distance and he finally exits off the highway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We continue to hit traffic and drivers continue to make poor choices.
One woman drives on the shoulder of the road, not realizing she’s not in an
actual lane and then pulls in front of us, narrowly missing the concrete wall
ahead of her. By the time we get to Ft. Collins, we are ready to not be in the
cars any longer. We get to the hotel, check in and I schedule a meeting in my
room after everyone has a chance to get settled. While we’re still finishing up
tour, we have to start thinking about what’s next. We’ve got performances this
weekend and the last week of May is packed. We discuss repertoire, I hand out music and
set schedules. We also discuss move-out details – the end of their contracts is
just around the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After the meeting, everyone is on own their own for dinner. Leah,
Katherine, Andrew and Daniel decide to head to a brewery and Brett, Taylor and
I decide to walk to a nearby restaurant. Back that the hotel, I spend some time
looking at our abridged production of <i>Carmen</i>
that we will tour next year. I wasn’t completely happy with some of the
translations I did, so I am reworking it. Brett is interested in the process I
take when creating a touring show, so he’s been helping me revise the dialogue.
I’ll tell ya – it makes a difference having a male brain to pick when you’ve
got a story like this to condense into an hour. I can do many things, I have
various skills and talents, but… thinking like a man. That’s one thing I can’t do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s time to turn in. Tomorrow will be another busy day. We’re looking
forward to performing for more students and then heading back to Denver. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sleep well readers – I plan to. This room appears to be bug free. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-60244238078486595672015-05-22T14:59:00.000-06:002015-05-22T14:59:14.014-06:002015 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 9<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Wednesday, May 20, 2015</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_bg0MuoMZZVKsg6bqD5pkv8WOIyDd5ytLDGslzXvB-CTxA12VbhS_5SYlWm-fyW-hMd0RnMrscI8rxhCzoFd8NW7lxMtS8gwsVVfRAVUsdQ6lFZI1YSILrFaAeqFzdqWOEjBJd0sucI/s1600/the+morning+after.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_bg0MuoMZZVKsg6bqD5pkv8WOIyDd5ytLDGslzXvB-CTxA12VbhS_5SYlWm-fyW-hMd0RnMrscI8rxhCzoFd8NW7lxMtS8gwsVVfRAVUsdQ6lFZI1YSILrFaAeqFzdqWOEjBJd0sucI/s320/the+morning+after.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What a difference a day makes… 24 little hours… That’s what I woke up
thinking today as the sun was rising. The snow has stopped, there’s blue sky
with puffy white clouds and the roads have improved. It’s a marathon of
breakfast and bathroom sharing (not as simultaneous activities) as we get ready
to head out. This non-morning group is quiet but Leah entertains everyone with
renditions of arias as done by Melissa Ethridge, Celine Dion and Rihanna. I was
moved in a way I haven’t been moved before while listening to those arias…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In the car, Katherine shares her feelings about yesterday. She says it
felt like the longest day. First it was snowing; then it wasn’t. We had power,
then we didn’t, then we had power again. Yes… yes that’s right Katherine. That
is an accurate summary. Thank you. We’re
driving to Frisco, Colorado today and we get to pass through Leadville, so
we’ll get to the see all of the scenery we missed last week when the weather
disrupted our view. The weather… Wow, this year has been intense, even for
Colorado. Spring has sprung, but apparently it got bored and bounded away
because what we are seeing outside our windows does not look like spring. It’s
like we stepped back in time a few months. Time… it’s that time thing again! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClTD6hC43DSoE5rwMyIIN0V5TzgnbrEUjHLkJSxMrqsfzuPzr9dCTACXIZ75LYKFxS92j6l25eFbjYncebii9MfXuVeigr0BU336hWO3uweZf-4LOafvsyShFWepXLxpF1-dXhgYDdks/s1600/Frisco+Elementary+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClTD6hC43DSoE5rwMyIIN0V5TzgnbrEUjHLkJSxMrqsfzuPzr9dCTACXIZ75LYKFxS92j6l25eFbjYncebii9MfXuVeigr0BU336hWO3uweZf-4LOafvsyShFWepXLxpF1-dXhgYDdks/s320/Frisco+Elementary+view.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The drive is beautiful. Copilot Brett snaps photos as we go. The car is
quiet. It is early and this is going to be a long day with 2 performances, 2
load ins, 2 set ups , 2 tear downs and 2 load outs. We get to Frisco right on
time and check into our first school for the day, Frisco Elementary. We’re
performing for the whole school and will have preschool – 5<sup>th</sup> grade.
The staff is incredibly welcoming and even has bottled water waiting for us.
Set up goes smoothly and we have about 30-minutes for everyone to get into
costume and makeup before the students come in. While the Young Artists warm
up, I visit with Mary Jane Wurster from the Breckenridge Music Festival. She’s
been my contact for the last several years and has helped us bring performances
to schools in the region. It’s amazing to have such support from our
communities around Colorado. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvW_ZtNjwkvUgla35_gHeMEoIWlDpAWzxBhSBDbWlnRPDX9NlHVnKGN78bWAIKS9N4YyhXjtnNFEQl5MrT_bnzEJD5pJpg-oTonPrnxQ75yac87p_ZR8lA-YOd82JeEA2HI4jnPRlYBV8/s1600/kids+at+Frisco.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvW_ZtNjwkvUgla35_gHeMEoIWlDpAWzxBhSBDbWlnRPDX9NlHVnKGN78bWAIKS9N4YyhXjtnNFEQl5MrT_bnzEJD5pJpg-oTonPrnxQ75yac87p_ZR8lA-YOd82JeEA2HI4jnPRlYBV8/s320/kids+at+Frisco.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Everything is ready and the students have arrived. One little guy,
probably around 3-years old, enters the space and sees Brett backstage. He
points at him and yells, “Yay!” We hear you little man. We’re excited to be
here too. The principal introduces us and I go out to talk with the kids and
get them ready for what they’re about to see. Many schools we go to have little
to no knowledge of opera or even the story of <i>Hansel and Gretel</i>. We send out Teacher Guidebooks packed with
resources and curriculum materials, but they aren’t always utilized. So, I make
sure to tell them a little about the story and give a snapshot of what opera actually
is. One of the 4<sup>th</sup> grade boys gets it in one guess – “opera is a
story that you sing and stuff.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">During the show, I sit backstage. I love to do this. I get to see their
faces and watch their expressions as the opera unfolds (the kids not the Young
Artists). Kids are unbelievably honest. If they don’t like something, you’ll
know it. If they like something, it’s written all over their faces and based on
what I can see, they are loving the show. During the dance scene with Hansel
and Gretel, a little girl in the front row is copying every move that Leah
makes. When Andrew, as Father, scolds Hansel and Gretel, a little boy shows
genuine concern. Kids are rubbing their sleepy eyes during the Sandman scenes and
when Brett comes on as the Witch, their eyes grow wide and they whisper to each
other. The adults are enjoying it just as much as the students; another reason
I love opera. There really is something in it for everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The first performance of the day is done. It was a little low-energy,
but being that it’s just after 10:00AM and they’re singing at over 9,000 feet,
I’m happy with what they did out there. I go out and begin the Q&A. First
question today, “I have a brother named Daniel.” That’s great – more questions.
We get everything from “Can I have some candy?” to “Why did we have the house painted
on the backdrop?” Brett gets asked if he was forced to wear a dress.
Technically, yes, I guess he was. It’s in his contract. He also gets asked what
the Witch wanted to do to the kids. He deftly sidesteps the topic of
cannibalism saying that she wanted to turn them into gingerbread. Now that I
think about it, <i>Hansel and Gretel</i>
deals with some pretty dark themes. It’s probably best that I put Brett in a
dress; you know for that all important whimsy factor. Q&A done, we bid
goodbye to the students and begin our first load out of the day. Some of the 1<sup>st</sup>
graders have so many questions that they stay behind. While everyone else takes
down the set and loads everything into the van, I spend time with 12 very
inquisitive little minds and 1 very grateful teacher. They’re now heading back
to their classroom to video-journal about what they saw and this afternoon they
will be making their own gingerbread houses while listening to the opera. How
cool!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Time for a break and we drive to the main street area in Frisco for
lunch. Mary Jane has recommended a local spot called Butterhorn Bakery. Andrew
brought his lunch – he’s a plan ahead kind of guy – but the rest of us decide
to try it. The food is great and they have baked goods made right on sight (kid
of figures since it’s a bakery). After lunch, we walk around town for a few
minutes and let the baked goods settle, then meet back up at the car. We wait
in the car. And we wait. I’m getting strange looks from the others. Am I
waiting for something, they ask? Well… yes. I am waiting for Leah. I’d rather
not leave town without her. Leah is in the car. Has been the whole time.
Readers… in my defense, Leah is petite. Or maybe… just maybe… I might be tired.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4upVnAUlwi8V0II91IEogc41YGNj0FPQqZBGDQc52b1Krro3KoPbMy-y80ZukOTuR31LQsslsswwGJLDXqcrMmNhrlC9AkgXng7MyCcGeziDOgtXeCBmexLqFB32eNvYm2yC64OTfxU/s1600/Mr.+Baldwin+tickling+the+ivories.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4upVnAUlwi8V0II91IEogc41YGNj0FPQqZBGDQc52b1Krro3KoPbMy-y80ZukOTuR31LQsslsswwGJLDXqcrMmNhrlC9AkgXng7MyCcGeziDOgtXeCBmexLqFB32eNvYm2yC64OTfxU/s320/Mr.+Baldwin+tickling+the+ivories.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We drive to our second school for the day, Silverthorne Elementary
School. Mary Jane meets us at the school again and we take look at the
performance space and figure out where to set up. The piano has a gimpy wheel,
so we’re not supposed to move it. We’re going to have to move it though,
otherwise it will be on the opposite side of the room and while Taylor is
incredibly talented, I’m not sure he can use flag signals and play the piano at
the same time. As the Young Artists set up, I talk with Mary Jane and meet the
school principal. This school is larger, so we’ll have a bigger audience. Everything is in place and it’s time to move
the piano (we’ve gotten permission). All the guys gingerly half carry/half roll
it into place. Andrew reminisces about their first performance way back in
October. There was a piano there that also had a gimpy wheel. It was almost a
disaster, Andrew laughs. Ah… memories. Right as we get the piano to the spot
where Taylor needs it, the wheel pops off the front. We use a sandbag to hold
it in place. Didn’t know we had to be maintenance workers too did you? I can’t
count the number of times we’ve had to MacGyver something on the spot. I go out
to introduce the performance and right away, I know this group of kids is going
to be a handful. They are excited and very verbal in their responses. With a
big bravo, I head backstage and give everyone a heads up – this show has got to
be high energy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfUG2Oe9yTQa9lVjb7aLSsrujF-Vr8cIHSx7g6Kaz7tlcKBJ-U8lra-yXGlH0VSIUpY53ixPaCS6DttgX8UzddbW-lXCUHU4k1Qxe_TVRt07_-73DYlVXS1xDE0m8TrGSxo7MhTofG3M/s1600/A+Witch+and+his...+her+chicken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfUG2Oe9yTQa9lVjb7aLSsrujF-Vr8cIHSx7g6Kaz7tlcKBJ-U8lra-yXGlH0VSIUpY53ixPaCS6DttgX8UzddbW-lXCUHU4k1Qxe_TVRt07_-73DYlVXS1xDE0m8TrGSxo7MhTofG3M/s320/A+Witch+and+his...+her+chicken.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I am not disappointed. Katherine and Leah have the students laughing at
their antics within the first few minutes of the performance. Their faces are priceless when Andrew enters
as the Father and gets mad at the mess Hansel and Gretel have made. Sitting
backstage, I get to watch the behind the scenes action. It’s like a ballet really.
No, it’s not. Let me ask you a question readers… How many men does it take to
set a table? In the case of <i>Hansel and
Gretel,</i> the answer is 3. They are so precise; so careful. It’s very cute to
see how much attention they give it. Brett has taken the “energy” comment quite
seriously. He’s found a new prop and created a new line just for this
performance. Usually he sings, “I’ll go inside and see to my cat; while you
remain here, little brat.” Today’s show will be the premiere of, “I’ll go
inside and see to my chicken, and when I get back, you’ll be finger lickin’.”
Yes, there is a rubber chicken. Did you expect any less?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It may sound silly that we’re being silly, but its things like this that
can keep a show fresh. When you perform something as many times as we do this
show, it can easily become tired and unmotivated. Throwing new ideas and bits
into the show, things that aren’t disruptive, can add something new and fresh
for the performers to work with. The show continues to go well. Leah’s cry when
Hansel scares her, Brett’s magic spell hip swivels; the kids are laughing like
crazy. The laughter turns to howls when Brett’s wigs falls off. It’s actually
perfectly timed with the music and he doesn’t miss a beat. It looks like it was
supposed to happen. These people are pros! By the time the show ends, the
students are cheering. I go out to start the Q&A and it takes me a few
minutes to get the</span></div>
<br />
m quiet enough to hear us. We take questions for about
10-minutes before we have to end the show so the kids can get back to class in
time for dismissal. As we’re beginning to tear things down, the principal comes
back to talk to us. He says one of the students stopped him in the hall and
told him how much he loved the show. He said it looked just like a movie.
Another student told him that it was her favorite part of being in 2<sup>nd</sup>
grade. The principal says that for most of his students, this will be the
first, if not only chance to see an opera until they are adults. What an honor
we have – and what a huge responsibility. This is so important, not just for
the future of the art form, but for kids and their development. They need to
know what’s out there; that the arts are right in their own community. They can
give them a voice, help them express themselves…<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I shall now step off my soapbox and rejoin the world – it’s time to take
down the set… again. I can tell the Young Artists know that this was not just a
good show, but a great show. There are more smiles, conversations are more
lively and laughter is more prevalent. We thank Mary Jane for her help in
getting us to today’s schools and bid her goodbye until tomorrow. We have one
more school that is being sponsored by Breckenridge Music in the Schools on
Thursday. As the final load out gets completed, Andrew and Brett are working on
new line changes for the next <i>Hansel and
Gretel</i>. These guys… so creative. And these lines… so not happening. We
decide to grab a quick thermos of coffee before making the drive back to
Nathrop. Brett is not deterred. He’s still making up rhymes. I challenge him;
offering up words that he has to rhyme with. To my consternation, he does it.
No matter what I throw him, he finds a way to make it into a singable phrase.
Drat. Oh well. I never made any promises of future performance. I’ve learned
that lesson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Everyone sleeps on the drive back. Except Brett and Andrew. They are
driving and that would be unsafe. Katherine and I are co-piloting, so we’re not
sleeping either as our job is entertainment. Brett and I listen to Jonas
Kaufman and Ben Heppner. That mixed with the unbelievable scenery make for a
lovely drive. There’s yet another storm moving in tonight, but I’ve decided to
play my Scarlet O’Hara card and think about it tomorrow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We get back to our lodging as the sun is setting and the mountains look
like they are shimmering. Everyone cooks dinner and then takes what little time
we have left in the day to visit the hot springs. I blog and get some work
done, enjoying the view. It’s not the mountains this time; it’s the Young
Artists and Taylor (well, minus Daniel, not sure where he is). They are enjoying
the water and each other’s company. It puts a smile on my face. This program
ends on May 31<sup>st</sup>. They’ll all soon be headed in different
directions. I’m really happy that they had a little time to just hang out with
their colleagues. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Once everyone is sufficiently waterlogged, Leah, Katherine, Brett,
Taylor and I decide to play a game. This is the last time we’ll be sharing
lodging as a big group, so it’s probably our last game night. Telestrations –
the sequel commences. It’s just as much fun and just as funny as the game we
played in Lake City. Tonight we went from “Grand Canyon” to “sunset search
party,” “button your lip” to “ice moles (the animal, not the beauty mark),” and
the winner for the night… “Spaghetti” to “afro pie.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s time to turn in. We have another busy day tomorrow. We’ll be
performing at a middle school and teaching a workshop directly after the show. Then
we’re meeting Steve Dilts, the Young Artist Liaison, for lunch before driving
to our overnight stop. It feels like we’re back on track and tour is how it
should be… days full of opera from sun up to sun down. Exciting and challenging
and exhausting. Wouldn’t have it any other way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Wishing you a good night readers,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-40895679972382089732015-05-21T13:37:00.002-06:002015-05-21T13:37:57.565-06:002015 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 8<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Tuesday, May 19, 2015</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">BREAKING NEWS… a group of opera singers, on tour through the western
slope of Colorado, have been reported missing. A powerful spring snowstorm
blanketed the area last night, dropping over a foot of snow. This morning,
unable to drive to their performance location, the singers banded together and
set out on foot. Sightings have been reported, but nothing is confirmed. If you
see the singers, do not approach them. They are cold, waterlogged and have
experienced back-to-back performance cancellations, making them moody and
highly unpredictable. Information will be updated as it becomes available. Back
to you Cherity…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42OHsLWtpcozg1E58fIsAdWpdZAg77C0pkJMau-LU8oIIqlo-1Kjet4sapWV2WB53aKv5Ps2bXstRbKxHW2FfqQBUlqO5mmBroTkwxzz1FFBje7PhzjU79vkXnzdpaeWeRut3YaEbm18/s1600/snow+piled+up+next+to+car+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42OHsLWtpcozg1E58fIsAdWpdZAg77C0pkJMau-LU8oIIqlo-1Kjet4sapWV2WB53aKv5Ps2bXstRbKxHW2FfqQBUlqO5mmBroTkwxzz1FFBje7PhzjU79vkXnzdpaeWeRut3YaEbm18/s320/snow+piled+up+next+to+car+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6J89ZMJ8V1YW8uYZeI4HxfV0b9k478ttppIyMxmm2kbxs5iPqQONHMg976e2i7cn21abzVFK2kg-Abg8ooKVHM0QSOGFxOK3RuiNmHGV1c71oy3fCm6AAd1vYv65NePYWm8nxGS6E9c8/s1600/snowstorm+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6J89ZMJ8V1YW8uYZeI4HxfV0b9k478ttppIyMxmm2kbxs5iPqQONHMg976e2i7cn21abzVFK2kg-Abg8ooKVHM0QSOGFxOK3RuiNmHGV1c71oy3fCm6AAd1vYv65NePYWm8nxGS6E9c8/s320/snowstorm+2.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Good morning readers! Guess what? We’re snowed in! In May… the 19<sup>th</sup>…
In the teeny, tiny, town of Nathrop… Well, this was not on the schedule. We got
hit with a massive storm front last night and it dumped over a foot of snow in
the area. We were supposed to perform in Fairplay today, but they got close to
two feet. Oh, and we also have no power. Seems heavy snow and power lines do
not play well together. </span></div>
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There’s an outage that extends from here to Leadville.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget the look on Daniel’s face as he held his raw,
unscrambled eggs as the power went out just before he put them in the pan. We
can’t cook, we have no heat and the snow is still coming down heavily. Not
willing to give up, we try to get to the car so we can go to the lodge. It
takes Daniel, Andrew and Brett working together to get enough snow off so I can
see to drive. I trudge to the car and step in snow and mud that completely
swallows my feet. Brett and I head to the lodge with Daniel so he can eat
something and I can try and reach the school. Phone lines are down too, but
after about 20-minutes, I finally get through and I’m told that schools is on a
delay, they’re having power problems too and roughly 75% of the students aren’t
there. We wait it out at our lodging for a bit to see if things improve, but
they don’t. I go back to the lodge and run into an officer with the Sheriff’s
department. He says the roads around here are passable, but the power outage
has closed the road into the pass. Red Feather Hill, which is where we need to
go, is icy and there’s freezing fog. He asks me why we’re in the area and I
tell him that we’re with Opera Colorado. His response, “Opera Colorado… well
what the heck are you doing out here?” Taking opera into Colorado’s
communities! Or at least trying too… He strongly advises us not to make the
trip and says the power may not be on until this evening. I call the school again and based on
conditions, we decide to cancel the show. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This stinks – and there’s nothing we can do about it. Mother Nature gets
the victory today. Katherine and Leah go to the gym where at least there’s a
backup generator and they can shower, etc. While Leah is drying her hair, the
power surges and the hair dryer sparks. It lands on her shoulder where it
smolders and then goes out. She’s fine, her fair is fine, but I wouldn’t want
to be that hair dryer. Andrew and Daniel hang out in their rooms, I think; I
haven’t seen them – maybe they’re out playing in the snow… Taylor has a massage
appointment set up which he is able to keep. Brett and I head out to the front
porch and do some writing. There are still plenty of things I can work on. I
have articles to write, guidebooks for the 15-16 season to create and the blog
must go on. We make the best of it, but we’d rather be performing for those kids.
As our rooms get colder, Leah, Katherine, Brett and I decide to try and head
into nearby Buena Vista so we can at least grab something to eat. Andrew and
Daniel decide to stay here and Taylor… he’s so relaxed after his massage that
we just pour him into the car and take him with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-RsnVYPDncg7EvHxu_BsjqQ_MKT7sC72XGQEXBbgWHM6f0rAfWVozNqfnXqW4p77nQdM6NKijZb9WiIt_d0RYRHfVacUraBzB3FF0q7juF9EEl8mFYLCTb53K3qEGIBqVKpxyzst5HA/s1600/river+in+snow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-RsnVYPDncg7EvHxu_BsjqQ_MKT7sC72XGQEXBbgWHM6f0rAfWVozNqfnXqW4p77nQdM6NKijZb9WiIt_d0RYRHfVacUraBzB3FF0q7juF9EEl8mFYLCTb53K3qEGIBqVKpxyzst5HA/s320/river+in+snow.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There’s no denying that it’s beautiful outside but it looks more like
December than May. It’s alternating between raining and snowing which is
creating a huge mess. There are stretches of road that are icy, some places are
mud bogs with huge potholes and there are tree limbs down all over the place.
The mountains leading to the pass are completely socked in. You can’t even see
most of the range. We find a restaurant in Buena Vista and stop to eat. Hardly
anyone is out, but the food is very good and we’re able to warm up. A couple
people decide to order food to take back with us in case we don’t have power
tonight. Brett and I decide to take our chances – we can always eat tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We head back to Nathrop. On the car ride back, the stress from being
snowed in and back-to-back cancellations finally breaks through. Leah begins to
sing mash ups of Mozart operas. Katherine is doing ornamentations for Non piu
mesta that sound like a cross between jazz scat and southern gospel. Taylor is
mixing up the words from the <i>Lion King</i>
and <i>Carmen; </i>Hakuna Navaha. Brett is
making up new text for <i>Hansel and Gretel </i>in
an effort to be as culturally diverse as possible.<i> </i>I may have blacked out for a time… when I come to; we’re back in
Nathrop I start a game of “Hey Cow” just to keep from cracking. “Hey Cow” is a
game where you yell “Hey Cow” out of the window. There are rules of course. 1.
There must be cows. 2. If the cows look at you when you call out, you get
points. 3. Points are taken away if you scare a baby cow. My lesson in this
game is not heeded and things quickly go awry. Katherine plays “hey snow,”
Taylor is screaming at the horses, Brett is holding his head in his hands,
possibly weeping and Leah is still singing. In the name of all that is good and
right in the world… please let tomorrow’s performances happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Back at our lodging, the power is still out. Our lodging is pretty cold
now, but, again, there’s nothing we can do about it. Some people take a nap. I
work on an article for our upcoming issue for Ovation. Definitely not how this
day way supposed to go. Deciding to take advantage of the time we have in this
lovely location, Brett gets a massage and I get a facial. It’s a rare treat (and
by rare I mean maybe a once-a -year event) and I’m feeling like a marshmallow
by time I exit the spa. Brett is upright, has a very goofy smile on his face
and is moving rather slowly. By the time the power comes back on, the day is
pretty much over. We crank the heat to get things warmed up and Leah, Katherine,
Brett and I watch an episode of Chopped on TV – because we can - then head to
bed. We are up very early tomorrow to head to our first of two performance locations
– and by sunder – we’re going! We’re in
Frisco for a morning <i>Hansel and Gretel,</i>
then we tear everything down, head to Silverthorne and do it all again. Two
performances at two separate schools – now you’re talking my language! Plus
we’ll be at over 9,000 feet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Till tomorrow readers,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-60274428813294392692015-05-20T13:27:00.002-06:002015-05-20T13:27:28.648-06:002015 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 7<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Monday, May 18, 2015</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Its Monday readers. Boy… is it Monday. I’m up early to tackle a “To Do”
list before I head to pick everyone up. I’ve got some music to copy, some
emails to send and have to get gas in the pseudo-Yukon. While some tasks are
completed with efficiency, I cannot say the same for the things that take place
in the world outside of my control. It’s raining like mad, the road to get
where I need to go is flooded and once I do get on the highway, traffic is an
absolute mess. Not exactly the ideal way to start out tour week #2. I’m more
than 30-minutes late to pick up Taylor, which means I’m late to get the rest of
the group too. Oh well; I always pad the departure schedule with about ½ hour
of wiggle room just in case things like this happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By the time I get to the house to pick everyone up, they are ready to
load the cars and go. Since we no longer need the <i>Romeo & Juliet</i> set, props and costumes, some of the Young
Artists took them out of the van and put them in the guy’s house. While it’s
nice to have the additional space, Road Manager Brett and I are pondering why
the items are spending the week in the house and not in the Yukon (you know,
the one that isn’t allowed to come on tour; where those items will live the
last week in May as we complete the season). Perhaps they are house sitting…
Whatever. At least they were productive while waiting for me to show up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6q6TQW8eDJsSIUXfWrV3wz7oflunxawTDz-58R0Qc0eX3IdpqspqY1azn3msLVclW3M4Z4kXRS81KVu2SYkUURlBKlw305q-14V2sI0cjRacxulOTBqAPCk6_UCHOYKhPtZvDV7HoP-c/s1600/snow+covered+trees.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6q6TQW8eDJsSIUXfWrV3wz7oflunxawTDz-58R0Qc0eX3IdpqspqY1azn3msLVclW3M4Z4kXRS81KVu2SYkUURlBKlw305q-14V2sI0cjRacxulOTBqAPCk6_UCHOYKhPtZvDV7HoP-c/s320/snow+covered+trees.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By this point, we’ve become experts at packing. We even have about 5-inches
of space in the back that does not contain an item. Look at us, being
minimalists. We begin the drive out of town and into the mountains again and
this time I manage to make the correct turn! It’s a good thing because the
weather does not look promising. The clouds are really low and before long, I’m
driving in questionable visibility, trying to keep Andrew in my sights as he
follows in the van. Though it’s tricky driving, the scenery is amazing. As we
get higher into the pass, it starts to snow, looking like a fairytale; we’re
surrounded by snow covered trees. The conversation in my car has been all over
the place this morning, but currently it involves dogs. It seems like a
favorite topic that we keep coming back to. Brett has assigned a voice to one
of Taylor’s Golden Retrievers whose name is Beau. It’s what we imagine Beau
would sound like if he could talk. I wish these blogs had sound clips, because
Beau is quite entertaining. Leah offers to tell us another one of her stories,
but we decline, still not quite over the last tale which involved a car ghost. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ensembles performance this evening at the Mt. Princeton Resort. However, before
that, we have an important stop to make. We’re going to meet up with Joyce and
Dirk deRoos. Dirk is on Opera Colorado’s board and Joyce is our volunteer
coordinator. They invited us to stop and have lunch with them. They have a
cabin in Jefferson, Colorado and it’s literally on the way, so I jumped at the
chance to spend some time with these fabulous people who are incredibly
supportive of what we do. The weather does not go easy on us, but we manage to
make it to the turn off. Once we get off the paved road, things get very
interesting. I’ve got 4 wheel-drive in the tank, but the van doesn’t. The dirt
roads are basically frozen mud and incredibly slick. We take it slow and,
somehow, reach the cabin right on time. We are greeted by Joyce, waiving us in.
My hands are shaking from gripping the wheel so tightly and Andrew’s jaw has
frozen in a clenched-tooth smile, but otherwise we’re fine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-20JDeZKMukhZdHqTsjDAsbfAmpG25BkZ28BDWp-tAml17-zlVO0C9fXK_eiTOpJ6Ud8L9mx25U5SvppHhmnWbjCVrReNVu8Q-mPR8spWyswbGoGWXVs7q4TLDq4R8VMNMvJcxaPOUsQ/s1600/lessons+with+Dirk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-20JDeZKMukhZdHqTsjDAsbfAmpG25BkZ28BDWp-tAml17-zlVO0C9fXK_eiTOpJ6Ud8L9mx25U5SvppHhmnWbjCVrReNVu8Q-mPR8spWyswbGoGWXVs7q4TLDq4R8VMNMvJcxaPOUsQ/s320/lessons+with+Dirk.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Though the clouds are covering the mountains, the view is stunning.
There are elk in the valley just below the cabin and Aspen trees on all sides.
Inside, everything is warm and incredibly cozy. This is a place that just begs
you to relax. Joyce has been busy cooking and as we get ready for lunch, Dirk
arrives, having driven in from Denver. We also have a furry friend joining us
who enjoys ear scratches, which dog whisperer Taylor seems especially good at. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Lunch is delicious. The company and conversation is even more wonderful.
To add to the ambience, Brett has built a fire in the living room (in the
fireplace folks, not the actual room – he’s handy, not destructive). After
lunch, I step outside to enjoy the view and the doggy comes with me. I’m
immersed in watching the clouds roll in and I hear a loud warble to my left.
Bigfoot? Dirk says they’re up here but if you give them cookies they leave you
alone. Alas, I am sans cookies. But there’s no bigfoot in sight. It seems our
furry friend is in need of rescuing, he’s gotten stuck on the steps and can’t
get up or down. I grab him and go back inside. Some of the group are relaxing
while others choose to get adventurous. Dirk and Joyce have traveled
extensively and he’s picked up some interesting things along the way. One of
these things is called an At-latyl. It’s a spear throwing device used in many
different cultures. Dirk offers to teach us how to use it and Brett and Daniel
jump at the chance. The rain has now turned to snow, but opera singers are
brave; the elements do not stop them. Unless you take into account our recent
production of <i>The Magic Flute</i> and
then The Elements stop everything… But, I digress. No, the elements do not stop
these opera singers. Especially not when your lovely hostess provides fuzzy hats
and warm jackets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqD_052UrcFUMP9lNke1p_TljpxAnKYiu1ps3a8CTNosSuRwweBQ2QCpIzgg1BrG_aOf3u0sB_d-l_732njRPFV2JAR4fTovIT0NR7nd-QqDCUZXaQ7SNwGW48ywf3ykQS7BTgpYUQNws/s1600/Beaver+man+throweth.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqD_052UrcFUMP9lNke1p_TljpxAnKYiu1ps3a8CTNosSuRwweBQ2QCpIzgg1BrG_aOf3u0sB_d-l_732njRPFV2JAR4fTovIT0NR7nd-QqDCUZXaQ7SNwGW48ywf3ykQS7BTgpYUQNws/s320/Beaver+man+throweth.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The goal is to throw the spear about 30-feet and hit a hay bale that Joyce
has set up for this as well as archery. What ensues over the next 30-minutes is
a combination of fun, fear and awe. Fun, because it’s delightful to watch Dirk
teach the guys how the contraption works and because they are truly enjoying
themselves. Fear, because they are holding and throwing something with a pointy
tip and I am in the vicinity. Awe, because they actually do it; and do it well.
Brett has great form and after just a few tries, gets the spear into the hay
bale. Daniel’s form is reminiscent of the Olympic Games of old. He lofts one of
the spears so far that we have to join forces to find it. As Joyce, Daniel and
Brett search the forest; I find it covered in snow just inches away from the
hay bale. This is a “finders keepers” moment that I will let pass…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-t8Al1h662p03hsmGHF45RqKqIx9Fdg9q40kY5as2SZfhJyy0xBaK_rsKvShM_asPLWpQ-68E0ohJuDvXUBkM5aRDkM7vuHNmju7NEeKWUPQnUnxUYYZnF9HeubK0tBeqsSOaaqx4JUY/s1600/cozy+twins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-t8Al1h662p03hsmGHF45RqKqIx9Fdg9q40kY5as2SZfhJyy0xBaK_rsKvShM_asPLWpQ-68E0ohJuDvXUBkM5aRDkM7vuHNmju7NEeKWUPQnUnxUYYZnF9HeubK0tBeqsSOaaqx4JUY/s320/cozy+twins.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dz5_4xSXVFDiPNMBgCLAmyV5Ha05pBaElyql5L8MqoZljT6xolQDVVZMSL-OAPGKiAiOcqs3Tte74XE_hTa6Lr0ENw9cp64feiyt1pAjhDNeO8I9zIviHWwksE0GBIvk6PmpXaqziOU/s1600/our+lady+Joyce.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dz5_4xSXVFDiPNMBgCLAmyV5Ha05pBaElyql5L8MqoZljT6xolQDVVZMSL-OAPGKiAiOcqs3Tte74XE_hTa6Lr0ENw9cp64feiyt1pAjhDNeO8I9zIviHWwksE0GBIvk6PmpXaqziOU/s320/our+lady+Joyce.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The snow is really coming down now and we decide to move inside. Andrew
looks like a mountain man on hiatus and Leah and Katherine have curled up in a
chair by the fireplace and are very cozy. So cozy that Leah has fallen asleep. The
rest of our party spends the time talking and listening to Dirk tell stories
about the history of the area. Let me tell you, our Mr. deRoos can weave a mighty
fine yarn (it’s a way of saying he’s good a telling stories, not actually
turning fibrous materials into yarn). It’s absolutely fascinating and draws
forth even our sleeping beauty Leah. Joyce has one last treat in store. She’s
pulling out all the stops. We’ve got ice cream and all the toppings. While we
are enjoying our treat and the hospitality, the weather begins to clear. *Sigh*
It’s time for us to leave and head to Nathrop. I snap a group photo to
commemorate the afternoon and then we say our goodbyes. How do you thank people
for sharing their home with you? Their hospitality? When you live the nomadic
life of an artist, it’s times like this that provide that sense of home that
you miss. They are rare, which makes them all the more precious. We are deeply grateful
Joyce and Dirk. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We hit the road and, though it’s still raining, the weather has lifted a
bit. We make a pit stop in Buena Vista for groceries for the next several days.
We’ll be making Nathrop our home base and driving to locations all around for
performances. It just so happens that we’re staying at a place that has natural
hot springs. As part of the arrangement I made for lodging, we’re performing an
A&E for the guests tonight – well, maybe. I got a call earlier today telling
me they can’t locate a keyboard. I got that call after we had already left
town, so we can’t even offer to bring ours. It’s kind of an essential item for
opera. They called again at the grocery store and it’s not looking good. I
haven’t said anything to the group yet; I’m still hoping it works out. Groceries
purchased, we drive to Nathrop and get checked in. As we get settled, I connect
with my contact here and they haven’t been able to find a keyboard, so
tonight’s performance is off. We can’t reschedule either as the location is
already booked for other events on the nights that we’ll be here. Boo! They’re
disappointed and honestly, so are we. It would have been fun to perform in a
new location for new people – that’s part of the reason we’re staying here. The
manager promises that we’ll try again next year. They have plans to buy a piano
or a keyboard for the new reception hall. She also says that our agreement for
a lodging discount still stands. Well, that makes things a bit better. The
gesture is appreciated. We try very hard to make thoughtful decisions about our
budgets. Lodging expenses are a necessary part of tour and they can add up
quickly. I try to find opportunities to lessen the cost of lodging so that the
funding we have can go as far as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With an unexpected free evening, everyone does their own thing. There is
no cell service here and limited internet, so even I have to take some time off
and unplug. Leah, Katherine and Brett decide to go to the hot springs, Taylor grabs
dinner at the restaurant on-site and then also partakes of the aquatic
amenities. Andrew and Daniel decide to drive to nearby Poncha Springs and visit
the Elevation Brewing Company. I… decide to finish the blog for the day and
then read. A luxury, I assure you. As I sit in the lounge area and blog about
the day, the quiet little space I had set up for myself suddenly becomes a din
of chaos. We’re being invaded… by teenagers. Busloads of them. They’re on their
senior trip. I decide to head to my room and tuck in – quietly laughing at the
hormonal energy of teens on a co-ed trip to the hot springs. Readers, there is
an entire blog in what I witnessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tomorrow we head to Fairplay to perform at the elementary school. Our
performances the next 3-days are being sponsored by the Breckenridge Music in
the Schools program. The weather is supposed to be pretty dicey overnight, so
we’re hoping we don’t get all of the snow they’re predicting. We’re got kids
waiting to see opera! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Today has been a day of wonderful memories with special people and an
evening of unexpected downtime. The downtime is ending; the memories…? We’ll
continue making those. We’ve got a full week of performances and workshops
ahead of us and on Thursday, lunch with Young Artist Liaison, Steve Dilts. The
rain has picked up again and the temp is dropping. I bid the others goodnight
and turn in. Like the proverbial At-latyl, it’s time for me to hit the hay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-61484369744703425012015-05-19T09:41:00.001-06:002015-05-19T09:41:47.447-06:002015 Greater Colorado Tour – Days 5 and 6 <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Friday, May 15, 2015 – Saturday, May 16, 2015</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Good morning readers. In an effort to keep you abreast of all of the
tour happenings, I’ll be blogging about days 5 and 6 in this installment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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May 15<sup>th</sup></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLsF5qQZMn9DQNIq9g7j-Ggh3tyVykUx2Fxu97QGi1Q_3Q6Cja0IWupHI3OOCBQg3arXw8-gKPf4Y3zaSxqG-eAxQx9A9Gk2QZg9535U5wx6xbff_iZ7JuSjaa3Te5WItSxq6wkuoBMc/s1600/Leah%252C+Katherine+and+Tiger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLsF5qQZMn9DQNIq9g7j-Ggh3tyVykUx2Fxu97QGi1Q_3Q6Cja0IWupHI3OOCBQg3arXw8-gKPf4Y3zaSxqG-eAxQx9A9Gk2QZg9535U5wx6xbff_iZ7JuSjaa3Te5WItSxq6wkuoBMc/s320/Leah%252C+Katherine+and+Tiger.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Winter is coming. Either that or Colorado is experiencing its first
typhoon. Skies are dark and look really threatening and it’s raining; pouring
actually. This, of course, on the day that we have the longest drive of tour.
We have to get from Carbondale to Pueblo. We had hoped to take Independence
Pace to save some time (and secretly Brett likes to watch me white-knuckle the
drive; not so secretly Taylor wanted to clap for avalanches), but it’s still
closed for the season, so we have to take the longer route. Everyone meets up
in the lobby to load the car and I am greeted by Leah, Katherine and a furry
friend. No, it’s not Brett. Seems we have a hotel mascot. Her name is Tiger and
she’s a sucker for a belly rub. But, who isn’t really? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After playing with the puppy for a bit, I sprint to the car to bring it
around and manage to get soaked in the process. As I try and drip dry, Leah,
packing champion, loads the luggage. We make a quick detour to get gas and then
we hit the road – let the drive begin. It’s ladies day behind the wheel at the
moment; I am driving the pseudo-Yukon and Katherine is driving the van with
Leah and her copilot. That means that I’ve got a car full of guys all to myself
– this should be fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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again. People are driving like they’ve left their fine motor skills at home.
When traveling is like this, I need to talk or sing or something; to find some
way to make the drive the least bit enjoyable. Copilot Brett does a great job
at this. He’s pulling everything out of his bag of tricks to entertain me. The
other guys… they’re sleeping, listening to their own tunes or learning new
music. The scenery is still beautiful. It’s incredibly green here too, in the
valley as around Glenwood Springs. The clouds are so low; you can’t even see
most of the mountains. As we approach Avon, the traffic gets worse, the weather
is still bad and I need a break. As copilot Brett navigates us to a local
Starbucks, I narrowly miss getting into two accidents because apparently turn
signals are factory options. Finally parked, I take a deep breath, and Brett
takes the keys. He’ll be the pilot for the rest of this particular trip. I’ve
had enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We grab a quick cup of coffee and I check on the girls to make sure
they’re OK in the van. They’re doing great. We get back on the road. Within
minutes Brett has to navigate around people who are hydroplaning (their cars,
not the people themselves), a bridge construction project that brings traffic
to a halt and, when we get moving again, debris in the road. The back of a
truck fell off and was in the road. How exactly does that happen? I assumed when
they marked vehicles as ready for consumer use, that all the large parts were
firmly attached… The driver of said truck decided it would be a good idea to
walk out into the road, in front of us, to pick it up. Today’s drive will be
brought to you by the makers of Advil. We trudge on. We turn off of I-70 and
make our way up to Leadville. While traffic is better, the weather gets worse
and pretty soon, it’s snowing so hard Brett can’t see more than a few feet in
front of him. This is also because we’ve gotten behind a semi the size of a
blue whale. Brett apparently knows the driver because he keeps referring to him
by his given name; Bubba. The roads are still just wet, so it’s slow, but not
icy. By the time we get to the summit, we are actually in the clouds. Off in
the distance we can see the bridge that spans a ravine we’re about to cross and
hear Daniel exclaim, “Oh god.” Not sure if that was out of joy or fear, I ask.
It was both. These are some pretty intense conditions for our Florida boy.
Bubba pulls off before the bridge so visibility is a bit better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The weather clears for a bit and we get to see some of the fourteeners that run
the length of the valley. It’s gorgeous. For about 5-minutes. Then we get hit
with the worst weather yet; white-out conditions with really heavy wind. Thank you Mother Nature but I will save my
blizzards for when I go to Dairy Queen. It’s May! In Colorado… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Brett doesn’t miss a beat. He makes sure he has Kathrine (who is also
handling things beautifully) right behind him and he gets us safely into
Leadville. Time to stop and eat lunch. We park downtown and walk around for a
bit. We’re not really wearing appropriate artic attire, but thankfully our
Opera Colorado jackets are warm! Six of us choose a local spot called Doc’s,
but Daniel takes a diversion and chooses the saloon next door. There’s a sign
that calls it the “best western saloon in America,” he couldn’t pass it up. Food
and a break from the cars make a huge difference in not only our mood, but the
weather. By the time we leave Leadville, the weather has cleared and there’s
some blue sky. Andrew takes over driving the van and Leah moves to the tank.
Brett, having proven his mettle behind the wheel, drives the rest of the way.
We’re now on the way to Buena Vista, then to Salida, then Canon City and
finally Pueblo. There’s more weather and more debris (including cans of black
beans), but we make it to Pueblo safely. We check into the hotel and after a
break, we decide to walk to a local Irish Pub for dinner. It’s a good call.
There are pipers! Pipers in kilts! I’m in my element now. The food’s great and
after the drive today, it’s nice to be able to just sit and relax. (If you
caught that I have now equated listening to bagpipes as relaxing, you will
fully grasp what today’s drive was like) Andrew, Leah and Katherine are chair
dancing to the piper’s tunes, which is truly something to watch. Andrew’s got
moves. Taylor is especially happy, ranking the quality of the food we’ve had on
tour this week. This rates right up there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We head back to the hotel so everyone can have the rest of the night to
themselves. I’m really glad that I planned for today to be all about driving
and we don’t have a performance. Tomorrow’s a doozy. We’ve got a double bill of
<i>Hansel and Gretel</i> at the Sangre de
Cristo Arts Center and I always look forward to playing in new venues. I’ll
actually get to do a lighting plot for the shows which will be fun. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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it’s an honest glimpse of what life on the road can be like. Days aren’t easy
and not always fun. The thing that keeps us going is the belief in what we do.
Opera matters, so we’ll keep driving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>Saturday,
May 16<sup>th</sup></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Busy day today! We’re up and out the door by 9:00. We have a double bill
of <i>Hansel and Gretel</i> and then a drive
back to Denver. Luckily our hotel was just across the street from the Sangre de
Cristo Arts Center, so we get to the location quickly. Brett and I go into the
theater and meet our crew for the day and figure out the set up details. Andrew
gets the van to the loading dock and the process begins. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJO3ApkukKLx21WKSo__bWxX77wXxAI9NAmP53FmtCgTu6SSmNp37Q8JT_yEeovpMRoZn63wyhEVlOySvVMJVWuLXcyTLx4xJxXcdoSB_IU4r3uesMj-HQZCG2dn_LZ6IaGRLNue19K_c/s1600/H%2526G+at+Sangre+de+Cristo+Arts+Center.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJO3ApkukKLx21WKSo__bWxX77wXxAI9NAmP53FmtCgTu6SSmNp37Q8JT_yEeovpMRoZn63wyhEVlOySvVMJVWuLXcyTLx4xJxXcdoSB_IU4r3uesMj-HQZCG2dn_LZ6IaGRLNue19K_c/s320/H%2526G+at+Sangre+de+Cristo+Arts+Center.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We actually have stage hands today and they’re a wonderful perk. What is
not wonderful is the fact that we’ve somehow left our road bag, with all of our
spike tape and other necessities, in Carbondale. This makes for an unhappy
Director. At least we’re in a theater where they have some items in stock that
we can use. They’re able to help us with the basics and we have the set up in
no time. It’s a bit tricky to figure out the piano location and Taylor ends up
partially behind the set once the wings are opened. It’s the best we can do
though, so we’ll just have to make it work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">While everyone gets themselves settled and into costume and makeup, I
work out a lighting plot with our production manager. It’s such a treat to have
lighting to work with. We lay out a plot where the colors will change to
represent day to night and then use pink to represent the world of the Witch.
Lighting set, I go and meet with the house manager to get front of house
details organized and then head backstage. Everyone is in costume, but they’re
quiet. Morning shows take a bit of getting used to. Once they hear the
audience’s response, they’ll have much more energy. As we wait for show time, I
head downstairs to use the dressing room area. On the way, I see that there’s a
ballet studio and it’s filled with bumble bees. Little girls, probably about 3
or 4 years old in yellow tutus with striped tops. Antenna and everything. They
are absolutely precious. Taylor comes up with the idea to have them run across
the stage as we change the set to the forest scene. For the cuteness factor
alone – I actually considered it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Time for show #1. I go out to do the pre-curtain speech. There are lots
of little ones in the theater. I always tell them about a special word they can
say if they like the opera. As I wrap up the comments, counting down 3, 2, 1, I
hear a tiny little voice shout “bravo.” It sounded more like “bwavoh.” The
cuteness factor just got raised. The first performance is underway. There are
some fumbles, but it’s a good show. The energy is a little low but it picks up
about halfway through. After bows, I go out and facilitate the Q&A session.
We get good questions – little inquiring minds want to know if the candy is
real, how they can sing like that and why the Witch is a boy. Seems like the
fact that Hansel is sung by Katherine isn’t as noticeable. We wave to the audience,
reset for the top of the show and take a break for lunch. We’re being pampered
today; lunch is being delivered to us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KGTds4xCw363VdNBZDdS5y0csAED3HC97WjQP_6OsG6pFgDcDAdFQf4reSBWBda62MXcMV86i-0__2aqUAAbmEi-695_TQn1JtndNstLwqOScjhW5R8TRWANKm3VGFGK3vv6qsaSJ30/s1600/Scottish+eggs+in+Pueblo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KGTds4xCw363VdNBZDdS5y0csAED3HC97WjQP_6OsG6pFgDcDAdFQf4reSBWBda62MXcMV86i-0__2aqUAAbmEi-695_TQn1JtndNstLwqOScjhW5R8TRWANKm3VGFGK3vv6qsaSJ30/s320/Scottish+eggs+in+Pueblo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">During lunch, Andrew does impressions, my favorite being the Queen of
the Night, and Katherine strokes Leah’s hair as she ponders what her spirit
animal is. She decides on a cat. She says that Katherine is a dog because she
is loyal. Now, this is interesting. You see, the group has given Katherine the
nickname of Kitty. More specifically, Kitty-cat, which is followed by a meow.
It only seems fitting then that Katherine does not wish to be a dog. She has an
affinity for horses, which are also loyal, so that works. Brett then teaches
Leah how to spray water out of her mouth – you know, the classic spit take. She
makes a valiant effort which is displayed on Daniel’s shoes and finally creates
the effect she was going for. Hey… it could come in handy. You never know when
you’ll need a good spit take in opera.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Enough goofing around, it’s time for show #2. We have a 5-minute hold and
then I’m on stage for the pre-curtain speech. We’ve got a bigger crowd for this
show, the kids are a bit older and there are quite a few adults too. As things
get started, I know right away that this show will have more energy. The
audience is responding with more laughter and applause. I watch for a bit from
the upper level and, I have to say, this show, under lighting, looks fabulous.
Brett gets big laughs for his antics as the Witch and as we reach bows, the
audience is cheering. There are some memorable moments during the Q&A; one
little guy, who was 3, asked about dinosaurs. He would like to know why there
are no dinosaurs in our show. Well my man… gingerbread raptors are an
interesting concept and I will keep it in mind. We get asked why we chose this
show, which I answer, and then a young lady asks us if we’ve ever “tried
frozen.” Now, I have a fairly well-developed ability to decipher the language
of children, but this one stumped me. Was she asking me if I wanted frozen
yogurt? Maybe she though the show needed to be set in winter. Nope. She wanted
to know if we have considered the Disney movie Frozen as an opera. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Double bill completed, it’s time for load out. Many hands make light
work and we’re done in about 30-minutes. It’s time to hit the road and make the
drive back to Denver. Brett is acting as pilot again today, looking lovely in
his leftover eyeliner (he’s failed to get all of the Witch off) and Andrew is
driving the van with Leah and his copilot. The weather isn’t bad, but we hit
rain around Colorado Springs. We also hit traffic. Our 2-hour drive turns into
a 3-hour drive but the others manage to sleep through it. I entertain Brett as
best I can, but he’s better at it that I am. Still, we make it back, safe and
sound. Everyone grabs their stuff and we bid each other goodbye for all of 24-hours.
We’re heading out for week 2 on Monday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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the opportunity to experience it. Tour is hard work with long hours. Opera is
intensely physically and mentally demanding . We’re tired. But… you know what
readers? We ready for more. Here’s to week #2!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nighty-night,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-44399661949275403052015-05-15T15:31:00.002-06:002015-05-15T15:31:30.403-06:002015 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Thursday, May 14, 2015</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Happy Thursday readers! Its day 4 of tour already. You know what that means... time is flying.
We’re up at a fairly leisurely pace for us this morning. That basically means
that we’re not up with the sun, showering while warming up or packing the car
while eating breakfast. That’s a luxury. We have a long day today, so we’re
getting a little (and by little I mean about 1-hour) later start than usual so
the group could get some extra rest. We’ve started to get into a rhythm and we
all chip in with completing the check out “to do” list, getting the luggage
into the car and doing one final sweep of the cabin to make sure we don’t leave
anything behind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18cWDteg-lQh3CggCDVDpn8J4fMHU7Rfun92ud6ALRHse-F4FFqhRIG3hf_yWut4Y0SbFUN7pDGRwsSnSi9MgHe80DX8Y2wWQ8Wt44GWQe48XsfXwbRvfX4PM6EVX-wiP437w1OzHuCc/s1600/Paonia+valley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18cWDteg-lQh3CggCDVDpn8J4fMHU7Rfun92ud6ALRHse-F4FFqhRIG3hf_yWut4Y0SbFUN7pDGRwsSnSi9MgHe80DX8Y2wWQ8Wt44GWQe48XsfXwbRvfX4PM6EVX-wiP437w1OzHuCc/s320/Paonia+valley.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On the road we go and begin the drive to our next stop on tour,
Carbondale. It’s cloudy and cool today; there’s a chance for rain or snow. It’s
just Colorado in the spring. Weather notwithstanding, I think it’s going to be
a great day. We have a long but beautiful drive ahead of us, a workshop with
students and then a performance of <i>Romeo
& Juliet.</i> As the drive gets underway, it appears that this is going to
be wildlife spotting day. Just minutes outside of Lake City we see deer and a
large herd of elk. Katherine spots yet another animal and calls it out so that
we also can partake of the enjoyment of seeing the wildlife; “horsies.” Yes,
each time we pass horses in a field, or even a corral, Katherine informs us in
this manner. There’s an additional element which you readers sadly can’t
appreciate because each “horsey” is accompanied by a giggle. Katherine has
another skill related to animals. She can tell happy cows from sad cows. Leah,
ever the eager student, asks Katherine to impart her knowledge. Soon, each
pasture we drive by is a lesson in how to determine the emotional state of the
bovine occupants. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysh01YKq7Q0wDexMdCE5_FANEHSW1cZAZNFpa3-vfCfxUa9mi85qVZazcu27fkbLs8KKlIUyTgwhmm0ayolWrwGef3mG0pzdZcFQMZ0FijQeBb7DjxZqZ3l-05raero9U1fyJqhDn8Vs/s1600/Black+Canyone+2015_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysh01YKq7Q0wDexMdCE5_FANEHSW1cZAZNFpa3-vfCfxUa9mi85qVZazcu27fkbLs8KKlIUyTgwhmm0ayolWrwGef3mG0pzdZcFQMZ0FijQeBb7DjxZqZ3l-05raero9U1fyJqhDn8Vs/s320/Black+Canyone+2015_2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Brett is acting as copilot while I drive this first leg of the trip and
he’s located a county road that will save us some time. The turn comes up
quicker than expected (our GPS lady is polite but her reaction time is
questionable), but we make it. Andrew and Daniel are following in the van.
Thankfully Andrew’s reaction time is better than the GPS lady. It’s a dirt
road, but it’s in decent shape. There are “horsies” and happy cows and the road
parallels the river. It’s quite a lovely setting. I again think, this is going
to be a great day. The road begins to narrow a bit and we get to a junction. We
see a sign that reads “landslide area” but it’s the direction that we need to go
and the GPS shows that the road in indeed open, so we proceed. The road grows narrower still but we keep
going. Finally, the GPS lady tells us to take the next turn on the right so
that we can meet up with the road that will take us to the main highway. So,
copilot Brett and I look for the turn off to our right. Nothing to the right
and the river is to the left. Maybe it’s a bit further down the road than the
GPS lady thinks. Copilot Brett agrees. I keep driving. The road narrows again;
now you could touch the rocks on either side of the car by leaning out of the
windows. Taylor offers the sage advice that if it starts to rain, we should
head to higher ground. Its then that I realize we’re in a very narrow, steep
canyon with a swiftly flowing river. Now, I’m getting a bit nervous and it
doesn’t help that copilot Brett is whistling the theme from Deliverance.
Thankfully, the GPS lady’s voice comes on and says… “At the next available
spot, please make a U-turn.” There’s a group outcry at this, but we agree to
turn around and look for that turn again. We missed it somehow. Andrew, Daniel
and copilot Brett get the van turned around. I over hear Andrew say something
about a sign he saw, but when I ask copilot Brett about it, he smiles and says
“it’s all good.” He and Taylor help me turn
the tank around and we head back. We arrive at the exact spot that the GPS lady
says to turn. Only… there’s no turn. Turn…? There’s no ROAD. Nothing even
resembling a road. Perplexed, all we can do is head back out the way we came in
and take the longer route. (It’s not until later that I find out that Andrew
saw a sign that said the road had been closed due to a landslide. Based on the
state of the “road” I can only assume that happened sometime in the Jurassic
period.) Copilot Brett feels terrible; this was his call after all. But really,
it was no big deal and we learned a valuable lesson; Copilot Brett is not
psychic. He cannot see into the future to determine if GPS lady’s roads exist
or not. So, we extended our drive by about 20-minutes. We got to see some
beautiful scenery and now we have a story to tell about tour. It’s still going
to be a good day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxIjXUjg6uXK6iJvwKZslFactu6qXHVApM1_tO9l9B1LxGT_eoBOt0R86rmyjiCcnHYFtT6-9KEsRRCBQNagOC1WSRi2EUYyGjJApMVCVSef1kIg5iMRAtWgyI0clz5ssTVINr2rtDlU/s1600/intrepid+explorers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxIjXUjg6uXK6iJvwKZslFactu6qXHVApM1_tO9l9B1LxGT_eoBOt0R86rmyjiCcnHYFtT6-9KEsRRCBQNagOC1WSRi2EUYyGjJApMVCVSef1kIg5iMRAtWgyI0clz5ssTVINr2rtDlU/s320/intrepid+explorers.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Leah is very intuitive and she can sense that there’s a bit of stress in
the car. She does her best to alleviate this by telling us a story. The story
is based on us, though, to protect our identities, Leah has changed our names.
The characters in the story are Sunshine, Rhett, Cobbler, Doggy and Poops.
(I’ll let you readers see if you can figure out who is who) The story is about
5 people on a car trip; only one of them is a ghost. Good. Thank you Leah, we
all feel much better now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We stop for a much needed break and then begin the drive through the
Black Canyon of the Gunnison. This is one of my favorite drives in Colorado.
Pictures don’t do it justice. We see more wildlife here; a wild turkey and a
marmot. The aspens are just beginning to leaf. Brett and I sound like kids
watching fireworks as we “ooh” and “aah” at each new vista. We’re even
selecting the appropriate background music to enhance the experience. (What do
you think we listened to readers?) We reach the scenic overlook and we stop so
everyone can snap a few pictures and stretch their legs. Back in the car, we munch
on snacks and head over the canyon into the valley near Hotchkiss and into
Paonia. The views in the valley are stunning too. Everything is so green – that
rain and snow did a good job. The lakes are full and the rivers are running
high. Appetites are also running high, so we stop in Paonia for lunch. Some of
us head to a local diner and others hit a farm to table café. We head back to
the cars and Brett moves from copilot to pilot so I can take a break from
driving. He communicates with the GPS lady to get directions to our final
destination and there’s a problem. Having made this drive before, I know we’re
about 1 hr. 10 min. from Carbondale. That leaves us with enough time to get
there, check into our hotel and then get to the performance location before I
have to start leading the workshop. Well… according to the GPS lady, the drive
will take 1 hr. 40 min., putting us behind schedule. What happened. Time again?
Wormhole? Copilot Brett’s ill-fated drive to the road that did not exist? Nope.
Rock scaling work on the highway and it’s not something we can get around. Oh
well. There’s nothing we can do about it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We head down the highway and, sure enough, we arrive at the roadwork and
traffic comes to a complete stop. I spend the time snapping pictures of
beautiful Colorado and of a partially amused Brett. We have to wait for a while
and when we finally start moving, we’re way more than 40-minutes behind
schedule. We still have to get over McClure Pass and the valley beyond. Again,
there’s nothing we can do about it, so we just keep on truckin’. The scenery
just gets more and more amazing – it’s still going to be an OK day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGpXtz6x2WxnMdt4B8LMRiEcLEfCSgG__Cn6D91lg0WTXuHj3iuPBF2c-yNS_zL7NEcK2HP7t4QZkmc4jdT9yyEBjCutIcYafof1pXE7VUIr9cLpCBCUqwt2sYXZVs4ab5P2RyGGleMk/s1600/McClure+Pass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGpXtz6x2WxnMdt4B8LMRiEcLEfCSgG__Cn6D91lg0WTXuHj3iuPBF2c-yNS_zL7NEcK2HP7t4QZkmc4jdT9yyEBjCutIcYafof1pXE7VUIr9cLpCBCUqwt2sYXZVs4ab5P2RyGGleMk/s320/McClure+Pass.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On the way over the pass, Brett and I see a field full of white stones.
Odd. Never seen so many white stones… oh, wait. They’re moving. Those aren’t
stones at all. The entire field is full of sheep. Hundreds of them. Baby ones
too. Brett questions what we are seeing, “What the flock?” Yes, our Brett;
lover of puns. The valley just beyond McClure Pass is greener that I have ever
seen it. There are waterfalls, little streams and flowers blooming everywhere.
There are also lots of ‘horsies’ and very happy cows. As we pull into the final
stretch of our drive, we see another animal off to the side of the road. This
is epic readers. By this sighting, we may have just missed answering a question
that has perplexed man for ages. Why did the chicken cross the road? We
couldn’t stop and ask him. We have places to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Brett has done a great job as pilot; he’s made up considerable time (no,
he hasn’t been speeding; at least not the whole time). We pull into Carbondale
in time for him to drop me off at the workshop/performance location so I can
get ready while the others go check into the hotel. Then they’ll make their way
back so they can set up and eventually take part in the workshop. As I enter
the location, there’s a sign about tonight’s performance of <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>. I meet up with my
contacts Amy and Jennifer, who are both fabulous and work tremendously hard to
make sure the arts are a big part of people’s lives here in Carbondale. Thank
you for all you do ladies and for your support in getting us here!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHMEZ0VHIQFlBjHykBPspreu4krWiApP9aPs6eYbdrYcO0Ohsp-YuFDMY7NvA4AwFeHQ057EaNNznAKVPJxcUKT1iChvGXXJ_T3m18R3zITGyvNl3W2T9f0kmeouaN_Jim2EYMiy8eAo/s1600/Brett+at+SOL+workshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHMEZ0VHIQFlBjHykBPspreu4krWiApP9aPs6eYbdrYcO0Ohsp-YuFDMY7NvA4AwFeHQ057EaNNznAKVPJxcUKT1iChvGXXJ_T3m18R3zITGyvNl3W2T9f0kmeouaN_Jim2EYMiy8eAo/s320/Brett+at+SOL+workshop.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I get myself set for the workshop. Today, I’ll be working with students
who are part of the SOL Theater Company. They range in age from elementary
school – high school and teaching a workshop to multiple ages will be a
challenge. The Young Artists and Taylor get back just as the students begin
arriving. We hold the workshop for a few minutes to wait for some latecomers,
so I let them watch how the Young Artists put the set together. With a cue from
Jennifer that all the students have arrived, I start the workshop. Taylor joins
me and we start with the Name Game for an ice breaker. I know right away that
we’re going to have a good class. The kids are incredibly creative and invested
in learning everything they can about performance skills. The Young Artists
join us as they finish setting up for <i>Romeo
& Juliet</i>. I begin a game called “environment” where the students have
to react physically and emotionally to whatever settings I call out. I give
them things like “on the moon,” “across broken glass,” or “in a bowl of chewed
up bubble gum.” It’s during this last one that something hilarious happens. One
of the girls in the class comes up with perhaps the most creative way to
address this environment that I have ever seen. She gets Brett to give her a
piggyback ride. He plays his part well
and the duo makes it safely to less squishy ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As the workshop ends, we spend time on expressing emotions in a way
that’s big enough for the stage. Then we take questions from the students.
Their questions are just like them, thoughtful and focused. These kids are
serious about the performing arts. They ask a question about how to handle
rejection when you don’t get the part you want. It’s here that the Young Artists
and Taylor shine. They are encouraging and supportive, but they’re honest too. They
talk about putting the focus on being as prepared as you can and always doing
your best. The rest, you take as it comes. It’s not easy but it is something
you have to be prepared to deal with if you want a career in the performing
arts. Instead of being put off by this answer, it’s clear the students
appreciate hearing the truth. Questions keep coming in and we answer as many as
we can. We have to end the class, but we stay behind and talk to the students
one on one so that no one leaves without getting their questions answered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s time for a break for dinner before tonight’s show. I drop everyone
off downtown and then Brett helps me get checked into the hotel. I grab what I
need for tonight but we don’t have a lot of time, so I scramble around as quickly
as I can and… I lock my keys in the room. Yes indeed this is going to be… has
been… a day. I’ll deal with it later. We head back downtown and grab something
to eat (fabulous Thai food). As we’re dining, I’m unable to engage in
conversation. No – I am not still wishing that we had stayed to watch that darn
chicken – there is a man in the restaurant who is wearing a duck bill on his
head and a hotdog costume. He is holding up the cut out of an elephant’s head,
people take his picture and then, he leaves. Moments after that a couple comes
in. She’s wearing something that looks like Raggedy Anne met Brünnhilde and
he’s wearing a Superman onesie. What is happening and do I need to fear for my
safety? No. The town is holding a scavenger hunt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZgkYMirk4zF4d3jTsr03YjBRsM6Q9XMNmusFG9YVAkMWxBOMZ-ZpgcmHIHlxcahivlJDtgPLY46M6KUP0dUJ5-Iyp6ZpmLfXikZg8eVk02axHm6PITKg4PBI4rN3fHyyIgJ4lqMSg5g/s1600/Carbondale+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZgkYMirk4zF4d3jTsr03YjBRsM6Q9XMNmusFG9YVAkMWxBOMZ-ZpgcmHIHlxcahivlJDtgPLY46M6KUP0dUJ5-Iyp6ZpmLfXikZg8eVk02axHm6PITKg4PBI4rN3fHyyIgJ4lqMSg5g/s320/Carbondale+sign.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dinner break over, we head back to the performance location. I have the
Young Artists do a dialogue drill in the car and Taylor helps move things along
by making piano sounds. As soon as we arrive, we do a fight call and then run
over any sections in the score that we need to so everyone is comfortable. As
the audience arrives, we sequester ourselves in the green hallway (for it is
not an actual room). I talk with the Young Artists before they go on. This is
the last <i>Romeo & Juliet</i> that we
have this season and the production will be retired for a while after this.
I’ve pushed them incredibly hard on this show; challenged them dramatically. I
tell them to just go out there and tell the story; to enjoy the moment. We hold
for 15-minutes because people are still arriving and more chairs have to be set
up. Finally, Amy begins the opening remarks and then I go out and do the
opening narration. Daniel takes over with the Shakespeare prologue and the show
begins. I know in the first 10-minutes that this is not only going to be a good
show, but the audience is enthralled. They are laughing at every funny moment,
reacting with audible sighs in the love duets and shock in the fight scene. The
Young Artists take that energy and deliver one of the finest performances
they’ve given all year. We reach the death scene and I can hear people crying.
They’re not the only ones. This time, they got me too and that doesn’t happen
often. Brett’s death scene as Romeo is stunning and wrenching; Leah is a
heartbreaking Juliet. You can hear a pin drop as Taylor lets the final notes
ring. This is what I wanted; for this final <i>Romeo
& Juliet </i>to showcase the Young Artists’ talent and Opera Colorado as an
organization in a way that says – THIS is what opera is. This is how it can
move you, inspire you, take you on a journey. That is what they did. I think
they’re all aware that the energy on stage tonight was special. It’s especially
poignant for Brett – this was his final Romeo with us as a Young Artist. It’s
been wonderful to watch him work in this role for the past two seasons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After bows, we do the Q&A session and get not only questions, but
people simply wanting to tell us how much they loved the performance and to
thank us for coming. Our hosts have arranged a reception for us so we take a
minute to catch our breath and then we spend time mingling with the audience.
This includes members of the Carbondale Council for the Arts who helped fund
our stop here and provided our lodging for tonight. We are so grateful for
their support! Over the next hour, we meet people who love opera, who have been
regular opera goers for years and who have never gone to an opera before. Every
single person we talk to has nothing but positive things to say about what they
just experienced. Notice I didn’t say, “what they saw.” Opera is not about going
to watch something on a stage. It’s something you experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I love talking to people about Opera Colorado and what we do. I also
love to watch the Young Artists in this setting. Leah and Katherine are being
hugged by some ladies who are still crying. Andrew is engaged in a very lively
conversation with a woman who saw her first opera last year when we came with
our production of <i>The Barber of Seville</i>.
She tells him that ever since she had that experience, she sings opera at home
because she can’t get enough. Daniel is talking with a couple who actually met
each other at Opera Colorado’s production of the <i>Tales of Hoffmann</i> in the 1980’s. She says that when she saw him at
the opera, she knew he was the one and 30 years later they’re still together.
Brett is talking to a woman who admits she has a massive crush on him; his
portrayal of Romeo stole her heart . She then pays me one of the best
compliments I have ever gotten as a Director. She tells me that I’ve converted
her. Turns out, she was one of those people who swore that she would never go
to the opera. She hated it. She came tonight because her neighbor organized the
reception and needed her help. She said this production and how it was handled
literally changed her mind about opera. That’s something that you hope for when
you’re putting a production together but you rarely hear. It’s humbling and
wonderful. She can’t wait to learn more about it. Brett gives her some
suggestions of operas she might like and we invite her to come see something at
the Ellie Caulkins Opera House so she can get the full experience. On her way
out the door, she has Opera Colorado’s website on her phone. We are asked back
over and over and I’m not allowed to make my exit until I promise to come back
next year. They want our touring production of <i>Carmen</i>, more workshops and this time, they want to bring us into
the schools with <i>Hansel and Gretel. </i>I
think we can make that happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We say our goodbyes and thank everyone for coming; for the amazing
reception, and then we begin the process of loading out. It’s really late and
it’s been a very long day, but the Young Artists are laughing and talking to
each other as they pack the van; still smiling in reaction to what they did
tonight. We get back to the hotel, I get a new key, set the plan for tomorrow
then we head to bed. Andrew decides to go to the gym, so I fully expect to find
him passed out on the elliptical machine tomorrow morning. Tomorrow will be
another long day but it will be all driving. We have to get to Pueblo for
back-to-back performances of <i>Hansel and
Gretel</i> at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center on Saturday. Time for me to turn
in as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Seems I was right… it was a great day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sleep well readers, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-71002356245476647482015-05-14T16:50:00.003-06:002015-05-14T16:50:47.371-06:002015 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 3<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Wednesday, May 13, 2015</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Good morning readers. Well, we did not have any bear visits, but we
apparently have a Sasquatch in the house. At least that’s what it sounded like
at 1:00AM. I looked to my bed guardians for protection as I heard footsteps
loudly tromping around and doors slamming. After some investigation, it turns
out it was only a nocturnal potty break. After grabbing what additional sleep I
can, I decide to get up and start the day. As I walk into the living room, I
see Leah curled up on the couch. Brett and Taylor are also up and Katherine
appears shortly thereafter. Next up is
Andrew and then Daniel. This would not be a group I would refer to as a morning
bunch. Coffee is prepared and slowly, eyes begin to open and, gradually, speech
becomes part of the equation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We get things into gear and head down to the theater to get ready for
the first of two workshops with the students of the Lake City Community School.
I have my plan in place and will tailor each session to how the students
respond to the first activity. While we wait for the first group to arrive, we
begin to load out some of the set pieces. Our first group is here; 4<sup>th</sup>
and 5<sup>th</sup> graders with a couple of middle school students as well. I
make introductions and go over what we’ll be doing as well as cover the rules
for today’s class. Interactive workshops are something that I tried out on tour
last year and it was a big success. We’ll be doing 4 workshops on tour this
year, so it seems to be something that’s in demand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I start off with a game called the “Name Game.” This is an icebreaker so
we can get to know each other a little better and I can get them outside of
their comfort zones in a fun way. It works liked I was hoping it would and we
can move on as I had planned. We play another game called “Machine” that’s
designed to help students collaborate and be creative; another game where they
have to guess each other’s emotions using facial expressions; we even do a game
where we talk about eye contact and how to introduce yourself. These are all
performance skills that we, as artists, apply on a daily basis. They are skills
that anyone can utilize in their lives. That’s one of the things I love about
the performing arts. They naturally teach you skills you need to know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We move into the theater and the students participate in a vocal
session. We do warm ups, talk about breathing, do some diction exercises and
tongue twisters. We get them signing with some fun scales and they’re doing
really well. Katherine does an exercise with them that is always a favorite
with kids. It’s called a siren. You start in the lowest register of your voice
and you slide up to the highest and then back down. It sounds… well… like a
siren. Their faces light up when Katherine does the example for them and then
they get more excited when they themselves get to do a siren a few times. Next,
Daniel and Katherine perform for the students. In contrast to what we do with
adult audiences where I explain the piece before they sing it, I don’t tell the
kids anything about what they will hear. I tell them I want them to watch and
listen and then tell me what they think the piece is about. I love doing this.
It’s amazing how much they grab by just watching. This is a great game to use
the next time you hear someone say that you can’t understand opera. They are
pretty surprised when the Young Artists tell them what they were actually
singing about and they see just how close they got. The kids were great to work
with. I was especially proud of a young man we had who is on the autism
spectrum. He participated in every game; even came up and shook our hands at
the end and said thank you. His teacher said it’s the first class he’s ever sat
through without having to leave. Way to go young man! It’s not something that
surprises me though. Music, specifically opera, connects with people in ways
you may not expect. I’ve seen it time and time again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfW-C53QTRuXmYy52cHIER3Cz_wvKJtVB9W9C2ILXWq7Xtcc3nZeXE9z_yhv3dbuai1SFw8BkahkAOgCUcQQe4jmja1I_6-4QGIVv6VtujJV_4cQcqZumoYKHGq1S3jkoSelNqEzwsXU/s1600/Leah,+Andrew,+Daniel+at+dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfW-C53QTRuXmYy52cHIER3Cz_wvKJtVB9W9C2ILXWq7Xtcc3nZeXE9z_yhv3dbuai1SFw8BkahkAOgCUcQQe4jmja1I_6-4QGIVv6VtujJV_4cQcqZumoYKHGq1S3jkoSelNqEzwsXU/s320/Leah,+Andrew,+Daniel+at+dinner.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The first workshop ends and we move on to our next item, lunch with our
host John Smith. We’re able to spend time talking about the community and its
history and getting to know a little more about John himself. Leah and John
quickly bond when they discover they’ve both spent a lot of time in Houston.
They talk about their favorite restaurants, best places to relax; you know the
important things. The food is good, the company is friendly and best of all,
the atmosphere is relaxed. You’ll never know how much we appreciate times like
this. Often, when we’re at receptions or dinners, we’re so busy talking about
what we do, we don’t always get a chance to relax and enjoy the time we have
with the people we’re meeting. John
snaps a group photo before we head off to our second workshop and he tells us
just how much our visits mean to this community. He says that we add value to
their lives. We were the very first opera company to perform here six years ago
and that relationship has continued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZefLpcT-QvS8NWnNW7S13rgMZfKFIBtmFF3pYJSBvVqzeRUelBVUAiz0gcSf_-kJ7qVYV4kFxxrwftsSUQ0sUc3A5TttyQeuzyvRYzM4yZ0S-6TYRM1InEKJcLstUqlSl9u7DAIKKjg/s1600/workshop+2+in+Lake+City_Machine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZefLpcT-QvS8NWnNW7S13rgMZfKFIBtmFF3pYJSBvVqzeRUelBVUAiz0gcSf_-kJ7qVYV4kFxxrwftsSUQ0sUc3A5TttyQeuzyvRYzM4yZ0S-6TYRM1InEKJcLstUqlSl9u7DAIKKjg/s320/workshop+2+in+Lake+City_Machine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Time again jumps forward and, just like that, we’re greeting our second
group of students; this time we have high school. I am running on empty. Few
people realize just how much energy you have to invest when you’re leading a
workshop; and I haven’t recovered from my Sasquatch interrupted sleep… Brett
takes the lead on a lot of this workshop so that I can focus my energy on
helping the students refine their skills through the games we play. High school
can be tricky. Sometimes they don’t want to participate in much of anything.
This group is not like that. After the icebreaker game, they are all in and
everyone, including us, is having a ball. Brett leads them though “Machine.” In
this game, students build a machine using themselves as the parts. Each person
chooses one sound and one accompanying movement that they can repeat and, bit
by bit, other people join in and a machine is built. It’s a game that teaches
collaboration, non-verbal communication, rhythm, focus and working together
towards a common goal; all skills we use every day in opera. During one round,
the students build a machine in space; in another they create a machine that
works in lava. It was hilarious to watch, but for me, as a director, there are
few things better than seeing creativity come to life. The more the students
get into it, the more excited Brett gets and that helps them to take risks and
try things outside of their comfort zone. The other Young Artists start
participating in the games too and pretty soon, we’ve got a room full of
creative artists. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After a few more games, we move back into the theater space and go
through the vocal portion of the workshop. We’ve got them singing in no time
and we’re giving them bigger challenges than our first group. One tongue
twister proves particularly difficult: “red leather, yellow leather, lavender
leather.” Oh, and you don’t just say it, you sing it on a scale. Taylor then
really gets them working vocally by singing the Do-Re-Mi scale but using
numbers and clapping. It was fabulous. We move on to the Young Artists singing
for the students and this time we talk about the role opera has played in
challenging people’s stereotypes. Katherine sings a pants role aria from <i>Romeo & Juliet</i> and Brett does the
Witch’s aria from <i>Hansel and Gretel. </i>Without
any help from us, the students grab the stories and characters right away. We
end the workshop with a Q&A session and they have more questions than I
thought they would after having just spent an hour with us. “How do we train
our voices like that? “ “Why did we get into opera?” Each answer brings another
question and we run out of time. As the students leave, a lot of them come up
and shake our hands and thank us for coming. We not only had fun, I think we
were able to teach them a few things they can use. I’m even able to give my
business card to a young man who wants to go into vocal performance and said he
just needs someone to talk with about it. That’s another part of what we do.
We’re a resource for people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After the students leave, we finish loading out and I relinquish my key
to the theater. We head back to the cabin for a break before dinner. Everyone
enjoys their down time while I use the break to get some work done. Break over,
we all load up in the pseudo-Yukon and make the drive to our dinner location.
We’re being hosted by Harvey Duchene. Kathy, Harvey’s wife had to leave town,
so Jasha, another member of the community, jumped in to help. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAfZ48Dg5vdnRubWrVugZ2Ce9MmvpMtp5tThCe_eAg67T_juVSKWWS74tPX1TjdukPSvJuB03b9dZVIetoU1xdDwmQ2_bjVQAd1J-sQOhqsFrPFKPp0gYmElpkTeso8ykutYZCa0ugHE/s1600/Lake+City+-+view+from+dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAfZ48Dg5vdnRubWrVugZ2Ce9MmvpMtp5tThCe_eAg67T_juVSKWWS74tPX1TjdukPSvJuB03b9dZVIetoU1xdDwmQ2_bjVQAd1J-sQOhqsFrPFKPp0gYmElpkTeso8ykutYZCa0ugHE/s320/Lake+City+-+view+from+dinner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As we arrive at the house, we are treated to one amazing view after
another. The house sits at the top of the ridge and overlooks the valley, the
river, a mountain pond and all of the snow covered peaks. It’s absolutely
gorgeous. We’re immediately greeted by our host and the conversations begin.
Harvey tells us about the house, his career as a geologist and his love of
green chili. My interest is peaked. As a native of New Mexico, any time green
chili is mentioned, the heart strings begin to flutter. Harvey picks up on that
and says he has something to show me. He brings out something I haven’t seen
since relocating to Colorado – a New Mexico lobos coffee mug. Turns out, Harvey
and I share an alma mater! Leah and Katherine and I talk about traveling and
all of the places we’ve seen or want to see. Brett and Taylor are talking and
laughing, so they’re surely up to something. Andrew and Daniel are talking to Jasha.
It’s a very comfortable, relaxed setting and we feel quite welcomed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pre-dinner conversation comes to a close as Harney tells us about the
meal he has prepared. We’ll be dining on food from the Yucatan region tonight.
Harvey then proceeds to guide us all through a lesson on why this culture’s
food is so different and unique from the surrounding areas. It’s fascinating
and I feel like we’re not only getting dinner tonight, but a fabulous show as
well. We give him a well-deserved round of applause and dinner begins. Now,
unless you are a fan of green chili, I can’t quite put into words what happens
next – at least for me. One of tonight’s dishes is New Mexico Green Chili Stew.
It tastes like home. When you work as an artist and move around a lot, moments
like this become pretty poignant. The food is amazing; Taylor informs me that
it’s the best thing he’s ever put in his face. Brett… he’s happy and announces
that he wants the pickled onions in place of salt and pepper for all future
meals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Once the yummy noises die down, dinner conversation picks up and stories
are shared. I learn some things about the Young Artists that I never knew. For
example, Daniel has experienced a new year’s tradition in Naples. Apparently
they throw old appliances out of windows; and not just toasters or microwaves.
We’re talking refrigerators folks. This “out with the old” celebration isn’t
for the faint of heart but, nothing really says New Year’s better than lofting
heavy objects out of a window onto unsuspecting passersby . I also find out
that Leah has a clear grasp on the obvious. Harvey’s dining room table is made
from the old support beams from the house. They were 8 feet thick and 19 feet
long. Leah stands and attempts to lift the table. She says that it’s heavy.
Yes… yes it is Leah. There’s another story about Leah getting out of a speeding
ticket when she started to cry. OK, a lot of females try that to get out of a
ticket. For our Leah, this was no ploy. She had just been to the dentist and
found out that she had a cavity. When she got pulled over, it all just became
too much and she lamented her fate to the officer. He let her go with a
warning. This story leads to Daniel telling us he got a ticket for jaywalking –
his feelings towards the ticketing officer, “Thanks a lot Barney Fife.” In high school, Andrew once decided to race
an undercover officer. He reduced his speed from 120 to 100 when he got on the
beltway and was then pulled over. The officer asked for his license and
registration, which he produced. The officer responded that he was sure the car
was stolen. He then asked Andrew where he was going in such a hurry. Andrew
replied, “A chorus concert.” He got off with a warning. The stories continue and soon we’re all
laughing so hard that we lose track of where one tale ends and another begins. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideG7CuaUtfJMZROMVGUGUY3XV77L1uIV7RkMqLfd_D3Wc4DdU9GUm70CoMlYCdfHxvCpDRjIMQOeeZi6bNyxy18NQBS_s9aHfAtNnwzD2sy7ptkj-mWK8rorz5wvyYjRBbY98VHN50KM/s1600/group+dinner+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideG7CuaUtfJMZROMVGUGUY3XV77L1uIV7RkMqLfd_D3Wc4DdU9GUm70CoMlYCdfHxvCpDRjIMQOeeZi6bNyxy18NQBS_s9aHfAtNnwzD2sy7ptkj-mWK8rorz5wvyYjRBbY98VHN50KM/s320/group+dinner+shot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">During dessert, Harvey tells us stories of the encounters he’s had with
bears and mountain lions on his property. Once he was visited by a mama bear
with her two cubs. The mama bear was teaching her babies how to get into a
house. He also tells us that it’s an honor to be able to have us as his guests
for dinner and he thanks us for bringing art to their town. The honor, sir, is
all ours. We have been welcomed into
this community with open arms and sharing opera with Lake City has been a joy.
Before we want to, it’s time to go. We have a long drive to Carbondale tomorrow
and have a workshop with students and a performance of Romeo & Juliet. We
bid out host goodbye and give him and Jasha our sincere thanks for a very
special evening. I snap a group shot before we load into the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On the way down the mountain, Katherine announces she wants to see a
bear. If no bear is available for viewing, then a mountain “kitty” will do. I’m
not sure Katherine has fully grasped the concept of the word “predator…” Brett,
feeling inspired, performs an impromptu piece set to the tune of Swing Low,
Sweet Chariot. He rhymes well. Back at the cabin, everyone gets settled for the
night. Leah, Katherine, Brett, Taylor and I hang out in the living room and
talk while Andrew and Daniel take one last visit to the hot tub. We get on the
topic of state songs and Taylor and Brett come up with a plan for the finale of
the Young Artists Farewell on May 31<sup>st</sup>. They will write a medley of
southern spirituals and mash that up with the piece “Did You Ever See An
Elephant Fly” from Dumbo. Seeing that I am hesitant, they change tactics,
moving to <i>Romeo & Juliet</i>. Brett
will sing Romeo with a Scottish accent while Leah performs Juliet while
juggling. Katherine, as Stephano, will sing with a southern accent and play the
saxophone. Time for bed!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s late and it’s been a long day. Before any more creativity flows
forth, we all turn in. Andrew and Daniel are still in the hot tub, but I figure
if a bear shows up, they can put their speeding and jaywalking experience to
good use.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tomorrow will be a long day with a lot to do, but we’re looking forward
to taking opera to another community. Time to rest so we can get to it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Night readers,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-29069934150849539482015-05-13T09:53:00.002-06:002015-05-13T09:53:40.677-06:002015 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 2<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Tuesday, May 12, 2015</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Morning
readers! Want to hear something neat? I got to bed before midnight last night.
Two minutes till, in fact. Want to hear something even neater? All of us were
able to get a bit of rest last night. When you’re traveling around from place
to place, sleeping in different places, living out of a suitcase, it’s not easy
to get a good night’s sleep, so any night when we grab 5-hours or so is a good
night. Leah, Katherine, Andrew and Daniel decide to enjoy the hotel breakfast
while Brett, Taylor and I head to a local hot spot. Some things are worth
walking across the street for. Pancakes with homemade cinnamon syrup are among
those things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Breakfast
ingested, we get everything packed into the car. It goes quicker than yesterday
since we actually know where things fit now. Vehicles loaded, we begin our
drive to Lake City. Today’s weather report – partly cloudy and windy. There’s a
storm moving in later today and we may get some snow overnight. Daniel comments
that it’s a nice day today. He’s not wrong; at the moment we still have some
blue sky, so we’re enjoying the beautiful scenery as we make our way to Monarch
Pass. The car is very quiet this morning. Not sure if that means everyone is
taking it all in or if we’ve just reached the point that we have nothing left
to say to each other…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Brett
comments about the road, wondering just how in the heck they built it. I’ve
wondered that too. I’ve also wondered what it was like for the pioneers who
settled these mountain towns. There they are, traveling though the lovely
valleys and bam! Mountain. I would
imagine, as they were looking up at those snow covered peaks, the words “Nope”
were uttered by someone. We make it over Monarch pass (there’s still a lot of
snow up here) and head into Gunnison where we’re stopping for groceries. We
have a cabin for the next two nights that Lake City is housing us in and we
want to get supplies. When you’re on the road and you have a chance to not eat
in a restaurant, you take it. Groceries in hand, we somehow get them and
ourselves back into the cars and hit the road again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpO0JVE45uvDM6CxGiNpRgyFMriNOQsX-yWwb-uFS4QuuoYFAJ6K8rcmwMbGmuHR7Rq47GOq8ILbJV8yzzEvZ_zA0Leusu_4-c3Pc7M4Ysu5yZDRe7OxFGFEI2cD4h6HxWUEvfekpTF7A/s1600/Lake+City+marquee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpO0JVE45uvDM6CxGiNpRgyFMriNOQsX-yWwb-uFS4QuuoYFAJ6K8rcmwMbGmuHR7Rq47GOq8ILbJV8yzzEvZ_zA0Leusu_4-c3Pc7M4Ysu5yZDRe7OxFGFEI2cD4h6HxWUEvfekpTF7A/s320/Lake+City+marquee.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The scenery
changes from mountain vistas to really cool rock formations and a river with
stunningly blue water. Brett, who is in his second year with the program, slept
through this drive last year. This year, awake and observant, his comment is
“How are we not in another state by now?” No wormhole here, we are, in fact,
still in Colorado. We keep driving and the road ends at our destination, Lake
City. We head to the theater and snap a group photo by the marquis. We’re on
the marquis! Peggy, one of the many wonderful locals, comes and unlocks the
theater for us. I know this is how she spells her name because Leah asks if she
is Peggy with a “y” or an “ie.” Leah likes to know about people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">While
Assistant Road Manager Andrew leads the charge in unload the set, Road Manager
Brett and I walk to our housing so I can get the layout and he can protect me
from bears. We’re staying in a cabin that overlooks the town. It’s lovely.
We’ll need to be a little creative with sleeping arrangements, but I have a
plan. I’ll be assigning the room downstairs that has two single beds and bunk
beds to Leah, Katherine, Andrew and Daniel. I will be on the next level up. Here’s
where I must digress for a moment… The headboard in the room I’ll be in is an
amazing sight. It seems to have been carved from a tree from Mount Olympus. It’s
hard to describe. Let’s just say, I won’t exactly be sleeping alone
tonight. The headboard has a likeness of
Zeus or something like that on it. He’s flanked by scantily clad figures on
each side and the foot board is carved too; with faces that curl up into
branches of some kind. Can’t wait to see what I dream about with this
inspiration surrounding me… Digression over. I’ll assign the top level to Brett
and Taylor. This is a call made based on safety. Occasionally, when sleeping,
Brett issues forth noises that are eerily similar to an Ursidae. In layman’s
terms, a bear. I fear, leaving him on the ground level, we may have some furry,
but toothy visitors. Taylor is the logical choice to room with Brett on the top
level. He has ear plugs. We’ll make it work. There are also couch options in
the living room. We are tremendously grateful to the community to providing us
housing for the next two nights!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We walk back
to the theater and join in the set up process. We get a few details ironed out
in terms of the space and then we all head to the cabin to unload the luggage,
put the groceries away and take a quick break for lunch. Andrew is having steak
for lunch. Not kidding. He’s looking quite happy at the stove. In no time (see,
time again), we head back to the theater to rehearse for tonight’s performance.
Since this is Taylor’s first time playing for the group, it’s important that we
take some time to go over music for the Arias and Ensembles and run through <i>Hansel and Gretel</i> – that’s right, the
whole show. It’s a good thing we do too, because there are several issues that
pop up with the musical timing and others with the staging because the stage is
quite compact. I’m able to get things figured out and we take a break before
dinner. Brett and I don’t have long though, we have to meet Brenda at the
theater who will be setting our lights and running them for the show. There are
so many details to a live performance that people may not think about. We get
the lights set as the rest of the group walks into the theater and we head to
dinner. This community is amazing. They’re providing us dinner tonight and
tomorrow at night as well. Tonight’s meal is being served at the school. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Our wonderful
chef, Shawn and our hostess Debi are delightful and the food is yummy. Over
dinner, the conversation picks up. We discuss many things. This group is quite
intellectual. Topics are: medications you can use to combat the high altitude
blues, various ways that Brett can interpret Rosina Daintymouth (aka the Witch)
for tonight’s performance of <i>Hansel and Gretel</i>
(I think Satchmo Daintymouth is a universal favorite), Disney movies (the guys
make questionable comments about Bambi and venison), who our favorite James
Bond is (Katherine and I are prone to Daniel Craig) and the political beliefs
of Daniel’s gondola boss (no, that is not a mafia term, he is in fact employed
as a gondolier). We finish up dessert and head back to the theater to get into
performance mode. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTc72Jh6DqcEI5Tm_d4OSct0FDURv8jqSWrPYEofjr1aE9F1I8QKLyijh7L85onNOUsTzCZjkJE3y1p6_MNK9J4mF1dS4uVss3Le5gU0CBSHUSh5WvqK2kuMCVwPv46Jie8I_n0IHIx4/s1600/Daniel+as+Senor+Sandman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTc72Jh6DqcEI5Tm_d4OSct0FDURv8jqSWrPYEofjr1aE9F1I8QKLyijh7L85onNOUsTzCZjkJE3y1p6_MNK9J4mF1dS4uVss3Le5gU0CBSHUSh5WvqK2kuMCVwPv46Jie8I_n0IHIx4/s320/Daniel+as+Senor+Sandman.jpg" width="180" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Everyone
warms up and finishes changing for the beginning of the evening, which will be
an Arias & Ensembles program. I’ve selected pieces that will give a good
representation of opera; some well-known and some not as familiar. Brett has
located the costumes and props storehouse and is making some very thoughtful
additions to tonight’s Witch attire. He chooses a lovely pair of pearl earrings
and a purple hat with red ostrich feathers. It’s become a bit of a tradition to
incorporate some of the theater’s props into our performances here and the
audience loves it. Daniel gets into the spirit and lets Brett choose some items
for him as well for his role of the Sandman. The items are a grey beard and
mustache that look like dryer lint and a sombrero. Inspired by his
transformation, Daniel launches into his aria as the Sandman with an accent
that would pay homage to Speedy Gonzales. In the minutes before we take the
stage, we hold an impromptu pageant where Leah and Brett compete for the honor
of Guacamole Queen. We have a sash and everything. Yes, we’re being silly, but
it’s this type of behavior that can get you energized when you’re feeling
tired. Everyone is laughing and the energy in the room is great.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ky6y7H-wqTul_LKhfMnKqlbSFLgIg6HIbciSRhG4ZAlJc0WHFxWM4DySTmFaXQPgdzOhr0L80Qr9KgloCsW7bVlP9ZwxDGQEtU9WzrAuMI0ex37EcruWjE9Au6eTCTLRhDLJ2mcn8Sc/s1600/contestant+Brett.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ky6y7H-wqTul_LKhfMnKqlbSFLgIg6HIbciSRhG4ZAlJc0WHFxWM4DySTmFaXQPgdzOhr0L80Qr9KgloCsW7bVlP9ZwxDGQEtU9WzrAuMI0ex37EcruWjE9Au6eTCTLRhDLJ2mcn8Sc/s320/contestant+Brett.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Show time. I’m
introduced by John Smith, who spearheads bringing us to Lake City. We’ve built
a fabulous collaborative relationship over the years and this community is
excited that we’re here. The great thing… even though this is a small town,
we’re reaching new people each time we perform. There are people in the
audience tonight who have never seen one of our performances before. I take the
stage and introduce Taylor and begin the first half of the program. The
audience is responsive and they’re cheering as the first half ends. Now there’s
a brief intermission as we set for <i>Hansel
and Gretel</i> and everyone gets into costumes and makeup. This is not a small
task. Not when you have the gorgeous Katherine Sanford who becomes Hansel, the
dashing Brett Sprague who morphs into the Witch; our elegant Leah Bobbey has to
turn herself into a little girl, complete with doe-eyes. Ah, the magic of live
theater.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVM2i39MuxI-866zIJhMvex177oo91ShPx0MUkJAQW3KnPiP5g9V8W1MW2PHRdNfys9CLGT_I4aOvf0R1AOnQ4k1PREec3HjoytVhYnBj6fRYpzHrg3unx_97DN2XlKhFuLhi4kb81S6w/s1600/Queen+Leah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVM2i39MuxI-866zIJhMvex177oo91ShPx0MUkJAQW3KnPiP5g9V8W1MW2PHRdNfys9CLGT_I4aOvf0R1AOnQ4k1PREec3HjoytVhYnBj6fRYpzHrg3unx_97DN2XlKhFuLhi4kb81S6w/s320/Queen+Leah.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Costumes and
makeup complete, I introduce the second half of the program and talk a bit
about we take an opera from a full score to an abridged performance and then,
we’re off. I’ve directed this show over
several seasons now; this season is its third run. I’ve got every note, every
word memorized. I can honestly say, I never get tired of it. I love being able
to put the frame on a production and watch as the talented artists bring it to
life. The audience is loving it as well and before we know it, we’re at bows;
our audience cheering for each person. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We begin the
Q&A portion of the evening, something we do after every performance. Yes,
it adds to our workload and the hours we put in, but it’s so important to give
our audiences a chance to connect with us and what we do on a personal level.
Questions start off slow, but they pick up. There’s one woman in the audience;
this is her first performance with us, who has question after question. She’s
excited and clearly eating up every bit of information we provide. I believe we
have a new opera lover in our midst. One of the questions we get is “How do you
think this program helps you as artists?” Leah talks about how it’s a bridge
between college and mainstage work. Katherine talks about how it helps emerging
artists make connections in the business. Andrew talks about the importance of
getting to learn by doing and Brett rounds things out by talking about the fact
that they are working at what they love; basically living their dream. Well
said all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We end the
evening by talking one on one with a few of our audience members and I grin to
myself as I watch people leave. Not a single person leaves the theater without
a smile on their face. That means we’re doing something right. We decide not to
load out tonight. We’re getting tired, it’s getting late and we’ll be back in
the theater tomorrow for workshops with students. Everyone gets out of costume
as I mingle with the final few guests. Taylor decides to walk back to the cabin
and the rest of us are close behind. Before we leave, I’m given the key, not to
the city, but to the theater. How amazing to have this kind of relationship
with a community. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At the
cabin, we gather at the dining room table and chat about anything that pops up
and snack as the post-performance munchies kick in. I suddenly realize that
Daniel is not among us. He’s apparently walked back into town to converse with
the locals. The rest of us decide to play a game called “Telestrations.” The
best way to describe it is a visual version of the game Telephone. You start
with a word and then the next person draws a picture that represents that word.
Then it is passed and you repeat; guess, draw, guess, draw, until you end up
where you started. The goal is to have the word you started with be the same
word you end with. This does not happen often. What happens is… well…
hilarious. On one round we started with ‘key lime pie.’ By the end of the
round, it had turned into ‘packman bomb birthday.’ ‘Small talk’ became ‘neck
pain,’ ‘racket ball’ took a turn as ‘cookie machete’ and ‘Mother Nature’ became
‘pregnant forest.’ The most memorable one was ‘termite’ which somehow morphed
into something that is banned from this blog. Does this give you a glimpse into
the psyche of the people I am traveling with? Brett laughed so hard he actually
squeaked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s grown
late and we decide to turn in. We quickly figure out a shower schedule and bid
each other goodnight. Andrew and Daniel decide to hit the hot tub, which I
didn’t even know we had. I’m hoping it’s that and not some sort of bear
watering trough. Tomorrow promises to be a day that we have to be on our toes.
We have two workshops with students on performance skills and the Young Artists
will sing a few pieces for them as well. You never know what you’re going to
get when you’re working with kids. I have a game plan ready, but I also know
that I will need to be flexible once I see them in action. We’re meeting one of
our hosts for lunch and we also have to load out. There’s repertoire to plan
for upcoming programs too. Oh, and then there’s dinner with members of the
community. It’s never dull, that’s for sure and every new event is another
opportunity to talk about opera and Opera Colorado. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s time to
turn in. Thanks for reading today’s blog. We’d love for you to ‘share’ it with
others, ‘comment,’ ‘like,’ ‘tweet,’ whatever it is that you do in the
cyber-social-world. We love knowing that others are following us on our
journey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Till
tomorrow,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-84324314347706272702015-05-12T14:31:00.000-06:002015-05-12T14:34:37.544-06:002015 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 1<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Monday, May 11, 2015</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s here! It’s finally here!! The Young Artists are starting their
contracts and we’re about to go into production for <i>Madama Butterfly</i>! Wait… that’s not right. Either I’ve fallen into a
wormhole or time is actually speeding up. It can’t be May already. We can’t
just have closed our production of <i>The
Magic Flute</i> yesterday and the Young Artists can’t be in their final weeks
on contract. Where has this year gone? That’s what I woke up thinking today as
I got ready to hit the road for our 2015 Greater Colorado Tour. Yes readers,
it’s time for tour – already. I can’t quite believe it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I scamper around getting some last minute packing done before heading to
pick up the others and happily leave on time. Remarkably, I hit very little
traffic on my way downtown. Things are looking good. I mean, I’m tired and it’s
a little early, but the weather has cleared up and things are off to a good
start. That is, until I look at my watch and realize I am 1-hour ahead of
schedule. Time may indeed be trying to mess with me… Do I let this bother me?
No! I do what most adults do when they find themselves with time to spare. I
get coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiux5Vu0UQN8YEMsYYhJhfqaUswE6gYyghnAaFthKM9gQR__WyqCBW42txjoDmHpU99a-1VhudHI5o05tb61JJ-7xSTsK3oELII7tdb9OhEzVsSwbOTF-k28QXQJnigMUAsaM_P6vdqw1s/s1600/Group+in+Salida.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiux5Vu0UQN8YEMsYYhJhfqaUswE6gYyghnAaFthKM9gQR__WyqCBW42txjoDmHpU99a-1VhudHI5o05tb61JJ-7xSTsK3oELII7tdb9OhEzVsSwbOTF-k28QXQJnigMUAsaM_P6vdqw1s/s320/Group+in+Salida.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The coffee time is just what I need to wrap my head around the next
couple of weeks. We’re about to embark on quite a journey and for a fabulous
reason; we’re taking opera where opera doesn’t usually get to go. We have many
stops along the way and there will be many stories to tell. The first stop is
to pick up our accompanist extraordinaire, Taylor Baldwin. We haven’t seen each
other in about a year and it’s so good to have him back! We catch up on the
drive to meet the rest of our group. I’m talking so much that I miss our turn,
but we manage to arrive at the rendezvous point on time. The Young Artists are being
little worker bees as we pull up. Let me introduce them for those readers who
are new: Leah Bobbey (soprano), Katherine Sanford (mezzo), Brett Sprague
(tenor), Andrew Paulson (baritone) and Daniel DeVicente (bass baritone). Add
Taylor and me to the mix and you have your 7 intrepid travelers. They are
currently not quite intrepid; but busy transferring the sets, props and
costumes from the Yukon to our rental van. You read that right; the Yukon will
not be making this trip with us. I’ve decided to give it a vacation. And by “it”
I mean me. I just couldn’t face another trip plagued by breakdowns; emotional
and engine, so we’re playing it safe. It actually seems to take less time to
load the van than it does to get all our luggage into the rental tank; which is
actually not a tank but a Yukon XL – seems I’m destined to take something with
that moniker on tour. This one is newer, has spiffier extras (like
air-conditioned seats) and, most importantly, has a reliable engine. It had better behave! Bags are in, doors are
forcibly closed and we’re off! Tour has officially begun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We’re heading to Salida. We don’t have a performance today. After
closing <i>The Magic Flute</i> yesterday and
a run of shows including the student matinee, the Young Artists need a day to
rest. We do have an interview with an arts reporter though and we’ve got
repertoire to plan and rehearsals to set, so it won’t be a day off, that’s for
sure. It also cuts down the drive to Lake City tomorrow which we’ll need
because the schedule is packed. Andrew and Daniel are in the van and Leah,
Katherine and Taylor are with me and Brett assumes his role as copilot. Not too
far down the road, Leah, ever the conversationalist, kicks things off by asking
Taylor to tell her about himself. She’s not kidding either. She wants the whole
story, starting at childhood and working chronologically forward to present
day. You see, Taylor is a new addition to our group. He’s joining us for tour while
Allan Armstrong, our resident coach accompanist, plays for another program in
Canada. Taylor gives Leah some teaser information, but says he doesn’t want to
give too much away too soon. It’s a long trip after all and we’ll be spending
lots of time together. Well, all this
chatter gets me distracted and I completely miss our turn. I notice when Brett
sees the Coors brewery. We’re in Golden. That’s not right. I mean, I know it’s
a local attraction and this group does enjoy a finely crafted beverage now and
then, but this is not the time. I blame wormholes. We quickly turn around and
head the right way into the mountains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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We have a book called “If” with us and it’s full of… well, if questions.
Questions like, “If you could live in any time in history, when would it be?”
Some of the answers from the group are predictable. Some are not. Some are
perplexing and some are so right, so fitting, fate itself must have decreed
they be answered. For example, this question, “If you could start a rock band,
what would you name it?” Brett’s answer: “The Star Flaming Queen and her
Ladies.” They would cover Queen songs in full drag; of course. Or this one, “If
you could choose any person in history to read your eulogy, who would it be?”
Taylor’s answer, “James Earl Jones.” We go on for a while and things get
interesting. We get a question about a tattoo you would get and where you would
get it. Answers happened at this point. Then comes this question, “If you were
a food that describes your personality, what would that food be?” Taylor
immediately answers; he’s pesto. Brett is a nice, juicy bison steak. Katherine?
She’s a banana. We ask why, but she can put it into words; it just seems right.
Then she changes her answer to a salad. Leah – she’s trail mix. Because when
you pull your hand out of the bag, you never know what you’re going to get.
Some days it’s all the good stuff; some days it’s everything you didn’t want.
Some days it’s what’s good for you and some days… it’s just nuts. I don’t see
how I’m going to top that answer readers, so that’s where we’ll end this round
of the “If” game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKPxs1OvHbyR6TIJYHNCwemuNpGhCJSbqcAzllen4J1Bz9hgGdQOQWO3XzTokq3n2qKnKUHpFwvulfJ3GKYOw99lawFqQBVMiLKf_v_cj5B890ZIvjiLGSerG39cOiTe_2TM9X3WEDEY/s1600/Group+shot+with+vehicles+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKPxs1OvHbyR6TIJYHNCwemuNpGhCJSbqcAzllen4J1Bz9hgGdQOQWO3XzTokq3n2qKnKUHpFwvulfJ3GKYOw99lawFqQBVMiLKf_v_cj5B890ZIvjiLGSerG39cOiTe_2TM9X3WEDEY/s320/Group+shot+with+vehicles+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We arrive at our first pit stop and take time to fill up the
pseudo-Yukon and the van. I take a moment to snap a group photo with a stunning
mountain backdrop. There’s more snow on the peaks than there was when we took a
mini trip to Gunnison in March! We pile back into the cars and make our way to Salida.
It’s fairly uneventful other than me spilling a bottle of water on myself while
driving. No story there – it was… refreshing. The air-conditioned seats created
a sort of polar ice effect. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Let’s jump forward in time as we arrive at the hotel. We’re only able to
check into two of the rooms at the moment, so we just drop off our luggage and
then head into town to grab lunch. We decide on a great little place – that is
closed. So we walk around town and find another local watering hole. It’s a
lovely day so we sit out on the patio. Toasts are made, to the season, to tour
and to getting back to our touring productions. We’ve been away from them since
April. While talking about <i>Romeo and
Juliet</i>, our waitress overhears us and interjects this little gem, “Yeah, there
are a lot of Romeos around here looking for some action.” I feel like we got
off track somehow… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After lunch Brett and I are interviewed by a reporter about <i>Hansel and Gretel.</i> It’s always great to
share information about what we do and why we do it. These touring productions
aren’t just little things that are thrown together. We take a lot of pride in
the fact that we’re presenting solid productions; real opera in an accessible
way, performed by talented artists. I think it’s one of the things that sets
Opera Colorado apart. We take a few minutes to look around some of the shops in
town and then we head back to the hotel. Taylor’s walking. No – I didn’t kick
him out of the car. I mean the avalanche clapping has already begun, but I’m a
pretty tolerant person. (Taylor desperately wants to see an avalanche happen,
so he claps anytime he sees a large accumulation of snow in hopes he can
trigger one). We get everyone else checked into their rooms and we have a tour
briefing. I go over the next two weeks in detail and make sure everyone is on
the same page. I also consider using this meeting to synchronize our watches,
given that time seems to be toying with me, but decide against it. Telling them
that they have to be ready by 7:00AM to head out to a performance in a couple
of days was enough for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After the briefing, we have some down time before heading to dinner. Everyone
goes their own way. Katherine goes for a run. Leah catches a nap and then goes
for a run. Brett hits the gym and Taylor goes back into town and looks around a
bit more. Daniel makes use of the lovely pool, opting not to hot tub at this
time as it is the temperature of the sun. I work for a bit and catch up on some
reading. The evening arrives and it’s time for dinner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I have to admit, we get a lot of attention when we walk into a local
hangout. Maybe it’s because we’re not locals. Maybe it’s because we’re wearing
our Opera Colorado jackets, but there’s definitely something. Maybe we’re just
that charming… Dinner is a festive affair and there are more toasts. I take the
opportunity to ask the “If” question about food to Andrew and Daniel since they
missed the opportunity. Andrew immediately answers and what follows is an
exceptionally detailed and thoughtful response. This response is not a simple
one and I get the feeling that Andrew has thought about this very question
before. Andrew is the Russian dish, Plov. It’s a dish that brings together both
ingredients and people. I’m not sure I caught all of it, I was distracted by a
dog on a boat, but I think it means our Andrew is a complex fellow with a
multi-faceted personality. Daniel… he’s bacon. Pretty much an easy concept to
grab there. Now, our Katherine, she’s a thinker and she’s been pondering her
response. She’s decided she’s not a banana, nor a salad. She is an avocado.
Softy on the outside with a solid core. Good one. I think we can safely put
that question to rest. Leah has taken a Benadryl and the medication kicks in at
the dinner table. She switches from being a quiet, but intensely focused
observer, fascinated by the movement of her own fingers, to an orator that
fervently expresses her certainty that she is indeed trail mix. We need to get
this girl some food!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dinner conversation turns to dogs (there was a dog, on a boat, in a
doggie life jacket). Taylor has two Golden Retrievers. He wants a Great Dane
because he’s tired of bending down to pet them. We continue on, talking about
dogs we grew up with, have now or want in the future and the food arrives. A
hush comes over the table so that means it must be good. Andrew proclaims his
green chili aioli a revelation. The food is great and conversation begins to
die down as the sun sets. We’re tired and it’s starting to get cold. We take a
look at a couple of other shops and then decide to call it a night. Taylor is
walking again, by choice. Katherine and Andrew decide to walk to a local
brewery and check it out. Leah, Brett, Daniel and I head back to the hotel.
There are plans to visit the hot tub as the sun has set and the temperature
will no longer turn them into a stew. There’s a general consensus to get in
some R&R before tour begins in earnest tomorrow. I have plans too. I will
be heading to my room to get some work done before turning in; the goal is
before midnight (Cinderella is my guru).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For a first day, it’s gone well. We will get into a rhythm as the days
go on, but we’re off to a good start. The time continues to fly and I realize,
in all likelihood, that won’t change. The days will be long, the work will be
challenging, but, when you’re doing what you love, time flies. I hope you’ll
stay with us on our journey this year. It’s sure to worth your time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Goodnight readers,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity</span></div>
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<u></u></div>
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<u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nhh_udDflqe_xk6GNw4OfR7gEJL_wI7UIP-IfPXlioflypFF4XCbesGYeCPWVVK4zfaBhYcDpgYROGNVz6egPWuy6d-nzNzWuskVlwpmEMsli_XCHtqvWJuzkCYwhevj2PCk2ZY9ejI/s1600/Group+shot+with+vehicles+-+close+up.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nhh_udDflqe_xk6GNw4OfR7gEJL_wI7UIP-IfPXlioflypFF4XCbesGYeCPWVVK4zfaBhYcDpgYROGNVz6egPWuy6d-nzNzWuskVlwpmEMsli_XCHtqvWJuzkCYwhevj2PCk2ZY9ejI/s320/Group+shot+with+vehicles+-+close+up.JPG" width="320" /></a></u><br />
<b>Meet this year’s group (L to R):</b><br />
Katherine Sanford – mezzo<br />
Andrew Paulson– baritone<br />
Daniel DeVicente – bass<br />
Leah Bobbey – soprano<br />
Brett Sprague – tenor<br />
Taylor Baldwin – accompanist<br />
Cherity Koepke - director (Not Pictured)</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-47461593356960024622015-03-30T16:43:00.001-06:002015-03-30T16:43:53.715-06:002015 Greater Colorado Tour – The Prequel…<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Readers… Guess
what? It’s blog time! Yes, that’s right – the blogs from Opera Colorado’s
Greater Colorado Tour 2015 are about to begin. I know. You’ve been waiting all
year, right? Well… you’re wait is over… almost. This blog is a bit of a teaser.
A prequel if you will. We’re taking a short jaunt to Gunnison for a couple of
days; prepping for the more extensive experience. The longer tour happens in
May. We had a small window of time before rehearsals begin for this little
opera we’re doing. You may have heard of it… </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The Magic Flute</i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">? Anyone?</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Madama Butterfly</i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> was a huge hit this
past fall and we’ve been performing non-stop with our touring productions </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Hansel and Gretel</i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> and </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Romeo & Juliet,</i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> Arias &
Ensembles, not to mention the premiere of the abridged concert reading of </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The Scarlet Letter</i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">. We are busy! So busy
in fact, that our mini-tour has outgrown its time frame. We’re not just headed
to Gunnison, but to Alamosa, Estes Park and Ft. Collins too. So many locations
are asking for us that the 2-weeks in May booked before we knew it and we had
to find additional dates to take opera to Colorado!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Let me introduce
you to our group this year; the Opera Colorado Young Artists. You’ll be getting
to know them as the blogs from tour progress. The incredibly talented line up
is as follows: Leah Bobbey (soprano), Katherine Sanford (mezzo soprano), Brett
Sprague (tenor), Andrew Paulson (baritone), Daniel DeVicente (bass baritone)
and Allan Armstrong, our accompanist. Oh, and there’s me – your blogger and
cruise director, Cherity Koepke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There are
two words to sum up how mini-tour day 1 begins. Epic. Fail. Is there some sort
of national convention in town that I am unaware of? Or are the masses
descending on Denver for St. Patrick’s Day? What? There must be something
happening because the amount of traffic I encounter on my way to pick up the group
is mind-numbing. Knowing I had to travel roughly 18 miles and knowing I would
encounter Monday morning traffic, I left my house at 6:40AM. No accidents, no
traffic arrests… no breaking for geese crossing the highway… I arrive at the pick-up
location at 8:00AM – 30-minutes behind schedule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I roll to a
stop and am greeted by 6 smiling faces. Well… not really. There are 6 faces and
they do greet me cordially, but they’re not actually smiling. This is not a
morning group. We quickly jump into action and Leah, packer extraordinaire,
gets everything loaded into the vehicles. In 5-minutes flat, we’re on the road
and back on schedule. We’re making good time... for about 2-minutes. Then we
encounter more traffic. Next year, I might look into renting a small hovercraft.
Frustration continues to mount. By the time we get out of town and into the
mountains, we’re behind schedule and we’ve lost 2 members of the traveling
party. Nothing underhanded; nothing done out of frustration. They’re fine.
Daniel and Allan are in his car as he has to leave tonight to get to a wedding
and then rejoin us tomorrow. They took a wrong turn. They’ll meet us in Gunnison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Finally,
we’re actually moving down the road. Brett and Leah are with me in the rental
tank (biggest Suburban I’ve ever seen) and Andrew is driving the Yukon with
Katherine as his co-pilot. The Yukon… yes, readers, it’s still with us. It’s
still running… I’ve decided not to talk about it in hopes that the vehicle will
play nice on this trip. The candy cane cage is strapped to the top. We think that
it might lend some additional aerodynamics. We get questions about it every
time we stop. People think it’s a sled, or a highly decorative cattle guard. We
climb higher in elevation and the scenery gets more beautiful with every turn.
The Rocky Mountains are covered in snow and the sky is blue. We’re all feeling
a bit better. That lasts for about 5 miles until we pass the first of 3
consecutive, unfortunate animals off to the side of the road… formerly known as
skunks. Blah. My eyes actually start to water. Leah announces that the smell
doesn’t bother her. Brett responds that his body hurts. Conversation in my
vehicle… quite stimulating. <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmttlWBoW7ilLPJQdI48dZtGe8WiXIvbQBgSv3l6Z4SskEEraO9tLx7pptcHiVYzHmk0ULx-eDAUrhpzN3tc1w-dJeg-g-J5hR8PBxpz-jGBttpfHpzJ1fiuCF5DxfExsyvyBSaNFD2w/s1600/Gunnison+tour.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmttlWBoW7ilLPJQdI48dZtGe8WiXIvbQBgSv3l6Z4SskEEraO9tLx7pptcHiVYzHmk0ULx-eDAUrhpzN3tc1w-dJeg-g-J5hR8PBxpz-jGBttpfHpzJ1fiuCF5DxfExsyvyBSaNFD2w/s1600/Gunnison+tour.JPG" height="232" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arrival in Gunnison</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Continuing
on our way, we see deer and more amazing scenery and voilà, we’re in Gunnison.
On time too. We make a quick stop for lunch where we are reunited with Allan
and Daniel and then it’s time to head over to the school to get ready for our
afternoon performance of <i>Hansel and
Gretel.</i> Brett and I go into the
school to check us in and we meet the principal whose enthusiasm for our visit
is contagious. We’ve even made the school bulletin. It’s so great to see the
community’s support for what we’re doing. We begin the task of loading in,
setting up and getting into costume and makeup. There’s always little hiccups
during this process – today the backdrop is about 4 inches shorter than normal
(how it shrinks in the bag is mystifying) the cage won’t go together without a
fight and there are stairs just inches away from where we’ll be performing, so
we’ll have to be extra aware. The Young Artists are subdued; their early
morning clearly catching up with them. It’s either that or the lack of oxygen
to their brains… I catch Brett in a very pensive moment. It’s a great shot. Art
really. I call it “Witch in repose.” Everyone is ready just as the students
begin coming in to take their seats. The energy is still really low so I go
backstage to give a little pep talk. It seems to work because out of the corner
of my eye, I see Daniel doing a dance that I can only be described as part
Chicken Dance and part Samba. He’s dressed in a floor length sea-green tunic
with matching turban too, so the effect is quite remarkable. The fluttery
sleeve-action is my favorite part.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4axuUqAkOcg91zvO27R7A1pUgjNDiaqH-nUJX-zrmpOZLeiybsvPNbqSR4zOWS6XImh-kPvbLM3heB_VDlFxFs59KpdYmqE6fGkrpV-p4-o6-H8ddjTfnLYVeD1tOFJYf10qTdauFp8/s1600/Witch+in+repose.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4axuUqAkOcg91zvO27R7A1pUgjNDiaqH-nUJX-zrmpOZLeiybsvPNbqSR4zOWS6XImh-kPvbLM3heB_VDlFxFs59KpdYmqE6fGkrpV-p4-o6-H8ddjTfnLYVeD1tOFJYf10qTdauFp8/s1600/Witch+in+repose.JPG" height="232" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Witch in Repose"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I’m able to
quit giggling in time to get ready to do the introduction. As Allan and I wait
behind the curtain, we hear the students begin to sing. I peep through the
curtain and I see they are singing Do-Re-Mi and doing the sign language that
accompanies it. I whisper this to the cast and BAM – that’s it, we have instant
motivation. Leah can’t deal with all the cuteness and uses all of her emotion
to get ready to sing Gretel. Introduction, curtain open – we we’re off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Katherine
and Leah do a fabulous job with the opening and manage to avoid tumbling down
the stairs during their choreographed dance. Andrew does a great job with his
scene as the Father, we move on to the forest and Sandman scene, which go well
and then, we’re there – it’s time for the Witch to appear. I love to watch the
kid’s faces as they see this character for the first time. It’s not every day you get to see a witch with
purple pigtails and a beard! They love it and the energy on stage between Leah,
Katherine and Brett is fabulous. The students are laughing and clapping and by
the end of the show we hear 200 little voices all shouting “bravo!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNUOYGVTSCUAV9JcC6Hlo6VlLybB3ygnSOuicbZ946G-Gu71KH-gthW-nLdJM91sC88yzj1cQvMlGu7uNrHq2vUjkcq07dS9ZbmatsJNy_FmPidmzxxwuC2beoycmn9ELjHjGsJQPVp4/s1600/HG+-+Gunnison.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNUOYGVTSCUAV9JcC6Hlo6VlLybB3ygnSOuicbZ946G-Gu71KH-gthW-nLdJM91sC88yzj1cQvMlGu7uNrHq2vUjkcq07dS9ZbmatsJNy_FmPidmzxxwuC2beoycmn9ELjHjGsJQPVp4/s1600/HG+-+Gunnison.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hansel and Gretel</i> in Gunnison</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I go out to
start the Q&A and make sure that Allan gets another round of applause. He
has to leave now but he’ll rejoin us tomorrow. With one more huge BRAVO, the
cast comes out and we take questions from the audience. We never know what
we’re going to get – today’s questions are great. How long have you been
singing opera? How do you get those costumes? Was there a boy playing a girl?
Is the candy real? There are more questions than we have time for, so we thank
everyone for coming and we say goodbye. I’ve been doing this for more than 7
years now and it never gets old. As we get out of costume and begin to load
out, we can hear the kids talking about the show and singing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Load out
goes pretty smoothly thanks in large part to our exceptional Road Manager Brett
and master strategist Andrew. He’s got this packing thing down to a science! We’re
loaded up and its time to head to our hotel. We get checked in, unload the cars
and everyone decides what they want to do with their free time this evening.
Andrew is going to read and go to the gym. Leah and Katherine are going to rest
and then hit the pool. Daniel… not sure, he may already be napping. Brett and I
decide to drive in to Crested Butte. It’s one of our favorite places in
Colorado and neither of us has been there in a several years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The drive
doesn’t take long and the scenery… not sure there are words. Snow covered
mountains and a little alpine village. We look around town for a bit and I
suddenly remember – it’s Spring Break. This epiphany is brought on by watching
hordes of teenagers roam around. One particular party that Brett and I watch
with interest is enacting a battle with light-up, neon green plastic swords. There
was much carnage on the battle field my lords and ladies. And much laughter and
eye rolling from us. We grab dinner at the local gem, Secret Stash pizza and
then head back to the hotel in Gunnison. The drive in uneventful, which is good
because it gets really dark out here! At the hotel we see the ladies who have
enjoyed the pool and we meet up with Daniel who also enjoyed the aquatic
amenities. Andrew must still be reading. Brett and I work for a bit in the
business center before everyone turns in. We’ve got a full day tomorrow. Time
to hit the hay!</span><br /><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilew1Dmyo0hLSPH_ztFLLP1h6tBAWQzN553AQFA36e7WYI5ZjxiVIJm5WUr6K41pghynSH0oJUz5stvAyftQVll8TfcUOR3zdN4P3Db9z1wiWTRLbow3or0gMND3s03_tXreo2bSESZYQ/s1600/Masterclass.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilew1Dmyo0hLSPH_ztFLLP1h6tBAWQzN553AQFA36e7WYI5ZjxiVIJm5WUr6K41pghynSH0oJUz5stvAyftQVll8TfcUOR3zdN4P3Db9z1wiWTRLbow3or0gMND3s03_tXreo2bSESZYQ/s1600/Masterclass.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katherine teaches a masterclass at Western State </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Day two in
Gunnison is a busy one as expected. We teach a masterclass at Western State
University in the afternoon where the Young Artists work directly with their
vocal undergrads. I chime in as needed; the Young Artists do a great job.
They’re supportive and encouraging, but honest, which is something I firmly
believe in. After the masterclass, we spend time rehearsing for tonight’s
performance. Rehearsals done, on our way back to the car, I comment that I can
hear sand hill cranes. They make a distinctive cooing noise. Katherine’s
description… they sound like big pigeons. After rehearsals we have a short
break, and then head off to grab dinner. Tonight’s restaurant destination… a
steakhouse. No, we did not suddenly decide to throw caution (and our paychecks)
to the wind. This is one of the few restaurants that was actually open tonight.
It’s a good choice, if only for the fact that I got to watch the group try
Rocky Mountain Oysters. Now… I get their trepidation. It’s not easy to think of
dining on a bull’s nether regions. But, I’m all for being adventurous. Brett
has had them before, so he’s easy to convince. Leah is generally pretty brave,
so she goes for it. Katherine is harder to convince, but she gives them a try.
Daniel is persuaded. Andrew… well, after he and Allan trade comments that makes
the buffalo on the wall blush, he gives them a try too. We move on from the
dining adventure to Allan playing the role of server and offer freshly cracked
black pepper to the table – our waitress gets in on the joke by remarking that
this is not Olive Garden. Dinner done, we head back to the hotel to change and
then it’s a dash to the performance location. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We park and
walk to the recital hall. In the distance, we hear the faint strains of music…
is it… yes, it is! It’s steel drum band. We’re hoping we can persuade them to
accompany us on our finale from Weekend in the Country. We get set and the
audience begins to arrive. It’s a great crowd and every age group is represented
from kids to seniors. I start off the program and Andrew takes the stage with
Largo – a crowd pleaser for sure. The program goes really well. Brett has
learned two Irish tenor pieces in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and they’re a hit.
We even manage to use a bottle of Irish whiskey as a prop and it gets a big
laugh. After the finale is over and the applause dies down, we begin the
Q&A. At first, all of the questions come from the kids in the audience. It
seems they saw a performance at their school yesterday… something called <i>Hansel and Gretel</i>. How cool! They came
tonight because they were so excited about what we’re doing AND they brought
their parents. One young lady asks Katherine why she had short red hair during
the performance yesterday and today her hair long and black. I personally get a
huge kick out of the fact that Brett doesn’t get a question as to why his hair
was in purple pony tails. Apparently that transformation wasn’t quite as
noticeable… Once we get the audience warmed up, the questions start to fire.
This may seems like a small thing, but being able to connect with your audience
like this is such a fabulous opportunity. They’ve just had an experience that
they truly enjoyed and now we get to share more about what we do and about Opera
Colorado.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Questions
rang from “what is it like to do this for a living,” to “how much time do we
spend rehearsing” and more. One question was, “Do you remember your very first
role?” I do. Kindergarten. Fairy Princess. Complete with tutu and point shoes.
Brett jumps in with his response next… “Same.” Now THAT I would have loved to
see. We also get asked if any of us are married to which I respond, “Not to
each other.” Our Andrew is newly married to the lovely Abby who is also an
opera singer. It’s not easy, but they’re making it work. It’s time to call it a day. We say our
goodbyes and offer a sincere thank you for having us and then head back to the
hotel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Readers… I
could continue on with more stories of what happened back at the hotel or tales
of our trip to Alamosa, Estes Park or Ft. Collins, but that’s it for now. As I
said, this is just a little teaser of what’s to come when we hit the road for
real in May. I hope you’ll join us on the journey. It’s certain to be an
interesting ride!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As you
follow us on tour, I’m going to ask something of you too. Readers… “Like” us,
“Share” us, “Tweet” or “Comment” – whatever it is that you do in cyber-world.
We want people to know what we’re up to and how we’re sharing the wonderful
world of opera with everyone we can. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘Till May,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-51169272831911207312014-05-29T15:58:00.001-06:002014-05-29T15:58:26.069-06:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2014 Greater
Colorado Tour – day 11<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Good morning
readers! This is it… the last day of tour. Today’s blog will be a teeny bit shorter
due to the itinerary… and blogger fatigue. I guess you could call today a day
off; we won’t be performing, but spending the day driving back to Denver. Yes,
for us, at this stage of the game, that qualifies as a day off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Everyone
gets up and has breakfast on their own schedule today. We set a time to meet up
last night before we all turned in. It was greeted with groans, but they’re all
here and basically on time. We load the passenger beastie one final time and
hit the road. We found out last night that Independence Pass is open (as of
today) so we’re taking that route. It saves us whopping 20-minutes on our
drive. I snap a few final pics of the view and the beautiful Columbines that
are outside our hotel and we bid goodbye to Carbondale. What a fantastic place
to end our tour!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHsvsdoeiT6FhLQz3GPfmk16hhNV2Pl9GVg3GkS5AcraT-7kHs7u7hIuGYIw4jn0-_DcXhCKCL3-gMkxbXGeMLIWei42-qgQY0NetTTBMVWkvuw8O5pnFUtB6g7SejpOVZKwLTQ29ffI/s1600/view+in+Carbondale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHsvsdoeiT6FhLQz3GPfmk16hhNV2Pl9GVg3GkS5AcraT-7kHs7u7hIuGYIw4jn0-_DcXhCKCL3-gMkxbXGeMLIWei42-qgQY0NetTTBMVWkvuw8O5pnFUtB6g7SejpOVZKwLTQ29ffI/s1600/view+in+Carbondale.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We pass
through Basalt and make our way to Aspen. The car is quiet; everyone is tired
including the driver. Brett is my co-pilot this morning and does his best to
program tunes to keep me awake. He settles on the soundtrack from Frozen (yes
readers, even I can’t resist <i>Let It Go</i>).
We’ll soon find out that this soundtrack proves to be oddly accurate. The
valley here is unbelievably green and it’s definitely warmer than the higher
elevations we’ve been visiting lately. As we make our way into Aspen, the
mountains have just a touch of snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We make the
turn that will take us to the start of Independence Pass; Ben is in the lead.
We pass beautiful cabins and meadows with ponds full of frogs and begin to
climb. The road is a bit narrow here and there, but not unlike others we’ve been
on this trip. We come to a spot to pull off and we get out to stretch our legs
and take a few photos.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGu69LMyfCkjkP7cxzqMKKQkTnBom-5U3U4w_FPxVPPY89fo3sl2XBUAbqeFbavK_OQN0-cYXaFtkTBSkh9OT8e-vi7WQ0VlJv2tRNyMASIQqNl6OsuV57XC-Aehs2cr9ZLigH8raOx0/s1600/Columbines.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGu69LMyfCkjkP7cxzqMKKQkTnBom-5U3U4w_FPxVPPY89fo3sl2XBUAbqeFbavK_OQN0-cYXaFtkTBSkh9OT8e-vi7WQ0VlJv2tRNyMASIQqNl6OsuV57XC-Aehs2cr9ZLigH8raOx0/s1600/Columbines.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgMffymANWwwHGtRB6DNRoqleYBU7TgGtrJAga9hScx6bjVKNBoLvzmRomNOtHXE7OCaQUZPRWaL5cnrjoERepRzU2S89GKM8a9fWVzkcFd9OkyvVoZViaetv0oMkxPlqLYNkmrYvCak/s1600/view+in+Aspen+b4++Independence+pass.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgMffymANWwwHGtRB6DNRoqleYBU7TgGtrJAga9hScx6bjVKNBoLvzmRomNOtHXE7OCaQUZPRWaL5cnrjoERepRzU2S89GKM8a9fWVzkcFd9OkyvVoZViaetv0oMkxPlqLYNkmrYvCak/s1600/view+in+Aspen+b4++Independence+pass.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Jared resumes his duties of co-pilot (I think I wore
Brett out) and on we go. We go just a few hundred feet and things begin to
change rapidly and dramatically. A sign says “road narrows.” No joke – is this
a two lane road?! We come to a curve and another car is coming from the other
direction. I have to drive on the edge of a cliff in order to make enough room
for them to pass. Jared has quite the vantage point; by the end of the turn,
he’s almost in my lap. Up and up we go. You know the term “white-knuckle?”
Turns out, that’s a real thing. As the road gets even steeper and the turns
sharper, I am demonstrating that phrase perfectly. When that no longer helps
me, I begin to express feelings about the drive facially. Brett has the best
seat in the house as he watches my display in the rearview mirror.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The drive is
truly nail biting, but the view… indescribable. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBAR4JPqSLWkStueOstv_WEO5DmE14tikO_65PyTMa-fMxSC0b87XTZiKRjj0s-GMfIexuJL2LGrSdeecHNFF9p6B55VR6tfcMRtGOvLEWSvHsDMVrcf3d3TuBz6cSMM9qntHZbgY4gHk/s1600/Independence+pass.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBAR4JPqSLWkStueOstv_WEO5DmE14tikO_65PyTMa-fMxSC0b87XTZiKRjj0s-GMfIexuJL2LGrSdeecHNFF9p6B55VR6tfcMRtGOvLEWSvHsDMVrcf3d3TuBz6cSMM9qntHZbgY4gHk/s1600/Independence+pass.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
We make it to the summit and it
seems that the road was steeper than any of us realized. We’ve crossed over to
Antarctica. At least that’s what it looks like. There is so much snow that you
feel like you’re in a standing at the top of the world. We spend some time
looking around and I watch as the 6 monkeys that I’ve brought with me tromp
around in thigh-deep snow. Taylor is wearing flip flops, Colleen has very
fashionable boots on while Louise is sporting ballet flats and Brett is wearing
shorts and a wind breaker. Clearly we came prepared. Taylor and I have the
Young Artists pose by the sign to take one final group shot. “Yeah Tour!”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjt_eaW63HZV_EudaBF2_9SRwyf1wxnQKgba3sBO3hUocq9cmWyvon-SfsUdQik99h1f2s4XjOpVPYN7Ond_wjB6LCJWqpvpbGBlMI3zso30sr2k3t0DyPqIMAkR1B8ocNy2RWfDqFixI/s1600/Yeah+Tour.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjt_eaW63HZV_EudaBF2_9SRwyf1wxnQKgba3sBO3hUocq9cmWyvon-SfsUdQik99h1f2s4XjOpVPYN7Ond_wjB6LCJWqpvpbGBlMI3zso30sr2k3t0DyPqIMAkR1B8ocNy2RWfDqFixI/s1600/Yeah+Tour.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
They
flash their best smiles. Then I say “Last day of tour,” expecting another pose.
Well… I got one.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9s1hgGfPXAX1SESYEyr5k-msts7YeApYCZeKBokHq2GGHVPH3EBmaVXGKX72m57iHodLS8LYpDLOy4zlefmhSMOJMIvHKO21x92oxVOfQauGxwm9qElden0Z-qsLpF1j0r5AGFC7E_gI/s1600/Last+Day+of+Tour.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9s1hgGfPXAX1SESYEyr5k-msts7YeApYCZeKBokHq2GGHVPH3EBmaVXGKX72m57iHodLS8LYpDLOy4zlefmhSMOJMIvHKO21x92oxVOfQauGxwm9qElden0Z-qsLpF1j0r5AGFC7E_gI/s1600/Last+Day+of+Tour.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Seems we’re all ready to go home and have a little private
time.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We manage to
get everyone down the snow covered peak safely (opera men; strong like ox) and
I take the chance to get a picture with me and the gents.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBbOAV0b06GZ2hQrz1UYVwYk3eHCiWp0OX9jfhCiGUKvs61sqJlB061gi2ZFF-BNh7SgKOJJmFk0YgjikfZoayn3dPcZ1l59p5Dctw2EJ2_sC82-WZkIUclvK8hMwRZo8Em-xx0G36eU/s1600/me+and+the+gents.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBbOAV0b06GZ2hQrz1UYVwYk3eHCiWp0OX9jfhCiGUKvs61sqJlB061gi2ZFF-BNh7SgKOJJmFk0YgjikfZoayn3dPcZ1l59p5Dctw2EJ2_sC82-WZkIUclvK8hMwRZo8Em-xx0G36eU/s1600/me+and+the+gents.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
It’s rare and my
opportunity to prove I was actually on this tour and not blogging from the
comfort of my lounge chair. Louise, our resident artist, uses the time to leave
her mark, literally. She carves “Opera Colorado” into the snow bank; creative
lass!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFe55r05K92xGqaOQMe9rIl5slNUD7d5xjAkhThzaMZuLcEWMcJeXlU33dGudOjjswAQh07Ha3_5wBmmr7e_sKJVpZJtMRbAhzwen2acFgJOoqY8Zc9jLz3bQj30dPwFyHZwWcYisE58c/s1600/OC+in+Snow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFe55r05K92xGqaOQMe9rIl5slNUD7d5xjAkhThzaMZuLcEWMcJeXlU33dGudOjjswAQh07Ha3_5wBmmr7e_sKJVpZJtMRbAhzwen2acFgJOoqY8Zc9jLz3bQj30dPwFyHZwWcYisE58c/s1600/OC+in+Snow.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Louise begins to hop which is a sign that the cold has set in and it’s
time to go. There are other signs as well; Brett’s legs are blue, Colleen’s
boots are frozen, Ben has a touch of snow blindness and Taylor has lost feeling
in his feet. Jared…? He’s in heaven. This is a Florida boy who loves the snow.
He also loves sharing snow with others. After I have removed Jared’s wintery
gift from my shirt, we get back into the cars and continue onward.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The snow on
each side of the road is higher than the beastie. While the others are admiring
the view and Taylor is alternating between clapping for avalanches and thawing
his toes, I notice that we aren’t climbing any more. No – we’re going down. And
quickly. This is an adventure that I hadn’t planned on today; Alpine driving.
The road literally skirts the side of the mountain. We continue to descend; there’s
been so much snow that there’s some pretty substantial road damage that we have
to navigate. Did you know that baritones can pass as sopranos when frightened
by sheer drop-offs? News to me too. By the time we get to the bottom and make a
pit stop, Jared actually has to pry my hand off of the steering wheel. The
drive is much less stressful at this point, but I have something else on my
mind. I have a promise to fulfill. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This
particular promise is a year and a half in the making. For those of you who
read last year’s tour blog, you may remember the now infamous hot dog incident
of 2013. I promised Jared a visit to the Coney Island hot dog stand in Bailey
Colorado. I was unable to deliver this promise as the establishment was closed.
It was a dark, dark, day. Jared sulked in the back seat and grudgingly ate
Twlizzer Bites, but I knew he wouldn’t forget. I’d have to make good
eventually. We make our way to Bailey
and I bite my nails – what if they’re closed…? I have Twizzler Bites on
standby, just in case. To my delight, and immense relief (because hungry Jared
+ cranky Jared = no fun), they’re open and we make our final stop of tour.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4gMnyJgIxKmgrQMSGIlVDn2O8ht7R9ceZeYLcr-uLkPbVYpc3mOmguITz7ZTu3nx1ZL9Hdyz2SthEL3A1RtNhcVRxJnYc37dB4rMCtUkaLaFd8DA5DnL5TT0vKd6Jip4R1WsBc7pY-s/s1600/promise+fulfilled.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4gMnyJgIxKmgrQMSGIlVDn2O8ht7R9ceZeYLcr-uLkPbVYpc3mOmguITz7ZTu3nx1ZL9Hdyz2SthEL3A1RtNhcVRxJnYc37dB4rMCtUkaLaFd8DA5DnL5TT0vKd6Jip4R1WsBc7pY-s/s1600/promise+fulfilled.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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sit outside to enjoy our last few moments in the mountains. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5bMM45296kOXQGkr10ua3HbgHEIpKLoABjKhTdzw4jQUyXauHAwkMc2HonrocI2CFLgfwDlTw1zHNOgf4HqIIJZJINgdxHGZwJ4_JGnqutgXfzJqAQ0QkBfM9gS3lvI9qm85yG5A06g/s1600/promise+%232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5bMM45296kOXQGkr10ua3HbgHEIpKLoABjKhTdzw4jQUyXauHAwkMc2HonrocI2CFLgfwDlTw1zHNOgf4HqIIJZJINgdxHGZwJ4_JGnqutgXfzJqAQ0QkBfM9gS3lvI9qm85yG5A06g/s1600/promise+%232.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
It’s a lovely
setting with a river, a water wheel and hail the size of marbles. Yes, there’s
nothing like it. Eating hot dogs in a hail storm. Colleen documents the weather
and the fulfilled promise on video while the rest of us dodge the nasty little
ice rockets. Taylor plays bus boy and we all pile back into our seats, ready to
make the final approach into Denver. Jared, now sated and happy, will take this
final stretch so I can sit back and reflect.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We’ve been
gone for 11 days. We’ve traveled more than 1400 miles. We’ve seen some of the
most beautiful scenery in all of America. That’s great – but it’s not why we
came. We’ve brought opera to students and adults in 8 different communities;
some for the very first time; all who have no regular access to it. We’ve
worked with students who could be the next generation of performers. We’ve
shared Opera Colorado’s mission. We’ve made lasting connections with people
through an art form that tells a story through song. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s been
quite a journey. It always is. Sure, we’re tired; but we’re also feeling pretty
great about what we’ve done. This is a privilege and we all know it. I think
that’s why we want people to experience it – opera changes you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Now though,
it’s time to put tour aside and focus on the Young Artists’ last week on
contract with Opera Colorado. Our work isn’t done yet. I, for one, hope it
never will be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thanks for
coming along for the ride. Until next year readers,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-62007997520389430742014-05-27T12:15:00.001-06:002014-05-27T12:15:20.988-06:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2014 Greater
Colorado Tour – day 10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Disclaimer –
busy day, LOTS to blog about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The human
brain is a funny thing. Sometimes the mere suggestion of something makes the
brain construct a reality based on that suggestion. You know like when someone
like Taylor Baldwin tells you that the hotel you’re staying in is haunted? Your
brain will then spend the night in ghost hunter mode, waiting for something to
happen. It’s a psychological fact. At least it is if you have my brain. After spending
most of last night listening with my eyes (not a typo), I did manage to get a
few hours of sleep. I say good morning to Colleen and Louise and then begin to
get ready. By the time Jared and Brett knock on my door to go downstairs for
breakfast, I’m almost fully-functioning. I ask the gents if they had anything
strange happen in the night and it turns out, we did have some odd occurrences.
Nothing scary – just laughter in the hallway, knocking on their walls, their
bathroom door got locked from the other side and my shoe (that was under the
other one) fell off the dresser onto the floor. Paranormal? Not sure. Possibly
Baldwin related.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At
breakfast, Ben and Taylor pop up looking oddly tired. Seems that they were up
later than they anticipated last night. Hmmm… After further investigation,
their lack of energy is due to a late night at a local hang out, not trickery
or hauntings. Ben, Taylor and Louise went out after the rest of us turned in
and played pool, chatted and made a new friend who was born in South America
but considers himself Ukrainian. He apparently liked Louise a lot – he thought
she looked well fed. This comment caused Taylor to self-appointed himself as
her brother. Their new friend wasn’t such a big fan of Ben’s attire however and
thought his western shirt made him look constipated. Now, mind you, I am
getting all of this information second hand, at breakfast. Part of me believes
it’s all an elaborate ruse to get me off the scent of their part in my
sleepless night; the other part of me is too busy laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After breakfast,
we walk around the main floor of the hotel and stop to look in the gift shop.
They have some neat items. Brett is particularly fond of an artisan soap; the
scent is called “Grumpy Old Man.” Not quite sure how one goes about capturing
that aroma, but apparently this company has figured it out. Brett decides to
head up to his room to get ready and Jared and I decide to walk into town and
look around. It’s another beautiful day and the red mountain against the blue
sky is stunning.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OaXqp0XMcB5bFWFMP5cAZBEutJjDML3YWQ9Upzqcn4K-gL10oZeAWkrCt6qSyJtVd1PzR98Wehx2sGCg_oDFtkmdhqnEmFlet7tT3vsdqn_2EuOA3pNCmbwjKTsEzzrv2pOPpcI9Gcg/s1600/Glenwood+Springs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OaXqp0XMcB5bFWFMP5cAZBEutJjDML3YWQ9Upzqcn4K-gL10oZeAWkrCt6qSyJtVd1PzR98Wehx2sGCg_oDFtkmdhqnEmFlet7tT3vsdqn_2EuOA3pNCmbwjKTsEzzrv2pOPpcI9Gcg/s1600/Glenwood+Springs.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
It’s more humid today, so I’m betting we get rain later. We
walk across the bridge towards downtown, avoiding cross walk lights that don’t
work, hoards of bees and a walkway over the street that seems to be made of
Jell-O. Seriously – it wobbled when you stepped on it and you could see
straight through it to the street below. Having safely navigated the perils, we
look around mainstreet Glenwood Springs.
In a store window, Jared sees a poster. Cool, he says – someone is doing
the <i>Barber of Seville</i>. Oh, wait he
says… that’s us! It’s a poster for our performance in Carbondale later tonight.
They’ve put them all over town and in surrounding burgs as well. I am very
impressed with Jared’s powers of observation.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTChJgiitlJNHW9fYDjkkD3GJLiu83DhZ4lq2xXOm7-L72c1msdb-3hktZx914q_H-8Z7t9cAD8cpBJT2UlDrCrMcoreXlZjNVUMYOGpvBklYNYap_xfg0XtIrrGPqSM3KfYl8OuYp7Ig/s1600/Barber+Poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTChJgiitlJNHW9fYDjkkD3GJLiu83DhZ4lq2xXOm7-L72c1msdb-3hktZx914q_H-8Z7t9cAD8cpBJT2UlDrCrMcoreXlZjNVUMYOGpvBklYNYap_xfg0XtIrrGPqSM3KfYl8OuYp7Ig/s1600/Barber+Poster.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We make our
way into a store to look around and I lock on to something that I know Jared
has been wanting for some time. A very stylish fedora. I make him try it on and
it’s a perfect fit. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9J3Fo3QxEvBjvFt0JKViypuqlQnHRBX9XHaatHQ-PVyKUL5fAKUMFar3Jc-kFKs2RMqw-PtcZK6sMgxr8QMrhmq0AEE-MK-ZYfGvZuyj9NnLBx7dV8e8tOHrVog1tZu3LNz_JQKsMHg/s1600/Jared's+New+Hat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9J3Fo3QxEvBjvFt0JKViypuqlQnHRBX9XHaatHQ-PVyKUL5fAKUMFar3Jc-kFKs2RMqw-PtcZK6sMgxr8QMrhmq0AEE-MK-ZYfGvZuyj9NnLBx7dV8e8tOHrVog1tZu3LNz_JQKsMHg/s1600/Jared's+New+Hat.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
Jared reciprocates my fashion find by making one of his
own. Readers, many of you may not be aware of this, but my name is a little
tricky to pronounce; first and last. This frequently leads to some pretty funny
takes on how to say it. One in particular has caught on with this group and
become a nickname of sorts – Cherry Cupcake. In this store, Jared somehow finds
cupcake earrings. They are a must have and soon we’re both sporting our lucky
finds. We walk around town for a bit longer and then begin the perilous journey
across the Jell-O bridge again to get back to the hotel. We meet up with Brett, who is very engrossed
in his book (he’s reading Game of Thrones) and show him our purchases. Colleen
and Louise are the next to arrive in the lobby; they’ve been shopping too. Soon,
we’re reunited with Ben and Taylor and we get to the business of loading the
cars so we can get back on the road. We’re headed to Carbondale today. We’ve
got a workshop in the afternoon with students and then a performance for the
community in the evening.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s a
pretty quick drive and other than a conversation about sandwich spreads, it is
fairly uneventful. Taylor, Brett and Jared were discussing food and their
various likes and dislikes. The subject of sandwich spreads came up. Taylor said
something about liking hamas on his. Brett questioned this, asked for
clarification as to whether he meant hummus (a spread concocted from chickpeas)
or Hamas (a Sunni Muslim Palestinian extremist group). It’s an important
educational moment for Taylor. It’s also a really good thing that Jared is
driving this morning. After post-haunting fatigue and now this, I’m not sure I
could have kept us on the road. We arrive in Carbondale and make our way to the
hotel so we can check-in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We get into
our rooms and get settled. It’s lunch time, so Brett and Jared want to head to
the mainstreet area and check it out, while the other’s want to rest for a bit
and get something to eat later. Since this is the first time Opera Colorado has
ever been to Carbondale, I’m eager to look around and learn more about the
community; I decide to join Brett and Jared. We hop in the beasty and head into
town. It’s not far and we know immediately that we’re in our kind of place. The
mainstreet area is small, but full of restaurants, shops and… art. There are
signs of an artistic community everywhere. Sculptures, chalk art, public art
installations; really interesting and eclectic. We grab something to eat and
then take a little time to look around. Brett and Jared force me to go into a
lovely antique store. Brett and Jared are not allowed to make me go into stores
any more. I pack my purchases into the car and just as we leave to get back to
the hotel, it starts to rain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We collect
the other members of our group and then head over the performing arts center
where we’ll be performing and holding the workshop. We meet up with our
contacts (who are all amazing and welcome us with open arms) and we’re led to
the performance space. While Taylor figures out the piano situation (they
weren’t aware we needed one…), the Young Artists begin load-in. I go to meet
the youth theater director and get set up in the workshop space. I’ll be
leading a workshop for students ages 8-18 on performance skills. This group of
students had to sign up to be able to attend so they’re all kids that love
theater and music. I find out as I’m talking to their director that the
workshop is completely full – hooray! I go back to get the rest of our group.
They’ve completed set up and we’re ready for the workshop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We’ve got
every age in the spectrum represented, even one that is younger than the 8
year-old cut off; she’s 6. I talk with her mom and tell her they’re welcome to
stay and play a few of the games, but that as class goes on, it may get too
intense for her. I begin the workshop with introductions and then we play an
ice-breaker to help the students get to know each other and us. I want them to
take risks today, so it’s important to make time for this kind of activity at
the beginning of the class. We go around the room and each person says their
name and does a movement that represents something that they like. We have
students who like to sing, dance, read and play sports. I encourage each of
them and cheer them on. The Young Artists and Taylor are participating too and
the students are already laughing at their antics. It’s going well... until we
get to a young man named Tyler. Tyler is very bright. He’s a theater kid and,
for anyone who has been in theater, you know what that means. Tyler says his
name, then stops. I ask him what he likes to do and he says, “sleep.” In
encourage him to do a movement to show us that. Tyler proceeds to fall to the
floor and “sleep.” Readers… I consider myself to be an articulate, moderately
intelligent, fairly expressive person. What follows next will not back any of
this up… There he is, Tyler, lying on the floor and I open my mouth and say,
very enthusiastically… “OK – let’s all sleep with Tyler!” I didn’t mean it that
way. I certainly didn’t hear it that way. It’s a very good thing I was focused
on the students and didn’t look back at the Young Artists. Jared, Taylor and
Brett almost needed medical attention from holding back their laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Blissfully oblivious,
I continue on with the workshop. We do warm up exercises and move to playing
improv games. I ask for three of the Young Artists to do a game with me so that
the students understand what I’m asking for. The game is called
“Sculptor/Sculpture,” Taylor and Brett are statues and Ben is the sculptor.
They act out a scene but can only move when Ben puts them into different
positions. I’d admit, I was a little nervous about where this might go, but
what they did was spectacular. They morphed seamlessly from ballet dancers to
monkey impersonators to people who like warm hugs. The students are now
completely open to what I ask them to do and having a blast. Before I know it,
we’re more than halfway through our time. I move on to Shakespeare. Some of the
students are involved in an upcoming production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
and I believe that you can learn things from studying Shakespeare that you
can’t learn in other forms of theater. I have cards with Shakespearian insults
printed on them and each person has a turn to read one and then someone
responds with their card when it fits, acting out each one through vocal
expression and physical characterization. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s amazing
how kids “get” Shakespeare when given the chance. The activity is more
successful that I had even hoped and the students are loving it. One young man
in the class has severe dyslexia and also a pronounced stutter. I partner with
him and he gets up to read his card – flawlessly and not a bauble to be heard!
I’m beaming. Next we have little Ruby, who at 6, gets up and reads her
Shakespeare card without any help. Now I’m walking on air. Then, we have
Emmett, who does not read his card. No… Emmett has memorized his insult and
even choreographed movements. We’re all cheering for him and the other students
by the time the game is done. Louise helps with another activity on expression
and sings <i>Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man</i>
from Showboat. I stand back and watch their faces as they listen to her – it’s
one of my favorite things to do because their expressions are unguarded and
completely priceless. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGmxzGNybniJdT04LeImAEUKZFO7m0VMuemnwB55MrnN7sBe449BxLwYoQuwG-kD6rGk7JCBSQjva0dCyYKCe9XHzBew9-cpaLQrY0KcY9FxZa1xbtki_Odn05tUSAm9ze5r0j9m1Szw/s1600/Louise+at+workshop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGmxzGNybniJdT04LeImAEUKZFO7m0VMuemnwB55MrnN7sBe449BxLwYoQuwG-kD6rGk7JCBSQjva0dCyYKCe9XHzBew9-cpaLQrY0KcY9FxZa1xbtki_Odn05tUSAm9ze5r0j9m1Szw/s1600/Louise+at+workshop.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Unbelievably, we’re out of time and I use the last 8-minutes
of class for a question and answer session. What a fabulous afternoon – we are
so glad we could work with the students and share a bit of what we know. Keep
up the amazing work young ladies and gentlemen!<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With the
workshop completed, we make a quick dash back to the hotel to grab a few things
for tonight and then we make out way back to the mainstreet area for dinner. On
the way, Taylor sees a dog in a backyard and calls out, “Puppy!” Unbeknownst to
Taylor, the dog’s owner is also in the yard and as the dog begins to bark uncontrollably,
he gives Taylor a look that expresses displeasure. Taylor responds, “Sorry, I
like dogs.” Everyone decides on their own cuisine tonight. I decide to go for
Thai food as do Brett and Jared. Taylor, Colleen, Louise and Ben opt for
pizza. As they walk around town, they
see signs of the <i>Barber of Seville</i>
everywhere; and not just posters. This town has really gotten into this. They
have some chalkboard art and there are even gold combs hung on sculptures. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBy2X2jAvqgndqkH4S1gak3VRJ6dyopH1nTkL7PNVWFHI-Dua3JoIzBqvpRyC-b1-w0FIFQFjsg_s1Osa_kk1P6ykeSz7IMdiunZkSDSTL5WjPlNg2I7eY2Vd7VjEpYwRlXpdfDyojtI/s1600/Barber+chalk+art.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBy2X2jAvqgndqkH4S1gak3VRJ6dyopH1nTkL7PNVWFHI-Dua3JoIzBqvpRyC-b1-w0FIFQFjsg_s1Osa_kk1P6ykeSz7IMdiunZkSDSTL5WjPlNg2I7eY2Vd7VjEpYwRlXpdfDyojtI/s1600/Barber+chalk+art.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
We
find out later that the performing arts center hid a pair of tickets on one of
the combs and whoever found it got the tickets. Colleen, Louise and Ben frolic
around the area and bond while posing with statues. They cement said bond in
the aptly named Friendship Park.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVVw3IkQCAU5CYZIaw2pTDfwbDYcczaT-mhm6CTOAcBQdTSyKpWJwrg5mO-kckj7jTuLEbSeNYYjjSEOpazvpmOiLJEOn96qZwYMMX7bV2RXWfGjKh6zml0JhpEZJjkuGdwVrE9TTydo/s1600/Friendship.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVVw3IkQCAU5CYZIaw2pTDfwbDYcczaT-mhm6CTOAcBQdTSyKpWJwrg5mO-kckj7jTuLEbSeNYYjjSEOpazvpmOiLJEOn96qZwYMMX7bV2RXWfGjKh6zml0JhpEZJjkuGdwVrE9TTydo/s1600/Friendship.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Back at the
car, Colleen is good luck – or should I say, Colleen has good luck shared with
her. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjE6MRTNGwCGY_UNtXYRt6sg2PZRiB7wwb6pNwu3i3S6UXMSK1waPB7tMjYE8HbSNSQhD6JtInhcYB5qOrbJ7SIJ1cr-w5CrJjh41nMNdCM-UV36yHbYDex64q7m_zjUP0ptYbTZxShkw/s1600/Colleen+Being+Silly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjE6MRTNGwCGY_UNtXYRt6sg2PZRiB7wwb6pNwu3i3S6UXMSK1waPB7tMjYE8HbSNSQhD6JtInhcYB5qOrbJ7SIJ1cr-w5CrJjh41nMNdCM-UV36yHbYDex64q7m_zjUP0ptYbTZxShkw/s1600/Colleen+Being+Silly.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Yep, a feathered friend deposited its contents upon her. That’s supposed
to be good luck… right? She’s get cleaned up and we head back to the theater.
We have just enough time for the artists to warm up with Taylor before the
audience begins to arrive, almost an hour before curtain. We’re sequestered in
the green room and everyone gets into costume and makeup. Grandpa Baldwin gives
Master Sprague a lesson on how to tie a bow tie while I sew buttons and hooks
onto costumes in need of repair. You have to know how to do it all in this
business.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s while
I’m sewing that I realize something profound. After two years of this
production, this will be our final show for a public audience. We have one more
next week, but it’s at Children’s Hospital and a very different experience.
This is it. <i>Barber of Seville</i> has
been the most successful and well-received touring production we’ve ever done.
It’s been the production that has come the closest to the vision that lived in
my head as I was designing it too. I’m feeling a bit misty. I think Jared is
nostalgic too – he’s spent the past two year performing in the show and it’s
strange to think that it’s coming to a close. It’s time… everyone takes their
places and we wait. One of the sponsors makes an introduction and I go out and
welcome our audience and tell them a bit about the production. I go out to take
my seat as Taylor plays the first chord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I haven’t
watched the show in its entirety for a while. I’ve seen bits and pieces, but
I’m usually trying to multi-task so I inevitably miss potions of it. Not
tonight. The Young Artists asked me to sit and watch tonight; to enjoy the
show. I do. Even after two years, this production still makes me laugh, due in
large part to the talent, chemistry and antics of the Young Artists. The audience is enjoying every moment. At the
end of the performance, the finale, there’s a surprise. Now I know why they
wanted me to watch. Jared has procured some of the unused confetti from <i>Carmen </i>and the artists throw it into the
air on the final note. The audience cheers enthusiastically and I join in. What
a perfect way to end this productions’ run. Bows taken, I go out to begin the
Q&A.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Q&A
is different from others. Typically most of the questions are for the Young
Artists; tonight they are about Opera Colorado, the production and the Young
Artist residency. I have to field a lot of the questions, but I am thrilled by
the community’s interest. After the last question, I say a sincere thank you to
the audience and let them know why tonight was such a special evening. To our
surprise, that triggers a standing ovation. Our evening isn’t over yet – the
sponsors of tonight’s performance have also set up a reception and we’re led
down to a lounge area where we rejoin the audience. We’re treated to an
assortment of food and beverages and we all divide ourselves among the crowd,
talking to as many people as we can. The response is overwhelming. Everyone
tells us how much they enjoyed the show and makes us promise to come back next
year. One of the sponsors tells me that we have fulfilled a dream of hers to
have real opera in Carbondale. Another woman tells me that this was her first
opera; she didn’t expect to like it, but now she thinks she’s hooked! Talking
with our main contact, she’s over the moon and tells me we have to start
planning next year – they want us back. For a first time visit to a community,
this is exactly what I want to hear and I am thrilled that we’ve made a new
connection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I have to
break up the ongoing conversations and get the Young Artists out of costume and
makeup. It’s already late and we still have to break down the set and load out.
Taylor is a champ and he begins to load out while we take the set down. The
confetti was a fabulous touch, but it now proves to be a huge pain. Sweeping it
up is almost impossible, but Jared, Brett and Taylor are relentless and get the
job done. We’re told several times by staff just to leave it and they will get
to it tomorrow, but that’s not how we roll. We don’t leave a mess for other
people to clean up. We’re told again, for probably the fifth time today, that
we’re “easy.” We really to try to be low maintenance; people that are easy to
work with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Just as load
out reaches its peak, the rain begins to fall. By the time we get everything
and ourselves into the beasties, it’s really coming down. We’re all tired, but
it’s been a wonderful day and a great way to end the performing part of tour.
We have one more day tomorrow, but it’s all driving. There’s not much time to
catch our breath though. This weekend, Ben is headed to Santa Fe for some
initial chorus rehearsals (he’s in their program for a second season). Colleen,
Louise, Brett, Jared and Taylor will be performing at the Downtown Denver Arts
Festival. Follow that with a
fully-booked week and we’ve got a lot still to do. We make it back to the hotel
and everyone turns in. As I turn off my light and settle in for the night, I smile.
What a crazy, wonderful business this is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nighty-night
readers (one more blog to go),<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-85942206634555613102014-05-22T12:42:00.002-06:002014-05-22T12:42:33.405-06:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2014 Greater
Colorado Tour – day 9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I awake with
the birdies this morning. The sky is blue with puffy white clouds. I greet the
day with a stretch and [Groan]… No one told me that facials and a mini-massage
have aftershocks, or side effects, or expiration dates – or whatever this is.
My skin looks great, but I have sore places on my body that I didn’t know my
body had places. I have to get up and moving though because we don’t have
another leisurely morning. We’ve got a drive ahead of us to get to Frisco for
an early afternoon performance of <i>Barber</i>.
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8G7lEEZLhOI_q8yk0-QTRmwdyzbRO1F73PNcjYr2DmpoxK9T1_UcLiXyObYVtO_Rgn5ity_NioleWP1AnzEFqk-lh28OSoKUWa9fUa3ftdL-ieJixrEWBqMmdRJSpCMhhLHo4I6vZ8s/s1600/drive+to+frisco.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8G7lEEZLhOI_q8yk0-QTRmwdyzbRO1F73PNcjYr2DmpoxK9T1_UcLiXyObYVtO_Rgn5ity_NioleWP1AnzEFqk-lh28OSoKUWa9fUa3ftdL-ieJixrEWBqMmdRJSpCMhhLHo4I6vZ8s/s1600/drive+to+frisco.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Taylor has already been up for a while. I offer to make him breakfast. He says
thank you, but he simply won’t allow it. He’s the independent kind and has his
own schedule.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jared’s the
next one up followed shortly thereafter by Brett. I make coffee while they stagger around. Once
everyone is a bit more bright-eyed, I decide to go ahead and make breakfast. I
love cooking for people, so it’s really not a chore. It’s eggs and bacon again
and some Irish oatmeal. After eating, I have to work on yesterday’s blog and
get it finished – I was so wiped out last night, I fell asleep before it was
done. The guys switch between relaxing, reading and getting packed up. Colleen,
Ben and Louise arrive and take their turn in the kitchen for breakfast. The
entire cabin now smells like bacon, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but I
head outside for a bit to breathe in some fresh mountain air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The river is
even higher today and clouds are building over the mountains. It looks like we
may get some rain later. Still, it’s a beautiful view. I don’t stay outside
long as I have to get packed up myself. Louise volunteers to do the breakfast
dishes and Taylor helps her while Brett and Jared get the car packed. Ben and
Colleen head down to the lodge to get their things and check out. The rest of
us follow and we say goodbye to our cabin, the lodge and the hot springs/spa – it’s really been a wonderful haven for us
the past few days. At the lodge, I go in to check us out of the cabin while
everyone else finishes loading the cars. The young woman who helps me sees my
email address and asks about Opera Colorado. Do I work for them? Am I a singer?
Etc. Etc. I answer her questions and I can sense there’s more that she wants to
say. I ask her if she’s a fan of opera and she gives me a huge smile. Turns
out, she’s not only a fan, she’s about to start college in the fall, studying
to be an opera singer. She’s been saving for it for almost 2 years. I spend the
next few minutes talking to her and answering some of her questions about this
career. I give her my card and tell her to contact me if there’s anything I can
do to help as she takes her first steps. What a great way to start the day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I rejoin the
others and we head out – Jared is driving this morning and Ben is following us
in the other beasty. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDrb8-dkHyxlSH276EhczsoJpt0ZFvzejnG-T1oNkL6MFFcyyN9nFDvxOQOQ4qD8XQqcAfbsj2h-tZJUj7hdnbp3Oi3Pnc2IoF19AGxMx8XDVI2RvrGcrklDEC3zunazVpbCzCpXK9Do/s1600/jared+driving.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDrb8-dkHyxlSH276EhczsoJpt0ZFvzejnG-T1oNkL6MFFcyyN9nFDvxOQOQ4qD8XQqcAfbsj2h-tZJUj7hdnbp3Oi3Pnc2IoF19AGxMx8XDVI2RvrGcrklDEC3zunazVpbCzCpXK9Do/s1600/jared+driving.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
We make the correct turn after two tries (thanks lady on
the GPS who has apparently been talking to Taylor’s Siri) and head up a really
steep incline. There’s a sheer drop off on my side of the car. Thankfully, this
doesn’t last too long and we come onto a high plain that overlooks the entire
valley. There’s a ranch that raises miniature horses and I comment that they
must grow well up here. The road that we’re on takes us into Buena Vista and
from there we head towards Leadville before we join up with I-70. The drive is
beautiful. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9snVr_A5PMHnaz1kFjEul94TdKR3kZ-4ISLh8JGnv_GXKooLyzm3z-XwIq9JvCzfbz-u0U-w9TtdXPaKLevZU2LkRA11vBLNW3wyk5m73SyHrxH4Qs1nZk30R72W7O_hLGElsMRp5Xgo/s1600/high+planes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9snVr_A5PMHnaz1kFjEul94TdKR3kZ-4ISLh8JGnv_GXKooLyzm3z-XwIq9JvCzfbz-u0U-w9TtdXPaKLevZU2LkRA11vBLNW3wyk5m73SyHrxH4Qs1nZk30R72W7O_hLGElsMRp5Xgo/s1600/high+planes.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
We get some rain on the way but nothing major. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We’ve made
it to Frisco and we head straight to the school. It’s now that I notice “it”
has happened. Tour lag. This happens every
year around this same time; about 7 to 8 days in. You reach a point of mental decline
and physical fatigue. I can see it on everyone. There’s not a lot of talking
and people are moving slower than usual. We’ve got a performance to do though,
so I go in to the school to check in and find out where we unload. We get to
the right spot and we have 3 young ladies waiting for us to show us the way. I
greet them and they immediately offer to help us carry things into the theater.
I’m caught off guard – this usually doesn’t happen and I tend to be picky with
who touches our stuff. But the eager looks on their faces are really sincere so
I ask if they would like to help carry in the costumes. They get so excited
they actually jump. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Load in –
here we go again. The space is fantastic today. We’ve got more than enough
room. Our contact from the Breckenridge Music Festival is here again today.
What a wonderful source of support she’s been over the past 3 days. Thank you
Mary Jane Wurster! Set up goes smoothly, but there’s still practically no
talking and this is a fairly chatty group. Tour lag. I meet the teacher and the
final preparations for the show are finished. We’ve got some costume casualties;
Brett is missing a button on his pants and Louise’s skirt has no hook. I pin it
as best I can (Louise’s skirt not Brett’s pants) and we wait for all the
students to arrive. Looking at all of the Young Artists standing around me, I’m
suddenly aware of something. Today is our very last performance in a school.
Sure, we have shows left to do, but they’ll all be in community theaters or one
at Children’s Hospital next week. This is it – after today, there will be no
more school shows with this amazing group of artists all together. I decide to
tell them hoping it will help them shake the tour lag. I tell them to enjoy it
– they’ve all worked so hard to get here.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zU5YyAvisBz68HOabGEg7UsLafgWqCH_VlicRaQgEFD1SInXbF2InBUtXbgGw-UjPjYp6_J2jb4gtNQNQYC8NbC_ocQODhpU2DeoWy4vMWm9h8pu8UbBtCT3e7NXcnq1_jkFNd9cQAw/s1600/barber+set+frisco.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zU5YyAvisBz68HOabGEg7UsLafgWqCH_VlicRaQgEFD1SInXbF2InBUtXbgGw-UjPjYp6_J2jb4gtNQNQYC8NbC_ocQODhpU2DeoWy4vMWm9h8pu8UbBtCT3e7NXcnq1_jkFNd9cQAw/s1600/barber+set+frisco.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We have to
hold for about 10-minutes as we wait for the last couple of classes to arrive.
As we wait, we’re treated to an impromptu performance by the high school choir.
They didn’t know they were going to sing and they’re down about 7 members, but
they give it their all. They have a new choir teacher who sang in the Opera
Colorado chorus last season so we’re delighted that we get to hear them. We
cheer them on with our applause and as they take their seats, we begin the
show. I’m introduced by the teacher and I go out to talk to the audience. We’ve
got middle school, high school and even some community members here today. It’s
a really good size audience. I tell them a bit about what they’re going to see
in this production and encourage them to laugh if something is funny or clap
when a piece has ended. We begin the show with a big “Bravo!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I sit
backstage. As much as I’d like to watch their final school show, I have to
write the blog for day 8 and catch up on some work. I wait for that moment at
the beginning of the show, the one that will tell me if we’ve got a responsive
audience or not. Wait for it… wait…. Yes! We do! In fact, as the show
progresses, they are one of the most responsive audiences we’ve ever had. This
is exactly what we needed today. The artists start to feed off of their energy.
They’re playing off each other and really having fun. There are a couple of
times when the audience laughs so hard; I can’t even hear Taylor playing the
piano. As they take their bows, I sneak to the side and watch. These kids
didn’t simply enjoy this show – they loved it. There are “bravos” and hoots and
cheers. As a director, moments like this are important for me too. As silly as
it sounds, it reminds me that I do indeed know what I’m doing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As bows end,
I go out to begin the Q&A. </span></div>
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Not surprisingly, we get wonderful questions.
There’s a young lady in the audience who is a senior and is going to be a music
major. She tells us how much she enjoyed the show and what an inspiration we
all are for her. Then she asks a question we’ve never gotten before. What was
the very first classical piece we ever sang? It’s not hard for any of us to
remember what it was and we each answer, most of us started with an Italian
piece. When we get to Jared, he says his was actually a German piece. This
gives Brett the perfect opportunity to do his accent again and the two of them
have the audience in stiches when it’s all said and done. Other questions are
about how long we’ve worked together or how long it took us to rehearse this
show. It seems like ages ago now… but it was only January when this group met
for the first time and we put this show on its feet. We run out of time for questions so I
encourage any of the students who can stay to come up and talk to us
individually.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1fwSugBkM_fgOBOlHrJnnz88aYlFWLabthO7zHtt23Ofq-KHFBFtCVbquPEId1fUrbmAoA7v9wG3jwtXSbuF7oK3kU8944vB3z1BDJj4iNVCzPKK25cDNOgy3yRRtg7pjaEn99t5L7Jw/s1600/talking+to+kids+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1fwSugBkM_fgOBOlHrJnnz88aYlFWLabthO7zHtt23Ofq-KHFBFtCVbquPEId1fUrbmAoA7v9wG3jwtXSbuF7oK3kU8944vB3z1BDJj4iNVCzPKK25cDNOgy3yRRtg7pjaEn99t5L7Jw/s1600/talking+to+kids+2.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_x9q7VGPWjvIeQgzaXIBGZomrJvUzU7grJbMyNQUg6AoCBPaOpw0Zva7mCGYX6Fok4b3Tkr434S-QsU_xjr-5KEodlMube9_VF_ielS9oeiv69fiG7whyphenhyphen848kUIlWuoNl0cj9gu2kcA/s1600/talking+to+kids.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_x9q7VGPWjvIeQgzaXIBGZomrJvUzU7grJbMyNQUg6AoCBPaOpw0Zva7mCGYX6Fok4b3Tkr434S-QsU_xjr-5KEodlMube9_VF_ielS9oeiv69fiG7whyphenhyphen848kUIlWuoNl0cj9gu2kcA/s1600/talking+to+kids.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Quite a few do and the Young Artists and Taylor spend time
answering questions. I’m not involved in this – why you ask? Because I have to
transition from Director to Nurse. Jared has a boo-boo. He tripped on the wet
steps yesterday at the spa and scraped up his leg. During today’s performance
it got banged up even more. First felled by a hummingbird, now impaired by steps…
it never ends. I fetch the first aid kit from the car and come back in time to
see two very sweet, well one sweet and one a mix of sweet and odd,
interactions. Colleen has been talking to the young lady who will be a music
major in the fall. I watch as Colleen gives her some good advice and, more
importantly, encouragement and even a hug. I think that young lady’s feeling
pretty uplifted right about now and by the look on Colleen’s face, she is too.
The other observation comes courtesy of Brett. He has a young lady as him if he
could sing her to sleep tonight. Oh my. Brett’s response? He can’t because
we’ll be in Glenwood Springs tonight.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I have to
stop things so we can get to load out and I can tend to Jared’s leg. He’s a
little worse for wear but he’ll be fine. One more injury though and he’s next
in line for the bubble wrap. The Young Artists are chatting like crazy now –
hopefully tour lag has passed. While they get out of costume I chat with some
of our community guests, among them is a couple who saw our recent production
of <i>Carmen</i> and loved it. They’ve been
subscribers for quite some time and said they really enjoyed the fact that we
took a risk and they felt the singing was “of the finest quality.” They are
also very complimentary about <i>Barber</i>.
She also taught music for years and she is really impressed with what we do
with our school programs. I bid them goodbye thank Mary Jane one more time then
help with load out. When we all work as a team it goes really quickly which is
good because we’re starving. Ben knows a couple places in Frisco’s mainstreet
area so we load in the cars to head there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Readers – a
bit of information for you should it ever come up. If you are ever presented
with a hungry Taylor Baldwin, feed him. Quickly. Odd things happen when you
don’t. Taylor has moved on from avalanche clapping to school bus clapping. As
we leave the school, he waves, and claps at the students on the buses (and
those walking home) and calls out “Bye. Have a beautiful time!” He then tells
us he needs lotion because he has acquired a skin disease on his hands and
needs to moisturize before his finger falls off, leaving him with nine. To
this, Louise responds from the back of the car… “Oh, my nana had nine fingers!”
To which Brett and Taylor think Louise has said her “nana” meaning “banana” has
nine fingers which is just weird. This entire conversation could have been
avoided if we had stuck to the Baldwin’s feeding schedule. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Happily, we
have arrived at mainstreet. Ben guides me into a parking spot with all the
flair of an aircraft marshal and I jump out before anything else… interesting
happens. We start off by sitting outside, but the weather changes – there’s a
storm a brewin’ according to Taylor, so we move inside. We’re all feeling
better after the success of today’s performance and now that we’ve eaten,
things are more like I’m used to with this group. Ben and Colleen take this
opportunity to tell a few stories about me. They paint me in somewhat of an
“airhead” light so I choose to invoke bloggers prerogative and not repeat them.
As we’re leaving, I see a sign posted by the handicap accessible restroom which
reads “Handicapped accessible entrance located downstairs.” Hmmm… somehow that
doesn’t seem right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dodging
raindrops, we load back into the cars and head to Glenwood Springs where we’re
spending the night. In the co-pilot seat, Brett literally falls asleep on the
job of wildlife and rock watcher. It’s OK, he tired and Jared is watching over
things from the backseat. Colleen naps and Taylor, now fed, has gone quiet.
Louise and Ben are in the other car, which I can’t see, so I assume they’re
fine. Jared plays a techno song and commands
Brett to wake and do an improvised dance, which he does and, as he was seated, it
was quite impressive. Jared laughs so hard he sounds like a Wagnerian soprano.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We make it
to our lodging, Hotel Colorado.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbyv0nrQVWc5fr9YzaVCOZHZ5L9FJ7plOkfsSMyMiOjiET_IhGLD335axixCTzndxlonfTv9uMhcugrbxKGmKflWbOOJMZJCOM1YrBTtHFMRtYEtnTtMAoCPzqZlrqp3OXXCEmkEezs4/s1600/hotel+colorado.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbyv0nrQVWc5fr9YzaVCOZHZ5L9FJ7plOkfsSMyMiOjiET_IhGLD335axixCTzndxlonfTv9uMhcugrbxKGmKflWbOOJMZJCOM1YrBTtHFMRtYEtnTtMAoCPzqZlrqp3OXXCEmkEezs4/s1600/hotel+colorado.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
It’s on the National Historic Register and I’m
really excited to check it out. I love history and the period this was built is
one of my favorite eras. To make it even better, I was able to get us a discount
on the rooms once they found out that we were on tour, performing for local
communities. We unload our bags and while Ben and I park the beasties, the
others get everything into our rooms. The hotel is gorgeous. After getting
settled, I go down the hall to the gent’s room to let them know I am going to
walk around and check things out. Taylor, who has livened up considerably,
informs me that the hotel is haunted.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMU96xVZ4C-qzJypSFS-G9RBweI6szwNJJaeGVpIdqEFVY2TekSscNyo_GQVccm7gn9Voh2RqvV6wbGIqYOJ0aWr9KB6UWmlAvtjewhbhGUtWQH5QKNrPwLmiCDDHuYftmhV7Ia40twCw/s1600/Taylor+telling+me+hotel+is+haunted.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMU96xVZ4C-qzJypSFS-G9RBweI6szwNJJaeGVpIdqEFVY2TekSscNyo_GQVccm7gn9Voh2RqvV6wbGIqYOJ0aWr9KB6UWmlAvtjewhbhGUtWQH5QKNrPwLmiCDDHuYftmhV7Ia40twCw/s1600/Taylor+telling+me+hotel+is+haunted.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
I am no longer excited to stay here. His
room is right on the other side of mine, so I tell him if I scream, he’d better
come running. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I go down to
the lobby to look around. It really is beautiful. I find a wonderful outdoor
courtyard and decide to sit there and work for a bit. Everyone will meet up at
9:00PM to talk over the next day’s schedule. As I work, my laptop goes dead so
I have to move inside. I am so glad I did. As I sit working, an elderly
gentleman comes to the piano in the lobby and begins to play.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdSL_ZUs3Tc-HeOHrnxsWLipUyLVNLBu-Sg9L0AU3HlupTTzxwZP8EB_yfdZYMfzqaHCBr6B1QrEJLoZeKYCUdW5HG-dBF3wut4a1Pj-m3EBfEaZhA1PDmNUxdiieJKtd5kPCxOoeudg/s1600/my+piano+friend.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdSL_ZUs3Tc-HeOHrnxsWLipUyLVNLBu-Sg9L0AU3HlupTTzxwZP8EB_yfdZYMfzqaHCBr6B1QrEJLoZeKYCUdW5HG-dBF3wut4a1Pj-m3EBfEaZhA1PDmNUxdiieJKtd5kPCxOoeudg/s1600/my+piano+friend.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
I know the tune
and just instinctively begin to hum. He looks over at me and smiles and motions
me to him. I put down my work and walk over and he asks me if I’d like to sing
with him. I say no, not wanting to intrude but he begins to play a piece that
my grandpa used to sing and I can’t resist. We spend the next few minutes
together, connected by a piece of music that is connected to memories. While
there wasn’t a single other person in the lobby and no one applauded, this was
a moment I will never forget. I thank him for playing and he asks why I’m
staying at the hotel. I tell him about tour and he is thrilled. He tells me
that music can never be too important in someone’s life because it feeds the
soul. He takes his leave by saying “Keep up the good work young woman.”<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The group
meets up and we go over tomorrow’s schedule. We also go over some other
upcoming gigs to get a jump on planning. We say our goodnights and turn in. In
my room, I begin to work on the day’s blog. I hear a very strange noise coming
from the left of my bed… I can’t place the sound, but it’s definitely something
in the room with me. I turn slowly and discover… the radiator.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqJsnc-ZW43GTvgyocX5QF7bkrwTo8hd5bNwXPoR7weR3n_uGeBNLn46kx0raeXwVxXyxwNHektm9vVPLol9pGiU6CLmdUogDl0Ah_TfCABPedVnpM7EBFgxkwB8SK1J3xs1jKwSI6mI/s1600/the+radiator.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqJsnc-ZW43GTvgyocX5QF7bkrwTo8hd5bNwXPoR7weR3n_uGeBNLn46kx0raeXwVxXyxwNHektm9vVPLol9pGiU6CLmdUogDl0Ah_TfCABPedVnpM7EBFgxkwB8SK1J3xs1jKwSI6mI/s1600/the+radiator.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Those things
make quite a racket. Sleeping tonight is going to be… interesting.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rest well
readers,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-88423307238337137752014-05-21T16:43:00.000-06:002014-05-21T16:43:15.209-06:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2014 Greater
Colorado Tour – day 8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s a
beautiful day in the neighborhood readers! Another song that I have stuck in my
head as I wake up this morning. I grew up on Mr. Rodgers and he’s stayed with
me over the years. It is a beautiful day and we’ve got the morning to get ready
without having to rush. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpDhsYbIfH3vK0w3WzDhD63YLeeh86hMTOlRq4PfgdwMd86PiSaQUHbstcsWnjwuedUCCgK_NPp6JC2r5BTphXlT8ulnhz14lkuQY18mKdYx6oqKAFnjUhFB9SF_eVfGt45Pja2iRQ8g/s1600/Nathrop+cabin+view.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpDhsYbIfH3vK0w3WzDhD63YLeeh86hMTOlRq4PfgdwMd86PiSaQUHbstcsWnjwuedUCCgK_NPp6JC2r5BTphXlT8ulnhz14lkuQY18mKdYx6oqKAFnjUhFB9SF_eVfGt45Pja2iRQ8g/s1600/Nathrop+cabin+view.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
We’ll drive to Fairplay after breakfast for a
performance of <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> at
the high school. My cabin mates are looking well-rested. Taylor is up, eats
breakfast and is out the door to the hot springs as soon as they open. He’s got
a massage appointment and is really looking forward to it. Brett, Jared and I
decide to enjoy the cabin and not make the trek down.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSOCW3UUCdckpEe_1uHr_W4CzVYPTv_WjKXPhUYfw5_TU1ZkzZL_JMraGjCTzNxZmW9FIMd1lGVU46YifplmjBPsCbo1XygUD5G_FB1I3ShrdB_xBzb7qGHA-R-OM6vQprA68wDEF2YQ/s1600/Brett+reading+at+cabin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSOCW3UUCdckpEe_1uHr_W4CzVYPTv_WjKXPhUYfw5_TU1ZkzZL_JMraGjCTzNxZmW9FIMd1lGVU46YifplmjBPsCbo1XygUD5G_FB1I3ShrdB_xBzb7qGHA-R-OM6vQprA68wDEF2YQ/s1600/Brett+reading+at+cabin.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
It’s actually the best
thing we could have done. None of us are feeling great today. Jared’s massage
wrecked him and his shoulder is a little more aggravated. Brett is exhausted
and we both have headaches. It’s funny – we’ve been so busy lately that I think
once our bodies had even a tiny opportunity to rest, they revolted.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The gents
tell me audition stories and I have more than my share to throw into the ring.
I make us breakfast and teach Brett the wonder of cooking eggs in bacon grease.
He’ll never be the same. Taylor returns as we finish breakfast and then Ben,
Louise and Colleen arrive from their stay at the lodge. Seems everyone slept
pretty well which is good and not always the case when you’re constantly moving
around from place to place on tour. Ben makes the second round of breakfast for
the ladies and some of us read a folder full of notes from students we’ve
performed for. This is one of my favorite things to do – reading what the kids
actually thought when they saw an opera. Most of them are positive, many are
glowing and some are just downright funny. One says “Thank you. You were epic.
So Boss!!!” That’s good, right? There’s one that really catches my attention
though (and Louise and Colleen). It reads, “I enjoyed the <i>Barber of Seville</i>. I never saw an opera and this will not be my
last. I never had that experience ever in my life. Thank you for that.” I think
it’s safe to say we reached that one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Breakfast
dishes done, we load into the cars and begin the drive to Fairplay. Brett plays
a few of the tracks from the new Jason Robert Brown musical based on The
Bridges of Madison County. I’m intrigued and will have to check it out. We go
from that to some other favorites before landing on Disney music again. It will
always be a favorite. Other than one wrong turn, we make it to the school
without incident. Ben makes the hike into the office and then we drive around
to where we can enter to set up. This is a bit confusing as both the middle
school and the high school share a campus – plus, as we discover, there is also
a preschool. Taylor asks if we’re performing <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> for preschoolers. Now THAT would be something. But
no, I don’t think tragic Shakespeare is right for tiny tots. Still unable to
find the right door, Louise gets out of the car and proceeds to run, with the
grace of a gazelle prancing across the Serengeti, to each door. She is
unsuccessful, but very pretty to watch. Taylor now takes on the task and finds
his way in through a door around the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Vehicles now
parked in the right spot, we load in… again. As we’re loading in, we’re told
that we each have to go to the office to sign in, which we do and they take our
drivers licenses as some kind of insurance. Load-in is tough and Jared, Brett
and I are feeling worse for the wear when it’s over. My headache is turning
into a full blown vertigo migraine and Brett is also feeling dizzy. We’re still at pretty high altitude and I
think it’s part of the problem. Colleen, Louise and Ben are right there to take
on extra duties and as they say, the show must go on (and that’s not just a
saying) so we just keep going. The students begin to arrive and our host from
the Breckenridge Music Festival begins her announcements. I know within seconds
that we’re in trouble. The students are loud and not from being enthusiastic, they’re
just loud. Rambunctious. Rowdy. It’s going to be up to me to get things under
control and set behavior expectations. Calling on my arsenal of teacher skills,
I go out to talk to the audience. I’ve got things pretty well in hand in about
1-minute. I do some extra talking with this group because I realize that we’ve
got some middle school students in the audience and this is not an easy show to
watch. It’s very emotional and there’s some tough subject matter. I still think
we’re going to have some inappropriate behavior, but that’s part of why we’re
here too. Students today aren’t being regularly exposed to the arts; no one is
teaching them how they are supposed to behave, so it’s up to us, as an arts
organization, to take that on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Young
Artists are doing their best to make the show engaging and powerful and we are
getting responses from the students. The fight scene is tense and I’m on edge
watching from the wings as Jared does the move that will stress his shoulder.
With Ben’s support, they get though it OK. Brett and Ben’s fight gets some
audible gasps from the students, so I know they’re following the story. It’s at
this point in the show where the inappropriate really starts to become a problem.
During Colleen’s poison aria, the students are talking loudly and calling out
comments. As Brett sings his final aria and goes into his dialogue, there’s a
moment when I almost go out and stop the show. The comments from the audience
have become almost more than I am willing to allow. The teachers are in the
room, but not acting on anything they’re hearing as far as I can tell. I decide
to just get through it. There’s a portion of the audience who is still
listening; is still with us. We owe it to those kids to show them the whole
story. I play charades with Ben and Louise backstage and tell them not to wait
for the silence after the death scene but just go out as soon as I tell them.
The show ends and even the final applause for bows has a level of inappropriateness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I go out and
get things back under control (kids know who they can push and who they can’t).
I introduce Taylor and then bring the Young Artists back out for a Q&A.
They’ve been through the ringer today. Performers can hear and feel everything
their audience does or doesn’t do, so it’s been tough on them. They gave a good
performance though and didn’t quit. Surprisingly, we get some thoughtful
questions from the students. I take as many as I think we can handle and then
end the program. As people begin to get out of costume, when we’re all feeling
rather low, a young lady comes backstage. She talks to Louise and apologizes
for her classmates’ behavior. Louise handles it with grace and professionalism
and tells her that we hope she enjoyed the performance. She says that she loved
it; she loves Shakespeare and we made it come alive for her. For the second
time today I think – at least we reached one… and one is enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Colleen goes
to spring us, I mean claim our licenses, while load out happens. The school has
had an art show and there is student work up all over the hallways. Some of the
pieces are truly outstanding; a couple I’d take home if they were for sale. It’s
nice to see that art is represented in some form at the school. Load out done,
we take a breather outside and eat some snacks. Everyone is running on empty.
Jared’s going to have to drive back because I’m still spinning. We stop at the
famous South Park sign and strike some glamour shots and then a few of us grab
something to take back to Nathrop for dinner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Once we
reach the lodge/cabin, we all head our own ways. I’ve got an appointment for a
facial at the spa and Brett, Louise and Ben will be having a massage later
(separately). Jared, Brett and I eat a very quick meal and then head down to
the hot springs and spa. </span></div>
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Brett and I check in at the spa and Jared hits the hot
tub. Ben, Louise, Colleen and Taylor are eating in the restaurant in the lodge
and will join us later. I follow Brett into the locker room, but before I get
too far Jared calls out to me. It seems I was about to enter the forbidden zone
– the men’s locker room. I give a coy smile and make a quick U-turn and head
into the locker room that’s of the more appropriate variety for me. Over the
next hour, I am treated to a heavenly experience. I’ve never had a facial like
this in my life. I don’t pamper myself very often and this was truly pampering.
As I get up to leave, my body has become so relaxed that I’ve lost the ability
to fully control my limbs. Now I know what Jared was feeling when he emerged
from his massage yesterday. I make my
way, as best I can, out to the sitting area where I see Jared grinning at me. I
flop into a chair and mumble incoherent answers to his questions. I have become
a marshmallow… and it’s wonderful. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">While we
wait for the others, Jared and I hit the juice bar where a small miracle
occurs. Jared gets me to try tomato juice. Now I have very strong feelings
about tomatoes. I believe that, in their raw state, they are larva and not
finished forming. This was a huge step for me. Jared and I take our juices
outside and sit by the fire. While we
sit there, we reminisce about the last 2 years. Colleen and Taylor join us
looking like very relaxed bathing beauties. Colleen tells us am amusing story about
a time where she and a friend were digging for bait and her friend got a
puncture wound from a garden tool. She tells it better… While we sit and chat,
a zombie approaches. Wearing a robe and fresh from his massage, Brett staggers
toward us. He looks fabulous. Rumpled, hair all askew and completely relaxed.
Ben joins us shortly thereafter, also having enjoyed his massage and then
Louise enters, and she’s almost floating. Well done spa – we needed this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We sit
enjoying the pools and outdoor fire until the stars come out. It’s peaceful.
It’s bliss. It’s shattered. Someone new enters our party. This someone
introduces himself and tells us how much he loves fire. He loves to burn things
too – calls himself a bit of a pyro, but not the dangerous kind. By this time,
I’m hiding my face in Jared’s shoulder to hide the fact that I’m laughing and
he does his best to keep me from saying something inappropriate. Colleen and
Taylor are courteous and Brett is still in a daze and looking at the stars. Mr.
Pyro tells us he’ll be back soon, so we leave before that happens. Colleen and
Louise go for a steam, Taylor heads back to the cabin, Ben takes one last dip
in the pool and Jared and Ben say farewell to the sauna. I take a few minutes
alone to read and keep a wary eye out for any overly-large flames outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Everyone
turns in for the evening. Back at ye ole cabin, Taylor reads while Brett, Jared
and I spend another evening sitting outside stargazing. The two of them are in
rare form tonight and take turns making each other laugh until they are crying.
Brett does an impression of an unexpected animated substance who turns into
diamonds that has Jared almost falling out of his chair. The subject matter
changes to breakfast plans and they make up an impromptu patter song about the
morning meal worthy of Gilbert & Sullivan. Yep - Time for bed!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The cabin quiets
quickly – it’s been a long day with its share of challenges. I blog about them
before turning in. While it would be easy for me to say every performance we do
is loved by every audience we perform for, that’s just not the case. Sometimes
we have days like today. It’s part of what we do and even though it can be
really frustrating, we try and focus on the positive moments and work together
to get through the rest. I think again about how important it is that we’re out
there, telling people about opera; showing them what it’s all about. We’ll keep
at it and reach one person at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Until tomorrow
- goodnight readers,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-70762214182771998512014-05-20T16:18:00.000-06:002014-05-20T16:18:15.817-06:00<div class="MsoNormal">
2014 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 7<o:p></o:p></div>
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On the road again… I just can’t wait to get on the road
again… Ah, Mr. Nelson, those are good lyrics. They ring true for us. After
about a day and a half off, we are truly on the road again. Yesterday I traded
in the rental Yukon for another Suburban. We’ve got room now, but unbelievably,
it’s barely enough. We still had to put one of the prop boxes in the non-set vehicle.
Everyone is loaded in; luggage too and we’re off. We’re headed to Leadville
today for a performance of <i>Barber</i> at
the high school. It will be the highest elevation we’ll be at all season. I,
for one, can’t wait to see how this goes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’ve got much better weather today – sunny and clear. Last
week readers, if you remember, we were driving in snow. Today, we’re able to
see the amazing scene open up before us as we crest a hill on I-70. Ah…
America… We’ll be staying in Nathrop near natural hot springs for the next two
nights and everyone is looking forward to using the amenities, spa and all. It’s
on their dime, but they’ve worked really hard and deserve to pamper themselves
a bit. Because it’s supposed to be crowded, Jared gets on his phone as we drive
to make appointments for those who want them. What results over the next
30-minutes is a comedy sketch waiting to be written as he talks to people who
aren’t quite fluent in English (and who I’m almost certain thinks it’s a prank
call because of his last name – Guest. “Hello, I’d like to make an appointment
for Mr. Guest.”) He finally gets someone on the phone that can help and then
each time the information is almost complete, the call drops. Brett pitches in
to help and has similar issues. The two of them are now growling in the back
seat. Colleen must have really good headphones on because she’s unconcerned
with all of the mayhem.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Near Breckenridge we see a serious overhang of snow. It’s an
avalanche waiting to happen. I make the mistake of pointing this out to the car
and who should happen to be in the car? Mr. happy clapper Baldwin, of course.
Taylor seizes the opportunity. Hanging out of the car window, yelling and
clapping like crazy – he does his best, but alas, nothing happens. Poor guy, he
really gave it his all. As we get higher in elevation, the wind really starts
to blow and when you’re driving something the size of a tank, that’s no fun at
all. Plus adding to the drag, the top left corner of the roof rack on the new
beasty isn’t fully attached to the roof. It creates a lovely squeaking noise
and gives the car added lift. By the time we get to Leadville, my hand and arm
are numb.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We make a quick stop for lunch before heading to the school
for set up. On the way to the school we get a look at the historic downtown
area. This was a happening place in the 1900s and the buildings that are still
here are beautiful and a reminder of a bygone era. Taking the road we’ve been
directed to, we arrive at what I think is the school. Nope, it’s the hospital. Now
we arrive at the school. Then we drive around the school. It seems someone
forgot to tell us that the entire school is under major construction – we can’t
find a way in. I give up and park in a lot and Jared, Brett and I walk to one
door after another – all locked up tight with signs that say to enter through
the main doors. That’s what we’re trying to do! Jared hikes further up the hill
while Brett calls the school. At the same time they both find the way in so I
hike down the hill to get the others. By the time I get there, I feel like I’ve
run a marathon. Instead of using what breath I have left to talk them through
what we’re supposed to do, I become a flight attendant and use hand gestures.</div>
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The rest of us pack back into the cars and park just next to
the construction zone. I’m feeling especially encouraged that the cars will be
safe – there’s only a small amount of rubble and the stairs are almost half
intact. We duck and cover and get to the business of loading in. We meet our
contacts from the school and the Breckenridge Music Festival, who are both
delightful and we figure out how things are going to work. We’ve got a full
size stage today – yeah! Taylor has a great piano, however the fact that we’re
breathing hard from loading in does not bode well. See… there’s this matter of
having to breathe properly to sing opera.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We complete set up and as everyone begins warming up and
getting into costume, the audience starts to arrive. We’ve got 6<sup>th</sup> –
12<sup>th</sup> graders today. Their teacher goes through her announcements and
then I take over. I ask the students how many of them have seen an opera before
and out of the entire group, four students raise their hands. Wow – that’s a
lot of kids who will have their very first opera experience today. How
fabulous! I finish my talk and the show begins. I know right off the bat that it’s
going to be a battle to get through this one. Not because the Young Artists
aren’t focused; not because they aren’t giving it their all, but because they
really can’t breathe. They get through it piece by piece with complete support
from Taylor. I haven’t been able to sit and watch a show for quite a while, so
I decide to do that today. I sit at the back so I can take it all in and watch
how the students respond. They’re really quiet. They are laughing at bits but there’s
not a whole lot of noise coming from them at all. It’s not that they’re messing
around either. They are entirely focused on the show and taking it all in. For
first timers, they’re doing great! The act one finale comes up, which is one of
the toughest parts of the show. It’s incredibly physical and a difficult sing
too. The artists handle it really well and they begin to play off of each other
– I know when I see this that we’re good. The show is solid and the students
seem to have enjoyed it. I go up to begin the Q&A and give a shout out to
Taylor who really did an admirable job today. Once the Young Artists have
grabbed water they join us and we answer questions. They come slowly; the
students seem a bit overwhelmed by it all, but once we get a couple, it gets
easier. One of the students in honor choir has a birthday today, so we call her
up to the stage and sing to her – really – we weren’t trying to embarrass her
or anything. Honest.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Following the ode to Happy Birthday in F minor, we thank
everyone and its back to the never ending task of getting everything back out
into the beasties. Other than some broken nails, we do OK and we’re evacuating
the danger zone before the construction workers leave for the day. We decide to
drive up to the Matchless Mine before we leave. </div>
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As people in the opera
business, we can’t miss a chance to see a sight that’s connected to a famous
local story – that just has to do with opera. This was the homestead where
Horace Tabor and Baby Doe lived. Baby Doe actually died here. We know the
story; some of us have sung it. Colleen sang the role of Baby Doe last year and
Jared is learning the score now (no readers, he is not singing the role of Baby
Doe). Knowing the story and actually seeing it are two very different things.
Colleen does a great job of recounting the actual events for us. <br />
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Unfortunately,
the site isn’t open for tours yet, but at least we got to visit it. What an
incredibly hard life that has to have been.<br />
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Before we leave, we make a plan to run by the grocery store
to get supplies for breakfast for the next couple of days before we head to our
lodging. Our lodging in Nathrop is a good central location, but it’s not really
close to anything. Unless we want to spend our time driving about 30-40 minutes
every time we want to eat, we need to plan ahead. Jared is driving and I’m
co-piloting again, my arm and hand no longer numb but not in tip-top shape
either. I learned several things on our trip to the grocery store. Thing #1:
Jared does not quite understand the principal of turning off the vehicle engine
before exiting the vehicle. Thing #2: Opera singers are the loudest people in
any space they inhabit. You wouldn’t think getting eggs and bacon would require
a lot of volume, but it does.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Supplies purchased – we load into the vehicles and head down
the road towards Nathrop. Louise naps in the back seat while Taylor, Brett,
Jared and I listen to an on demand performance of Anna Russell. She really was
fabulous. The scenery here is very different. There are snow covered peaks yes,
but there are also really cool rock formations. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We begin to see deer again.
There are people rafting on the river (which Brett and Taylor really want to do
– which is fine as long as the proper amount of bubble wrap is in place upon
their persons). We take the turn to Nathrop and make it to our lodging. Jared
gets another lesson in turning off the engine before exiting the beasty
(seriously). We all go into the main lodge to check-in and make a reservation
for dinner. Then we split up to head to our respective lodging. Colleen, Louise
and Ben are in the lodge and Taylor, Brett, Jared and I are in a cabin up the
hill. <br />
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The cabin is lovely and looks out over the river. We get
things in from the car and have just enough time to get settled before we have
to head back to meet the others for dinner.The menu looks good and we place our order. We’ve got about
1 hour and a half before Jared has his spa appointment so we should be good on
time – or not. The service is slow, really slow, and by the time our orders
arrive, Jared has 15-minutes to eat. He gets things boxed and leaves the rest
of us to dine together. Louise tells stories of some of her childhood friends
and a very amusing story about Andrea Bocelli. I’m not sure which is funnier.
The stories themselves or watching Louise try to tell them while she’s
laughing.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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After dinner, everyone is on their own to do whatever they
choose. Most of us head to the hot springs. I decide to sit by the pool and
read for a while and then work on the blog. Jared emerges from his spa
appointment and looks dazed. His hair is a delightful mix of punk Mohawk and
mullet but he’s looking very relaxed. When everyone is sufficiently pruney from
the water, most of them head inside to the steam rooms. I stay outside and
continue working on the blog – this lasts for about 10-minutes before I’m
invaded by hoards of teenagers. Now, as a teacher, I can handle teenagers. But
my patience apparently runs thin in a specific circumstance - I can’t handle
teenagers, in swimsuits, with raging hormones, who are unsupervised. Wow. I
move inside and meet up with Jared and Brett. We head back to the cabin and get
comfy. Taylor joins us and he teaches me the proper way to dismantle a
pineapple. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Jared, Brett and I go outside for a bit of stargazing.
Sitting in rocking chairs, looking at the starts in the mountains. How fabulous
is this? When we’re all blue and my teeth are chattering, we decide to call it
a night. Day 1 of week 2 has been busy and there’s more to come. Time to get a
good night’s sleep and recharge for another day of opera on tour.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Night-night readers,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
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Cherity<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-78736725017164253012014-05-19T17:05:00.000-06:002014-05-19T17:05:08.900-06:00<div class="MsoNormal">
2014 Greater Colorado Tour – days 5 / 6<o:p></o:p></div>
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The sun is up. We’re rising, but none of us are exactly
rising <u>and</u> shining this morning. We’re up early so that we can get
ready, pack the cars and eat breakfast before heading to Paonia. With this many
people under one roof, the shower schedule is somewhat of a challenge, but we
manage. There’s not much time to enjoy the back deck today but I take a few
minutes to look out at the valley. There’s been a change overnight. There’s
some minor flooding and the river is higher than it was yesterday. The sun
shining on the water makes for a beautiful sight and I snap a quick picture
before heading out to meet the others.</div>
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The guys have the cars packed and the
ladies have organized everything, so we’re in good shape. We say goodbye to the
cabin; it’s been such a wonderful place to stay, and we head into Lake City for
breakfast.<br />
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The restaurant we were planning on is closed, so we head to
the local coffee shop next to the theater. Its owner is a fabulous guy and he
recognizes us as soon as we walk in. We get some questions about the
performance last night and people say how much they enjoyed the evening, which
is always nice to hear. We sit and eat; people watch on mainstreet and, more
importantly, drink coffee. Lake City is a dog friendly town – everywhere you
look, residents are walking their dogs this morning. Some are taking them for a
drive – or is it the dog doing the driving…? <o:p></o:p></div>
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You can find pretty much anything
is this town!<br />
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Breakfast done, it’s time to head out of town. We stop to
refuel the beasty and the rental Yukon. While I wait for the tank to fill, I
clean up the inside of the car. I take the trash over to the garbage can and am
thwarted by the bear proof contraption. Ben has to help me and even at that,
it’s a bit of a battle. There’s a sign that reads “Garbage kills bears.” I
think these local members of the <i>Ursus
americanus </i>species are safe. We head off towards Paonia. The soundtrack for
this drive – classics from the 1930’s and 40’s. We’re an eclectic group.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’re heading through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. As
we pass a curve, there are deer crossing the road right in front of us. It’s a
beautiful drive and we take time to stop for a few photos along the way. As we
get close to the summit, we stop at a lookout.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The wind is really blowing as you can tell by
the girl’s hair. Poor Louise was almost blown off her feet. Not really, she
sort misjudged the fence…<br />
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It’s at this point that I stand back and watch as the
Young Artists and Taylor get their first look at a grand Colorado vista. It’s
also here that Brett and Jared dodge a bee; Brett brings out his best karate moves.
Suddenly, I hear singing. I turn to locate the source of the sound and find
Colleen providing musical support to Louise who is experiencing the wonder that
is a National Park loo. Ben says the facilities are OK as these types of things
go, but you do need to be careful – small children could fall in there.<br />
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We make it the rest of the way through the Black Canyon and
enter the final turn that will take us into the valley where Paonia sits. As we
do, Taylor opens his arms in a gesture reminiscent of Evita Peron and says,
“Ah… America.” Alas, this beautiful sentiment fades as soon as he sees a snow
covered peak just to our left. Let the avalanche clapping begin. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We pass
through several small towns that are filled with farms, cattle ranches and
orchards. It’s incredibly green here and there are tons of baby animals. Cows,
horses, goats, yaks – wait… yaks? Yes indeed. Apparently you can grow those out
here too.<br />
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Before I know it, we’re in Paonia. We park on mainstreet in
front of the Blue Sage Theater and walk around for a bit before we head to a
local deli for lunch. The food takes longer to get to us than we anticipated
and by the time we all have our orders, we’ve got less than 15-minutes before
we’re supposed to be at the theater for set up. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Finishing as quickly as we can, we head over to the Blue
Sage. We meet up with Annette, our contact, and begin to load in. This process
can take up to an hour, but here it only takes us about 20-minutes. Why you
ask? Have we simply become so accustomed to this that we can now break the land
speed record? No – it’s because we can’t use most of our set. The stage is too
small, which was a surprise. We’ll be doing two performances of <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> with no cake, no tomb
and now, no set. As we bring in the pieces we can use and the costumes and
props, we also try and navigate a very cramped backstage area. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Often, the perception
that people have of the lifestyle of an artist isn’t quite what the reality is.
Still, it’s a backstage area which we don’t always have, so we’ll make it work.<br />
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I restage the parts of the show that need it and we re-work
the fight scene so that Jared can protect his shoulder which is a little worse
today. Time for costumes and makeup – and with less than 5-minutes to spare,
the students arrive. Our first performance of <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> today is for local high school students. The
students are on a really tight schedule so, at the last moment, I decide to cut
the prologue so that we can be sure they will see the whole story before they
have to catch their buses. They are a quiet audience, but respectful. For more
than 90% of these students, this is the very first live opera experience
they’ve ever had. The show goes well, but I can tell the Young Artists are
tired. I go out to start the Q&A and just as I say “does anyone have any
questions for us?” the teacher gets up and tells me they have to leave. OK – no
Q&A then. Some of the students say thank you as they leave. It’s a bit of a
letdown to end a performance like this, but hopefully we reached a few of them.
We reset for the top of the show and I give some notes on things that I want to
do differently for this evening’s performance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After that, we go to check into our rooms. We’re staying the
night in Paonia at a Bed & Breakfast. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We arrive at a beautiful little farm
complete with chickens, a barn and hoards of frogs by the river. We unload our
gear and each of us heads to our rooms to get settled. Some people take a walk,
some take a nap. I decide to enjoy the setting and head outside to read. We’ve
got no cell service out here and the internet is spotty, so it’s a chance to
unplug for a bit. The resident dog, named Paco, keeps me company. <br />
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He does this
by, what I can only call, grumbling at me until I turn my chair so I can see
him and occasionally throw a stick for him. Jared, Brett and Taylor join me and
together we play with Paco and watch in fascination as he breaks his sticks,
which are actually huge pieces of bark or wood, into splinters. Doggie dentist
anyone?<br />
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It’s time to head back to town for dinner. We meet up with
Annette and walk to the restaurant. It’s a lovely place with a beautiful
courtyard garden. We’re seated and everyone orders. They have a local apple
cider on the menu so I order one. When it arrives I take a huge drink – and –
wow, not what I was expecting. This apple cider is of the hard variety, meaning
it contains alcohol, which I am not allowed to contain. I pass it on to Brett
and order something a little more boring. Dinner is delicious and I’m hearing
yummy noises from the guys who are eating braised lamb shanks. It must be good
because all that’s left on their plates is the bone, which I think they would
have gnawed at if our hosts weren’t present.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dinner time is over and we head to the theater to get ready
for the evening performance. We’re doing another combo program tonight: <i>A&E / Romeo and Juliet</i>. It’s a sold
out house and the place is packed. Everyone is really tired. We start the
performance more than 10-minutes late, which just adds to it. I go out and
begin the program and introduce the first piece; I’ve chosen Spamalot again. Jared
decides to liven things up and falls out of his chair. He told this to Louise,
but did not inform those of us who were backstage, this resulting in all of us
jumping and wondering if that little torpedo of a hummingbird had made reappearance.
He’s fine, it was part of the act and it’s an act that the audience is eating
up. They are incredibly responsive and the first half of the program is going
over beautifully. Jared takes the stage to sing <i>Stars</i> from Les Mis. It’s a piece I gave him two years ago and
tonight is the final time he’ll sing it as an Opera Colorado Young Artist. It’s
one of my favorite pieces and he surprises me and dedicates the performance to
me. My makeup is wrecked, but it was totally worth it. The audience is calling
out Bravos by the time he finishes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The first half of the evening ends with the <i>Tonight quintet</i> from West Side Story.
It’s a difficult piece, but really impressive and packs a punch this evening.
We’re into intermission and everyone scrambles to get into costume.
Intermission ends and I go out to talk about <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> before Ben enters and begins the show. This show
is challenging and sometimes we’ll do a performance and the audiences doesn’t
quite go with us. Then, there are nights that happen once or twice a year… nights
when the stars seem to align and there’s a magic in the theater that you can
feel. Nights like tonight. What takes place on that stage over the next hour is
hard to describe. The Young Artists’ performances are spot on; real, powerful
and vulnerable at the same time. The audience is incredible, giving so much
energy back to the artists that they become part of the story. By the time we
get to the fight scene, you can hear a pin drop. There are audible gasps when
Jared is stabbed as Mercutio. By the time we get to the death scene, you can
hear people sniffing and some openly crying. Brett and Colleen take my breath
away with their final dialogue. When bows begin, the applause is instant and
enthusiastic.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I go out to start the Q&A and then bring everyone else
out after they’ve had a chance to catch their breath. Remember how I said a
Q&A session with adults usually lasts about 15-minnutes? Lake City went to 30
– this audience, almost 40-minutes. The questions they ask are remarkable.
Things like “Who was your inspiration?” “What was that moment when you knew
opera was for you?” “What was your favorite part of the performance?” even “Can
you tell us more about Opera Colorado?” I have never been prouder of the Young
Artists. Their answers are thoughtful, honest and insightful. They are
absolutely charming. We make sure to thank the audience and tell them how
amazing they’ve been. They gave us exactly what we needed tonight – an enthusiastic
response. At the end of the Q&A, an elderly gentleman tells us that while
we thank them for being a great audience, he wants to make sure we know just
what a priceless gift we have given to their community. His words make all of
us a little misty. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Following the performance, we head to the small reception
and greet the audience. There are so many people coming up to us with praise
for the performance, it’s a little hard to take it all in. Many people still
have tears in their eyes. One gentleman who is on the board of the Blue Sage
can’t even tell us how he feels about the experience; he’s still too emotional.
This is what opera does best – tells stories that move people in unimaginable
ways. What an amazing night it’s been. As the reception dies down, we get to
the task of loading out. It’s a quicker process than usual since we don’t have
the full set. Still, we don’t get back to our rooms until after 11:00pm. We’re
all still riding an emotional high after that performance so we head to our
rooms to relax.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I start writing the blog, but exhaustion sets in and I
decide to call it a night. Turning off the light, I let the frogs sing me to
sleep. This would explain why I dreamt of singing frogs…<o:p></o:p></div>
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And… camera fade into the next morning. We’re up in stages
again as we enjoy the B&B and wait for breakfast. You didn’t really think
we would miss breakfast now did you? This group? Some of us find out way
outside (all of us find our way to the coffee and tea) and sit enjoying the
beautiful weather. It’s clear, sunny and warm. There’s a new doggie to play
with this morning – her name is Cooper and she’s an eleven year-old black lab.
She’s quite spry for eleven and we take turns throwing a stick for her. Our
hostess calls us in for breakfast – literally. She stands in the front door and
hollers, “Food’s ready, come and get it!” We do. We sit at a large table
together and enjoy a wonderful, farm fresh breakfast.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After this, it’s time to hit the road. We’re heading back to
Denver for what’s left of the weekend before we leave again on Monday for the
second week of tour. The drive is gorgeous</div>
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– but nature intervenes again,
disrupting things in the car. <span style="text-align: center;">A bee flies in the window and into my hair. I
screech and shake it out doing my best not to drive us off the road. I think
it’s flown back out the window; thank goodness because Jared and Brett are
highly allergic to bee stings. About 10-minutes down the road, the bee is back.
(What is it with these aggressive small creatures?!) It’s crawled into the vent
in the front of the car. I pull over and Taylor, with the grace of a samurai
warrior, smashes said bee with his </span><i style="text-align: center;">Romeo and Juliet</i><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">score. All that clapping has paid off; he’s got reflexes like lightening.</span></div>
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Bee scare over, we continue on our drive. We pause in
Glenwood Springs for a quick pit stop and there we discover a delightfully
furry surprise. No, Brett has no found his bear, it’s labradoodle puppies!
There are three little bundles and we take some time to play with them before
we head back to the road; Colleen said it made the whole trip worth it. Puppies
will do that. Jared takes over for me and I get to be co-pilot for a while. The
drive goes without any new incidents. We make another pit stop and we get some rain,
but it’s pretty uneventful. That’s great news, because we passed a really bad
wreck near the Eisenhower tunnel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And… just like that, we’re back in Denver. We’ve decided
that we really do need a bigger rental Yukon, so we transfer all the sets,
props and costumes into the beasty and I take the rental Yukon. I will exchange
it for a second beasty tomorrow. That had better solve the problem, because
next on the list is a small bus. We bid each other goodbye (for about a day and
a half) and I head home. Whew – what a week! Opera on the road is a lot of
work, a lot of fun and completely inspiring. I can’t wait to see what week two
holds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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‘Till then readers – <o:p></o:p></div>
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Cheers!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cherity<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-20999730088817099552014-05-16T10:42:00.000-06:002014-05-16T10:42:09.966-06:00<div class="MsoNormal">
2014 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 4<o:p></o:p></div>
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Something happened this morning that has never happened
before on our annual Greater Colorado Tour. I’m not sure how it happened
exactly. I mean, I planned ahead so that, in case it happened, we’d be OK, but
I didn’t actually think it was really in the realm of possibility. Readers… I
slept until 9:15am. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Everyone gets up at their own pace today. It’s a real
luxury. The morning unfolds slowly and we’re without anywhere to be, so we take
advantage of it. Everyone spends some time outside and then Louise and Taylor
decide to go for a run. After providing the required lecture on being careful
when running at high altitude and the bear safety talk (which Brett was not in
favor of as he wants to see a bear, even offered to put a steak on our front
porch last night), the pair head off. Our host, John Smith, went to the grocery
and left a bag of provisions for us in the cabin. Colleen, looking every inch
the kitchen goddess, decides to make breakfast for the rest of us. She cooks, I
clean - soon I’m up to my elbows in soap bubbles.</div>
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After breakfast, Taylor and Louise return looking a teeny
bit winded. Apparently the last hill was a doozy. I get some work done while the
others read, rest or watch T.V. Jared takes a walk as does Ben a bit later.
Jared actually had a deer cross right in front of him on his foray. The sun is
shining today and it’s partly cloudy and a little windy. Still a beautiful day
though and the sun shining on the water makes it look likes its turquoise.
Sitting on the back porch, Brett and I discuss the finer points of thinking
about not thinking (which was much more intellectual than it sounds). <o:p></o:p></div>
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Jared returns
from his walk and joins us outside and we just sit quietly, enjoying the
scenery. It’s at this precise moment that the wildlife gets a little too wild.
The calm, serene setting is shattered. Brett dodges; I fold into a ball and
cover my eyes. Jared uses his cat-like reflexes. We’re evading a very
aggressive humming bird. I love hummingbirds, but this vile little create was
really after us. In all the commotion, Jared manages to pop his shoulder out of
the socket. No joke. He also manages to quickly pop it back in. He’s OK but in
a lot of pain. For a minute I thought I might have socked him in the face in my
attempt to avoid the winged missile, but thankfully I didn’t. With ⅓ of us
felled by a hummingbird with anger issues, we decide to move inside.<br />
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From the kitchen I hear an announcement that it’s sandwich
time. Ben and Louise are feeling peckish and have decided to eat in. Colleen says
she’s not hungry just yet. Taylor, Brett and Jared join me in heading into town
for lunch. We choose the Cannibal Grill – named for the infamous Alfred Packer
who made history in these parts for something… interesting. Look it up readers,
it really is part of Colorado history. We’re waited on by a very lovely lady
with a wonderful, bubbly personality. When she asks if we’re just visiting, we
give our tour talk and she’s over the moon. She knows all about our performance
tonight and is full of questions. It’s so cool to see people this honestly
enthusiastic about opera. Just further proves that this is a living, breathing,
relevant art form.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We head back to the cabin after lunch and our morning of
leisure is officially over. We have to get ready for tonight’s show. I have the
Young Artists sit at the dining room table and drill their Shakespeare dialogue
and narration for <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>,
we fix the mistakes and then I plan the repertoire for the <i>Arias & Ensembles</i> portion. We get packed up with what we’ll
need for the rest of the day and head into town. Arriving at the theater, we
find it already open for us. We switch the set over from <i>Barber </i>to <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>
and spike all of the set pieces. Now it’s time for me, as the director, to
finally face the music. I can’t put it off any longer. I have to figure out how
the death scene is going to work with the whole “no tomb” thing. Many options
are presented to me, but after trying several things, I decide to use the bench
from the <i>Barber of Seville</i>, cover it
with a sheet and have Colleen lay on that. We’ll cover her with a veil and it
will look beautiful. Her feet are going to hang off the end so it’s not going
to be comfortable for her, but it’s what we can make work and it’s not for an
overly long period of time. Our group… professionals every one of them; always
ready to pull together and represent Opera Colorado in the finest manner. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now that one problem is solved, I have a few more to
address. The stage is too small for us to use our balcony so I have Brett play
his aria and dialogue from the floor and stairs and Colleen will be on the
stage. The fight scene is a real concern with Jared’s shoulder. Fight
choreography is an art. Every move is like a dance and it has to go right for
the audience to believe it’s real but keep the performers absolutely safe. When
you have someone with an injury, it can set the entire thing out of balance.
So, working with Ben and Jared, we replace a few of the moves with something
that will look great, but keep Jared from putting too much strain on his
shoulder. I think we’re good to go.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We run a few pieces for the A&E portion of the program
and then it’s time to head to dinner. We’re being hosted at the school again
this evening. We meet two fabulous ladies, Rachel and Cathy; they’ve prepared
roasted chicken, a broccoli and spinach casserole, fresh fruit salad and
something smothered in chocolate (Louise is already beaming). <o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s all
wonderful and we again feel extremely grateful to have a home-cooked meal. We
have the chance to visit with our hosts, one of whom is a teacher at the
school. She’s absolutely thrilled that her students had the opportunity to
attend yesterday’s performance and is bringing her 90-year old mom to tonight’s
show. She tells us that for her, this kind of opportunity, to see live opera in
her own town, is more meaningful that we know. She says if Opera Colorado
didn’t do this, go on tour; many of the people she knows would never have the
chance to experience opera. She hit the nail on the head – it’s a big part of
why we do this.<br />
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Time to head back to the theater and get ready for the show.
We thank our gracious hostesses and go into production mode. This really is a
thing for performers. You go into a different zone mentally. Everyone gets
their costumes and props prepped and we change into our A&E attire. The
audience begins to arrive and we wait backstage, listening to them on the
intercom system. They are an excited group, which we love. Our host, John Smith
begins the evening with a some announcements and says a few words about Opera
Colorado and our relationship with Lake City. His remarks are so heartfelt
about what this means to their community, that honestly, my eyes are brimming.
It won’t be the last time that happens this evening. John introduces me and I
come out to talk with the audience and get the A&E portion of the evening
started.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We open with an unexpected piece, something from <i>Spamalot</i>. It’s a conscious choice I
make; I do this because I want to catch people off guard. This piece is funny
and it helps the audience relax and realize that we want them to have fun
tonight. It works like a charm. The audience is laughing like crazy and you can
feel the energy in the room shift and center around the stage. We offer some
pieces from our 2014-2015 season to plug what we’re doing and let folks know
that we want them to come see us in Denver too. <i>The Magic Flute</i> gets a big response. While Jared is on stage, the
other Young Artists have some fun backstage. Seems being this close to props
and costumes is just too big of a temptation. Brett becomes a pirate, Louise is
some sort of trekker in the Australian Outback, Colleen is part bride, part
church lady and Ben… well Ben has a moment with the king himself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Yes, that’s
right, Elvis is in the building.<br />
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<br />
The first part of the program done, I join
everyone on stage to say a few very special “thank you’s.” To John, Dan, Shawn, Cathy and Rachel – thank
you for everything you’ve done to make our visit to Lake City so wonderful.
You’ve welcomed us, housed us, provided us with everything we needed to perform
and even made sure we ate well. We appreciate it more than we can say.<br />
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With that, I announce intermission and it’s time to get into
costume for <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>. This is
a really fast transition, so we have to be on our game. I’m still a bit
concerned about the fight scene but I have to trust them to be the
professionals that they are. We get the cue from Dan, and we begin the second
half of the evening. I again go out and talk to the audience to start things
off, then I give the stage to Ben. I sit backstage and begin working on the day’s
blog while the performance goes on. I can hear everything over the intercom and
I wait for the moment at the beginning of the show that will tell me if we have
our audience with us or not… and we do. We get a huge laugh at the exact spot
we want it. I know that it’s going to be a really good show.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Good show does not = smooth show. There are issues; there
always are in live performance. You deal with them as best you can and keep
going. At one point in the show, Louise forgets that she has a scene as the
Nurse and changes into her costume for Stephano. Jared notices and Louise does
the fastest costume re-change that I have ever seen. It’s like she has superpowers
or something. Later in the show, there are some missed lines and musical
mistakes, but they’re covered well due in large part to Taylor. He’s amazing at
staying with the Young Artists at every moment. If something happens, he
catches it and somehow makes it work. As a singer, it’s one of the most
important things you look for in an accompanist. You know they have your back
and you can trust them to support you. Ten points awarded to Mr. Taylor Baldwin
(who, by the way, hasn’t avalanche clapped once all day).<o:p></o:p></div>
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We get to the final scene, the death scene. Somehow, the
veil never gets onstage to cover Colleen, but I doubt anyone in the audience
noticed. They are entirely focused on the story unfolding on stage. I can hear
sniffles from backstage, which means they are emotionally invested in what we’re
doing. This scene is really intense for Brett and Colleen. It requires an
enormous amount from them mentally, emotionally and even physically. Tonight,
they don’t hold back. It’s beautifully done. I can’t even see them, but by
Colleen’s final line, I am holding back tears myself. After the final dialogue,
the audience is silent. Then the applause begins. Then the cheers, the
whistles; the standing ovation. They’ve earned it – well done everyone. I go
out to give the Young Artists a chance to catch their breath and grab a drink
of water. I take this opportunity to make sure that Taylor gets the applause
that he deserves and then I bring everyone back out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Q&A sessions with adult audiences usually last about
15-minutes. We spend the next 35-minutes answering questions from this
audience. It’s fabulous. The focus is on the art form and making opera your
career. We get to really shine a spotlight on Opera Colorado. John ends the
Q&A with another heartfelt speech about why this matters for Lake City and
I echo it with why it matters for us as well. We bid our audience goodnight and
begin the task of loading out not one show, but two – <i>Barber</i> from yesterday and <i>Romeo
and Juliet</i> from tonight.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’re tired. Even though we had the morning to relax, it’s
now after 10:00pm and we’ve got a good hour of work ahead of us. Everyone just
pitches in and we get it done. With load out complete, we thank Dan, the king
of everything, one more time and say our goodbyes. We head back to the cabin.
The stars out here are amazing – what you can see without the city lights. We
don’t turn the lights on right away in the cabin so we can fully appreciate
what we’re looking at. But, we can’t stay out too long. It’s chilly and we have
a drive ahead of us tomorrow when we’ll stop in Paonia for our next two <i>Romeo and Juliet </i>performances.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Today may not have been as silly as other days on tour this
week. Sure, there was laughter, but there was also some quiet time and quite a
bit of work. Every day is different and that’s part of what makes this career
exciting. There’s always some new challenge; something that you’re working
towards. Now though, it’s time to call it a night.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hope you have a great one readers – ‘till tomorrow,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cherity<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-281961989875496422014-05-15T11:27:00.001-06:002014-05-15T11:27:50.712-06:00<div class="MsoNormal">
2014 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 3<o:p></o:p></div>
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Good morning readers and welcome to tour: day 3! We’re up –
we’re at ‘em – not really. We are indeed up. The “at ‘em” part is a little more
difficult to come by. We’ve gathered a
bit earlier today to have breakfast in Salida before we make the drive to Lake
City where we’ll be for the next two days. The challenge of packing the car has
become quite satisfying, it’s like Jenga. It looks really pretty when all of
the pieces are in place, but remove one and it all goes to poo. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Anyway, on to breakfast. We head to the place that was
recommended to us yesterday called The Patio Pancake Place. Word is, they have
really good pancakes. Ben is especially happy when he looks at the menu and
sees “breakfast meat selection.” Brett orders something from the European faire
and when it arrives he announces, with a German accent reminiscent of the Three
Little Pigs from <i>Shrek</i>, that his
sausages are <i>wunderbar</i>. Before we further
offend any of the locals, we bid Salida adieu and begin our day’s drive.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’re heading over Monarch pass and the sky is clear, blue
and amazing! Taylor spends most of the trip clapping for avalanches. It keeps
him happy. Driving the beasty over these hills is not an easy feat, but we make
it to Gunnison. We meet Louise and Ben at the parking lot of the local grocer
where I am told that they saw llamas which Ben thought were sheep. When I ask
why (after laughing) he defends himself by saying he only saw them from behind.
I am then told that they also visually intruded on a rather delicate moment
involving two deer… We only saw road kill in our car. After mentally
regrouping, I head into the grocery to locate the baked goods section. We have
left Juliet’s birthday cake in Denver so she’ll be getting cupcakes at this week’s
shows.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Before getting back on the road, we make a quick pit stop at
the facilities when Ben sees yet another interesting sight. Apparently in
Gunnison they have needle dispensers in the bathrooms. That’s considerate. And…
we’re back on the road! I am taking a break. I’ve developed a headache so Jared
is driving. We’ve put Taylor in the back which has greatly reduced the clapping
and he’s within easy striking distance of Colleen. Brett alternates back and
forth between sleeping and playing DJ. The car eventually goes quiet which
provides the perfect opportunity for Jared and me to serenade each other,
playing all of the parts from <i>Into the
Woods.</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
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The closer we get to Lake City, the more remote we go and
the more beautiful the landscape becomes. Brett and I see a stream that would
be perfect for fly fishing and Jared spies the elusive Greater Horned Squirrel
(which he discovered on the trek last year). It’s a strange looking thing; he
thinks it may be the only one in existence. I think that this sighting was
simply a ruse to take my focus away from the fact that he just hit a pothole so
hard that part of my coccyx is now fused with the seat. Lake City – we have
arrived. We make our way to the Mary Stigall Theater, where we will perform <i>Barber</i> this afternoon for students and
tomorrow we’ll be doing an A&E/<i>Romeo
and Juliet</i> for the entire community. We have a few minutes to walk around
town and get some coffee before we have to load in. We quickly see that we’re
in the right place. We’re on the marquee of the theater and in every shop we go
into, there are posters toting the upcoming performance. It is so fabulous to
see the entire community supporting our tour!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZwzLvnpGrKslGfltSQu-iXjXRlB4l9_8b7p5PAN6jFDR0YPTgO98KVqYUZfioxbEt7r5nwnddI5Vp5o1VYdVWC3GNeLta1fJoD8diecxfXvXCc-plZSpYziwnmFUliiHQCxeXiiz6d0/s1600/Marquee+shot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZwzLvnpGrKslGfltSQu-iXjXRlB4l9_8b7p5PAN6jFDR0YPTgO98KVqYUZfioxbEt7r5nwnddI5Vp5o1VYdVWC3GNeLta1fJoD8diecxfXvXCc-plZSpYziwnmFUliiHQCxeXiiz6d0/s1600/Marquee+shot.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Time to load in. We decide to take everything in since we’re
going to be in the same location for 2 days. We meet Dan, our wonderful tech
manager, and basically the king of everything, who has the stage ready for us.
I take the group into the basement and show them the dressing rooms – this area
is also where they store their costumes. Group of performers… room of costumes,
hats, wigs… You can imagine what happened over the next few minutes. See.
Photo.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECq7_iPjZd20Ajq4xREWM-t8jziQZLdqc2OonDeuxClcguzD_rAEcwi7UYSubMb5dsYhYLPeqKNke0rkEReUOFnrPy2G59mEUamb09GpfVPmYTiDZYGlMwnBXacqX51yA3tydFfoRtMM/s1600/Fashion+Parade.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECq7_iPjZd20Ajq4xREWM-t8jziQZLdqc2OonDeuxClcguzD_rAEcwi7UYSubMb5dsYhYLPeqKNke0rkEReUOFnrPy2G59mEUamb09GpfVPmYTiDZYGlMwnBXacqX51yA3tydFfoRtMM/s1600/Fashion+Parade.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Fashion parade complete, we return to process of loading in.
This stage is a little tricky so we have to reduce the size of the set and get
creative with some of the staging. Dan helps figure out the lighting and we get
Taylor situated with the piano. We take a quick break, eat something to tide us
over until dinner; I manage to get my pants hooked on a nail on the stage.
Colleen gets me untethered, Dan calls the union to fix the nail, which is him
with a hammer and it’s time for costumes and makeup. The kids begin to take
their seats. We’re got preschool – 12<sup>th</sup> grade at today’s performance
and they are very excited. I go out to do the introduction, which is a bit
briefer than usual as my headache has developed into a full blown migraine. I
find a chair backstage and listen to the performance – it’s wonderful again.
The kids are laughing, the Young Artists are playing off of each other like
crazy and Taylor is helping by adding some creative ornamentation on the
keyboard.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Time for the Q&A where we get some excellent questions.
One young lady clearly wants to be a singer and asks questions about technique
and vocal health. My favorite moment of the performance actually happens after
everything is done. Two young men have stayed to get autographs from the
performers. One of them tells us that the fire chief for Lake City is his
grandpa and he’s sick. His little face begins to crumple. Ben quickly goes to
him and asks if he would like everyone to write a note to his grandpa and the
young man brightens and says he thinks that would help a lot. On his way out,
he tells me that he and his grandpa sit on the front porch and sing together in
the evenings sometimes. I’ll admit, I hear a lot of wonderful comments about
what we do – this one got me. Music reaches into people’s hearts and creates
memories. We’re so lucky to be a part of that.</div>
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Everyone gets out of costumes and makeup while I visit with
John Smith, the gentleman who works with us to make this possible. We strike
the stage but leave things in the theater – we’ll set up for <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> tomorrow. It’s time for
us to follow Dan and John to our lodging for the next two days. It’s a little
ways from town, so we’re not sure what to expect. When we pull up – the word
that is expressed communally is “Wow.” We’re staying in a beautiful cabin on
the crest of a hill. The rear wall of the cabin is all windows and looks out
over the valley, including the river and a lake. Every direction you look,
there’s an amazing view. The inside of the cabin is warm and welcoming. We
offer our sincere thanks as Dan and John leave and get the cars unloaded. When
you’re a performer, you live a bit like a gypsy, especially when you’re on
tour. It sounds simple, but being able to stay in one place for more than a day
is a treat and having a place like this to call home; it’s priceless and we are
deeply appreciative.</div>
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Rooms are chosen and we each meander to our spaces. I head
out onto the back deck, not wanting to miss a moment of being here. I’m soon
joined by Brett. For a few minutes, we just listen – to nothing. All you can
hear is the sound of the river, the wind in the trees and the birds. In the
span of about 10-minutes we see bunnies, blue jays, elk and a bald eagle. Jared
joins us and we spend a few minutes simply enjoying what’s in front of us. Very
needed – my head’s beginning to feel better. Before we know it, it’s time to go
back into town for dinner. Taylor is clapping again. He’s focused his attention
on one specific peak now. I think it’s the stress in his personal life. He and
Siri are still fighting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This community really throws out the welcome mat for us.
Dinner is being provided for us by the parent teacher association. As we drive
through town, there are deer everywhere. As we park at the school, there are
several just a few feet away. One doesn’t look right. Thinking he has a collar
on him, we look closer and see it is, in fact, not a collar but a bucket. Not.
Making. This. Up. Oh, “deer.” (Brett provided the pun folks, I’m just the
messenger)<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’re welcomed to the school by the lovely Shawn and as
dinner is finished, we’re able to visit a bit with John. We are treated to a
truly fabulous home cooked meal and when you’re on the road, that is something
that beats any five star restaurant, any day. Louise is especially fond of
dessert. Do not get in between that lady and her chocolate. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Our sincere thanks
to the parent teachers association – especially to Shawn. She’s an amazing cook
– we are stuffed – and very grateful. After bidding our hosts goodbye, we head
back to the cabin. We actually have some honest to goodness downtime now. Not
just 30-minutes before we head to the next thing or an hour before we have to
head to bed; no, we actually have time to rest, read, catch up on emails –
whatever we choose to do.<br />
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We all eventually find ourselves out on the back deck again.
The view is just too good to pass up. I sit there, writing the blog, listening
to the geese in the distance. Colleen makes herself into a blanket burrito and is
describing the cloud formations to us. She has somehow developed a Dutch accent
while doing this. Ben looks like the stereotypical southern granddad with an
afghan over his lap, sitting in a rocking chair, drinking a local brew, Taylor
has stopped clapping for the moment and is wrangling a lawn chair and Brett and
Jared are discussing how one day, they are actually going to do something
during a performance that surprises me to which Louise responds, “Yeah, get it
right.” And ten points were awarded to Louise.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Right off the back deck are some aspen trees. They don’t
have their leaves yet, but they will soon. Jared looks concerned. Jared inquires
if the trees have worms. Brave granddad Ben picks off the supposed offending
creature to show to Jared. Fear not Jared, ‘tis but a leaf bud. At the time,
laughing seemed the appropriate response, but I now fully expect to see this
worm imposter in my bed at some point…<o:p></o:p></div>
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The group breaks up as the weather gets colder. I move
inside to continue blogging and Colleen teaches Louise and Ben the finer points
of line dancing. Jared and Brett are still outside; I believe Jared is plotting
some kind of wormy revenge and Brett is his accomplice. Taylor is nowhere to be
seen, but I can hear faint clapping… Later, we all decide to test our skills at
a game which is basically Telephone, but with drawing. One person writes down a
starting word or phrase. The next person draws it, the person after them then
guesses what the drawing represents and the person after them guesses again;
and so on and so on. We are a group with many diverse talents. Some of us can
draw, some of us are good guessers – none of us are good at both simultaneously
and what results is hilarious. My favorite round is where we started with Elbow
Grease and by the time we got to the end, it had become Sweatin’ to the Oldies.
This is largely because Brett’s interpretation of the word grease involved
drawing the cast of <i>Grease,</i> the
musical. We also had a minor fiasco when we began with Potluck and ended on
Same Sex Marriage. It also seems that Americans and our neighbors across the
pond have some different ways of phrasing things. For example coffee cake
became tea cake and mayonnaise became beans on toast – well, that one may have
been because I can’t draw mayonnaise; but who can, really? We’ve never seen
Brett laugh so hard. He actually squeaks if you really get him going; <o:p></o:p></div>
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As the game wraps up, we make another trip outside to see
the stars. Jared and Brett have a constellation app on their phones that you
can hold up to the sky and the app will tell you what you’re looking at. It’s
very cool. It even has a soundtrack – I feel like I’m in a planetarium. Some of
the group decide that it’s time to call it a night. I stay outside a bit longer
with amateur astrologers, Brett and Jared. We see a shooting star – absolutely
worth the fact that I can no longer feel my toes. It’s been a long day, but a good day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While we do have a lot of fun on tour and share a lot of
laughter – we also work incredibly hard and pull some very long hours. Having a
little downtime like we have this evening helps us recharge and get ready for
what’s next. Tomorrow we have rehearsals in the afternoon to get ready for our
A&E/<i>Romeo and Juliet</i> program.
We’ve been away from <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>
for over a month, so it’s going to need refreshing. Plus, there’s that problem
of the whole “no tomb” thing I have to figure out… Maybe I could put the deer
with the bucket on stage and no one would notice… I’ll sleep on it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Goodnight to you readers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Cherity<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-88922658431592653662014-05-14T10:39:00.001-06:002014-05-14T10:39:09.905-06:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2014 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A great many things are experienced while on tour. Things like how
amazing the scenery is. How lucky we are to share this art form with people in
Colorado. How strange your hair looks when you put lotion in it instead of
conditioner. Yep – read those labels on hotel toiletries people. After an
unplanned 2<sup>nd</sup> shower my morning has begun. Everyone is on their own
for breakfast this morning and then we meet up to load the cars and head to the
Vilar Performing Arts Center where we have a double bill of <i>Barber of Seville</i> today for
students. This show is always a
challenge, but at this altitude it’s going to be especially tough. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After playing luggage Tetris (how is it possible that we have acquired
more stuff in one day?!) we make the drive up the mountain to the arts center.
Since we put the set up yesterday, we’ve got a bit of a head start. Everyone
gets into costume and makeup while I look at lights and Taylor warms up on the
piano. We un-tape the things we broke yesterday and make sure the glue has set.
We’re good to go. The facility is wonderful and the staff couldn’t be more
accommodating. We not only have dressing rooms, we have a fully stocked green
room and I even get to be on headset during the show. Most of the time, we’re
grateful to have a piano with all 88 keys – this is fantastic! The students
have arrived – we have a packed house. I start things off with a quick pre-show
talk and Taylor strikes the first notes. Performance #1 is underway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The kids are very quiet but they’re really attentive. The show goes
well. Altitude is definitely taking its toll but they’re plowing through it.
It’s a good show – we need to clean up a few things, but after being away from
it for about 3 weeks, I’m just happy we did <i>Barber
</i>and not some new interpretation of <i>Carmen
</i>for the kiddies. After bows I go out to start the Q&A. Louise gets a
big reaction when she says that she’s from Manchester England. Ooh, exotic. Our
favorite question comes from a dapper lad dressed in suit and tie. He says “How
did you learn to do that; to train your voices to do that? It’s fabulous;
amazing!” And voilà, a new opera lover has been created.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As everyone is getting out of costume for our break, an unexpected treat
is unveiled in the green room. Lunch is being provided for us by the Vilar
Center. We now have time to actually sit for a bit and relax; a true luxury
while on tour. On the walls of the green room are photos of some of the past
performers that have graced the stage of the Vilar Center; including B.B. King,
Natalie Cole, Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wQG-OEqfT1ers5gM8ZSYLlskfjm5M68lugVeRB0RHrWmODEzvvxhmR6j04_gDzj8KyFjWaaRUwRx6ER_ymiyoUorAHPZRyLo7-l6BQ2qGaPqB141L0W_Nb6CLaqct6R7q7aREYhLzUY/s1600/lunch+photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wQG-OEqfT1ers5gM8ZSYLlskfjm5M68lugVeRB0RHrWmODEzvvxhmR6j04_gDzj8KyFjWaaRUwRx6ER_ymiyoUorAHPZRyLo7-l6BQ2qGaPqB141L0W_Nb6CLaqct6R7q7aREYhLzUY/s1600/lunch+photo.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
We’re all waxing a bit nostalgic.
Taylor gets especially emotional thinking about all of the people that have
played the very same piano that he is now playing for our shows. (I’ll pause
while you find a tissue) After eating a yummy and very appreciated lunch, I
give out a few notes for the second show and people begin their personal preparation
rituals. This basically consists of getting into costume, makeup and making
various hoot, hollers and calls that would sound strange to the layman’s ears.
To mine, it’s just business as usual. Brett and Taylor hang back and engage
meaningful conversation. I overhear Brett tell Taylor that he is not a fish
taco. It is just the first of many times throughout the day that listening
proves to be an essential skill and not a hobby.<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In the middle of me figuring this out, one of the Vilar staff comes in
and asks if he can help us reset the show. Yikes! It seems in the rush to have
lunch, we forgot something. We quickly get back in gear and reset for the top
of show. Pre-show talk completed, <i>Barber</i>
performance #2 is off! This audience is much more responsive. They are
laughing. A lot; and in all the right places. This is one of my favorite things
to watch as a director. The singers feed off of the energy coming from the
audience and the performance goes from good to something really special.
They’re playing off of each other too. Their timing is great; the jokes are
hitting the mark. By the time we get to bows, the kids are yelling “Bravo” and
cheering like mad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After another Q&A, we begin the task of loading out. In the process,
I am asked about what we’re touring next year and we’re invited back. Hooray!
Load out complete, we say our sincere thanks to the folks at the Vilar
Center – if you’re reading this – thank
you Kim, Aja, Eric and everyone else for making us feel incredibly welcome and
taking such good care of us. Now the task begins of loading everything back
into the rental Yukon. It’s hard to describe what this is like. Imagine a game
of twister, except you’re holding heavy objects and no one is having fun.
That’s pretty much it. With precision and teamwork, everything is in and the
doors even close. Good job everybody.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We make a quick pit stop for essentials (which means snacks) and gas
(which means fuel; petrol) and we head out towards our next stop – Salida.
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1ernUfNmOT_6m5j5f2xA-pt-f9dltUXuXFHP1oRnfEO606dnGGyS1IGyxbSEOm-ivkCEOOj2Erdm0ep0skSPjjWzN1FnNpwV9k82mZWdP3BAzPoo_IphH7Wd3T2PdxoEYtGNXSmXZgc/s1600/best+clerk+in+the+world.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1ernUfNmOT_6m5j5f2xA-pt-f9dltUXuXFHP1oRnfEO606dnGGyS1IGyxbSEOm-ivkCEOOj2Erdm0ep0skSPjjWzN1FnNpwV9k82mZWdP3BAzPoo_IphH7Wd3T2PdxoEYtGNXSmXZgc/s1600/best+clerk+in+the+world.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
We’re taking US 24 towards Leadville. The tunes selected for our trip – Disney.
Traveling with singers on a road trip is a special experience. Singing in the
car is not a spectator sport – all must participate. We all strap on our tiaras
and do our very best princess, but alas, Jared wins again with his rendition of
Part of Your World. Taylor is inspirational with his rendition of The Circle of
Life, complete with his own unique native lyrics. As we begin the climb up the
mountain pass, the scenery becomes breathtaking. Today we have blue sky with
snow-capped peaks. Well done Colorado. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwuLB4H1ejfxkwPZuavA_Rhm3fYZ-6JZSnMtQWHRwSPIHqG81893C6ZOLeCcJNfcpeKTThikykHQT-97hUBa8kJCzE3rG5BmJ_hnPSrHBsk5LS-CsclDUkVo0cjtAevEfVguF3nHDrNM/s1600/amazing+scenery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwuLB4H1ejfxkwPZuavA_Rhm3fYZ-6JZSnMtQWHRwSPIHqG81893C6ZOLeCcJNfcpeKTThikykHQT-97hUBa8kJCzE3rG5BmJ_hnPSrHBsk5LS-CsclDUkVo0cjtAevEfVguF3nHDrNM/s1600/amazing+scenery.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Taylor claps in the car, not to show his
appreciation for the beauty around us, but to trigger an avalanche. He’s
invested, I’ll say that. We stop to snap a few pictures and then continue on
our way. We approach a bridge and Taylor chooses this moment to ponder aloud
what would happen if my health took a sudden turn for the worse and we careened
off of said bridge. Colleen responds by threatening to impale Taylor with a
kitchen utensil (she’s a teensy bit scared of bridges). We make it across
safely and soon arrive in Leadville where we all take note of the historical
Tabor Opera House.<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Just outside of Leadville, I see a sign that says “Weed Free Hay.” Brett
remarks, “Well, you have to be careful of those high horses. “Get off your high
horse.” Ah, our Brett. He loves a good pun. After passing through Buena Vista
and Nathrop, we finally arrive in Salida. We pile out of the cars and I get us
checked into our rooms. This is done by carefully navigating a conversation
with the hotel owner who, even after explaining our tour many times, believes
we are rock singers who play guitars. He also believes that Jared and I are
married and that the “song about the baby” is the best opera song. O mio
babbino… yes, it touches everyone who hears it. Room keys in hand, we drop off
our belongings and then pack back into the cars to heard into historic downtown
Salida to walk around for a bit and eat dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Small towns don’t have the same hours of operation as Denver does and
most of the stores are closed. We do manage to find a few that are open, but
what really catches our eye is a very… unique art display involving a car
dressed up like a pig that digests rubbish. And when I say “digests” I mean the
entire chain reaction is there on full display – start to finish. Soul sucking,
never get the image out of my memory, display. Jared comforts me and leads me
away from the horror. From this we head over to the local Five and Dime which
turns out to be an absolute treasure trove. From nostalgic candy to knives that
defend you from Zombie attacks, this is a store that has something for
everyone. Hats… they have hats. Taylor channels his inner Harley dude and then
becomes fatherly support for Brett as he embraces his inner Davy Crocket. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2W-30gR1d7byjhdFD7R93hoWCqJPxfi81ndbVHiPSSMJmMAqbd6b6-KmMTLCkTcYms10s8nOw4gC6rAAK4GJDPCj2yBMaWgIkNLPHMAWqL8ODipbjMsTMEAphicULC62pheDYk4CdSVI/s1600/the+family+Crocket.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2W-30gR1d7byjhdFD7R93hoWCqJPxfi81ndbVHiPSSMJmMAqbd6b6-KmMTLCkTcYms10s8nOw4gC6rAAK4GJDPCj2yBMaWgIkNLPHMAWqL8ODipbjMsTMEAphicULC62pheDYk4CdSVI/s1600/the+family+Crocket.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Jared
fully realizes his inner pink-cowgirl-princess before terrorizing the innocent
with a pop gun (which Louise says makes the most satisfying sound ever).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSz3Jx9p0qnmhuf0V8tcOS0u3AHU3-o8LilFlFMt6MZ7qSb3P-1Zlj3EMR9ZrVSdq0nwnl1cjtXi8i2rPhwSwjgQpEluL2xe9gvVSv4LWu_oPyKdDWE1UKZwvi0NNOeYScnLmY88O0E3o/s1600/pink+princess+photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSz3Jx9p0qnmhuf0V8tcOS0u3AHU3-o8LilFlFMt6MZ7qSb3P-1Zlj3EMR9ZrVSdq0nwnl1cjtXi8i2rPhwSwjgQpEluL2xe9gvVSv4LWu_oPyKdDWE1UKZwvi0NNOeYScnLmY88O0E3o/s1600/pink+princess+photo.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Jackalopes do exist as proven by the 9-foot tall stuffed specimen on display
and Colleen proves that she is indeed one of the most gullible people in the
world. Not only does the clerk get her with the old rattlesnake egg gag, but
also the exploring pen. We take an extra minute to get suggestions on a good
breakfast spot and head out to dinner. On the way we take a quick selfie
(although, is it a selfie if everyone is in it?)<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dinner is great and as we converse, many other things are said and
misheard. Ben stays to finish his libation, supervised by Louise and the rest
of us head to the car. As we meander
Taylor sees a dog, which he says is a Chow. Jared says it’s not a Chow,
it’s a Chow-Chow. Taylor says “yum,” to which I remark “eew.” I mean I knew
Taylor was a dog lover, but wow. It’s OK, apparently there is some kind of
condiment called chow-chow that people enjoy. This conversation takes a sudden
turn as Brett moves us back into the world of opera and <i>Madama Butterfly’s </i>Cho-Cho San becomes… you guessed it, Chow-Chow
San. Jared loses it and will now struggle to sing that opera without this
mental reference. We head back to the hotel as the sun sets and, grabbing some
snacks out of the car, we head up to our rooms. As I sit down to write the
blog, I’m treated to the sight of Louise, lounging on her bed, eating handfuls
of mini peanut butter cups even as she remarks “I hope these don’t belong to
someone else.” Well, unless the chocolate on your pillow has now become a
chocolate buffet of sorts, me thinks they do indeed belong to another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Some of the group retires for the evening while others decide to play a
game. It’s gotten really chilly and I’m ready to turn in. As much fun as we’ve
had, this is still a lot of work. I realized something today. For every person
we’ve met on tour so far, at least one of us has talked to them and told them
who we are and what we’re doing. Sometimes they ask, sometimes they don’t.
We’re an outgoing group. It’s true though - tour really is a way we connect
with communities all across Colorado.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With that thought, it’s time to call it a night readers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Till tomorrow,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-27261296992017626382014-05-13T15:27:00.002-06:002014-05-14T10:05:02.398-06:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2014 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[Cue
Edvard Greig’s masterpiece, Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: I. Morning]<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The sun’s rays color the sky with pink and gold. The birds welcome the
new day with their joyful, melodious calls. With a luxurious stretch, I rise
with a smile to welcome the beautiful morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[Cue
record scratch]<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Yeah, that’s not how today began, but I thought I’d give you a glorious
picture to hold on to because what actually greeted me was… interesting. We’re
smack dab in the middle of a spring storm. It snowed all day yesterday and it’s
still snowing. We’re headed up I-70 to Beaver Creek today which is going to be…
interesting. Welcome to our 2014 Greater Colorado Tour everyone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo71jvHd6Y3wc7rPqUGXPwwYQz5orodA8NolZzdPZJgEIuy8BGAG8JpQ_Nkx0Pt492Tgz2FjooXa0fymeoaWs9yM0lqy6S5QLkNZcDT2wlnF4S2DG7aajLK998Cgwkw_RAb5TlynDEYjk/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo71jvHd6Y3wc7rPqUGXPwwYQz5orodA8NolZzdPZJgEIuy8BGAG8JpQ_Nkx0Pt492Tgz2FjooXa0fymeoaWs9yM0lqy6S5QLkNZcDT2wlnF4S2DG7aajLK998Cgwkw_RAb5TlynDEYjk/s1600/photo.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I pack up the beast of a car that is one of the two rentals we’re taking
on tour this year. Those of you who are return readers will remember the Yukon
saga of 2013. Choosing not to repeat that and thus further damage my already
shaky relationship with the Yukon, we have rented another vehicle that will
haul our sets, costumes and props. I’m driving the other one – the biggest
thing they had on the lot. Packed and ready to go, I head out to pick up the
rest of the crew. Our goal is to be on the road no later than 10:30 which we
hope will allow for the roads to clear a bit before we get into the high
country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As I pull onto the highway, the morning gets… interesting. The oil gauge
on the beast swings over to hot and the engine makes this sort of chuggy-chug
sound (technical term). Then a light appears the dashboard and the chuggy-chug
becomes more of a veer-eer. I don’t panic. After last year’s tour, I’ve become
quite good at dealing with vehicle problems on the fly, so I call the rental
agency and tell them I’m bringing the beasty in. They will check it and give me
a new vehicle if needed. As I’m driving to the rental lot, I get a call from Brett.
He bids me a cheery good morning, our Brett is a morning person, and then moves
on to the news, which is… interesting. It seems that the rental Yukon is not as
roomy as our Yukon and we can’t get all of our set pieces in. Juliet’s tomb may
not make the trip – I suppose I could have her lay on the floor, but I forego
that idea when I realize it would mean that Romeo would basically have his
death scene on top of her and that’s not the tone I want to set with our
production. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rental agency reached, I explain the symptoms and have to make the
chuggy-chug sound for 4 guys before one of them takes the initiative to just go
look at the car. While I wait, I chat with a lovely lady in the lobby. She asks
what I’m renting a car for and I tell her I work for Opera Colorado and we’re
heading out on our annual Greater Colorado Tour. She becomes very intrigued and
wants to know all about what we do. She asks if we perform at the Ellie
Caulkins Opera House and I tell her all about that too. The rental agent at the
counter overhears this and joins in the conversation and tells me that she just
saw <i>Carmen</i> and loved it. It was her
first opera – how cool is that?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But, back to the action. The car has been checked and apparently there
is something wrong with the oil temperature. When I asked what’s wrong, I am
told the oil is too hot. Wow. I ask if I can just get another vehicle as I’m on
a schedule. Here’s where the day gets… interesting. Apparently the only other
car they have that is the same size as the beast is out at the airport. I can
either wait for them to bring it to me in about 2 hours or I can drive to get
it myself. Keys in hand, I’m headed to the airport. I knew we would be
traveling a lot of miles on tour, but I really thought it would be after we
left the Denver metro area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The weather and roads get considerably worse the further east I go, but
I make it. I get to where I need to go and the replacement beasty is brought
around. As I’m transferring everything from one vehicle into the other, the
rental agent sees my jacket, emblazoned with our company logo, and asks what
Opera Colorado is. I tell him and his response is, and I quote, “So you guys
sing opera or something?” Now readers, this has been an… interesting morning
and I’m pretty much over it at this point. I’m covered in snow, running almost
1 ½ hours behind schedule, trying to figure out how to keep Juliet from
performing her death scene from underneath Romeo… I admit, for just a second I
thought about replying, “Why no, actually we breed poodles.” I didn’t. I’m too
proud of what we do at Opera Colorado, so I told him all about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">New beast loaded, I’m back out on the road heading through the weather
again to meet up with the rest of the crew. Amazingly, this time I make it
without anything interesting happening. There they are, their beaming faces
welcoming me, telling me without saying a word how excited they are to begin
tour. Well… that’s partly true. They are smiling. They’re also exhausted (we
closed <i>Carmen</i> yesterday folks). After
navigating the jungle that has appeared in the front yard thanks to the heavy,
wet snow, we begin the task of getting 7 people’s luggage into 1 vehicle and
trying to get every essential piece of our sets, costumes and props into the
other. Sadly, Juliet’s tomb won’t be making the journey – I’ll figure it out
later. I snap a quick picture of the group to document tour day one and we head
off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Looking in the rear view mirror, I can see Colleen sitting in the very
back seat. She looks like a little girl surrounded by stuffed toys, but in this
case she’s pinned in by suitcases and costume bags. She’ll be fine; it’s cozy.
Brett and Jared are in the other back seat singing parts of <i>Carmen</i>, which is still stuck in all of
our heads, and Taylor is riding shotgun. Louise and Ben are in the rental
Yukon. OK – here we go for real. Greater Colorado Tour 2014!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As we get closer to the mountains the snow gets thicker. Brett notices
that there is some… interesting fog covering the road. This is, in fact, not
fog but steam and blowing snow. Jared says he doesn’t like it – the snow
blowing on the roads – Brett, trying to calm Jared tells him that it’s not
snow, but snakes. Yes, very comforting. Thank you, Brett. The roads aren’t
horrible but they’re not great either so we take our time. We decide to stop
for lunch in Idaho Springs where I introduce the group to a local hot spot. At
the table, Colleen shows off her artistic skill by coloring a picture. Louise
and Ben help. Taylor isn’t allowed to – he doesn’t color in the lines. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rw0DPkogzXKGoeKhS7yUg67Sc4p0uKW6uGoOPAI8VioYaXVwkDClZOC2tPVBrHxytHco-iNsmRGEQXunoDbWoiqqo0Ur0m03_qIGgXk-rV16AJ0ezRYMl595TWV2QbE1Cwb4v7XMrnM/s1600/photo1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rw0DPkogzXKGoeKhS7yUg67Sc4p0uKW6uGoOPAI8VioYaXVwkDClZOC2tPVBrHxytHco-iNsmRGEQXunoDbWoiqqo0Ur0m03_qIGgXk-rV16AJ0ezRYMl595TWV2QbE1Cwb4v7XMrnM/s1600/photo1.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Lunch enjoyed, it’s time to get back on the road. It’s snowing a bit
harder now and the steep downhill grade is… interesting. The gents try to keep
me entertained by selecting various tunes. Everything from Irish gigs to
musical theater to country to Anna Russell. WHO is Anna Russell you ask? She
was a singer turned comedian who is especially known for her hilarious
commentary on Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Look her up – it’s totally worth it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On the drive, I keep hearing comments like “wow,” “jeeze,” “man” etc.
Not comments on my driving, no snakes on the road, but responses to the
scenery. It really is beyond amazing. Snow covered trees and mountain tops; in
May. *sigh* There’s no place like Colorado. I hear Taylor give another shout.
Yes Taylor, it’s beautiful. Oh, wait. This time it’s not scenery, but sheep.
Big Horn sheep. Right off the side of the road! I’ve lived here for almost 8
years and been in this canyon countless times. I have never, not once, seen
them. I admit it. I got a little excited, gave the beast too much leash. As I
get us back on the road, Brett provides moral support. Just before we reach the
Eisenhower Tower, Taylor tells us how much he would like to see an avalanche.
I’m not in favor of this. I had a hard time with sheep, I’m not sure my driving
skills are up to outrunning an avalanche.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Finally, 3 hours behind schedule, we arrive at our destination, the
Vilar Performing Arts Center. We’ll be performing 2 shows of <i>The Barber of Seville</i> tomorrow, but we
have to get set up today. Their crew meets our crew (for you new readers, our
crew means us – we do it all) and we begin the process of loading in. The
theater is wonderful and things are pretty uneventful. Colleen smashes her
finger, Brett breaks the bucket, I get into a physical argument with duct tape
then almost skewer Jared with a set pole, Ben, acting as resident blacksmith,
has to hammer one of the pins for the folding screen into shape and Louise
performs her tightrope act as she skirts the edge of the stage. Yep – it’s
pretty much a routine set up. Taylor provides the soundtrack. Jared is inspired
and begins to sing something from Sleeping Beauty. I was swept off my feet – it
was enchanting… until I realized that in Jared’s rendition, I am Prince
Charming and he is the comatose princess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Set is up, lighting will be figured out in the morning. So we bid our
site crew goodbye until tomorrow and head off to check into our lodging for the
evening. I’m getting settled into my room when I hear my name being called. Who
knows me here…? I realize it’s one of the guys so I open my door. The question
that greets me is about sleeping arrangements. The rooms are… interesting. When
you walk in the door, there’s a full size bed directly to your right and
another… well, we’ll call it a bed, though it’s more like a gurney, to your
left. Ben tells me he doesn’t think he’ll fit on it; the gurney that is. Not to
worry. There’s a couch in the sitting area that makes into a full bed. Phew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After a little downtime, we head off to dinner; a local barbecue joint
is selected (Ben likes meat). Louise and Ben elect to walk and the rest of us
pile into the beasty. After everything I went through to get this car – I’m
going to take it everywhere. Plus it’s supposed to snow again tonight and I
don’t walk to have to walk back in the arctic tundra. We get to the restaurant
- which is closed (Jared and I have a joint flashback to last year’s hot dog
fiasco – it’s a long story and makes me look bad, so I’m not going to re-tell
it). So, time to come up with option number two. Taylor asks Siri. Now, Taylor
and Siri – they’re in a relationship apparently. They have to be because he’s
actually fighting with her. Things were said, names were called, it was quite
uncomfortable for the rest of us. Ben and Louise have arrived from their walk,
so we choose another local eatery and ALL of us pile into the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As we enter, we bring the local conversation to a halt. Really. One side
of the restaurant is a bar; the other side is the place where you eat. The bar
side is full of locals which we apparently aren’t. Interesting. I smile and
follow the others. We’re greeted by our server who tells us he’s the only
server for the entire restaurant. Oh goody. This should be… wait for it…
interesting. Actually, he’s great and we have a good meal. We decide that
Louise should use the castanets in both our touring productions. She worked so
hard to learn them for <i>Carmen</i> and
they could add a really unexpected element. Maybe they’ll take the attention
away from the “no tomb” thing. I know it’s time to call it a night when part of
the table goes quiet, Taylor begins to smell burnt toast (it’s a thing he does…
never mind) and Brett begins to revert into his Don Jos</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> character. Bed time!
On the way to the car Colleen adopts a mid-western accent and says something to
the effect of her needing a heater in her pants. Yeah. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So, back at our lodging, we make a plan for the morning and it’s time to
turn in. I’ll admit, with the schedule we’ve been keeping for the past several
weeks, maybe the past 5 months, I’m tired. They rest of our group is too. We’ve
all been working incredibly hard; but you know what? We wouldn’t change a
second of it. We’re doing something really special – sharing opera with people.
Not many people can say they get to do what they love; we know just how lucky
we are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I hope you’ll join us for the next two weeks as we journey across
Colorado’s western slope. With the group we have this year, I can promise you
this. It’s going to be… interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Goodnight readers,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Meet this year’s group:<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Colleen Jackson – soprano<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Louise Rogan – mezzo<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Brett Sprague – tenor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jared Guest – baritone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ben Sieverding – bass<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Taylor Baldwin – accompanist<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cherity Koepke - director<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-57407136782356409912014-03-28T13:09:00.001-06:002014-03-28T13:09:51.020-06:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">2014 Greater Colorado Tour –
the prequel…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Hello readers! We’re baa-ack.
Yes, that’s right – the blogs from Opera Colorado’s Greater Colorado Tour 2014
are about to begin. Well… almost. This blog is a bit of a teaser. A prequel if
you will. We’re taking a short jaunt to Gunnison for a couple of days; testing
the waters. The longer, more extensive tour happens in May this year. We needed
to shift our schedule a little to accommodate an opera we’re doing. You may
have heard of it… <i>Carmen</i>? Anyone? <i>Rigoletto</i> just closed and we had a small
window of time before rehearsals begin for <i>Carmen</i>,
so we’re hitting the road.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2HgiUS9i4-NsSRRQ8xYDRowxmks8bEU2zOhyqmSO3Oezg_e0hogGrEwg23nQILN-oK0-KKmuZ-m1-jNq2lmnAvzfMTcaD8vGwYwfLLSNfgp6NAG0U6vgNXWm3TNbJoJC3qHR7Jx1BV4/s1600/Barber_Cast_2_FB_Wall.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2HgiUS9i4-NsSRRQ8xYDRowxmks8bEU2zOhyqmSO3Oezg_e0hogGrEwg23nQILN-oK0-KKmuZ-m1-jNq2lmnAvzfMTcaD8vGwYwfLLSNfgp6NAG0U6vgNXWm3TNbJoJC3qHR7Jx1BV4/s1600/Barber_Cast_2_FB_Wall.gif" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">If you’ve read the blogs
before, you’re familiar with how this all works, but if you’re a new reader
(and we hope there are lots of you) let me introduce you to our group this
year, the Opera Colorado Young Artists. No doubt you’ve heard about them
already and you’ll be hearing much more as the blogs from tour progress. The
incredibly talented line up is as follows: Colleen Jackson, our soprano. Louise
Rogan, our mezzo, Brett Sprague, our tenor, Jared Guest, our baritone and Ben
Sieverding, our bass. Taylor Baldwin joins us as our accompanist and coach.
That leaves me – Cherity Koepke, the director, tour guide, occasional den
mother and blogger. Oh wait, I forgot… there is one more. Mr. Quacksworth. If
you read the blogs from last year, you’ll remember him. The Quack is baa-ack
too and you’ll no doubt be hearing about him as we travel Colorado’s Western
Slope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">We were up early, needing to
be in Gunnison by 12:30 for a series of programs today and more tomorrow. We’re
taking a rental car the size of the USS Enterprise and our touring vehicle,
lovingly referred to as “the Yukon.” OK, it’s not very loving, but that vehicle
and I have a past and it’s best to tread lightly. I arrive to pick up the
group, minus Taylor who we will get on the way out of Denver, and I see happy,
smiling faces. No really, this group is happy and smiling. It’s still early.
We’ll see how they’re doing at 7:00 tomorrow when we’re getting ready for an
8:40 performance of <i>The Barber of Seville</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Loading the Enterprise goes
quickly; it’s just an overnight trip this time, so there’s not a lot of
luggage. Me thinks this will change when we’re going out for 2 weeks in May. As
soon as Jared and Colleen figure out how to work the seats and Brett figures
out how to actually get in the car, we’re off, with Louise and Ben following us
in the Yukon. It’s important on road trips to stay together. You know, keep
each other in your sights in case something happens. The following thing lasts
about 2 blocks – Ben soon goes his own way. Thank goodness for GPS.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">We make it to pick up Taylor
and Colleen and I have the added bonus of getting a guided tour of the local
sights which consist of Brett and Jared’s favorite Chinese food buffet. Seats are shifted, Taylor is in the car and
we’re off - again. Ben leads this time and when I catch him, we do a reasonable
job of staying together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">The topic of conversation
immediately goes to <i>Rigoletto</i>, Opera
Colorado’s production that just closed. All of the Young Artists were involved
and had an amazing experience. Such a fabulous production! Everyone is still
buzzing about it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">We make a quick pit stop and peruse
the convenience store. Colleen tries on several hats; my favorite being the
lady bug and Brett and Jared sing for the staff. I admit, I was startled to be
asked to sing upon exiting the ladies room – how did they know we were
performers? I admit, I sing in the shower but that’s as far as it goes. Oh… the
jackets. We’re wearing our Opera Colorado jackets. People see them, they talk –
it goes from there. (If you don’t have one, you need one – they’re super cute
and warm!) We take a minute to admire the breathtaking scenery and snap a group
photo before we get back on the road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">After the guys try
unsuccessfully to get Colleen to reveal dark, hidden stories about her
formative years (which was basically attempted by making her laugh about noises
the human body makes) the conversation in the car shifts to other genres of
music. Brett and Jared are in charge of today’s play list. I reassure Taylor
that it will be fine and we put our tunes on the stereo. We start with some
Jason Robert Brown and move into some lively Irish gigs. As we drive up Monarch
Pass, the tunes become more insightful, moving to classic musicals and deeply
moving ballads. I think the scenery adds to the emotion in the car; or not. Taylor
has gone quiet and Colleen is asleep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Off the side of the road are
signs warning us to keep a watch for wildlife and rocks (Which to be honest has
always confused me – rocks? They’re everywhere, we’re in the mountains) Taylor
accepts the job of wildlife watcher but passes on rock sentry duty to another
as it’s just too much for him. No sooner have we stopped laughing but he gives
the alert for deer. We see quite a few as we make our way into Gunnison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">We stop for a quick lunch
before heading to Western Colorado State University for a masterclass with
their vocal students. The class goes really well and it’s so great to be able to
share a little of what we’ve learned with the students. I think some of my
favorite advice comes from Brett who tells the students that they have a choice
when singing, they can choose to breathe or they can choose to die. Laughter
quiets down but not before Louise shoots me a look that tells me plainly that she
misses her homeland (our Louise hails from the UK). I try to emote that I am
sympathetic and supportive and we move on. Right after the class, we set up for
tonight’s performance of <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>
in Taylor Hall. Ben sees the piano; it’s a Baldwin. Now get this – and you’re
not going to believe it – we’re performing in Taylor Hall and with a Baldwin
piano. Taylor… Baldwin… Get it? If not, review the opening section of the blog
and you will. Ben is savvy I tell ya.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Set up done, we check into
our hotel and grab just a few minutes of down time before heading to dinner.
We’ve selected a popular Italian place, which, upon reflection may not have
been the wisest choice before a performance. The food is wonderful, but we’re
now all feeling like slugs and moving about as fast. At dinner Taylor shares
with us his philosophy on the relationship of birthdays to inspirational
biblical figures and Louise tells us about a particularly challenging audition
where she was asked, by a director, to sing a Cherubino aria as if watching a
specific type of film inappropriate for a 14 year old to watch. Stay with me
readers – trying to keep this blog family friendly. Colleen is again laughing
about the human body and it’s noises, encouraged by Brett. Ben and Taylor bond
over their lagers and Jared presents an artful representation of the Olympic
rings with the onions on his salad before announcing, quite boisterously, that
we will be performing OPERA tonight. Our waitress actually asked <u>when</u> we
were performing; - he heard <u>what</u> and went with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">The restaurant is busy so dinner
takes longer than expected and we’re left dashing back to the theater to get
ready for the performance. We’ve been away from this show for a while so there
are some jitters. We review what we can and do a fight call so that things are
as safe as possible and it’s time to start. We’ve got a great turnout and I
begin the evening by welcoming the guests. I notice that there are quite a few
younger kids in the audience and I have a moment of brilliance as I tell them
that tonight’s show is a tragedy, which means it won’t have a happy ending. I
follow that up with a chipper, “enjoy the show,” and we’re off. The audience is
with us right off the bat and the show just gets stronger as it goes on. It’s
funny and intense and heartbreaking – everything it should be and the audience
is loving every minute. After hearty applause, we do a Q&A and get some
fabulous questions. Everything from asking what words of advice we would give
to young performers to what was the hardest part of the show to how do we
handle stage fright. After thanking everyone for coming, we bid our audience
adieu.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">No rest for the weary, in
this case, literally. We now have to break down the set, and load out. Thank
goodness there are 7 of us; this would be too much without lots of hands to
help. We accomplish the task fairly painlessly and we manage to get back to the
hotel before 10:15. Everyone is off to their nightly rituals – we’ve got a
seriously early morning tomorrow before heading back to Denver. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">As I bid everyone goodnight,
I’m struck once again, by how amazing this career is and how lucky I am to get
to do something that I love, with people who are just as passionate. I know for
a fact that there were people in our audience tonight who had never seen an
opera before. What a privilege that we were the ones who got to introduce them
to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">So readers, that’s it for now
– as I said, just a little teaser of what’s to come when we hit the road for
real in May. I hope you’ll join us on the journey. It’s certain to be an
interesting ride!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">As you follow us on tour, I’m
going to ask something of you too. Readers… “Like” us, “Share” us, “Tweet” or
“Comment” – whatever it is that you do in cyber-world. We want people to know
what we’re up to and how we’re sharing the wonderful world of opera with everyone
we can. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">‘Till May,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Cherity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Good
morning readers. Well, it’s arrived; the last day of tour and thus, the final
blog (at least for this trip). Today is a little different. I have some
meetings to attend, so I’ll be joining the Young Artists in Loveland this
afternoon. The CBS4 crew will be there to film everything from set up to the
Q&A after the performance. Exciting! We’ll be sure to post the air date on
our Facebook page and on Opera Colorado’s website.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iiZ84LvjAbsHkXR9Bj2W8-_QkwyRPUhpWo9N-uYIHF1Q9XdLudGnDR7LZ8y7s2VkUMCVLIy6nRvgbkEHTttrJ-ri1bHXT2t3rxKl6xpHo4oqV8ThcdEqGk8dmz2-upWRU-aRSWA0UVg/s1600/CBS+setting+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iiZ84LvjAbsHkXR9Bj2W8-_QkwyRPUhpWo9N-uYIHF1Q9XdLudGnDR7LZ8y7s2VkUMCVLIy6nRvgbkEHTttrJ-ri1bHXT2t3rxKl6xpHo4oqV8ThcdEqGk8dmz2-upWRU-aRSWA0UVg/s320/CBS+setting+up.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">After
meetings, I hop in my car and make the drive to Loveland. Being in the car by
myself seems strange… I find myself musing about goats, horned squirrels and
blue ribbons (I have yet to let that one go completely). It’s cloudy today and
we’re supposed to get rain later. Seems like we lucked out with the weather
again; we could have been up in the mountains and they’re supposed to get a
good amount of snow. It starts to drizzle just as I pull in to the parking lot
at Centennial Elementary. I see the Yukon, so that’s a good sign that I’m in the
right place (also a good sign because it means that the thing started). I find
the Young Artists busy getting things set up and the crew from CBS4 is there, already
filming. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I’m
greeted by a smiling Joshua with treats in hand; he’s made lemon bars. Yes,
that’s right, our Joshua is a man of the world; philosopher, debate champion,
linguist and class-A baker. (Don’t forget tenor.) Providing them with goodies
seems to take the edge off of setting up in front of a camera and soon everything
is done. I talk with the TV crew and come up with a game plan. Steven arrives, the
Young Artists get into costumes as makeup and I am greeted by the principal. She’s
delighted that we’re here – we’re delighted to be here. Things are good… until.
You know that saying “Go big or go home?” Jared is a believer. Just a few
minutes before the performance, he has a wardrobe malfunction, splitting his
pants from front seam to back. Although the bright green boxers would get a
laugh, it’s not exactly in keeping with the feel of the show. I teach Morgan
the finer points of using a needle threader and she quickly sets about making
the necessary repairs. Blue thread on black pants isn’t the look we would have
opted for – but it’s what we have so it’ll have to do. Alex’s jacket has also
experienced a malfunction. It looks like I’ll be taking some costume home with
me. Thank goodness my mom can sew!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Temporary
repairs are completed and the students are take their seats. We’re performing
in the gym and it’s packed. The principal talks to the students first and has
them wave to the camera. They are so excited! Then I go out. I’m wearing a
microphone so the CBS4 crew can pick me up on tape. I try not to focus on the
camera as I talk with the students about what they’re going to see. With a big
shout of “bravo” our performance of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Barber of Seville </i>begins. This is the first time we’ve ever been at this
school. You never quite know what to expect from a new audience; opera is so
different from what they’re used to hearing. But this is such a great show for
opera newbies. We reach the first bit that should get a laugh and… it does. The
show progresses with more and more laughter. It’s one of the most responsive
audiences we’ve ever had. You can even hear the teachers laughing and the guys
from CBS4 (I really hope the tape picks that up). At one point in the show,
Jared say’s “He’s crazy,” commenting on the antics of Joshua. We all hear a
lone little voice say “No he’s not!” with complete conviction (and volume).
It’s one of those moments I won’t soon forget. Every aria gets “bravos,” and
the laughs abound throughout the show. The kisses get the standard “ewww”
response and we move on to bows. Everyone gets big applause and cheering, but
Joshua… the entire gym practically comes apart. They LOVE him. Aw… Joshua has
tiny groupies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
move on to the Q&A and tons of hands go up. They want to know how we made
the set look so real, how we sing like that and how long we had to practice.
And, yes, were the kisses real. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
favorite today actually isn’t a question, it’s a comment I overhear. Two little
girls are talking and one says to the other, “That was the best thing I have
ever seen… in my whole life!” (She’s all of 5, maybe 6) Well kiddo, we hope
that opera is a part of your life for a really long time. That’s why this never
gets old. We’re opening people’s eyes to the magic of opera. Yes, we get tired
and yes, being on the road repeatedly setting up and tearing down; it can seem
endless. But we know that, at every single show we perform, there is someone
watching who’s about to experience something that will inspire them to make
opera a part of their lives. They may be our future patrons, set builders, arts
administrators or even Young Artists themselves. It’s a huge job, but it’s so
worth the effort. I shall now step down from my soapbox.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQECEHHkhY3ZPcmqhZrYfNznJlOUPeOtOa8WeLI9FzfsseOxUsECBWg_pbrjxQ5BnXh5lRzz9NzteEflU6Z6y2ZlObRCEkoLjXqF73rU7aJgESbh5E67HShvnED-TLTYMW8wY4xw2jj-c/s1600/Loveland+students+with+Quacksworth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQECEHHkhY3ZPcmqhZrYfNznJlOUPeOtOa8WeLI9FzfsseOxUsECBWg_pbrjxQ5BnXh5lRzz9NzteEflU6Z6y2ZlObRCEkoLjXqF73rU7aJgESbh5E67HShvnED-TLTYMW8wY4xw2jj-c/s320/Loveland+students+with+Quacksworth.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">After
the Q&A, we snap some pictures with the students. Mr. Quacksworth got some
of the biggest laughs of the show so they are excited to meet him. I think tour
has been good for us; the duck and I have grown closer and I think we
understand each other now… With the students back in their classrooms, we
tackle the set. The CBS4 gents say goodbye and let us know that they’ll be in
touch about the air date. As we begin to load the Yukon, it starts to rain. We
need the moisture, and it’s not a downpour, so it’s looked at as “refreshing.”
When Joshua is putting the set poles into the rooftop storage box, a piece of
it pops out. It looks like it’s a support bracket or something. Oh well, that
can’t be too important so Joshua sets it on the roof. Cassidy suggests that he
put it inside the car before we leave; Joshua agrees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">By
now, we’re starving. None of us have eaten lunch so we turn to our food
aficionado for suggestions. Pretty much everywhere we go Alex has the uncanny
ability to hone in on a good place to eat. I think it’s in his DNA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alex says we’re going to Freddy’s. Freddy,
who’s that, Joshua asks. Not who, but what. Apparently, it’s Freddy
Steakburgers and Frozen Custard. We all head for our cars. Jared is practically
skipping; he’s finally going to get his hotdog. Alex is in the lead, using his
radar-like senses to guide the rest of us. (Not really, he passed it on the way
to the school this morning) Cassidy is following the Yukon and I’m following
Cassidy. We get about 5 blocks before I heard a huge pop and then a clattering
sound. Now, I know you’re thinking that this can’t possibly happen again on
tour. Our luck can’t be that bad. Well it’s the Yukon alright, but not
directly. Let me explain. I see Cassidy pull her car over to the side of the
road and the Yukon doesn’t stop. I thought it was a blown tire, so I’m
confused. I stop (so does Steven) and get out to see what’s wrong. Cassidy,
armed with a coat hanger, is trying to get something out from under her car. A
local stops to help and literally has to get under her car before he can grab…
whatever it is. Cassidy is fuming. Morgan just shakes her head makes
disapproving noises. Cassidy shows me what was under her car. Oh, boy. It’s the
piece from the rooftop box. Joshua left it on top of the Yukon. Thankfully her
car is OK, but I’m not so sure about how Joshua will fair when she sees him. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9NG6OsfCcdPnQ5_j3vDAikS0KwvS3IrWBDEeyB-Vl1iyly1tclu2ZcAvAXmyL0WsD0Js7nUye387PdTrvPht-OP2aDtu9baKU-IbnMpx8pFLlt1-WDlCfVTZk2mMtcY4olgN_biHjwQ/s1600/Joshua+in+trouble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9NG6OsfCcdPnQ5_j3vDAikS0KwvS3IrWBDEeyB-Vl1iyly1tclu2ZcAvAXmyL0WsD0Js7nUye387PdTrvPht-OP2aDtu9baKU-IbnMpx8pFLlt1-WDlCfVTZk2mMtcY4olgN_biHjwQ/s320/Joshua+in+trouble.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
get back in our cars and I lead, following the GPS on my phone. I go where it
leads until I notice that its listing the destination as 17 miles away.
Smartphone my foot! The convoy follows me as I take a detour through a grocery
store parking lot (Steven asked if this was where the Freddy’s was). I will now
trust my sense of direction and my memory. Here goes nothin’… Looking like a
beacon shining through the night, I see the Freddy’s sign in the distance and
Alex standing next to it, waving us in. He gets a tad impatient when hungry. We
pull in the parking lot and Cassidy calls to Joshua. She asks him if he forgot
anything. He pats his pockets and thinks, no, nothing seems to be missing.
Cassidy and Morgan then relay the events as they happened, sounding like they’re
playing a live game of Clue. We reach the reveal; it was Joshua, in the Yukon,
with the plastic thing-a-ma-jig! Joshua holds the object of offense, looking
properly contrite. Alex is calling us to “come on” and Jared is already inside,
the lure of hot dogs too much to bear. So, the rest of us head into the
restaurant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Alex’s
food is ready first; we narrowly averted the grunting phase, and then Jared’s.
His hamburger bun makes a valiant attempt at escape and has to be replaced, but
he’s happy – he’s got a hot dog too. The rest of us get our orders and we sit,
chatting about the wonder that is Freddy’s fry sauce and the past 8 days on
tour. I’m once again thankful for the guys, I’ve ordered way too much food and
I can always count on them to clean my plate. Jared manages to make it through
the meal without crying (from happiness) and we go over what the next few days
hold. Even though tour is over, we’re not done, not by a longshot. The Young
Artists are here until May 24<sup>th</sup> and we’ll be plenty busy, sharing
opera with as many people as we can.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMw7y0oYkT5fPclttA4eZxwwPaluULnwHH99B9yjhAufpcPoDfX3X55xcoAefSXRPMtXMQeFjq1zMq87vz7-wTNjjge7lK6XF7nkdw3F-zxf9I9SG18atBqCbn9PVffo22de7gthb9YU/s1600/YAs+at+Freddys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMw7y0oYkT5fPclttA4eZxwwPaluULnwHH99B9yjhAufpcPoDfX3X55xcoAefSXRPMtXMQeFjq1zMq87vz7-wTNjjge7lK6XF7nkdw3F-zxf9I9SG18atBqCbn9PVffo22de7gthb9YU/s320/YAs+at+Freddys.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Since
it is our last day of tour, we decide to go for broke and have frozen custard
too. The meal ends with a commentary on how sick we’re going to be later. We
head outside and I take one more picture; something to commemorate the end of
our travels. We all load back in our vehicles and head back to Denver. And
readers, that’s it. Our 2013 Greater Colorado Tour is complete. I want to thank
you for joining us, for commenting, following Mr. Quacksworth on Twitter and
sharing these blogs with people. I gave you a job and you did it. But, like I
said, our mission of taking opera to people isn’t done… neither is your job. We
want you to join us; to be a part of our team. Be a voice for Opera Colorado.
How do you do that? Buy tickets to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Don
Giovanni</i>, make a donation, join our campaign. Your support will help us
keep going on tour, performing for Colorado’s community and educating them
about opera in the process. Your support means that we can continue to work
with talented Young Artists, like this year’s group, and provide them with
invaluable training and experience. Your support will ensure that we can keep
fabulous productions on stage at the Ellie. </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
hope you’ve had fun reading these blogs. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5952385765199057276" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope that you’ll continue to be a part of
Opera Colorado. </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Until
next year; goodnight readers.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Cherity</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-10951654718884858752013-03-22T11:08:00.000-06:002013-03-22T11:08:00.986-06:002013 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 7<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Rise
and shine readers, it’s day seven of our 2013 tour. Well, we have risen, but
there isn’t a whole lot of shining going on. Some people slept great, some of
us didn’t. Morgan and I are in the latter group. I need to learn how to turn my
brain off at night… The ladies are ready on time and we’re just waiting on the
guys. We decide to head down to the cars and wait there. That’s when we see
something we never thought we’d see… the guys, all 4 of them, are already there
and waiting for us. I think the fresh air has revitalized them. It’s either
that or they’re hungry and cold. It is very chilly here this morning so we all
don our Opera Colorado jackets, (They’re not only stylish, they’re warm – check
them out when you go see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Don Giovanni</i>)
and head off to meet our sponsors for breakfast.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
ride is pretty quiet. In these blogs, it sounds like we’re having a lot of fun,
and we are, but tour is also a whole lot of work. Long days, late nights, moving
from place to place – being on the road sounds a lot more glamorous than it
actually is. Still, no one is complaining; we know how lucky we are to be able
to do this. We go over the schedule for the day; we have a performance at 1:00
and we have to make it back to Denver before the garage closes so we can pick
up the Yukon. Today’s timeline is going to be just as close as yesterday’s. We
arrive at the restaurant and the place is packed again. One of our sponsors
greets us at the door and we’re soon sitting around the table, getting to know
a bit more about each other. It’s so interesting to me how and when opera finds
people. Some people are born loving it; some people come to love it later in
life. Then there are others that don’t really love it but they have a great
appreciation for the art form and what it brings to our society. Still others
who don’t even know what it is. One of our servers is a good example. She sees
our jackets and asks about them. We tell her who we are and why we’re here.
She’s never heard of Opera Colorado; it’s great that we can be the ones to
introduce her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Soon,
it’s time for us to head back to our cabins. We make sure to show our
appreciation for breakfast and say our goodbyes. A few of the sponsors will be
attending the performance later at the elementary school. That’s great to hear.
As we go to get into the car, we get to meet another new face. Her name is
Gertie and she’s a chocolate lab. She’s adorable. We take a few minutes to meet
her owner. He also asks about our jackets, so it’s a chance for us to introduce
Opera Colorado one more time. He wishes us good luck with our performance; we
give Gertie one more pat and then head back to our lodging. (As I write this,
it strikes me as funny that I can remember the dog’s name, but not her
owner’s.) The drive back is even quieter than before. We set a time to leave
and everyone goes about their business. Alex has his spa appointment, Steven is
going to work on some emails, Cassidy wants to take a walk and Morgan just
wants to try and get some sleep. Joshua and Jared have a jammed packed
schedule. They are going to work out, then shower, then go to the hot springs,
then shower, then take dip in the pool and then shower. Hmmm… seems like
overkill to me, but whatever. I need to get some work done, so to the cabin I
go. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
work for a while as Morgan slumbers upstairs. Cassidy comes back from her walk
and I join her on the front porch. We’re enjoying the peaceful surrounding; the
sounds of nature. You can hear the nearby stream bubbling, birds are calling,
men are singing… Wait, what? Cassidy and I stop and listen intently. Did we
just hear singing coming from the relaxation pool at the hot springs? It’s very
faint, but yes, that is singing. That’s opera singing. It sounds familiar. The
sound grows louder. That’s Jared… and Joshua and they’re singing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Pearl Fishers</i> duet and not being
quiet about it any longer. One of the attendants at the spa comes outside, looking
perplexed. Steven calms her, telling her that it’s OK, they’re opera singers.
Relieved that the serenade is coming from trained professionals, she goes back
inside, but she’s got a huge smile on her face. Jared and Joshua are ramping up
for the big finale of the duet. It rings through the hillside – they sound
great. The image of the two of them sitting in the pool, singing their hearts
out, keeps Cassidy and I laughing for a good 5 minutes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisl4eihu7RC0t42EjRS8Fp9nyOM8y8MlN9wXbgYgYrDdmeh0yJBqXhsYID5d0lWMeYxD60XNqSsh_CuGld9Du5CMkQTfoVaHob8L741d3rvKRWI3fyhhs3UqFDdwS8W4Bhp00VTPm7ZYo/s1600/Buena+Vista+students.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisl4eihu7RC0t42EjRS8Fp9nyOM8y8MlN9wXbgYgYrDdmeh0yJBqXhsYID5d0lWMeYxD60XNqSsh_CuGld9Du5CMkQTfoVaHob8L741d3rvKRWI3fyhhs3UqFDdwS8W4Bhp00VTPm7ZYo/s320/Buena+Vista+students.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">After
the concert is over, the two songsters make a mad dash to their cabin to get
ready to go. Alex shows up looking mighty relaxed; must have been a good
appointment. Morgan managed to grab a little more sleep and is feeling
refreshed. The gang’s all here so we load up and head into Buena Vista and
Avery Parsons Elementary School. We’re excited that the local paper is sending
a reporter and photographer. Every little bit of exposure helps! We get checked
in and scramble to set up before the kids come in. We make it with about 15
minutes to spare – we must have been flying. The kids come in and take their
seats and the principal gets them settled. It’s a big group! I go out to
welcome everyone and talk about the performance (you may have noticed I do that
a lot). This is something that, over the years, I’ve found really helps. It
prepares the kids for what they’re about to see and gives them an idea of how
to appropriately respond to an opera. This is so new for most of the students
we perform for, they literally don’t know you can applaud or even laugh if
something is funny. I introduce Steven and get the performance started with a
big “bravo.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOz2tA9t9ZIpsrAmpop5Uk8dgFBN5ch_5CBuQULBt9WV00YyPJnnvndbay7z1bjPujJFT9D7C_n7vL72QX6YCWKF7-wR8aOQdGCN6_yx3IHe7ybmeAkqWW3sB5LSXdC-7tiFZFk0jYtk/s1600/BV+students+with+Quacksworth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOz2tA9t9ZIpsrAmpop5Uk8dgFBN5ch_5CBuQULBt9WV00YyPJnnvndbay7z1bjPujJFT9D7C_n7vL72QX6YCWKF7-wR8aOQdGCN6_yx3IHe7ybmeAkqWW3sB5LSXdC-7tiFZFk0jYtk/s320/BV+students+with+Quacksworth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Right
away, I know this is going to be a great show. The Young Artists are tired but
the energy coming from these kids is amazing. They are laughing like crazy – I
mean really cracking up. It is the best feeling and soon the cast is hamming it
up. As Joshua enters in his soldier disguise, I hear a little boy whisper to
his teacher, “I think he’s being tricky.” He’s got it. When Alex has Jared blow
in his eye, I hear someone whisper, “This is ha-lair-e-us.” (Not that’s not a
typo, its phonetic spelling for hilarious to help you readers know what it
sounded like). There are bravos galore when the cast go out for their bows. Now
it’s time for the Q&A. My favorite question today is one we get quite a lot
for this show. “Was the kissing real?” Yes, it was (cue the “ewwws” from the kids).
It’s all part of the job. The teachers, parents and sponsors that watched the
performance are thrilled. Steven and I answer some questions for the local
paper while the Young Artists talk with the other guests and Mr. Quacksworth
takes some photos with the students. That duck really loves the spotlight. A
teacher comes up to me to thank us for coming. He tells me that this has been a
wonderful experience for his students and one they’d never have unless groups
like us travel to them. We’re so glad that we have the opportunity to tour
Colorado and share opera with communities all over the state. We say a final
thank you to our sponsors for their incredible hospitality while we’ve been
here. They really have rolled out the red carpet for us and we truly appreciate
it. Thank you CCPAC and Buena Vista. We hope we meet again very soon!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uKtFI_Xssbk17zQWRfB3bkmqrl3KQVP2prysjb-qpK7PIOv5mh-Snnsf3AjkOsuPQiTtFKl2YhEwv107YvUjG9RhlhsSI3PRn7jXHqYrpfJaL17Qkvkf2b7xNvucpm-LO_jgYdHwDHo/s1600/Snow+is+coming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uKtFI_Xssbk17zQWRfB3bkmqrl3KQVP2prysjb-qpK7PIOv5mh-Snnsf3AjkOsuPQiTtFKl2YhEwv107YvUjG9RhlhsSI3PRn7jXHqYrpfJaL17Qkvkf2b7xNvucpm-LO_jgYdHwDHo/s1600/Snow+is+coming.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">It’s
time to break down the set and load out. We’re headed back to Denver and that’s
a bit of a drive. The weather is changing too. It’s getting cold and cloudy and
the mountains (which are close because we’re near them, right Cassidy?) are
already getting snow. Our quartet of masculinity once again flexes their
packing muscles; the ladies have learned to stay out of the way, so we busy
ourselves with other tasks. Steven moves on to pack another car, well actually
re-pack what Morgan has already done. Let’s just say things went back to where
Morgan had them. Soon, everything is loaded and we’re on the road. We decide to
stop for dinner in Bailey Colorado, home of the famous Coney Island hot dog
stand. Want to know the way to get 5 Young artists and one accompanist really
excited? Mention hot dogs and you’re golden. I break out the snack bag to
settle my carload down. Soon, we’re listening to Callas again and watching the
clouds roll in. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCR5hK8PrxXrVO13HyrwZIkwueiAvEZyn07uKcYVNaaEQMBs-Bhu9PjdvYhm4ulfzwEjXdUd31FooAszhrCjwvxajQMl2_t_WiNe80qjTvzG4El0GnoDwv_vh_ThrJhOmO64YrwFnn6U/s1600/Bailey+hot+dog+stand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCR5hK8PrxXrVO13HyrwZIkwueiAvEZyn07uKcYVNaaEQMBs-Bhu9PjdvYhm4ulfzwEjXdUd31FooAszhrCjwvxajQMl2_t_WiNe80qjTvzG4El0GnoDwv_vh_ThrJhOmO64YrwFnn6U/s1600/Bailey+hot+dog+stand.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Off
to the side of the road, we see a large group of antelope. Joshua asks if they
are indigenous. Jared asks if they are the "horned" species. Answer
#1, Yes, I believe they are found all over the west where they apparently play
with deer. Answer #2, Yes, they are horned antelope, a distant relative of the
elusive horned squirrel that we encountered earlier on tour. How lucky we are
to have seen both of them. (It’s just easier this way, trust me.) Steven must
really want a hot dog because he’s driving like Mario Andretti again (for those
of you blog newbies, this is not a new occurrence). Cassidy, Morgan and Jared
discover the joys of strawberry filled Twizzler<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5952385765199057276" name="_GoBack"></a> bites and
we come up with classifications for Cassidy’s various laughs. The anticipation
is growing as we near Bailey. With each turn, they wonder if we’re close. Three
more miles, then two, then one. We’ve arrived. We pull into the parking lot
and… Oh, no. Not again. This happened last year! They’re closed. I decide the
best way to tell them is to do it quickly, like pulling off a Band-Aid. I brace
myself as disappointment turns to grief. I knew Jared would take it the
hardest; he’s practically in tears. But, Jared does cry easily. I mean, I
brought him to tears at breakfast when I talked about southern cooking. He’s a
mystery, our Jared. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">With
hot dogs off of the menu, we push on. Jared grudgingly eats Twizzlers, mumbling
to himself now and then. All I catch is “No, no, no” and “hot dogs.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think he’ll be OK, with time. Alex on the
other hand, well, we all know how he reverts when he hasn’t eaten in a while.
None of us wants to visit that special place again, so we stop in Conifer to
grab some dinner. I take this time to teach everyone the finer points of
popping a straw (One of the many valuable things I learned in college. My
parents are so proud.) We’re back on the road again; next stop – the garage to
pick up the Yukon. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3W1235LIMNAVfyr2tpg_PBWlO3TLZOVdBXAZ7d7JC4Znt-35NUTfvL55tOABuUiQZruFxke18vAeWuGG0okSJgwQUbmL8i_oEyoipfthqeif70FwwQAyUAFolD-fhGiLnR5iS8ZEfwo/s1600/Cherity's+dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3W1235LIMNAVfyr2tpg_PBWlO3TLZOVdBXAZ7d7JC4Znt-35NUTfvL55tOABuUiQZruFxke18vAeWuGG0okSJgwQUbmL8i_oEyoipfthqeif70FwwQAyUAFolD-fhGiLnR5iS8ZEfwo/s320/Cherity's+dog.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">As
the drive continues, we muse on all of the conversations we’ve had over the
past 7 days. We’ve discussed everything from scientific theories to geography,
from Morgan’s famous meatloaf recipe to Jared’s love of ketchup. From Steven’s
knowledge of hot sauces, to Joshua’s ability to rock a fur hat; Cassidy’s
aversion to spiders to Alex’s specialized drink order at Sonic (that even he
refers to as diabetes in a cup), we’ve talked about it all. The conversation in
the car as we near Denver? Animals. Cassidy has a friend who has a dog. She
shows us a picture. I share the picture I have of my dog. We talk about dogs.
Pictures of animals are viewed on the internet. Cassidy finds what she believes
is a picture of a horned squirrel. She shows it to Morgan who’s not so sure.
Jared, the resident expert says no, that’s not a horned squirrel, that’s a
groundhog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a picture… of a
squirrel… in a tree… (*sigh*) There are no words. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
make it to the garage and, yeah, the Yukon is fixed! Again! As I’m handling the
bill, the mechanic starts asking about what we do. Joshua and I tell him. He’s
intrigued. I go a step further and invite him to come see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Don Giovanni</i>. I give him information on how to buy tickets. He says
he’s always wanted to see an opera and he’ll give us a call. Great! Things look
even brighter when the Yukon starts. We’re in business. We head back to the
house to unload everything from the cars and load it back into the Yukon. Boy,
this is getting monotonous. We finish that up, run over tomorrow’s schedule and
then bid each other goodnight.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We’re
all looking forward to tomorrow – it’s a big day. We’re performing at
Centennial Elementary School in Loveland and Opera Colorado has never been
there before. That’s big. We’re also going to be recorded. CBS4 is coming out
to film us. That’s big too! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Tomorrow
will be the last blog of our 2013 tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wow – the time has gone by so quickly. 7 days down and successful at
that. One more to go. We hope you’ll join us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Nighty-night
readers,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Cherity</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5952385765199057276.post-31752542394210765442013-03-20T14:49:00.000-06:002013-03-20T14:49:15.676-06:002013 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 6<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Good
morning readers and welcome to tour day 6! Here’s a question for you. Have you
ever had déjà vu? You know the feeling that you’re experiencing something that
you’ve experienced before? That was how today began, and not in a good way.
It’s the Yukon – again. I was in the office when Joshua called to tell me that
it wouldn’t start, again. You have to be kidding! It’s been less than a week
since we had it fixed! The plans I had laid out for my schedule today quickly
get thrown out the window and I head over to the house to figure out a plan.
The Young Artists are supposed to be in Fairplay at 1:00 to set up for the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Barber of Seville </i>performance at South
Park Middle School. We have several trains of thought, but only one of them
seems to work. We’ll load up alternate vehicles (and by that I mean our own
cars) and head off with as much as we can carry. It might sound like a fairly
simple task. Trust me, it’s not. Not only do we have the set, props and
costumes for an entire show, we also have the frame the set fits on, road bags,
sand bags, costume rack, prop table, music, luggage, food and people. Multiply
the more personal items x seven and you’ve got a truckload of stuff. Luckily
we’re able to get everything loaded; most of the set is in Alex’s car.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">While
the loading is happening, Joshua and I are on the phone, trying to figure out
where to take the Yukon here in Denver. This is exactly what it was doing last
week so I want that warranty honored! We find a place that’s just a few miles
away. Joshua manages to get it started, so we hope for green lights and try to
get it there. We make it but the thing sounds like it’s going to die any
minute. Even though we called ahead, they tell us they can’t even look at it
until later today. Waiting isn’t an option, so once more, we drop it off, make doubly
sure they know what’s going on and leave our contact numbers. Now an hour
behind schedule, we have to get on the road. As the caravan makes its way west,
I call the school to let them know we’re going to be late. They can’t move the
start time any later because of the dismissal time. We’ll have to do the
fastest set up on record. Luckily the roads are OK; they got some snow over the
past couple of days though. On the drive, I get a glimpse of what life in the
Humboldt house is like as Joshua, Cassidy and Morgan act out scenes of
domesticity. This basically involves Cassidy and Morgan telling Joshua the
rules by which he has to abide, while he, the lone male, asserts his authority.
The matter at hand? Joshua is not allowed to eat stinky food in the car. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Boiled eggs are the main offender. The windows
are rolled down to diminish the eau de egg. Now Joshua is cold. Cassidy tells
him to eat the egg quickly and he’ll warm up. Morgan agrees.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4B59IHHX9Q1u-O98CAMIa8mPGh4mMlPRZmxNYzcbO4UrqPiUx4Ikl962ulT54AUxTFCggRNQZ9Ed7kbHBmFSiJK1kzRaJZr7WtyLn2mSFlfHgakASONGCAS9X1UyeRFBO3-cWuVTlFA/s1600/Fairplay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4B59IHHX9Q1u-O98CAMIa8mPGh4mMlPRZmxNYzcbO4UrqPiUx4Ikl962ulT54AUxTFCggRNQZ9Ed7kbHBmFSiJK1kzRaJZr7WtyLn2mSFlfHgakASONGCAS9X1UyeRFBO3-cWuVTlFA/s320/Fairplay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
take this opportunity to share with Joshua a lesson that I hope will serve him
well for the rest of him life. Women do not have to make sense. Now, I say that
as I woman myself. How does it go? I know what I know when I know it – that may
not make sense to the opposite sex, but that’s the way it is. (Secretly, the
lesson was my way of putting an end to the episode of reality TV playing out in
the backseat.) Joshua quietly contemplates this as Cassidy eases the tension by
playing JT’s newest release. Now, I like all kinds of music; I consider myself
quite eclectic. But, working in a field where you listen to the human voice all
the time does something to you. I think it alters you at a genetic level. I
have become a music snob. I take one for the team though and listen to the CD. A
few tracks were pretty good….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cassidy
then selects another CD, this one is homemade. Oh, boy. It turns out to be a
documentary of Maria Callas. It’s really interesting. When she was at the top
of her career – Wow. There’s a recording of her singing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I Puritani</i> that literally give us goose-bumps – now that’s my kind
of music! We’ve come into a valley now; the view is gorgeous. As we’re
remarking about said view, Cassidy makes an astounding discovery. Did you know
that the mountains, well specifically the mountain tops, are not as high and look
closer when you are nearer to them? Well, shockingly, it’s true. Our Cassidy…
mistress of observation.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WwCbqi5W9HqsZpbSiKiMs7dWVbNo1g0UWF03PQKlbS_1SUKJTGzMoG5dFiBv1NPPGYsmVlbvcs0ofEyvEgi44zMf2s_6Qs0UnBY_GreT0a-X1fM_x5elokuX1XubOeokO447L8nSu5c/s1600/Steven+playing+the+piano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WwCbqi5W9HqsZpbSiKiMs7dWVbNo1g0UWF03PQKlbS_1SUKJTGzMoG5dFiBv1NPPGYsmVlbvcs0ofEyvEgi44zMf2s_6Qs0UnBY_GreT0a-X1fM_x5elokuX1XubOeokO447L8nSu5c/s320/Steven+playing+the+piano.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">After
laughing, we go back to the documentary. It makes the miles pass quickly and
soon we’re in Fairplay, or is it South Park, or is it both? I go to check us in
at the school and get instructions on where we can unload the set, etc. After a
quick glance at the clock, the entire group kicks it into high gear. Readers,
we made it, but not by much and it’s only because everyone was helping. Costumes
are on with just a minute or two to spare. The students begin to take their
seats as Steven finishes warming up on the piano. Today’s performance is being
sponsored, in part, by the Breckenridge Music Festival: Music in the Schools
program. (If you folks are reading this, thank you again for making it possible
for us to perform for the students here!) I go out to welcome everyone and talk
to the students a bit about what they’re going to see. With a round of
applause, we begin the performance. We’re at about 10,000 feet here; the
highest elevation yet. The Young Artists are feeling it, but at this point,
with the way the day started, we’re just happy to be here and have the chance
to perform an opera for these kids. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin17hMmV5gg6TWi6qNaVmlXP8WJ0umaA69fbo6OhEdwu4Ie0aeLdtS0V53CHInUEW_fUm3O2CJvSYkel5TWDONV0ce8vZZdDot90RhhKj_xP50stclWT74jsF39Bmr88NLuFVNZnmDuA0/s1600/Trouble+makers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin17hMmV5gg6TWi6qNaVmlXP8WJ0umaA69fbo6OhEdwu4Ie0aeLdtS0V53CHInUEW_fUm3O2CJvSYkel5TWDONV0ce8vZZdDot90RhhKj_xP50stclWT74jsF39Bmr88NLuFVNZnmDuA0/s320/Trouble+makers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Things
are going well, until it happens. Cassidy has just begun her aria and we hear a
huge, booming noise come from the area of the piano. We all freeze, not sure
what we just heard. Was that the piano lid slamming down? Did someone just
break a window? Cassidy isn’t singing that high… No, a string just snapped in
the piano. What next?! (As a co-worker of mine recently told me that can be a
dangerous question to ask) Kudos to Steven, he doesn’t miss a beat; just keeps
on playing. Being the pro that she is, Cassidy never lets on either. You can
hear the string rattling around, the vibration is so strong you can almost feel
it, but we can’t stop the show – it must go on! The faster, fighting scene
really takes a toll today. Everyone is out of breath, but no one is
complaining. The students are laughing and that’s what we want to hear; what we
love to hear. Finale complete, bows are taken and then water is quickly
ingested. I go out to begin the Q&A. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Z3HxDA2oqEzFPfSL_RQrBYWapss9O2qOvyO7NzU8Hn-bWeljSMaxShObD_pc98xI6zYIHk549kKDiJ3aaAVoLiZCccxyVFnv86Be2gssZkHI_0i9IXqprCc04i4_ym2s2rRfYgBBeo8/s1600/Students+and+Cassidy+with+Quacksworth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Z3HxDA2oqEzFPfSL_RQrBYWapss9O2qOvyO7NzU8Hn-bWeljSMaxShObD_pc98xI6zYIHk549kKDiJ3aaAVoLiZCccxyVFnv86Be2gssZkHI_0i9IXqprCc04i4_ym2s2rRfYgBBeo8/s320/Students+and+Cassidy+with+Quacksworth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
get questions about the set, how we learned the opera, singing in another
language and why that paper is under the settee (it was a prop mishap). The
best one though was when one of the students asked about the noise during the
show – they heard it too. How could they not? Steven reaches into the piano and
pulls out the broken string – we’re sorry! No problem – the student who asked
tells us that he broke the other one (apparently there were two). Everyone
laughs and I say a final thank you and end the Q&A. Steven and I talk to
the teachers and some parents who are there while Jared grabs a few pics with
Mr. Quacksworth and the students. The duck has been strangely quiet today; I
wonder what he’s up to… After that, it’s time to break things down and see if
by some miracle, we can get it all into the cars again. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Here’s
another question for you readers. Have you ever had one of those days where
everything just seems to go wrong? It’s like karma didn’t like what you made it
for dinner last night and today is payback. For me, that day is today. It’s a
comedy of errors. As I’m helping load out, I smack myself in the face with the
ladder and then manage to fall down the stairs (I’m OK – the blogs will
continue). It was a graceful fall, at least by my estimation. Load out
continues and with quite a bit of effort, we do manage to get it all back into
the vehicles. In the process, the ladies and I did learn a valuable lesson
ourselves. Like women do not have to make sense – Men view packing a car as a
test of virility. There they were, all 4 of them, working on packing one
vehicle. Yes fellas, your skills are impressive, now let’s get moving. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyk8A7pKbN-m7iOKXnSJxj9zhJ8VciQDouvrP_16lJqnWNc6mtR8l12P1mNBp0fMkLmAPKJNjwbXEOwHyr4rlYOntW6V5gjBlLuRicHIc8lc4a9Du92TNpt_AO1vtVCFiIiSSvDg3KVjM/s1600/Dinner+in+Fairplay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyk8A7pKbN-m7iOKXnSJxj9zhJ8VciQDouvrP_16lJqnWNc6mtR8l12P1mNBp0fMkLmAPKJNjwbXEOwHyr4rlYOntW6V5gjBlLuRicHIc8lc4a9Du92TNpt_AO1vtVCFiIiSSvDg3KVjM/s320/Dinner+in+Fairplay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
car I’m in has been mostly reserved for bodies and we’re trading Joshua for
Jared. I can’t handle being a family counselor anymore… Jared is enjoying the
Maria Callas CD too, in fact at one point he sang along and called himself
Maria. I think Morgan’s still got him on the high notes, but it’s a toss-up for
dramatic flair. We head down the road to our next stop, Buena Vista. Well,
Nathrop actually. We’re being housed and treated to dinner and breakfast by the
Central Colorado Performing Arts Council AND they’re sponsoring our performance
tomorrow at Avery Parsons Elementary School in Buena Vista. It’s incredible how
passionate people are about exposing kids to the arts – first the Breckenridge
Music in the Schools program and now CCPAC. Opera Colorado shares that passion
and we are so glad that we’re able to partner with you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
arrive at our housing location and holy moly – there are natural hot springs
here. I get us checked in as the Young Artists try not to literally jump in
excitement. We dash over and drop our luggage in our rooms (cabins actually).
The ladies have been housed in one cabin and the gents in the other. As Cassidy
and Morgan and I are looking around, we see that there are deer just outside
(which is good because we’d probably freak if they were inside). We take a
minute to appreciate nature, and a little quiet, before we call over to the
guys. It’s time to load up again, this time bodies only, and head to dinner. On
the drive, we see a whole heard of deer off the side of the road. It’s my turn
to play “Hey cow” (only it’s “Hey deer” in this instance) so I seize the
opportunity. Most of them turned to look. My seatbelt has locked in place and I
can’t move anymore, but I am now in the lead so, all in all, it was a successful
venture. Through all the hubbub, Joshua remains uninvolved, choosing instead to
sing though the score of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">La Bohème</i>.
He does quite a nice Mimi. Alex and Jared then treat us to a rousing song
featuring the herb Cilantro. Morgan has heard it on the subway in New York
before so it’s already sweeping the nation. </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlGJOdsu5kw_gODLT-ohVt93krZgvcIOeBdYcJgy1iwW-d3x6-b_yKFcnkovWJCReLmi71r_3DMkEZXB7VO4YXb8shAnoDxQcaA4ehc9kR2bR6GfXa0Rh8t2r6b4jR_sxs2S68ewwBdeI/s1600/tickle+fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlGJOdsu5kw_gODLT-ohVt93krZgvcIOeBdYcJgy1iwW-d3x6-b_yKFcnkovWJCReLmi71r_3DMkEZXB7VO4YXb8shAnoDxQcaA4ehc9kR2bR6GfXa0Rh8t2r6b4jR_sxs2S68ewwBdeI/s320/tickle+fight.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">It’s
been a long day with more than its share of drama; emotions are running pretty
close to the surface. Joshua and Jared are the first to crack; they break into
a fight in the back seat and poor Morgan is caught in the middle. It’s a tickle
fight. I’m not sure who won, but I snapped a picture just to prove that it
happened. At the restaurant, we’re greeted at the door by two members of our
sponsoring group. The place is packed! We enjoy a wonderful meal and great
conversation. The Young Artists talk about themselves and what the past 5
months have been like and I talk about Opera Colorado and where we’re heading. People
here have read about the reorganization and I get quite a few questions which
is good, that’s part of the reason I’m here. This is a good time for me to
bring our “Stories that Sing” campaign into the blog. If you haven’t heard about
it, you can learn more <a href="http://operacolorado.org/?page_id=202" target="_blank">here</a>. We’re working hard to move Opera
Colorado forward in a stable, sustainable way. This tour is a great example of
how the arts can reach out to people. We want to continue doing that <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5952385765199057276" name="_GoBack"></a>for years to come, but we need your help. Take a minute;
read about what we’re doing. We hope you’ll join the campaign and show your
support. We’re so grateful to all of you who have already made a donation and/or
bought tickets and we say an advance thank you to those of you who will in the
days ahead. </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwVYdEzVd8KaTuw-w7AeuQJhzmvYgUgmzcZKi5YeZ17ohkq6adTWuVzTWP00LEcuWUD4-YpV7MaPoxgnBGdcGi7vsP9kdHtLxMWjTPtHFjKXg1EY40V5v0gwnpzRcn165cNB8MdZfzTU/s1600/Jared+with+fruit+basket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwVYdEzVd8KaTuw-w7AeuQJhzmvYgUgmzcZKi5YeZ17ohkq6adTWuVzTWP00LEcuWUD4-YpV7MaPoxgnBGdcGi7vsP9kdHtLxMWjTPtHFjKXg1EY40V5v0gwnpzRcn165cNB8MdZfzTU/s320/Jared+with+fruit+basket.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">At
the end of dinner, we get yet another surprise (this time a good one). One of
our sponsors from CCPAC has prepared two baskets of fresh fruit for us to take
back to the cabins. We’re really getting the red carpet treatment, not
something we take for granted I assure you! Jared is so excited; he reverts
back to a two-year old, refusing to share. No, no, no Jared. Steven carries the
basket. We say thank you, many times and head back to our lodging. It’s dark
now, so playing “Hey cow” would be an exercise in futility, so the Young
Artists amuse themselves with show tunes, sitcom character impersonations and family
stories (the family of the Humboldt house has returned to a state of bliss). The
lure of the hot springs is too much to resist and I catch blurs as the Young
Artists and Steven race to don swimsuits and grab towels as soon as we arrive.
I tuck myself away in the cabin and get some work done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A
bit later the ladies are back and looking like they enjoyed their soak. I finally
begin working on today’s blog as Cassidy watches, trying to get a sneak peek. Not
so fast. Like the readers, she’s going to have to wait until it’s posted.
Morgan and Cassidy curl up on the couch to read by the fire. Our phone rings
and its Alex calling to check on the plans for breakfast. He has a spa
appointment in the morning and he’s trying to decide between food and massage.
Not an easy choice for our Alex. Morgan tells me that she’s sure the guys are
going to try to scare us tonight. Joshua told them a story at the hot springs…
now they’re on edge. She goes upstairs and I hear a bang. I jump and whack my elbow
on the table. (Why do they call it the funny bone? It really isn’t amusing, but
at least its par for the course today.) Thinking it’s the guys, we all tense
up. No, it was Morgan closing her glasses case. I feel like I’m at camp again…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">It’s
getting late and we have an early morning tomorrow. I think we’re all hoping
that it’s drama free (although it does make for good blog material). At
breakfast, I’ll have the chance to talk to some of our sponsors again, so
that’s already good news. After that, it’s another <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Barber of Seville</i> before heading back to Denver. So readers, that’s
all for tonight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Til
tomorrow,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Cherity
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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