Speechless
I didn't work last night but something happened that I can hardly believe.
The two and a half hour long performance of Falstaff was being simulcast down to Stanford University. At the top of the show it was announced that Miss Stober, had a cold but would still be singing one of the major roles. This is not an unusual announcement, singers who don't feel their best often want to inform the audience that they aren't 100%. In cases like this a singer might or might not finish the evening, depending on their condition. No singer wants to ruin their voice by forcing it to perform when they are sick.
Last night Miss Stober felt she needed to stop after the second act of a three act show. For whatever reason the Opera had elected NOT to have an understudy. So everyone waited for an additional FIFTY SIX minutes while a replacement singer drove in from outside the city. Let's see, 30 plus musicians, the entire cast, all the stagehands all the dressers and makeup people, the staff and air time for the simulcast, all the ushers and other support staff, all on the payroll for an extra hour.
I cannot -ever- remember anything like this in my professional career.
The two and a half hour long performance of Falstaff was being simulcast down to Stanford University. At the top of the show it was announced that Miss Stober, had a cold but would still be singing one of the major roles. This is not an unusual announcement, singers who don't feel their best often want to inform the audience that they aren't 100%. In cases like this a singer might or might not finish the evening, depending on their condition. No singer wants to ruin their voice by forcing it to perform when they are sick.
Last night Miss Stober felt she needed to stop after the second act of a three act show. For whatever reason the Opera had elected NOT to have an understudy. So everyone waited for an additional FIFTY SIX minutes while a replacement singer drove in from outside the city. Let's see, 30 plus musicians, the entire cast, all the stagehands all the dressers and makeup people, the staff and air time for the simulcast, all the ushers and other support staff, all on the payroll for an extra hour.
I cannot -ever- remember anything like this in my professional career.