Preparations, preparations...

Thursday afternoon, Brussels. Are we ready to leave...? The majestic Studio4 of the orchestra's residential harbour Flagey looks a bit like an anthill today. 90 musicians buzz along, the administrative staff looks slightly more worried than usual, the stagehands check the podium setup for the last time. The music has been printed and distributed to the stands, not as single sheets like the spare copy in this picture, but in well prepared, neat maps...

The rehearsal seems to be going quite well: Belgian mezzo soprano Hanne Roos and Australian tenor Paul ONeil have joined our musicians for the first runthrough of 'Le cri de mohim'. They are telling the dramatic story of a lost people without hope for salvation. The lost souls are interpreted by four additional singers. An orchestral setup rarely seen, beeing closely watched by chief-conductor Michel Tabachnik, who wrote this piece about twenty years ago...

And while the orchestra is rehearsing (all warm and cozy in the save harbour of Studio4), poor Nicola has set out to face the pouring rain and get our maestro's new costume from the tailor. 

Heaven thanks: the yamamoto jacket, trousers and perfectly ironed white shirt are well wrapped, absolutely waterproof, as the shopkeepers asure us. Let us hope they will still be in perfect shape when they arrive in Strasbourg tomorrow, two tramrides and 7 long bus hours later...

To be continued!