So I’ve been settling into my new place in NYC, and like I said, it’s taking me a little while to get adjusted to life in the city. There are things here that seem completely bizarre to me, but that everyone else seems to take for granted (and I am slowly starting to take in stride). For example, how freakin long it takes to get anywhere. When I was living in Rochester, if you had suggested that I drive an hour and a half to get dinner and a drink with some friends, I would have thought you were joking. I would never have traveled an hour just to see a concert (unless it was something really good). And I just returned from my weekly chorus rehearsal, which is also an hour away from where I live.
(If you’re interested in other bizarre things that New Yorkers consider no big deal, check out New York Normal).
Anyway, that concert that I mentioned, the one that I traveled (at least) an hour to get to - was my VERY FIRST concert since living in New York City! I went to Trinity Church on Wall Street for their Concerts at One series. This fall they are dedicating almost all of their programming to Benjamin Britten. Not only is their concert series filled with Britten works, but so are their services, as well as a couple of special event concerts. Seriously, I am in heaven. The concert I went to a couple of weeks ago featured Novus NY, the church’s resident chamber orchestra, along with Nicholas Phan (tenor) and Virginia Warnken (mezzo-soprano), performing Britten’s Sinfonietta, Nocturne, and Phaedra. I was especially excited about hearing Nicholas Phan, whose name I have been seeing in connection with lots of Britten concerts for the past year. The whole concert was fantastic. I especially liked Phaedra, which struck me as a kind of operatic monologue - a very interesting piece.
www.operabrittenica.com). I got to see this opera performed last year at Eastman, so I’m very excited to get to play it! And then for November 22nd (Britten’s birthday) I am organizing a concert of his harp and vocal music - I’ll post more information on that when I have it.
It will be an epic semester of traveling and Britten.