Jennifer Margison
Jen Jim
Jennifer Margison
Hard to believe my last and only trip to Italy until now was in 1972, in the middle of a six month backpacking trip with my good friend Lyn. We didn't spend any time in the area we will be visiting on this trip and we have already spend much more money on our flight than I spent to travel throughout Europe for six months! However, that necessitated a style of travel I am not up for anymore - hitchhiking, hostels, bread & cheese. This is Jim's and my first trip to Europe together and we will begin in Milan where my brother has been rehearsing and is now performing in an opera at the most famous opera house in the world, La Scala. Although he has sung in many of the famous houses throughout Europe, this is his La Scala debut. I missed his Met debut and have always regretted that, so we had to make this trip. We will stay with him in his Milan apartment for a few days and then head off to the lake district of northern Italy, then back to Milan for his final performance. The opera is a new contemporary opera, 1984, based on George Orwell's novel of the same name. Richard sings the role of Big Brother or O'Brian. He is actually the only person in the world who has performed this role and he performed in the world premiere of the opera at Covent Gardens. It is apparently a very difficult opera to sing. The composer is a renowned conductor Lorin Mazel who recently conducted the New York Philharmonic in North Korea.
Stay tuned for more. I hope I'll be able to add regularly to this, my first blog ever!