Yesterday, I had a brief trip up to Rouen where I have family. We took a lovely walk around town in the late afternoon, and it's easy to see why artists have been so inspired by this cathedral! Gorgeous. Rouen also has a little market set up in this central square with vendors and mini-carousels, etc.
Trying to concentrate on the music is hard with all of this stuff going on outside and also some bad news from home (not one, but two "puppies" [who are actually teenage dogs] are nearing the end, and I hope I can see them before they go). I'm trying to remember the feelings I had last week after hearing beautiful concerts/seeing artwork...it's this art that can help sustain us at times, and it certainly helps motivate me to keep up my practicing and education!
I am happy to be getting really started on another project I've had in mind for a while; I have several ideas for opera libretti or song cycles, and I brought some research along with me. It's very much in the early stages...but I find it hard to believe that there hasn't been an opera written yet on Irish themes of mythology and history. Maybe I'm one of only a few people who has any interest in this, but Ireland is just so operatic! So that's what I'm working on...just don't ask me to write the music!
