All Clears
9 October

This week we have had two all clears on the health front.

My dad visited the hospital for his regular check-up following his cancer treatment three years ago. They promised him a 90% success rate of 3-5 years remission. Well, he's now had three years clear of cancer.

Ross, meanwhile, was getting the results of the tests he had a while back to see if he had Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The good news is that he hasn't; the bad news is that they still don't know what's up with him.

The earth continues to heave itself about to the detriment of humans. After hurricanes, there has now been a major earthquakes in the North India, Pakistan, Afghanistan area. Tens of thousands of lives have been lost. However, we do seem to have had major media coverage of the incident. Not so in the Central Americas where hurricane Stan killed thousands but, since the cameras weren't there, it could be rated as a minor news story.

We finished off Hearts and Minds this week and I have to say that I'm glad it's done. It's been quite a commitment over the past three months.

Saturday was a nice day. So, after some filling and cleaning in the Music Room, Ross and I did some preliminary cutting back and re-potting in the back garden.

Then it was into the car and over to Salford Quays. Pizza Express and the Lowry's own restaurant did us a favour by being booked out. As a consequence, we ate in Café Rouge, one of a chain of French eateries. It was quite excellent and gave me the chance to buy Ross a belated birthday meal.

Then it was over the piazza to the Lyric theatre for Opera North's concert performance of Nabucco by Guiseppe Verdi. We were greeted by a raised curtain and a stage on which there were seven music stands and a structure with four raised tiers of seating for the chorus. I've encountered worse sets in fully staged productions.

David Parry received a critical pasting in the press for his conducting. I liked it. There seemed to be appropriate vim and vigour, rhythmic bounce and impetus, lyrical surge and swell and all without swamping the singers. They, of course, were well served by being allowed to stay by the footlights.

Alan Opie's voice has seen better days but he was still impressive in the title rôle. I didn't particularly like Dean Robinson's Zaccaria. Jane Irwin was a rather good Fenena. The palm, however, went to Claire Rutter's Abigaille. She was just sensational, absolutely fearless in what is extremely difficult vocal writing.

Of the smaller rôles, I was most impressed by Leonardo Capalbo and Camilla Roberts. Young Leonardo, I was very impressed with last year in both Il tabarro and La vida breve. I'd forgotten that I'd heard young Camilla before in Carmen and Iphigénie en Tauride and had given her a warm welcome both times.

We had a really good night out.