OPENING NIGHT for Lucia di Lammermoor

First show assistant directed in German for George and he had to run the curtain call. So, I got to sit in the audience by myself with an English synopsis from home, all dressed up in my feathery earrings, and enjoyed myself immensely. I had to pay total attention to the action on stage (no subtitles to read as they were in German, no language to understand as it was in Italian and opera is hard to understand anyway). But the story should be told so well - I, a rube, should know what is going on just from the actions on stage - right? Next to me was with a perfectly in tune companion - an older German man who was a little too arthritic to clap - we laughed, said bravo and almost fell asleep in the same spots. And we agreed it was little slow moving but the music was beautiful.

More importantly, this version (**spoiler alert**) includes the mother as an angel which is totally unprecedented. So the audience gets a standing ovation from me for being open to interpretation, for forgiving but well aware of a couple very awkward moments, and for not booing or walking out. I am not even close to a purist, so if there are new characters or ideas I care little. But those new characters better be fleshed out and interesting or we are left a little flat. Dear Angel, do more.

It has 14 shows scattered over the next couple months while George attends rehearsals for The Merry Widow/Die Lustige Witwe.