Opera! Tonight was the first night of our opera production, under the direction of Brian McIntosh, our opera coach, and voice teacher.

We (the opera students of the U of A) began learning Hansel and Gretel at the beginning of the year, and have finally performed it once tonight, and will perform it a final time tomorrow, at the Timms Centre. Tonight went very well. The concert was a sell out, and I'm told that some people were sent away because of a lack of space. I'm sorry about that, but at the same time glad that the word got out and that people seemed to be interested in what we are doing. The 2nd and last performance (with a different cast) will perform "Hansel and Gretel" tomorrow night at 7:30.

The singers have been real troupers. Each cast has had only a couple of rehearsals with the orchestra in their performance space and with props, and are doing considerably well. As their opera pianist, I was very proud of them. I, and the head opera pianist, Leanne, helped practice them up until around a couple of weeks ago when the orchestra excitedly took my place. (Leanne admirably remained with the orchestra and played missing parts on an electronic keyboard.) There was a little bit of drama in chosing who was going to play in the orhcestra, but they eventually figured it out. David Hoyt was our orchestra conductor.

Oh, I must not forget to tell you that I played the 'coo-coo' part on the recorder for the opera. The coo-coo seems to be a very important job. Brian, our opera professor, told me that it would be the most important orchestral lick I will ever do. (I mentioned that I had been playing trumpet and piano in orchestras since I was 12, but he remained adament that nothing could be more rewarding then playing the recorder for this production.) I'm not quite sure if I completely agree that the solemn coo-coo call, an interval of a major third--D to Bflat, was as rewarding for me to play as it was for Brian and the others to watch and laugh. :)