I have to say that Olavinlinna Castle is about as handsome a venue in which I’ve ever seen an opera. Second Norma tonight, my final performance here and I believe the last of this year’s festival. Tx3 to all!

Tonight a break between Normas! This cast is entirely new to me. Tobias Westman sings Alfredo tonight and Orhan Yildiz sings Germont. Tx3 to all!

The Savonlinna Opera Festival opens with a very strong hand. Two of my very favorite singers in a favorite opera, on a beautiful summer evening in a 15th century castle in Finland. 🥰🥰🥰

Greetings from Savonlinna, Finland, where I’ve just arrived for a few performances at the opera festival here, most notably Lisette Oropesa in her role debut in Norma. Very pretty spot, lots of water and trees and of course the castle. Tonight great clouds too!

My return to the Mothership earlier this week was derailed by a rogue tooth but I’ve finally made it, for one of the most anticipated performances of the season. Fab cast. Grigorian AND Barakova! 🥰🥰🥰 Tx3 to all!

Fourth and final performance for me at the Lortzing Festival @ Oper Leipzig and the final night of my trip. Back to reality tomorrow!

Gruß aus Leipzig and the Lortzing Festival therein. Three down, one to go, Undine Thursday 4/30. Never imagined that I would see 4 operas by Lortzing. Tbh I never imagined I’d see 1!

Greetings from Slovenia! 🇸🇮 🇸🇮 🇸🇮 The Ljubljana old town is a fascinating mix of Italian, German and Slavic influences on the bones of a Habsburg town. The local wine is pretty good too!

Au revoir Paris! Thank you for a wonderful few - too few! - days. See you soon (January ‘27??? On verra!)

For tonight, my final performance here and for several weeks to come. Only work on the program and oddly they’ve stuck an intermission into it! Mühlmann the only name I recognize. I’ve heard her Sophie (Rosenkavalier) and Susanna.

This evening back to the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées for the Bach B-minor Mass. Haven’t heard it in a long time and have probably never heard it live.

First event of the trip, my second ever visit to Théâtre des Champs-Élysées for a rarity, featuring a favorite singer, John Osborn, who I just saw last month in Brussels. Tx3 to all!

Howdy from Paris oops I mean bonjour! That thing is still there! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

On the road again! To DC for some family time and tonight Washington National Opera’s production of The Crucible by Robert Ward. Have never seen it. Not sure I’ve ever heard a note by Ward, but I’ve long been an admirer of the play (though I’ve never seen that either 🤪).

@y2000k.bsky.social I was just looking at the flyer we got with our programs last night. Another Mahler 3! In fact 3 of the 4 Philadelphia programs at Carnegie next season feature Mahler.

Trip stats: 24 days, 8 cities, 6 countries, 17 operas, 2 concerts. 8 of the operas were new to me. A bunch of museums. Some gorgeous waterfowl. Planes, trains, automobiles. Good friends. Today a free day of tourism in Barcelona, to Parc Güell and then home tomorrow. 😰 😅

The final performance of the trip, another new one for me @ Gran Teatre Liceu. Tx3 to all!

This afternoon @ Opernhaus Zürich for another opera new to me. Delighted to see Fabio Luisi in charge today and there are a few familiar names in the cast. After last night’s performance in Vienna, I thought this schedule might be too ambitious but so far so good! 😴

My last performance in Vienna is my first in the renovated Theater an der Wien. Both composer and work new to me but some familiar names in the cast. Looking forward to it! Tx3 to all!

Another one about which I’ve been super excited. First Anna Netrebko performance for me since before the pandemic. Last performance @ Wiener Staatsoper this trip. 😢 Tx3 to all!

The Met did a production of this around 2018 and I saw it a couple of times then. That’s my only experience with this opera. Tx3 to all @ Wiener Staatsoper #NadineSierra

Super excited for this! Tx3 Erin Morley Samantha Hanley Clay Hilley Anja Kampe @ Wiener Staatsoper

Hitting the ground running in Vienna! Tx3 to all @ Wiener Staatsoper! I think I’m close enough!

I’ve been waiting for this for almost 8 years, since I first heard the name Asmik Grigorian in connection with her Salzburg Salome in 2018. Not just her either, a wonderful cast. Tx3 to all @ Bayerische Staatsoper.

Final performance @ OperFrankfurt pon this trip and this season 😢 I have seen this one before, more than a few times. A little bit of the Met following me around. Tx3 to all!

Tonight, more opera! Not a new one tonight, but I’ve only seen this twice, in 2013 when Houston Grand Opera brought their production to NY and 2 years ago in Munich. Tx3 to all @ OperFrankfurt!

Tonight to the Alte Oper (Old Opera House) for a concert. It was very badly damaged during the war. The exterior was restored but the interior is completely new. OperFrankfurt no longer uses it. Glad to be able to hear a concert here. It has rooms for sauntering! 🥰

First performance in Frankfurt @ OperFrankfurt. Both opera and composer new to me. Fifth new opera of the trip. Tx3 to all.

I make a one-night stop in Brussels for another opera I’ve never seen (even on video), Berlioz’s Benvenuto Cellini featuring John Osborn, another of my very favorite singers. Tx3 to all @lamonnaie.bsky.social

Tonight my first ever visit to the Dutch Nationale Opera for everyone’s favorite Valentines Day opera, Tristan und Isolde! Tx3 to all!