December 17, 2008

Club soda and peach nectar before the coming of the light. Medieval French dances on the CD.

One was prepared for disaster at the Cantaria concert, but disaster did not come. We were about 60% better than we deserved to be. M moved me from the edge to the center of the basses, where I heard on all sides that people weren’t masking mistakes so much as simply not knowing the music, wrong entrances, wrong parts sung. . . all of it diluted by an appreciative audience and a forgiving hall. The Usual afterwards, where Kathy gave us a Christmas gift of free drinks and very generous samples of all her appetizers, and even a couple of steak dinners to share among us. It was lovely and un-looked for an very festive. We were wearing our tuxedos. We must have been gorgeous. Scots Rob was having a going-away party in the next room, and all the theater crowd was there too, and I felt surrounded by friends. Met Steve’s son Christian, a charming teenager with a lively countenance, of whom Steve was so proud he could barely speak.

The hurdy-gurdy on the CD makes me wildly happy.