Today was our last run-through in the rehearsal space. That is our male coro after Pish-Tush's aria.

Below are a few members of the female chorus, singing "Braid the Raven Hair" while getting some tips from Titipu Bride magazine. (This issue includes "5 Patter Songs That Will Drive Him Crazy!" and "Is He a Prince in Disguise? 10 Ways to Tell.")

Overall the run went quite well. It certainly pointed up some of the architectural peculiarities of the piece. Mainly the differences between Acts I and II. Act I is jam-packed with big choral numbers and upbeat action, ending with a finale that can only be described as splendid. Act II begins at a much slower pace, and has several mellow numbers in a row right at the top. It makes it hard to match the vim of Act I. Act II problems are legendary in the theatre, the musical theatre especially. The good news is we know where we need to work over the course of the next two weeks.

Tomorrow is a day off, but there is an event in the evening called Spotlight on Opera, where a number of the Gerdine Young Artists will perform numbers from Mikado, and our set designer Mikiko Suzuki and I will be speaking as well. Then Tuesday we begin in the theatre--very exciting. More then.