Hello Friends!

I am pretty excited to have Inna Los as our Nedda and Angelica and feel particularly thankful to know her personally. In the past year, we have shared "stage space" together twice. When I first heard her Butterfly last year I was in awe of her vocal talents, truly one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. But it is her ability to become the character and communicate that with the audience that is truly inspirational and unforgettable. Rehearsing Angelica over the past couple of weeks, I am again mesmerized by her gifts. She had us laughing as we watched her Columbina in the commedia scene in Pagliacci and she quickly brought us to tears as she sustained her pianissimo high "A" at the end of "Senza mamma." How thankful we are to watch this artist blossom before our eyes. It was so nice to share that experience with the donors this past Saturday. Inna is a beautiful person. She is always full of so much joy and often shares stories about her family and singing career. I am thankful for our friendship.

When Sondra Kelly joined us for the sitzprobe last week, it was truly a memorable experience. To listen to a true dramatic voice was powerful. I have never heard a female voice with such strength in her lower voice. She creates an atmosphere of fear which contrasts with much of the opera. That is what makes this opera so wonderful! It is soooo real!

Kathleen has worked her magic in just a couple of weeks. The staging in both productions supports the music and the overall themes in the stories. Very clever. She worked so well with all of us. And she is the leader of our bowling team!

 I will not forget the first rehearsal when Maestro Giovanni shared his thoughts about this powerful work. I hope I share this accurately. He said that Suor Angelica is about guilt and forgiveness. The novices are late to prayer, Osmina hides roses in her sleeves, Dolcina is greedy in her desire for food, and Genovieffa desires to hold her lambs again. There are many characters who have their sins revealed by the Monitor. Though these are small infractions, the nuns are made to feel guilty and must repent to be forgiven. We then discover that Angelica's situation is far more serious... she had a child out of wedlock. In the end, Angelica is forgiven, even for the unspeakable act that occurs at the end of the drama. The Virgin Mary forgives Angelica and blesses her with a miracle. This is the basis of Christianity: hope.

In the words of Maestro... "We have a show!"

I have had so many moments where I felt chills up and down my body. I have sung both with tears in my eyes and with a smile on my lips. This is the power of music... to make us feel. Boy, are you gonna feel, friends!