The Windmills of my Mind

You didn’t think I could come to The Netherlands and not have a picture of a windmill on my blog, did you? This is my 6th or 7th trip to Amsterdam-truly, one of my favorite cities. I’ve always enjoyed coming here due to the open skies (even if they are often cloudy), the wonderful walks along the canals, and the EXTREMELY friendly people. I find Holland to be about the most welcoming country that I regularly visit. I felt that warmth once again from the moment I stepped into Schiphol Airport last week when I flew from Vienna via Warsaw.

It’s been a rather slow week with just a bit of rehearsal on “Fidelio”. Certainly, I haven’t been overworked. This is a production by Robert Carsen which I was a part of during its premiere in 2003. It is one of my favorite productions of this opera (or any opera)--so well thought out. It tells the story clearly and cleanly with loads of little touches here and there that just make it a great show to be in. I remember I had this feeling about the Francesca Zambello “Siegfried” production in Washington 18 months ago or so. It’s always a pleasure to be a part of such interpretations.

How nice it is each morning to come out of the bedroom and look out upon the Amstel River and see the boats going by--the water is no more than 50-60 feet from my front door. I feel a long walk coming on later today amidst the fall foliage along the canals. I just hope I don’t get run over by a bicycle. They are EVERYWHERE.