O silver moon

After a quiet weekend, full of the usual shopping and visit to Mum's, I went with DG last night to see Dvorak's Rusalka. It was wonderful: Sally Matthews as Rusalka was truly amazing, both her extraordinary singing and her marvellous acting; her distraught final scenes were truly moving. The rest of the cast matched her high standard and the production with its glacial icy-blue sets, enlivened in the second act by striking red carpets rolled in by the chorus, was most effective. The orchestra played superbly.

But it was the music that was for me the real surprise. I wasn't surprised by its immediate accessibility, as I've not heard any of Dvorak's music that I didn't immediately connect with, but in some of the bleaker scenes, when he uses the astringent combination of oboes, cor anglais and bass clarinet, we are thrown straight into the sound world of Tristan. It's a work I certainly want to get to know a whole lot better. DG seemed to enjoy his birthday present.

Then of course this morning it was back to the mundane business of work - the day was improved by a very tasty roast pork dinner at B&P's tonight.