Well
this month saw the opening night at the Royal Opera House (for this season)
here in Oman and of course my first opera and I wanted to share it with everybody.
I have been to see the Barber of Seville (20 Rials for the ticket about £32) performed
by the Teatro di San Carlo, Naples and how can I describe it??
Stupendous, brilliant, magical, funny, entertaining and more!.. From the
overture (honest I didn't think of Bugs Bunny once....well perhaps once)
through the first act I was mesmerized. The thirty piece orchestra was
exceptional and the music was so mellow, as if I could hear things that a sound
system could not emulate. The singing from the baritones, through the tenor and
up to the mezzo soprano was entrancing and the comic overtones were well acted
throughout, so much so that the translation of the words was really superfluous
and I am sure I would have still laughed in right places without it. The
intermission came almost as a shock and I was impatient for it to start again.
The second act did not disappoint and again I sat mesmerized until the
curtain came down. I am so glad I went and I am looking forward to my next
outing to the Royal Opera House to see La Traviata next month and then the
second part of the Barber, The Marriage of Figaro in November.
Anyway things here are continuing as
normal with swimming, Bar B Q's, social gatherings, oh and a little bit of work
as well. Actually it is really good at school and I am really enjoying my
teaching. This is the first time I have taught year 8 students (as I
mostly teach the A level streams) but its really interesting and a bit of a
challenge to stop myself from pushing them too hard, but I have a great bunch
of kids so it really is great.
A
little bit of price news for all who are interested: Laundry! I don’t wash and iron my shirts and trousers
but send them to the laundry as it is so cheap.
There is different quality from your local small laundry to a chain like
‘Snowhite’ who are better for more expensive items. So Shirts from the Local Laundry, 300 Baisas
(about 30p) from Snowhite 430 Baisas (about 50p). I take my dress trousers to
Snowhite price 880 Baisas (about £1.35)
I am teaching myself (or should I re
teaching myself) to play the descant recorder and will be offering it as an
activity to the kids at school, I am also catching up with my Clarinet which I haven't
picked up for a couple of years so again having to re-learn. The choir is good and very professional and I
look forward to the Sunday night for our practice and we are preparing for 3/4
performances around Christmas.
I was going to go to Goa for our Eid
Break (starting 10th Oct) but I have a friend who said they were coming out,
although I have heard little from her in the last month, so it’s now too late
to get a visa so no matter what happens I will be staying here, but on the up
side I shall be house sitting in a large villa (with its own pool) for some
friends.
Still trying to keep up with my
exercises, I am on my last hole on my belt so will have to buy a smaller one
soon (I Hope!) but I don't seem to be losing weight....just toning up!!.
Well that’s all for now…will post
again in a week or 2!
