And trailing in at the back....

No, I shouldn't put myself down! I got there, didn't I? Strictly speaking, getting - I still haven't got it all sussed out, some things are not working that should be, but....I have photos, finally.

This at the expense of fibre stuff, I should add. It all takes too damn long. Never mind, this will be the additional incentive to keep slogging on.

Last evening to the Opera with His Lordship, to a fine performance of "Don Giovanni" by Herr Mozart. It was, too, a cracking good one, with a marvelous Don, whose acting ability was as good as his voice, and made you see both the charisma and the sheer wickedness of the character. Quite an interesting modern staging, but which neither added to nor subtracted from the performance. All the singers had excellent voices, though none could act as well as DG - but well enough.

I love opera - it satisfies on so many levels. I particularly like opera sung in English (I can hear the loud and rapid indrawing of breath from certain quarters as I write!) Opera is both music and drama, and I - one - needs to know the plot to fully appreciate it. Likewise, it is intended to be a performance, and whilst listening to discs is a fair substitute, what you get is immaculate sterility. You simply cannot beat being there and getting the thing warts and all. If the hero tenor misses a note and recovers, that is part of the experience for me - I can then admire his skill in the recovery. On the other hand, when Mimi or Violetta achieves that intense, vibrant rendition, and you are in the audience for that, - wow. Examples only - and sorry about the rambling. I have enthusiasms other than fibre and beads!!

gw