The rest of the quote says “you decide”…… I thought it best to leave it out since well, this has been decided. Thanks to all of you I get to go…I depart for Prague in less than 24 hours, I am equally excited and terrified.
For those of you who are kindly logging in to see this blog I wanted to create a space for me to share with all of you my experience while I am across the pond. You have all contributed in some way, shape or form to help me reach my goal, and make it into this amazing program. I want you as my group of cheerleaders, sponsors, friends and family to walk alongside me every step of the way.
Just a bit of background about how this came to be. I was searching through auditions on one of the many websites for hustling singers and saw an ad. “Opernfest Prague”. I clicked on the link and read through what the experience might look like. I thought to myself, “Wow what an amazing opportunity to be a part of, I am not sure I am quite ready for that”. Then scrolled on down the page.
Fast forward a few days and I received a Facebook message from my friend and dear colleague Becca Conviser. (You can look her up here, she is a mighty force for someone 5’2. http://www.beccaconviser.com/ ) She is currently working full time in Prague and explained to me they wanted some more singers for Opernfest. I feel that was a God thing, because I was the first person she thought of. She asked me to apply for the program, I kindly fought back explaining this and that and this and that, but in the end she won. I sent off my application that day with a laugh and went on about my business. Well to my surprise I got an acceptance letter and a scholarship.
Now all the t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted I will head out on a plane very soon. I love international flights; I must admit. There is something so wonderful when I tell those around me; “Oh I am an opera singer, I have a performance in ______” . Flying internationally some how validates it.
I have an overnight flight through Berlin and will be arriving in Prague early on Sunday morning. My goal is to try and stay awake through the day, so wish me luck on staying up for 30+ hours. The only catch with this program is they don’t provide housing for you, so I am staying in a wonderful little air bnb apartment. According to google it should be only five minutes away from the Kaiserstein Palace where we will be having rehearsals. So once I arrive I will be seeing if that is true, I may be a little thinner when I return.
Sunday is just arrival day for all the participants, so I plan to get a map and explore a bit. Becca is meeting up with me to pick up her bags I am bringing from her parents here in Chicago, and she mentioned I may get to meet the artistic director early. So fingers crossed. Then Monday the real work begins.
So now here we are less than than a few hours out, I am sitting at my computer bossing my husband around trying to get him to explain to me how the heck to set up this blog, so this will be my first go at trying to manage my own technology. I have a million things left still before I depart, but I am so extremely excited to know I have all of you behind me! My goal is to write daily and share as many pictures and videos and experiences as possible! Till I sign on again I will leave you with this,
“Stop being afraid of what could go wrong, and start being excited about what could go right”
xxxoo
Kathleen