Animal Wednesday...Stow Lake in the Water...and Home in the Garden!!

Ah, a beautiful, Opera-free Wednesday!  I met my friend Carol, and we walked to  Stow Lake. 

We met an ENORMOUS Flotilla of Turtles - nearly 30!  I have never seen anything quite like it! It truly was amazing to see them *asking* for bread - and Cheerios! They dived under the water when the Ducks came too close...but immediately bobbed back up...their little *teethies* chomping decisively down on our goodies!

Then *Mr. Red-Winged Blackbird* appeared....  GORGEOUS!

Last...we met *Sasha*, the Dachshund/Chihuahua mix
who LOVED SWIMMING with the Ducks!

Adorable!!!!

Home......and time to fix dinner for my Furballs!  I was a bit late....would they be waiting?

Smoke

Midnight

Charlie

Mr. Orange, who said, "You are LATE!  We are angry!!!!!

So sorry guys.....I was caught up in the beauty and warmth of the day.....and I did feed you all a bit extra!  (Sterling wasn't present....he gave up on me....)  Double portions for tomorrow's breakfast!

HAW!!!!

Love,

♥ Robin ♥

The Magic Flute - from the Audience and Backstage

Only one more week of Summer Opera, then our short season ends.  I spent most of my time at *Nixon in China* rehearsals and performances, as it turned out (surprisingly) to be my favourite!  However, last week, JUST back from Santa Fe, I read e-mails from all 3 of my team who were scheduled to work *Magic Flute* that they were unable to attend!  Sooooo...as the Manager, you know who had to go in...

The *Queen of the Night* wearing my FAVOURITE costume... hmmmm....wonder why I like it so much?

I ended up having a great (but tiring) night....it's  LOT of work making sure 100-plus people have coffee, tea and food - all by yourself.  But, it happened to be the night SF Opera photographs all the singers in costume for our archives....so I had a great view of all the photo sessions!  Above: the 

* Villain*, Monostatus, plots his revenge on *Princess Pamina*.

Below: *Monostatus* posing - front and back for posterity!

Above: The *Birdman, Papageno* and his *Birdlove, Papagena* and all their *Bird-Chicks* live happily ever after!

Below: the *Chicks* pose....

Sarastro, the  head of the *Magical Order* where the hero and heroine strive to obtain entrance to.

The role is sung by the wonderful Kristinn Sigmundsson, a long time favourite of mine.  (He sang in our *Tristan* in 2007...and was fabulous!) So, when he came down for his archival photos....I HAD to ask if he would pose with me afterwards.  (Something I rarely do.)

He is a VERY tall man..and had to remove his costume hat in order to get into the doorway!

And...one more...posing with Beau Gibson - one of the HEAVILY ARMOURED Men, who guard Sarastro's Kingdom.

His armour looks like the real thing....but it's actually quite light...though I still managed to catch my hair on some of the *spikes*!  Ouch!

I ended up having a great time...I worked another *Nixon* the following night....had an Opera-free weekend.....so today, I am going out for a walk.  I'm still learning all the *hows and whys* of my new camera!

Have a glorious Sunday!

Love,

♥ Robin ♥

Magical Santa Fe, Opera and of course....Bofie!

Ah....Santa Fe. She was just as magical, as lovely as I remember from my last visit four years ago.

The Church of Saint Francis....  a favourite place of mine to reflect, light candles, say prayers for everyone.

The Russian Sage is everywhere.....it's beautiful LILAC colour is gorgeous.

Of course, I immediately saw some things that reminded me of dear friends...

Chris and I were driving to the Plaza (the Downtown area) when  I spotted this car's license plate...."Quick"...I said, "Hurry and catch up so I can snap a photo for Lo"!

And.....of course, the real Raven!

I wish I had time to enter this gallery that featured authentic photographs of Frida.....

And...here she is....once again.... inspiring a window in Santa Fe!  Senorita *Emilita* gets around!

I have always adored this sculpture of Saint Francis and the Prairie Dog.

Hmmm....snowing in Santa Fe in June?

No....it's a Cottonwood Tree......every June, it blossoms and sheds it's snow-like blossoms everywhere. The streets, the curbs, one's hair is covered in it's magical whiteness!  I must have snapped 10 photos before I caught the *snow flurries*!

Another "Mim-fish"!  He looks like he is dreaming of the Ocean.....it is very dry here!

Okay....time to drive to the Opera....after all, this may be a holiday for me...but Chris is working!

The freeways are all designed with various Indian motifs.....

And here we are....pulling in to the Opera House parking lot....it's pretty empty - because the season hasn't officially begun....it's rehearsal time.

The Opera House is located atop a high hill - with vistas of the Sangre de Christo Mountains on both sides.

No one here but the singers, the Director, the Maestro, the designers, the Technical Crew....and me.

The official poster for *The Pearl Fishers*....the first rehearsal I saw.

The stage is open in the back..making for dramatic entrances and exits in the night.  Every opera begins at Sunset...and often you can see thunder and lightning in the distance....

Waaaay up stage, you can see a boat...this will be the form of transportation for the Princess Leila to arrive (from the sea) to greet her *people*...this opera takes place somewhere in the South Seas....

A piano rehearsal....no orchestra, and most of the cast not in costume....  except the *Princess* who was trying out her red veil as she is carried over the stage.

Second day of rehearsals...  the weather changed (it had been 90 and blazingly hot....but not humid...)......I was hoping for a thunderstorm and some rain....  but though the clouds threatened...the rain never appeared.

Chris' silver hair on the right side....  I had to take photos *stealthily*..... for those of you who know the story of *Tosca*...yes, she did *jump* off the Castel Saint Angelo at the back of the stage.....very dramatic!

Chris and me....rehearsals done for the week...off to see Bofie!

"Ah.....they're finally home!  It's so hot....but those tiles keep a big, thick-furred guy like me cool!"

Bofie has always curled his front paws like a cat!  He did this as a puppy too.

Monday, my last day in Santa Fe, Chris took me to the Plaza Cafe.....  where 

I could enjoy my FAVOURITE Blue Corn Pinon Pancakes.......  yummy!!!!

My last day in Santa Fe....giving Bofie a kiss.... one of millions we exchanged..

And that's it!  I hope you enjoyed visiting Santa Fe with me!

I know this is a long post....but, a-ha-ha, these are only a fraction of the photos ...and tomorrow, I return to *my* Opera House....so I wanted to share with you while the memories are fresh.

HAW!!!!

Love to all,

♥ Robin ♥


p.s. The Crescent Moon Header is also a photo I took at Dawn on my second day...