Do you know the way to Slovenia?

Had a very interesting mixed blessing this week - received an offer to go sing Despina in 'Cosi fan tutte' at the state opera house in Maribor, Slovenia. Unfortunately, the dates overlap with my Seattle contract so I can't do it. But even the possibility of more European professional exposure is very exciting. I'm still going to sing for the casting director this summer so maybe they'll invite me back for the 08-09 season. Fingers crossed.

Questions asked by myself and others:

"Where is Maribor?"
"Slovenia has an opera house? I didn't know they had a stable government!"
"Weren't they part of Yugoslavia?"


Now I'm not responsible for the government part, but Maribor is in the northern part of Slovenia (not marked on this map, sorry), they do have an opera house, and even after reading stuff on the Slovenian tourism website, I only know that they joined the EU. That says something, right?


time out 3:07pm - first song on mp3 player "jein" - fettes brot (leftover from the other day)
minutes run : FIVE!!!
time in 3:47pm - last song on mp3 player "blackbird" - the beatles
minutes shaved off my initial workout time: five
number of times I thought I might expire in the middle of the road: at least ten