Music Festival

We're just back from the usual highlight of the week - the opera scenes masterclass with Ed Berkeley of Julliard. It was so spectacular this week , I have to write about it.  Started off with that famous sextet in the Act 1 finale of Cosi fan Tutte and quite magnificent it was. Scenes then from Verdi's Falstaff,  Massonet's Manon, an epic scene from L'Elisir d'Amore and a couple of scenes from more recent composers - Bernstein ( Trouble in Tahiti ) and Bolcolm (A View from the Bridge ).  2 hours of absolute bliss.

But we're getting a 2nd opera experience this week. A performance at the Wheeler of Liebermann's The Picture of Dorian Gray on Thursday. This follows the fabulous Tchaikovski's Eugene Onegin last week and precedes Carmen in a couple of weeks. What a feast.

Opera scenes masterclass. Every Sat morning 10 to 12 for 8 weeks. About as good as it gets !

Our 2014 music student Tamer.  Here giving a lesson having just made me a badly needed new reed. A hugely successful future as a professional oboist almost certainly awaits. Playing principal in Wednesday's Aspen Philharmonic Orchestra's performance of a Bartok concerto.

Julie ( high school colleague of M's ) and David from Houston join us outside the tent for the Sunday afternoon concert.

Back on to the Rim trail

Undiminished skills !

Our first Warm Showers visitor Matt from Boston doing a tour of Colorado's mountain passes. We lent him a mountain bike to explore, and hike to, Snowmass Lake.

Here on his own very heavily laden bike setting off for Independence Pass and eventually Estes Park.  Good luck Matt.

We had a delightful visit from Jill and Sarah Jewitt. Just managed to fit in a Tom Blake mountain bike ride before Sarah headed off back to Rock Springs , WY. Here with her working kit for her rig work - minus the white hat ( indicating recent promotion ).