our child the opera star!

this household has been in a real turmoil over the last few weeks (what's new) and resembles a war zone (not new either) as rike not only performed in her usual spring concerts in what amounts to four orchestras this year but she was also casted as a fairy in the latest guildhall school of music production of britten's a midsummer nights dream at the barbican which really threw any normal schedule out of the window and the extensive rehearsals made her miss so many classes at school that you wonder whether they still recognise her over there.

but it must be said that despite the long hours it has been an incredible experience for her and she and her friends so thoroughly enjoyed themselves that they all wanna change careers now. 

we saw the performance on the opening night and we just loved it. britten's score is marvellous (i did not know it) and made me like him even more, it had a great cast that performed professionally and up for the job, the orchestra was excellent, the direction swift, and an adequate set design with simple yet striking images kept us entertained. the highlights were (sorry - proud mum syndrome) of course the fairies who were rather substantial in their attitude and singing and quite present right down to one of rike's friends fracturing her wrist in the last moments of the show. still running into next week and nearly sold out but catch it if you can.

Or see the whole performance live here on saturday, 3rd march, 19:00 gmt 

plus:

click here for review 1

click here for review 2

click here for review 3

winter is over - that's official!

admittedly these pics arrived a couple of days ago but really not that long and at a time when us londoners started sporting bare legs and t-shirts already as the temperature reached 16 degrees last weekend (sorry - i was 'sporting' nothing - i'm still dragging myself around in what is warm and loose and comfy, but my daughter is and certainly my students!). so seeing dear marlis and anke ice skating on what i assume is the aasee (a name that endlessly entertained us as children) brings a shiver down my spine as i really don't want to hear of cold any longer. let's hope we soon get a springy pic from their early blossoming trees - our plum tree outside the house is if full gear, in fact the whole of our street is in bloom!

winter dressage series 2011 championship table

rike managed to get into the top ten of the dressage competition at mount mascal just so but as it is her first ever dressage we are all duly proud. congratulations!

baby, you're so last year...

...and that is me actually, not the nice chap in the pics, who already complained that the announced blog entry was nowhere to be seen and it is just all my fault as i still haven't really sorted out the new blogger surface and the different buttons i have to key in nowadays.

but here it is, didi, and i'll email you straight away to let you know, cause it is a rather lovely memory of a short but sweet afternoon in hannover last summer, with the second half taking place in one of these corner cafes that also do their own bean roasting, serve twenty different blends and who do employ at least three dishy baristas and where i feel wholly inadequate cause i order tea all the time. but didi just told us that chances are he is signing a new publishing deal (or has signed by now???) and that should call for champagne anyway, so we just have to wait and see.

the first part of the afternoon nevertheless produced one of the best one-liners ever, and didi as a writer should take note: 

marienstrasse, 3pm, antiquariat gaertner

enter my husband. 

* good afternoon sir

^ good afternoon mr gaertner. long time no see. how are you?

* what do you mean?

^ what i mean? well, how are you? how you are??

* yes, but why are you asking that.

michael gove at aske's

rike's school was in the news a few days ago when the minister for education, michael gove, addressed the pupils in haberdashers aske's hatchham college and subsequently the wider public to maintain this government's view on academies and other school policies. as a year eight girl our daughter escaped because of other duties...

happy 2012!!!

a big hug to all of you and a happy 2012! 

we started the new year with a bottle watching the fireworks on bbc and in the neighborhood and braced ourselves for the day ahead and then had, as always, our lovely new year's day party, again with deac's specialty, cassoulet, and soup and apple-marzipan cake made by rike and me. 35 guests came this year, and we had a really great time. best way to begin any year, if you ask me...

(image stolen from rike's facebook, thanks, darling!)