Oresting in Vienna

Tonight, we wind up a short run of “Elektra” in Vienna. It has been a VERY gratifying time with this incredible opera company which has surely become one of my favorites over the last few years. I’m already looking forward to coming back to Austria for two trips this Fall and then for a longer stay next May-June. There is something very special about this old city--its architecture, cuisine, and love for culture.

I’ll be headed home to do a little teaching and then head, in a few weeks, to serve as Master Clinician at The Miami Summer Music Festival Wagner Intensive Program. I also will appear on a concert of Wagner excerpts at the end of the two week program. I am very much looking forward to working with the young singers as they develop into the next generation of Wagner Artists.

I can’t believe that the summer is nearly half over (at least concerning the academic schedule at Wichita State University). It seems like graduation was just a week ago. This next year is going to be extremely challenging as I take over the duties of Opera Director. This will be on top of my teaching schedule and performance career. I have a lot of plans and ideas--seeing them into action may be the tricky part. We have a very talented group of young singers and presenting “L’Elisir d’amore” and “Le Nozze di Figaro” is going to be a lot of fun. In addition, we will have a scenes program which will go a long way towards developing the next great group of young singing actors. The synthesis of acting and singing is what makes opera truly grand. It is completely about Richard Wagner’s “Gesamtkunstwerk”--whether it be Wagner, Mozart, Puccini, Donizetti, Hegge, or Berg (although I don’t think we’ll be doing the repertoire of a few of those composers---RATS!!!).

I hope to have a bit of personal time this summer to just relax...there won’t be much of that, I’m sure. We will enjoy performances at Music Theater of Wichita---such an excellent company. Summer is such a wonderful time (and I love the heat). I hope that you have many evenings to just enjoy a sunset, sip a lemon-aid, hear a concert, take a nice walk, and just enjoy a slower paced time of year. The days are already getting shorter. Snow is closer rather than farther away. Enjoy the sun while you can!!!