I just returned home after a most encouraging day of rehearsal of Figaro. We have a tremendous show in prospect – a truly wonderful young cast of exceptionally gifted young men and women, all working in perfect harmony and producing dazzling results. Jane Glover and Diane Paulus are providing dream leadership and what we have is a sharp clear production of impeccable crispness hand in hand with a musical performance of the highest integrity – so many of its virtues have
their
origins in the utterly musical polished Mozartian style of John Pritchard, pictured here, who himself carried the mantle of Fritz Busch, arguably the man who made the greatest contribution in the first half of the last century to the understanding and appreciation of the da Ponte operas of Mozart. I speak with a huge Glyndebourne bias of course! But I really believe that we are keeping something very important going here. Over at the Lyric they have Andrew Davis who grew from these same roots – so Chicago is truly blessed!
This evening I am at the Lyric for the annual Rising Stars showcase of the Lyric Opera Center – our Figaro, Christian van Horn, will be part of that – what a long day for him.





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