How to survive (a guide for opera companies)

I feel very fortunate; First of all there is something to be said about this whole "Canadians are nice" notion: It's true. Take it from me. I mean; I really haven't come across any hostility, any uncalled rudeness, even the homeless people here (and there are lots), are polite and lovely.
But from the genuinely nice receptions and donors to the press, I just have been feeling like I am back in my mother's womb; Nice and cozy, and loved.
What the company here has done to survive the recession , is a prize- winning campaign that's not only "nice" but also savvy; They decided to blast the media, overflow the city and invade cyberspace . And boy did they do good!
Of course, I personally, had to work extra hard in between long rehearsals, to go to interviews (both for the papers and for TV ), and photo shoots, and meet up with journalists in my "free" time... but the result was breath-taking;
Sold up performances, a cheerful audience, and a whole new layer of new, young (and excited) opera goers.
Well done, Vancouver Opera!

Opening night)s)

Tonight, there are 31 (! ) opening nights (including mine) happening around the world! (that I know of...)
Toi toi toi! :)

24 January
Rigoletto
Metropolitan Opera
Yvonne, princesse de Bourgogne
Opéra national de Paris
Manon Lescaut
Vienna State Opera
Die Zauberflöte
English National Opera
Le vin herbé
Opéra national de Lyon
Fidelio
Canadian Opera Company
Tosca
San Diego Opera
Daddy's Girl
Finnish National Opera
Il barbiere di Siviglia
Opera Carolina
Treemonisha
Opera Memphis
Carmen
Vancouver Opera
Die Grosse Bäckereiattacke
Luzerner Theater
Kehraus um St Stephan
Vienna Volksoper
La Cenerentola
Florida Grand Opera
Faust
Minnesota Opera
Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Theater Freiburg
Nabucco
Opernhaus Graz
La Périchole
Opéra de Lille
Duke Bluebeard's Castle
Staatstheater Stuttgart
Quartett
Staatstheater Stuttgart
Erwartung
Staatstheater Stuttgart
La Cenerentola
Theater Bremen
Vespro della Beata Vergine
Théâtre du Châtelet
Peter Grimes
Musiktheater im Revier
L'Amour de loin
Volkstheater Rostock
Orphée aux Enfers
Volkstheater Rostock
Tannhäuser
Greek National Opera
Kiss of the Spiderwoman
Opernhaus Dortmund
Turandot
Teatro Filarmonico, Verona
Lohengrin
Teatro Massimo di Palermo
Duke Bluebeard's Castle
Mariinsky Theatre

Preview

Here is a cute little interview I did last week.

Click here

I had a pretty interesting time in between Paris and now; For the first time in my life, I got a temporary slight disability;
I somehow injured my back, (blame it on having to wear high heels in Paris, or on the stupidly heavy Baerenreiter COSI score I was carrying with me on my long walks to and from rehearsals, or maybe it was the stress) , but it has gotten so bad that back in New York I couldn't walk for more than 10 minutes without having to sit down and yelp , and I couldn't sleep through the night because of the sharp pain, and of course, I couldn't stand up and sing either... It was bad... and I think deep inside, I was ffffreaking out. Never mind carrying groceries or living normally, but my line of work, my livelihood depends on my back!
I always took daily movement for granted. It's when you CAN'T do the simple stuff, that you realize how much of a necessity it really is.
Exercise was out of the question, other than careful stretching, but non of my routine cardio was anything my condition allowed me to do.
First I went to an orthopedic doctor who suggested pain killers and rest. But when that didn't help, nor all the stretching in the world, I looked at one of these hippie "spiritual" magazine type of publications, outside the orgainic food store, and I searched through the adds for salvation.
To my amazement, that came in the form of a chiropractor slash acupuncturist named Dr. Schram .
People are very sceptic and suspicious about chiropractice, and so am I, but since Schram has all kinds of bunnies (and I ♥ bunnies!) in his professional hat, I decided I had nothing left to lose, (as I was gaining weight by the minute, and pain and hysteria were adding on some insufferable overtones to my personality).
The Schram made me cross my arms and hug my self, then he hugged me, and I heard a click. He clicked from the right, from the left, and that was that. In less than seven minutes, two and a half months of crap were gone, I swear to you ! Occasionally I get a faint pain here or there, but nothing like before.
There. So I might have been silent on here, and a whiney cow in reality, but now I have no excuse. Time to get back in shape and be thankful that there's some magic left in this world!

New Year

✰´*•♥.•´*.¸.•✰ ♫☆♥
Happy 2009!