The Song of the Earth
Twenty-five years ago today, March 31, 1998, I had the privilege of performing Mahler’s “Das Lied von der Erde” (The Song of the Earth) with the Czech Radio Orchestra in the Dvorak Hall of Prague’s legendary Rudolfinum Concert Hall. My dear father-in-law, Milan Vitek, conducted this concert which also included Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony. The tenor…
Read MoreBlessed with friends, colleagues and students
I’m so blessed! Close friends, colleagues and students helped to make my retirement from my “day job” more joyous than expected. As is the case for many performing artists, I’ve had day jobs to support myself between gigs. Since 2000, I worked as a legal administrative assistant at a law firm in Manchester, NH. About…
Read MoreMy Beautiful Colleague and Friend
What a great pleasure to connect with my beautiful colleague and friend, soprano Alexandra Lang in…wait for it…Wien! I’m touring, she is auditioning. FB more or less brought us together in early December. The stars aligned.Toi toi toi, dear Alexandra. With love,Janice (a/k/a Erda)
Read MoreAufwiedersehen, Wien! Hope to visit again!
Here are a few photos of the sumptuous breakfast and breakfast room at the Hotel Kauserhof in Vienna, where we end the fabulous Rick Steves “Best of Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna” 8 day tour. I can’t say enough about the beautiful accommodations, informed and funny guides, Andrea and George (who is a guide-in-training), the indescribable…
Read MoreKrampus in Hallstatt
There is a Christmas ritual in Austria called something like Krampus, where mostly little children dress in devilish garb, run around town ringing cowbells and switching the legs with real cane switches of anyone they meet. That happened to me on Dec. 1st when we arrived at Hallstatt, a beautiful Austrian town on the way…
Read MoreFirst Views of Gruss aus Ă–sterreich, Austria
Overnight layover in Hallstatt, Austria, prior to arrival in Vienna on Friday, 2 December. Our lovely hotel Gruner Baum, a coffee mug (no coffee…just yummy Gluhwein), a war memorial, and a photo of some of my travel pals Christine, Lindsay, and Madeline. Weather in D’land and Austria so far cool and sunny. Tchuss!
Read MoreTraveling to Austria
Today we leave lovely Munich and cross the border into Austria, where we’ll check into our hotel and lhave limited walking, prior to tomorrow’s trek around Salzburg and…wait for it…everything MOZART. As about 2/3 of us are, er, somewhat “elderly”, this promises to be a more relaxing day in terms of physical exertion. First views…
Read MoreGreetings from Munich!
On my 1st Rick Steves Tour to Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna. Here is Day 2 schedule. Incredibly well organized and meeting so many lovely people. Note that we visit a BREWARY this afternoon. Monday, 28 Nov…Dinner at a Munich restaurant (the name of which ends in “haus”) with my dear old friends Lindsay and Christine,…
Read MoreStudent Spotlight – Dustin Teuber
Saturday, 8 October – the creepies were in full force at the Umbrella Stage Company in Concord, MA, last night. Their production of “Dracula – A feminist revenge fantasy…really” was fun and disturbing at the same time. Kudos to the entire cast… ESPECIALLY my friend and student Dustin Teuber, who played Dracula in the most…
Read MoreStudent Spotlight – Rae Pizzi
The lovely Rae Pizzi performed the role of Doralee Rhodes in Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5”. This hysterical production was presented by Peacock Players of Nashua, NH. The all-teen ensemble was high energy, funny, and obviously having a blast. The musical ensemble numbers were well choreographed and the songs, sung to a track, were perfectly…
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