Ready... Set... Delegate!

From the time we choose our roster in early winter, the Company grows exponentially. And, for those first 6 months, everything from finances to pre-production planning to personnel to company management (travel, housing) is handled by 2.5 people. (Susan's not really a half-person, she's just lucky enough to work part-time:)) As winter turns to spring, the load gets heavier and more unwieldy. But then it's finally May, and the reinforcements arrive.

This week our office staff is almost doubled as we welcome our Administrative Intern and our Music Administrator. Thursday brings the first stage management team, and next week we're joined fulltime by our Studio Administrator. The scene shop and costume shops are up and running (Volpone set model above). Delegation becomes the order of the day, and with each new arrival, another set of tasks is swept off my desk. (I could get used to this!)

Can't Argue With That

This marvelous quotable quote from the brand-new June summer festival issue of Opera News: "Wolf Trap Opera Company shoots the promising to prominence." Rock on! There's a nice write-up on our whole season - you should be able to see it on operanews.com as of June 1.

Garden Cam

The Washington area just enjoyed two consecutive beautiful spring days (sadly, about half of the typical allotment for the year...), part of which I spent happily digging in the dirt. This week's stand-outs are the columbine and coral bells I brought in from my grandmother's garden 20 years ago.





















Could you answer these questions?

A few of my colleagues are going through the naturalization process to become U.S. citizens. It's very exciting, and also entertaining when they ask those of us who were born into citizenship if we know the answers to the sample exam questions. (We nailed most of them, but were stumped by a few.) What I found a bit dismaying is that the study guide for the naturalization exam costs $49.95... Excuse me, but shouldn't it be free?