Opera and a Bunny photo shoot

Extra opera rehearsals started today. We're playing Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress. There are a lot of awkward passages for everyone and it's a counting nightmare in certain sections, but things are getting better.  We ran the entire opera with the singers tonight, for the first time. It took two rehearsals and a total of 5 hours, but we got everything done. The opera is growing on me and I'm starting to like it a lot. Putting it with the singers makes some sections make more sense. I've always enjoyed pit playing, and it's been fun having Sarah Cranor as my standpartner this rotation. Our conductor is really fun to work under and he gets a lot out of us. But we have a ton of work left to do before Friday, and I'm tired just thinking about the many hours of rehearsals that will be necessary. Of course, it's after 2 am and I rehearsed for 5 hours today (plus I got in an hour of personal practice time on Sibelius).

I'm too lazy to write a separate post but I should record that I drove up to Cheyenne with Brune to take the violin sectional audition. I was cut after the first round, but Brune won a spot with the symphony. It was a good experience though and went much better than my Huntsville audition. I was glad to spend a little time with Brune and get to know her a bit better. I drove straight to Denver for the Colorado Youth Sinfonia concert. My giant Hindemith solo (op. 44, 4) went very well, though some of the other pieces were shaky.

Tonight, after my late practice session, I saw a bunny cross the road in front of the music school. It let me get very close, and I followed it along a wall and almost caught it. I touched it but was afraid I'd hurt it if I tried harder to catch it. I went home and got my camera. On the way, I saw the raccoon again and got an action shot of it running away. Then I found the bunny again and had a little photo shoot. It was adorable. 

I've been rereading Watership Down, too.