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Opening tonight -Orpheus and Eurydice
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The Historical Birthday-Tea Party 19th January
Sorry this is a bit late, I’ve been putting in new skirtingboard in the kitchen in preparation for the new flooring. The kitchen is already warmer – no gaps between wall and floor for draughts. Anyway, back to the party. There are still two birthday girls left for today, after yesterday’s early aperitif, but let’s…
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The Historical Birthday-Tea Party 5th January
No convenient birthday for 5th January so the first of the ‘who knows?’ BIERIS (Biatritz) DE ROMANS Thirteenth Century Trobairitz (Female Troubadour – writer of songs) from Romans-Sur-Isère. Writing from around 1200-1235. Probably nobility since she could read and write. The tune does not survive. During and following the Albigensian Crusade, troubadours were treated with…
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Singing and ringing and feeling like christmas
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Singing for water
There are only ten days to go before Sing for Water, at the Mayor’s Thames Festival. Preparation chez nous has been a bit sporadic, as we’ve only been able to get to two of Vocal Chords rehearsals. However, we had an impromptu practice with a couple of friends on Tuesday, and might gatecrash a Nunhead…
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Oh the weeping and the wailing
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More Macbeth Reviews and more unsung heroes
The Independent have reviewed Macbeth as have Classical Source they both really liked it, and the chorus get special mention. I would just like to mention another set of unsung heroes – the stage managers. Managing sixty amateur chorus members thirty children and all the principles, to say nothing of guns, knives, glasses, trays, beer…
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Macbeth does Murder Sleep

Being part of an opera plays havoc with your sleep (and eating) patterns. I’m a bit of a homebody normally (although running a publishing venture has changed that a bit – schlepping about with a suitcase full of books to readings of an evening has meant my normal bedtime is now nearer midnight than it…
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The performing bug
It’s the last performance of Macbeth on Sunday and from previous experience I know we will have withdrawal symptoms. I think it was after Elixir of Love that we bumped into fellow chorus members at the Maritime Museum and practical had a keening session on the subject of how bereft we felt. Years ago I…
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Musical storytelling
Last night, before the performance Chris Rolls (director) reminded us that it is easy at a second performance to think, right I’ve done that now, and to slacken off a bit. Don’t let it get comfortable, he said. Good advice. We didn’t. However the advantage of having done a full performance with audience was that…
