Thursday, and the weather is still perfect. Good morning rehearsal. We feel we are really getting on top of the piece now. Rest in the afternoon, and Carol visits her friend and student, Ofra, in Cummington. Before dinner, Stephen Ledbetter, a musicologist who wrote the program notes for the BSO, gave a stellar talk on the Verdi Requiem, concentrating on Allesandro Manzoni, whose death in 1872 prompted Verdi to write his Requiem. Verdi adored Manzoni, who was described by both Colaneri and Ledbetter as a seminal figure in Italian literature, with a stature in Italy comparable to Dante. It was he who helped to unify Italy by writing his popular novel, I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed) in the Tuscan dialect, making it the standard for all Italians. His description of the 900-page historical novel made me want to run out and read it. Rehearsal tonight in the concert hall went swimmingly. Tomorrow the orchestra and soloists come. After rehearsal, Jim Fredericks and his accompanist-partner, Richard Mogavero (with guest, Barbara Peters) returned for a reprise of Cabaret Night. Jim is an accomplished and polished cabaret singer who was an instructor here for many years. He did a series of bittersweet and ironic songs, not the usual Rodgers and Hammerstein, but Sondheim and other newer song composers. Jim is a performer who puts the audience into the palm of his hand within the first minute, and never lets go.

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We sat at a table with friends of many years from BCF, Wade Tyree and Pat Dayton, whose daughter Barbara came up for the concert.
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         Wade Tyree, Pat Dayton & Barbara                                                 Barbara & Pat

           Nancy Wasserman, Suzanne Frank,, Patty Kruglak
Friday, we had a last touch-up rehearsal in the morning. Carol joined the Putnois for lunch at Bizen and a performance of "Suddenly Last Summer" at the Barrington Stage. The first rehearsal with orchestra and soloists took place in the afternoon in the Shed. It is so thrilling to sing with full orchestra, particularly in the loud parts, where you’re shouting as loud as you can, and you cannot hear the sound of your own voice. But then, I’m not one for subtlety, as you know.

The soloists are Alexandra Deshorties, the soprano who bowled us over at the Met Gala we attended in June (she is going to be a big, big star), Jane Bunnell, a fabulous lush mezzo, Jonathan Welch, a tenor with a big ringing top, and a good singer to boot, and Dean Peterson, a superb bass-baritone. I could have stood in for him, however, had he been poisoned.

Friday night, we joined the Spinats and Hirschtritts at Castle Street Café in Great Barrington for dinner. A thunderstorm nixed our plans for a picnic on the lawn at Tanglewood. I am very appreciative of the support and enthusiasm of my sisters and brothers-in-law, who attend our concerts here regularly. We met for an dinner at Castle Street Café in Great Barrington of mussels, finocchio e prosciutto con provolone, bison ribs, grilled striped bass, and chicken. The wines were a Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay and a Steele Zin, both excellent.

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The Spinats and Hirschtritts gave us a gorgeous hallah board and knife for Newport, along with a fabulous New York hallah which was perfect for sopping up the mussel juice. And for our birthdays they gave us an ibis pin and a Quogue (pronounced by the cognoscenti as "Kwoge") sweatshirt. For dessert, we adjourned to Bev’s Homemade Ice Cream on Railroad Street.
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Saturday morning, after a wonderful breakfast at Birch Hill, we had morning warmups with Frank Nemhauser, who stressed the need for "fishlips," to make a good sound.

The dress rehearsal with orchestra and soloists went well. Some moments made brought tears to my eyes. I sang for my patient, Wayne, who died a few weeks ago. I had lit candles for him in all the churches of Tuscany in May. They didn't work, but he needs no Requiem for his soul to rest in peace.

On the way to an excellent lunch at Mom's Country Café for the six of us, it was nice to listen to a brass quintet rehearsing in the parking lot.

The others went on to Ann Shanks photo gallery, and I took a pre-concert nap. Carol joined the Barrons and my family at John Andrew for dinner, while I ate canned corn and cottage cheese at the BCF dining room--that was all that was left when I got there just before the concert was to begin. You will be surprised and pleased to know that I didn't spill on my tuxedo shirt.