Family lunch

Had a little excursion to Mordialloc today for lunch with Stewart and Suse. The food was good, and the catch-up even better.

Suse is doing very well after her op, and I discovered that they are in the first stages of fostering a child. This helps to explain her recent comments on Instagram about adding an extra for to their house.

Now on train home.

Concert preparation

Rehearsal on Monday night was at Sacred Heart. As I suspected, we spent so much time on the Duruflé that we didn't get to the Poulenc.

Then, unsurprisingly, we were asked if we minded another rehearsal tonight (Thursday). Virtually all agreed willingly.

On Tuesday Siobhan S came in to 3MBS to record a Reflections interview with Doug B. What a true delight she is, and smart.

Yesterday there was not much on the agenda, and this morning it was the last morning with Julie for a while. Adelle helped out and did very well.

Tonight is our last run through - AR indeed me today that Peter C will be joining the first tenors, which makes me very happy.

Montagues and Capulets

Friday night was the Victorian Opera concert performance of Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi. I got a seat in the balcony which was quite good. The performance was very good with Jessica Pratt as Giulietta, Caitlin Hulcup as Romeo and Carlos Bárcenas as Tebaldo.

Richard Mills conducted the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Doug K sang in the chorus.

Yesterday I went to 3MBS, lunching with Mariese and Stewart. Today was the crossword, and not a lot more.

Siobhan

Schubert, Strauss and Siobhan

Much as I was sorry to miss last night's concert from The Song Company (from all reports it was very good), I'm very glad I went to the concert at the MRC with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, featuring a selection of orchestral songs of Richard Strauss.

Siobhan S sang superbly displaying a wonderful control of her gorgeous voice, and amazing expression. It included one of the most beautiful performances of Morgen I think I've heard.

After interval the orchestra played an energetic Schubert Ninth. They really are a wonderful band.

ANAM winds

Last night's concert at ANAM was of music for winds. Four instrumentalists had spent the week working with the students: Wally Hase, flute, Dimitri Ashkenazy, clarinet, Lyndon Watts, bassoon, and Marie-Luise Neunecker, horn. Plus, of course, Nick Deutsch on oboe.

The program was varied beginning with the Wind Quintet by Harald Genzmer. He studied with Hindemith and the piece, to my ears, was more interesting than the Hindemith Sonata for 4 French Horns which followed.

The first half finished with the world premiere of Yitzhak Yedid's Music for ancient rituals. For the same scoring as the Strauss which finished the concert, it was quite noisy and busy, but I quite enjoyed it.

After interval we heard Divertimenti by Frank Bridge, for wind quartet. The inner two movements were duets, with the outer two involving all players.

My favourite work of the night (not surprise) was the Suite in B-flat major, Op 4, by Richard Strauss, a work I've known for a long time. It was wonderful to hear it in concert again (I think the last time was also at ANAM, directed by Barry Tuckwell).

A great night of music.

Spring day

Today I had lunch with Michael H in North Fitzroy (quite near where M and I usually eat).

It was great catching up with him - we had a really good talk about many things, including possible catch-up in Berlin next year.

Tonight I'm off to ANAM for a concert of wind ensemble music.

The train stopped at North Richmond and a group of police got on. One of them asked if we were all right, "no-one threatened you with a hammer?" ... Well, no. After a few minutes we were on our way. I'm glad I caught the earlier train. (Also glad there was no hammer)

Lovely day

Not much achieved today: put on a load of washing, had breakfast at Mavis, hung out the washing, changed the bed. Finishing with a trip to the doctor.

Dinner with MG tonight.

Spring visitor

Messy Monday

Up early this morning to present Daybreak. Later I caught up with Doug K for breakfast and to give him some tips about London and Berlin - he's getting excited, understandably.

This afternoon was a middle of websites to various presenters about covering a program tomorrow. Emails going back and forward, until I looked at the PDS and realised that it wasn't needed after all <sigh>

Rehearsal tonight.

Musical Sunday

Last night's ANAM concert was all Britten: String Quartets 2 &. 3, then after interval the Variations on a theme by Frank Bridge.

The string players had been working all week with the Australian String Quartet and the results were wonderful. I find the Britten String Quartets rather difficult to grasp, but did enjoy the final movement of no 3.

I had booked the concert because of the Bridge Variations, and I wasn't disappointed. The performance was truly exciting and very satisfying.

This afternoon was the MCO España concert. Unfortunately Christoph Denoth was unwell, so we got Slava Grigoryan playing the Rodrigo Aranjuez concerto. The rest of the program was mostly arrangements by Nick Buc of piano music by Granados and Albeniz. A very enjoyable concert.

Tonight is a vegetarian dinner for Michael P's birthday. Unfortunately the tram works in Nicholson Street have completely diverted the Johnston Street bus, so I'll go into town and catch a bus

Trivia

Last night was the 3MBS Trivia Night. I was part of the Library table and, while we didn't win, we certainly had fun. For me the most satisfying result was when I identified dendrophobia as a fear of trees. There was something tucked away in the back of my brain about some sort of graph ... dendrogram? Anyway there was a shout of success when the answer was read out.

This morning I was supposed to be catching up with Doug K, but, unfortunately he had slept in. Oh, well, I'll see him tonight when I go to hear Elvis Costello's The Juliet letters at the Butterfly Club.

The rest of the morning was spent helping Harry K with his pre-record.

Spring comes

Yesterday was a beautiful day - I was able to sit in the sun waiting for Adrian to pick me up. We went to the AMEB in Hawthorn for his son M's 5th grade cello exam. He played well except for a couple of hiccups, which had happened before but I thought had been fixed.

Adrian dropped me off at 3MBS where I did a bit of editing.

Dinner was at Mario's with Margaret where we had our usual exchange of news and opinions.

Today was the usual session with Julie H: three phone interviews today. Adelle recorded one, and packaged two - she's turning out to be a great addition to the team.

Lunchtime was the bi-monthly staff lunch to which I was invited. Lots of tasty food.

Tonight is the annual fund-raising Trivia Night. I'm on the Library table.

Let's try again

I'm going to give this another go - and attempt to keep it regular.

In a month I set off for Rome, catching up with David in Naples. If I keep consistent all will be revealed here.

Today I'm accompanying Adrian's son for his 4th grade cello exam. Over the past couple of weeks he's improved no end, so I'm excited it all to go week.

Then tonight it's dinner at Mario's with Margaret.