Help for heroes

The Chapel at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea is a fabulous place; built by Wren in 1692, it provided a glorious venue for a concert we gave in aid of the Hospital last night. Our green room was the vestry and on the wall is a list of organists who had held the post since 1693. On the list were some very distinguished names but the most extraordinary thing to my mind was that since that time only FIFTEEN people have held the post with the incumbent approaching his 36th year in the job. Next to it was a list of chaplains for the same period and the names were legion - I mentioned this to the chaplain who ruefully pointed out that the musicians get paid more!

It was a wonderful evening and I spent half an hour chatting to an old soldier who is trying, at the age of 90, to get back to Italy in September so he can visit the graves of those friends he lost there. Unfortunately he cannot afford the cost of going (a carer needs to accompany him). I have resolved to try and help; he fought very close to where my mother grew up and having recently read James Holland's book on the final year of the war in Italy, and from hearing the stories of my family, I know that it was one of the most attritional, brutal campaigns of the entire war.

The Carmen company arrives in force today and in less than a fortnight we're off...
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Hollywood or bust

James has tweeted about Woody Allen's latest movie being premiered at Cannes this week. This is significant to us because OHP was used as a backdrop to a key scene in which the ageing Anthony Hopkins introduces his new young squeeze (for whom he has left his wife) to his daughter (Naomi Watts) for the first time. I suppose its possible we don't make the final cut but it seems pivotal to the plot! There also seems to be a sizeable Woody gag in the backdrop - large banners were erected outside the theatre (on which they agreed to keep the words Opera Holland Park) that advertised a concert of Mozart's late symphonies...

We all had a fun evening playing extras on the shoot and meeting Hopkins was interesting -turns out he has ambitions to compose an opera.
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By jove we've done it

I dropped by the theatre on the way to a shopping trip with the kids (on FA Cup Final day!!) and found the site sparkling with an army of cleaners buzzing around and all but the very smallest things and some horticultural primping yet to do. I know the company have never come into such a finished site and I hope the buggers appreciate it: I shall patrol and mount snap inspections to ensure that all members of the company are keeping things in good order! I left the theatre barking at Dougie, our company manager, that he had better keep his house in order. I could see that behind his derisory chuckling he knew I meant business.
He had better beware because I learned my inspection techniques at boarding school under the tutelage of our Matron, Pam Dobie - a ferocious Scot with a dust radar the CAA would appreciate.

Now it is two weeks of madness before the 3 months of pandemonium: soon James enters the early 'eclipse' and before you can say boo to a peacock we'll have six live productions. In fact this year, with FMF we have seven of them. Lunacy really.
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Prelude

Last night, at Kent House, we held our traditional season curtain-raiser, the 'Prelude'. As ever it was a convivial event attended by over two hundred Friends who heard an array of brilliant singers from the season ahead perform a wonderfully eclectic programme of music ranging from Verdi and Mozart to Dvorak, Gounod, Lalo and Britten.
Thankfully, after my brush with alcohol last weekend, I more or less abstained and have woken up human.

These events raise a good deal of money for the Friends which of course finds it way back to the company and the work we do. I am always very humbled by the dedication and support the Friends who organise all of this show and when things are tough and busy and troublesome - as every season is at about this time - I don't suppose we can ever seem as grateful as we really are. We get much personal support from so many people too and one's expression of gratitude for that when you have the pre-season 'thousand-yard stare' is never really fulsome enough. I have to hope they all know..

This is the final weekend before the theatre is handed full time to the company - although various technical rehearsals have been taking place recently - and then we race to first night. Yesterday was fairly dramatic with diggers and all manner of works to replenish landscaping (and to resolve drainage issues). Our lovely theatre looked like a building site again but by the end of the day it was returning to normal. It is having its final manicure.
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I'm never going to drink again. Ever.

Yesterday was a day of celebration for Chelsea fans. I live near the stadium so it was easy to get out among the celebrants and to meet up afterwards with a few pals. I am afraid, however, that I may have toasted the Premiership too vigorously; today is not a good one to be meeting sponsors which is just one of the tasks I am scheduled for. I had to forego my walk to work but within seconds of getting on the train I wished I hadn't. Having been held up only by the compacted commuters around me, we then got held up at a red light for what felt like hours. So I got off to recover at a cafe in Earls Court from whence I write this. I shall stroll gently to work from here, bathed in milky sunshine and hoping nobody bumps into me since there would be just one outcome (and I am not sure I would be able to get up again.) Still it was a great day. I think.

We finish the theatre this week and the company take up residence in full from the weekend. That's a big moment for obvious reasons and it's a short hop from here to first night.

Actually I don't think I can manage that stroll so I'm off back into the station...
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