Just before I finished for Easter I thought that I would try my hand a little baking. Having seen so many lovely looking cakes on baking blogs I thought I would give it a go. Now I can cook two or three dishes really well, another four or five passably but baking has never been my strong point. I had a great time having a go but I don’t think Mary Berry has got anything to worry about. It didn’t quite come out how I envisaged but I was told that it tasted great, I baked it in a roasting tin because I don’t have a proper tin haha.
I travelled to my Parents for the Easter weekend and after a few days relaxing I spent the last week preparing my final essay of the year for submission when College opens again tomorrow. However it will be great to put my reference books away and immerse myself in the coming week of rehearsals.
It is going to be a packed seven days but so worthwhile, the culmination of several months preparation and practice. Throughout the week I will be taking part in the final rehearsals for Scottish Opera Connect’s production of “The Walk From The Garden”. It is so exciting to see all the individual elements come together like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Though I have a good idea of how Glen, who plays Adam and myself, playing Eve fit in to the production it’s not until everyone involved is in the same place at the same time that you get the full picture.
The opera was composed by Jonathan Dove with the libretto written by Alasdair Middleton and runs for about 50 minutes and draws inspiration from “Paradise Lost” by the great English poet John Milton ( 1608 – 1674 ). The story follows Adam and Eve as they come to terms with the enormity of their actions after eating the apple from the “Tree Of Knowledge Of Good And Evil”, having being told by God that doing so would lead to their death.
But to see what happens you have to wait as I am not giving away any spoilers before the opera opens on Saturday. But I can say that one of the great things about being involved with a live production is the way in which the Director interprets the opera and injects a little of their own personality in to the way we portray the story.
Jonathan Dove has written many wonderful operas and is a fabulous contemporary composer with over twenty works to his name. You can read his biography over on his website, it’s very impressive.
Last night ( Saturday 11th April ) I went to see Scottish Opera’s production of “Jenufa”. I thoroughly enjoyed the opera which was full of dramatic vocals, great performances and enough vocal colour to create a musical rainbow. It was wonderful to watch the opera sat next to Lesley, a lady I got chatting to who was there to experience live opera for the first time.
If you missed the production during it’s run in Glasgow you can catch it in Edinburgh from the 16th April to 18th April. The opera is sung in Czech with English surtitles. Scottish Opera: “Jenůfa, a young woman living in a remote rural village, is pregnant, though as yet unmarried. Her stern stepmother, worried for the family’s reputation and her own status as the leader of their village, hides Jenůfa away to bear her child. Months later, the river thaws and a gruesome secret is uncovered. Suspicion falls immediately on Jenůfa, but the truth will out”.
I have several evening rehearsals this week for the RCS production of Sir John In Love which opens on Saturday 8th May 2015. It is a privilege to be involved as a member of the chorus with all my friends and fellow students, it’s shaping up to be a fabulous production.
On Friday evening, 17th April as a member of the RCS Choir we will be performing at St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow conducted by Frikki Walker. A great way to start what I hope will be a memorable weekend for me as I have two performances of “The Walk From The Garden” on Saturday 18th and one matinee on Sunday 19th April.