Greetings Readers,
I am writing to you on the eave of the anniversary of my 2nd week here in Novafeltria. I am writing through the generosity of a brilliant and beautiful young soprano from Canada si chiama Terri-Lynn Mitchell, who is letting me use both her internet and computer - both of which are hard to come by these days.
Very cool news, Wednesday of last week 3 of the students, 2 teachers and I were featured on San Marino TV, follow the link:3rd Act Quartet of Boheme on San Marino TV We sang the 3rd act quartet from Boheme which was followed by an interview with the 2 hosts of Terrazza Kursaal. I am the last to speak, please enjoy.
The program has been a blast.
Besides daily rehearsals for Boheme, which - besides Italian class - take up most of my time during the week, I have been taking voice lessons with John Dehaan from Minnesota, I had a lesson with Dr. Robert Breault and Geoffry Price and several coachings with Ubaldo Fabbri (who you will see on the video). The information and perspectives are fun and supportive - everyone is very encouraging. Mr. Price was so sweet, he came up to me after the lesson and asked if he could play the Petrarch Sonnets by Liszt with me. He continued to explain that he really enjoyed making music with me, and among the talented students in this group he would really like to collaborate with me. WOW!
The food, of course the food is amazing!!!
Grocery shopping and being around town has been so touching and heartwarming, the towns people really take well to us. They love that I speak Italian and sometimes go a little to fast for me - but the woman at the register gave me a great Spaghetti alle Vongole ;-)
The only reservation I have on this trip are the SCORPIONI!! I have had to kill 5 scorpions in 2 weeks... more on that later.
Last Sunday Addie Hamilton and I hiked up to the top of Maioletto, the mountain seen in the photos below. It took us 2 hours on foot, though we did get side tracked. A sweet and friendly Italian man named Paolo - who I had seen at the Cento Catini festival - offered us a ride to the correct path... it was so portentous that I was compelled to recite the first line from Dante's first Canto from La Divina Commedia:
Nel Mezzo del cammin di nostra vita
mi ritrovai per una selva oscura
che' la diritta via era smarrita.
I have been using Terri-Lynn's computer for a while now - I should go.
More soon!
Boheme goes up next week :-)!!! Time in flying!!
Take care!!!
Thank you
Joe
Some Photos for your enjoyment to come...
Joe, It was so great hearing from you the other night. We miss you so much. Thank you so very much for the wonderful updates. The video from the T.V. show was terrific. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteJoe, It is so great reading your blogs. Grandpa and I are so happy for you,
ReplyDeleteyou seem to be having a good time and listening to you on the italian radio
was terrific, your voice sounds better and better. keep up the good work, we
miss you and can't wait to see you. love you!
Mio figlio, my son molto talento. Non posso esprimere come molto poud di voi io sono. Il mio cuore si gonfia con tale orgoglio, perché il vostro come così di talento e meraviglioso.A 25, hanno compiuto così tanto. WOW!!! Ti amo e ti manca. Felice quarto di luglio!!!!
ReplyDelete