Operaplot
I am not much given to false modesty. Actually, those who know me will tell you I am not much given to any other kind of modesty either. That having been said I could scarcely blog this week and not mention that I was First Prize winner in the Twitter Operaplot contest that I have been going on about for the last couple of weeks. The announcement is here. My prize? Two premier seats to the Washington National Opera production of Turandot and two tickets to the very grand Washington Opera Ball to be held this year at the German ambassador's Residence in D.C. This is announced as the premier social event of the year in D.C.

Now here's where it gets to be fun. My initial thought was "Hey, I could sell this prize and use the money for alcohol and decadent living!" but then the voice in my other ear -the one that always has these sensible ideas which tend not to be nearly as much fun - finally came up with a winner. "Hey! Why not give this prize to someone who has probably never been to the National Opera or a swanky ball and who will really get a kick out of it?" Well okaaayyyy....but who? "How about a Washington D.C. inner-city Public School Music Teacher?" I'm still kinda likin' the decadence thing..."No!" Oh, very well....

Here are some notes I made during the week as things progressed.

Wednesday. I am informed in an email from The Omniscient Mussel - otherwise Marcia Adair - of my having won the prize. I speak with Holly and tell her I want to donate it. Decision is made to give it to a teacher. I liase with Ben Hall the Director of Music for Washington D.C. Public Schools and with his assistance I have compiled a list of five possible worthy winners. In deciding to make this donation to a teacher I am influenced by the wonderful job Alexis Hamilton does with Portland Opera's Education and Outreach programme in bringing opera to schools throughout Oregon in the Opera To Go programme. Educators of all stripes rock!

Thursday. The day is basically spent researching the candidates.

Friday: here's where we are: The National Opera (who gave this prize in the first place) in the person of Media Relations Manager Michelle Pendoley, loves this whole idea and has approved my transferring the prize to the teacher (hereinafter referred to as The Lucky Winner) of my choosing. All I will say at this stage, because she herself doesn't know yet, is that it is a lady in Washington D.C. who is very well liked and respected by her bosses and her peers. I should also mention here that Washington National Opera are being wonderful about this whole thing.

To avoid the possibility of The Lucky Winner saying "I would love to go but I can't afford a baby-sitter/hair-do/taxis" or whatever, I have arranged for a donor to give her cash to cover all incidental expenses. As I lay awake in the early hours of Thursday morning turning this whole project over in my mind I was struck by the thought - Question: where do we find The Lucky Winner a stunning ball gown? Public school teachers are not known for their extensive formal-wear wardrobes. Answer: Washington National Opera Costume shop of course! After speaking with our very own Frances Britt who heads Portland Opera costume shop I had a long chat with Marsha LeBoeuf, Costume Director for the National Opera and she got very excited about the whole deal and has said they will be happy to dress her to kill and make sure that there are lots of pictures!

It's now late Friday evening and The Lucky Winner herself still doesn't know about this.

I am trying to arrange for her to meet Plácido Domingo at the Opera Ball and have pictures taken with him. I have been led to believe this should present no problem. I shall report to you later what happens about that. Tito Capobianco who has known Maestro Domingo for many years has said I may use his (Capobianco's) name with reckless abandon if it will do any good. I find out that it does. Thank you, Mr C! (update here: The Lucky Winner is going backstage after the performance on 4th June to meet Maestro Domingo and have piccies taken).

Saturday. A call from Michelle Pendoley. I was concerned that as the Opera Ball doesn't include dinner I should try to find a good restaurant that would be prepared to entertain her and her partner to dinner at the restaurant's expense. Michell has gone a step - a HUGE step - further and has arranged for The Lucky Winner and her partner to be entertained to dinner by another Ambassador at his residence before the ball proper. I hope it's the English Ambassador so she can get some good food.

Sunday. I have had a call from Anne Midgette, the classical music critic for The Washington Post. Anne was the first woman ever to be the classical music critic for The New York Times, a job she held for years before moving on to the Post. She thinks this is a great story and wants to write it up. She is going to call me once the winner has been informed and agreed that her name be revealed. I am pleased and flattered that she would call me. She seems like a really cool lady.

Monday: I spent much of today hatching the phone. I asked that a message be passed to The Lucky Winner and that she be asked to call me as soon as possible. She is to be told only that I am a potential door. She will assume I am minded to donate to one of her programmes. Nope. Another chat with Anne Midgette. She wants to run this story in The Washington Post on Wednesday and not just in her online blog but in the paper itself. Yaaay!

3:30pm. Finally, a call from The Lucky Winner who I can now reveal (because she said I could) to be Priscilla Barrow. She teaches music in two D.C. public schools and works with the D.C. Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative. Her response was enormously gratifying. She repeated over and over that she couldn't believe this was happening to her and that she was so grateful. I spent quite a while talking with her and I think she is the perfect choice. I am so thrilled! I have put her in touch with WNO and they will look after her from here on. I just heard that a photographer from the Washington Post is going to meet with Priscilla tomorrow and take pictures of her - perhaps with some of her students. Way cool.

Oh, Priscilla is married. And, as her youngest baby is 26 years old I don't think baby-sitters should be an issue.

There are still a couple of surprises I am trying to arrange for Priscilla but it is beginning to look as though my work here is done! This has been a busy and stressful few days but I have had a wonderful week and it has been so encouraging to find that everyone I mention this venture to wants to help if they can. I will bring you further reports as events warrant.

Ooooooo! The Washington Post article is here!

By the way, another competition winner, drgeoduck from Washington State, chose as his prize the tickets offered by Portland Opera to next season's production of Philip Glass'es Orphée. Many other prizes were open to him so it is gratifying he wants to come here.

I cannot finish this post without offering many congratulations to my blogging friend Jessica Duchen who was also a winner. Her blog is really excellent and I cannot urge you strongly enough to become a regular reader. Jessica opted to take as her prize four seats at the English National Opera production of Così fan Tutte. I hope you have a great time, J!

Thursday Update!

I just received word from Danielle de Niese's manager that Danielle, who you will remember judged this competition, is sending an email to Priscilla today thanking her for her work and wishing her well.  Danielle is currently in rehearsal at Glyndebourne for tomorrow's opening of Handel's Giulio Cesare.  On behalf of all of us I have sent her a Toi! Toi! Toi! Classy lady.

Later: Danielle de Niese just sent me a copy of the email she has sent to Priscilla.  It was wonderfully heart-warming in its expression of appreciation for her work.  On top of that, it says that she (Danielle) will be in New York at the Met to do Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro in the Fall and would like to take that opportunity to meet Priscilla there.  Plus, and this is the killer:

"And if you need a singer to come out to your school and speak to the students I would be thrilled to help and to visit!"

Oh, my.  Oh, my.  Oh, my.

Friday Update

Priscilla's visit backstage to meet with Maestro Domingo has been up-graded by Maestro who is inviting her and her husband to join him and certain cast members for dinner after the show.

This really does just keep getting better and better.

Enjoy your long weekend!

Monday being a holiday look for my next post on Tuesday before noon.  More good stuff to report.  You don't want to miss this.

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