Sooo much has gone wrong...

BUT...i'm still loving every minute of it.

Thursday-
We landed around 8 AM over here, and we had to wait around for our luggage for a good 30 minutes. Antanas, Leanne and I got our luggage and then went looking for the ILAR people and couldn't find anyone. Luckily we found Nadia holding an ILA sign and we checked in and sat around the airport until 2:30-3 o'clock. The bus ride to Viterbo from Rome was absolutely horrible. I failed to mention that it was about 97 degrees in Italy that day. I was sitting next to Antanas and just passed out from the stupid heat. We finally got to the Piazza Di Verdi in Viterbo and got off the bus and got our luggage. I found out who my flat mates were and we stood around waiting to be driven to our apartment, we waited for an hour and a half. So we finally got to our apartment and chose rooms, showered and met the entire Opera festival attendees for dinner. It was a lot of fun, with really gross wine. But clearly we drank it anyway :). Went back home and slept like a baby.

Friday-
I went to my first press conference :) It was weird, because I couldn't understand a word of it. We went on a tour to Montefiascone, it was absolutely beautiful. We were shown where all our concerts are going to be, and it was just wonderful. It finally hit me that I am here, in Italy for 6 weeks. We finally made our way to the press conference and all we did was file in and sit down and listen to a bunch of Italians talking about us and the program. But it was cool to be in one. After the press conference I went back to my flat to take a nap because I unfortunetaly got a migraine, but we had the afternoon free. So I napped and then we had a meeting at 5 PM. What they neglected to tell us is that this wasn't so much of a meeting as you signing a contract and going wherever you wanted afterward. Everyone was just sitting in a room for a good hour until people started to realize what was going on. So we all made a line outside of Claudio's office and waited for our turn. When it was mine, I went in and he proceeded to tell me that they never received my second check. SO if they don't get my money I can't perform. But Andrea told me not to worry. After I signed my stupid contract all Andrea's students met up for dinner and it was a blast. It was fun just sitting around with everyone and talking.

Saturday-
Woke up and then we had another meeting at 10. They brought us around Viterbo and showed us where all the voice lessons and the shows are going to be. Then we had a Magic Flute rehearsal at 11. We went through quite a bit of the score and we got to my part and they found out that they cast 4 people for my part. There is only supposed to be 3. SO needless to say they had to switch one of the first spirits to the second spirit part. Which means they would have to learn the second spirit music in 3 weeks. So we had a meeting with the 4 first spirits and he let Ashley go because the younger spirits need to stay together. Then he let some blonde go because she's done this before and obviously likes her. So it was between another girl and myself. He asked what we thought/felt about learning a new part. The other girl immediately spoke up and said "I'm just getting into Opera, this is my first time and I worked really hard, so I don't want to switch." So he looked at me and asked me and I said "This is my first Opera and I've worked very hard on learning my part, but if you need me to learn that part for you, I will work my ass off and learn it for you." So the man told me that was the best answer I could have given him. He said that me volunteering is the way to get noticed in this business. So now I have to learn a whole new part, I've given up my solos in this opera to learn a crappy stupid part. BUT I will also be getting looked at with a lot of respect my voice teacher and the director told me. So I will just have to work extra hard and just make the other spirits look like crap :). PLUS I will still be doing my solo concerts. So I guess it will work out for the best. AND the girl who said it was her first opera, she has vocal nodes :) and sounds like crap :) WOO!

Saturday night we went to Andrea's daughter, Alexia, concert. She is in the symphony with professional musicians, she's only 14. She's insane. It was sooo beautiful, in an outside theater. The concert didn't start until about 9:30 and didn't end until 11:30. So afterwards we went out to dinner with Andrea and just about everyone from her studio. It was a lot of fun. Then I went back to the apartment and slept until 12 this afternoon.

Sunday-
Today I went out to lunch with two of my flat mates and then met up with Antanas and Sanjay and we just explored some of Viterbo, I took so many pictures. It is absolutely gorgeous here, I can't even believe it. I can't believe I'm here for six weeks. I'm so happy to be here. I miss everyone like crazy, it's not even funny. I miss my parents and my puppy and kitty :( I miss Cori and Sarah :( And my Laura and everyone else from Salem. I love you guys!!