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Of the opera Will is playing in Fabulous time back in Holland!
Bit of a saga getting there, with track work which delayed us after Brussels, and involved two
extra train changes and Will having to pick me up in a different city,... but I made it. He bundled me into the car and drove us (at breakneck speed, to make up lost time) to Zaltbommel Church, where he was rehearsing and then playing in a beautiful Bach Cantata. It was such a lovely church with great acoustics, and my brother was playing so wonderfully, that I was moved to tears. As usual! He makes me feel so proud, which is ridiculous really, because I obviously can't take any of the credit for his talent and success, but nevertheless, there it is! Pride is a funny thing...
Monday we just chilled. Went on a grocery shopping trip (I
love seeing all the different shops in other countries, and am constantly impressed by Will's fluent Dutch). I bought some balloons, bunting, ice-cream cake & candles, lolly cups, popcorn, etc and prepared a sort of surprise 'party' for when his kids, Bas & Allie, came home. It had the desired effect - their eyes nearly
popped out of their heads! Will made him & me a martini, so we had our own little instant party too!
Tuesday was a train trip to Amsterdam to listen to Will rehearse some Purcell with a group he'll be touring France with next month. Nice people. Lovely music. No marijuana or prostitutes, which was a bit disappointing, but I guess there wouldn't have been time, really...
Then in the evening I babysat, cos he was playing in this outdoor opera, and Adrianne had gone to Copenhagen for work. So I put the kids in the boxcart and rode us (like an absolute beginner!) to an outdoor fish & chip joint for some dinner. I had salted herring - yum. Our little outing ended rather abruptly, when Bassie suddenly and über-urgently needed a poo! We had to scoop up all the food & drinks and
race home, only to find our parking spot gone - I tried to back in, but couldn't work the boxcart lock. Figured I'd come back to it, as he was hopping around and squealing in desperation, and now Allie wanted a pee too! But then I couldn't get the f***ing key to open
the front door either... I got the poor kids in just in time!!
Wednesday night was probably the highlight of my stay - Will bought me a ticket to the open air opera he's doing 4 nights a week, over a couple of months. Gluck's 'Orfeo'. It's performed on and
in the lake surrounding an impressive old palace called Palace Soestdijk in Baarn, about an hour from Rotterdam. Over 1,000 people come to see this each night it's on, and they start gathering a couple of hours beforehand, sharing picnics and wine in the wooded grounds. It was the most magical experience. Beautifully sung (and played, of course!), technically brilliant, and visually stunning. They used the water, light, and even
fire, so cleverly, and had an enormous trained owl in one scene! It was spectacular, in every sense of the word. Thrilling. Memory of a lifetime!
Thursday, my older brother, Charles, flew in from where he lives in Spain. It was so good, and fun, for the three of us to be together. You know how it is when you're with family, and you only have to half say a joke because you're all on
the same wavelength, with the same shared history...We picked up the kids from school and went to Will & Adey's allotment, 10 mins drive away. It's in a kind of village of allotments, each of which has a small cabin, with running water and flushing loo, and usually a substantial vege/flower garden. Adrianne (Will's wife) joined us there after work; Will cooked for the kids, and then we headed back home to a babysitter and some New York champagne cocktails, before being taken out to a swanky restaurant for a wonderful meal. Will, Adrianne, Charles and me. Our Last Supper, sadly, but we sure went out with a bang!
We have no idea when we'll see each other again, as usual, but I suspect they'll be back to Australia sometime next year. Maybe Dad's 80th or Will's 50th... It certainly does my soul good, being with family, so I mustn't let it be so long before the next time.
Great flight home, where St Waldo picked me up in Brisbane at 01:00!
What an
incredible holiday! I've come back 2kg heavier, I enjoyed it all so much! And now I've had
a few days off to get used to the idea of going back to work tomorrow...
Until next time - thanks for your interest and your patience! xx
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Charles Wroth
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Well done sis!
It was great to see you. Back to real life now! I'm doing an outdoor opera this weekend too as it happens. Yes, everyone forgets I play the trumpet too... In fact I taught Will everything he knows. Actually it's a rather crap local play. With sound effects.