Day 57: Pau, France

Today was a lot like yesterday, but with a different name.  I woke up around 7h for my opera rehearsal.  The pain I felt when I straightened my knee when I woke up my be the most intense I have ever felt.  It was really awesome.  Anyway, there are no buses on Sunday mornings, so I had to walk.  That is too bad, because I don't like walking all that way with my stuff.

Rehearsal today, was much, much better.  We got through the first act in about an hour and a half today.  Yesterday, it took almost twice as long.  everything just went much more smoothly today.  The sets are all finished, and, from what I've seen, look great.  It is very cool to see it all coming together. 

For lunch, I went to a restaurant near the chateau with the French horn player and the bassoon player.  I forget their names.  The lasagna I got was absolutely incredible.  It was with a Gorgonzola white sauce.  It was absolutely incredible. 

There is a nice park near the theater on the way to the chateau.  At one end is this old hotel, and the other end opens up to the Pyrenees. It is very nice.

This building now houses the Municipal Water Authority.  How fun.  The theater is directly behind this building.

In the middle of the park.

Cool French architecture.  This is much more indicative of money than the region.

After lunch, rehearsal continued to go really well.  At one point, we stopped for like 15 minutes so Bernard, the conductor could argue about the safety of the extras fight with real swords.  Eventually it was decided that swords are sweet and the would stay.  I also discovered something interesting about my knee pain.  If I straighten my knee too quickly, but realize right away, and move it back, it still hurts.  But the pain builds very slowly in the same way it does if it stays straight.  It is very interesting.  And painful.

After rehearsal, I went home and started practicing almost immediately.  I spent almost 4 hours playing tonight.  It was nice to play so much, and I think I got better, but right now my face just hurts.