I am at the airport in Adelaide waiting for my flight to Sydney, and picked up copies of the first newspaper reviews for MOBY-DICK. The two critics I saw both raved about Jake Heggie’s music, the production and Jay Hunter Morris’s performance as “Captain Ahab.” Needless to say, I am delighted.
I saw Jay this morning (in fact, he kindly drove me to the airport and has mastered the art of driving “on the wrong side” of the road) and he told me that this was now his favorite role. He actually said he would rather sing it than “Siegfried” or “Tristan.” It is a great acting role as well as a great role to sing, and will no doubt become as coveted by tenors as “King Lear” is by classical actors.
I will hear an afternoon of auditions by some of Australia’s most promising young singers in Sydney, and two productions at Opera Australia.