Last Entry

Well........it's that time. Time to hang up my mask and tail. I can't believe this amazing 6 weeks will be over in a matter of hours. One last show, and then we all board a bus to Tokyo for a night and fly home the next morning. It all went too fast!!! Being here was a truly unique and unforgettable experience--the people, town, food, company, cast, accommodations, everything was spectacular. I must come back to Japan!!!!!
Thanks to all of you who read my blog and shared this time with me!!! I really appreciate it:)
Now, back to the good 'ole USA.
Sayonara.

Special Guest...The Maestro on his 73rd Birthday!

Maestro Ozawa and his son.
Time to warm up!
Just so awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Up to bat...um...he HIT and SCORED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What an incredible man.....we love you Maestro:) Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BASEBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Three Stooges, Quinn, Kevin and Dennis! Our team was the REDS!!!!! Go Reds!!!! Every year the Saito-Kinen Festival is given use of this beautiful ballpark surrounded by the Japanese Mountains. Teams consist of the orchestra, singers and staff!!!!!!
Our dugout:)
The park!
Dennis hits! And scores!!!!
People were super serious getting into the game with uniforms and some great technique!!!!

This Pretty Much Sums up My Life at the Moment

Some show Pics!!

Marie Lenormand, as the "Dog"
This is Kevin Langan as the "Badger". Later he also plays the "Priest"!
These chickens are the cutest....they are all Japanese singers and the sweetest ladies in the world. They lined up like this for the pic! Totally cracked me up.
The amazing Maestro Ozawa and his wonderful assistant conductor, Pierre Vallet.

More Soba Fun

Check this out......fish on a stick!
Or, the "rice Popsicle"
How about a banana-chocolate-yummy crepe?
Beautiful day in Matsumoto..........only a couple more days before we leave for home:(

Soba Party!!!!!

Welcome to the Saito-Kinen Festival's annual soba noodles party!!! Soba noodles are a yummy treat in japan, and there was a team of cooks on hand to prepare several types of noodles for us to sample--with home-made wasabi!!!!!!! The festivities took place at the other music hall in Matsumoto City.

My colleagues and new friends: from left to right, Sally, Bill, Quinn, Larry and Judy; Maestro and Quinn

The Soba Noodles Cooks!!!! Maestro is in there too!!!!:) Yum!

Korean BBQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All I have to say is yum. Grill your own dinner...Kobe beef (outstanding), Pork, Seafood, Veggies.........mmmmm. And the restaurant was totally Japanese in style! Took our shoes off and sat down to quite the meal. We had our own booth and you ordered from a computer!!!

Uh, WHAT?

Small pic, but if you look carefully I am standing in front of the "Ladies Market"..........hmmmm....what do you think that's about???? hmmmmmmmmmm

A little Taste

Opening Night

Maestro Seiji Ozawa!
Quinn Kelsey, myself, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Dale Travis, Kevin Langan, and Dennis Petersen.

What a wonderful night it was...........me and my Vixen the uber-talented Isabel! We all had a great time! The show was followed by a gigantic party with lots of yummy food at the Hotel Buena Vista, which has been our home for a month today! Now, time to relax into the next three performances:) It can only get better from here!

Castle at Sundown

Courtesy of my friend Quinn and his camera!

Behold, Japanese TARGET

I don't even know what day it is anymore because I am so tired. We have had non-stop rehearsals..........tomorrow is the final dress with a huge audience!!!!!! It's all going very well and we are having a blast:) Today is a free day, so Quinn Kelsey (colleague in the opera, playing the role of the Forester and doing a bang up job!) and I went to JUSCO, or their version of Target!!!!
You can get fish...
or a Kimono....
or TOYS. Oh Quinn....I had to take this pic of the kid and Quinn checking out the same toy. Priceless.

Some more.....

The outside of a rather large, old Temple.

Inside....wonder what is going on in here...a wedding?
Front with altar. Different from the other Temples......a religious service?

Day 22

Hmmmm...maybe this is where it all starts for these amazing orchestra players???
We have been doing runs of all the acts of the opera now with the orchestra. They are really doing a beautiful job making the very difficult score come to life!!! And, of course, because they are under the direction of Ozawa. Ozawa is very detailed--you can tell how much he truly cares about every bar of the music:) Maestro is also very sensitive to the singers--we all just love him!!!!! What an honor for me....

Day 21:Thankful

So here I am celebrating my 34th birthday (uh....did I just write 34.....ugh) in JAPAN!!!!!! My wonderful cast mates and Saito-Kinen members bought me a beautiful cake and the entire orchestra, headed by Maestro Ozawa played Happy Birthday!!!

I am so very thankful for this wonderful day..........I will never forget it!!!!!! :)

Wait...we have to go down?

Way down....
Stopped for a breather....
WHAT?????????????????
But look!
All in all.........fantastic!

Hike Hike Hike!

The trail continues...and so does the sweat:)
The cabin at the Top!!!!!
So gorgeous...and the air is fresh and exhilarating!
Little tent in there...lots of campers:)
Somebody move that skinny thing