Last night we did Verdi Requiem at the BBC proms in London. Let me start by saying Violetta Urmana was stunning, and a true pleasure to work with. This piece is so very special. The whole experience was wonderful. I enjoy singing that piece so very much, musically, vocally, spiritually. It was a real blessing that it all worked out so well, and I had a great weekend in London!
It was sort of sad to leave Salzburg. We had such an amazing time there...and look forward to returning! However, we are now in Berlin. This is a great city... it just feels wonderful. The people at the Staatsoper are wonderful, and I saw Katharina Dalyman today, and she is just lovely and fun... Allan leaves this week to go home, unfortunately. But I am in a city of friends and which I feel very comfortable. I hope this finds you all well...
I have been having such a wonderful time here..... artistically, musically, and personally. If you haven't been here, I highly recommend it. The city itself is charming (albeit a bit crowded for my taste in the height of the festival!), and the outlying area is beautiful. We, being mountain and nature people, have really been filled here. I've also had so many great experiences, like teaching Joel Prieto......a wonderful tenor who studies with my teacher Trish McCaffrey. Also, I just had a live interview with Jay Nordlinger. He is so interesting and enjoyable to talk to. We also had dinner with the wonderful president of the festival, and the Salzburg society. All of this has added up to a sort of bizarre honeymoon with my husband. The performances have been thrilling and exciting. We have only one more week here, and I will be sorry to see it go. We haven't got to do everything we have wanted to, but thats mostly because of the weather. I hope this finds you all very well and enjoying the rest of your summer! All my best...
We are currently in Salzburg in a lovely apartment south of town. We have a huge mountain as our view!! Rehearsals are going great. Johan Simons is the director, and Falk Struckman and I are having a wonderful time with him hashing out thoughts and brainstorming. Tomorrow I head back to Munich for one more Tristan and Isolde performance. Let me say that it is a huge privilege to work there. Absolutely everyone is lovely and professional.
Also, let me just add on a personal note, that having my now husband with me is so wonderful, and has changed my life on many levels.
I am in Rome singing Mahler 3 with Gustavo Dudamel. I have been looking so forward to these concerts, and it has lived up to the expectation. He is a joy to work with, and a wonderful conductor. 2 more concerts, then home after this wonderful but busy European concert tour.
Less than 2 weeks until I become Mrs. Hedin
We are currently in Paris, having just done 2 performances of Bluebeards Castle with the LSO and Pierre Boulez. I was so wonderful, in every way. A very special experience. Tomorrow I am doing a private recital for the Louvre, and then we will have a few days with our friends here in Paris, and we will carry on to Rome, where I will do Mahler 3 with Gustavo Dudamel. I hope this finds you all well!!
Tonight is my last performance before a much needed break. I am in St. Louis for an all Elliot Carter concert with the brilliant David Robertson conducting.
Last weekend I was in Chicago, and had an amazing experience. I had the honor to talk to a wonderful group of high school students involved in Maggie Dailey's "after school matters". This organization is unbelievable. It is filled with my programs for kids to participate in every week, a few days a week. The people running it are encouraging, and interesting. The children had such wonderful questions. I am really blown away by this whole organization, and I encourage you to check it out online. Brava Maggie.
We finished the evening off with dinner at Ralph Laurens restaurant where Mayor Dailey joined us. It was a really fulfilling and uplifting evening.
Well, in our last 2 performances, they were a bit more exciting than Tristan usually is or should be. In one, our wonderful Isolde, Debbie Voigt, got sick and had to run off stage during the 2nd act. And last night, our Tristan, Gary Lehman, was laying on a blanket that slipped downstage very fast, and he rammed into the prompters box, hitting his shoulder. I am very happy to say they are both fine now, and in both cases the show did go on. Hopefully our show on Saturday, our HD broadcast, will be a little less exciting!
Last night we opened Tristan at the Met. It was such a thrill to sing Brangane here.... I have wanted to for a long time. As always, it is a thrill and a learning experience to work with the amazing James Levine. I am blessed for yet another opportunity to do so.
We are in our final week of rehearsals. It is very exciting to do this role, Brangane, at the Met with Levine. I have enjoyed working with the whole production team, especially Steven Pickover, who is assistant director at the Met and always a pleasure to work with. Allan is here this week with me, which really helps so much, and is so much more enjoyable!
My greetings to you all, and I wish you well.
