Obrigado

I have Donizetti stuck in my head. "Obligato. Ah si, obligato…son felice, son contento!" It's what the Germans call an "ohrwurm." An ear worm, kinda like when my kids really wanna get under my skin and sing "This is the song that never ends" from the back seat on a roadtrip.

Pavarotti was at his most special singing L'elisir d'Amore and the first word I learned was for Thank You. "Obrigado" And I think of Pavarotti every time I hear it. There is nothing more full of sunshine than Luciano's voice.

I never thought saying "Thank you" would make me miss Luciano so much. The Portuguese are a very thankful people.  You hear the word a lot.

First week of rehearsal is finished, finishing in the theater of Sao Carlos working with the orchestra, standing on the lip of the stage and Julia Jones at the podium. I am told they have not played the piece in this theater for over 20 years. I find that pretty staggering, as Carmen is the most performed opera in the world. You can tell the pit is pretty excited to finally be playing this piece.

To celebrate, we went out for dinner as a group, director, choreographer and colleagues. We can't seem to escape one particular restaurant. On an earlier visit in the week we were told by the owner that Friday night was Fado night. "You come. We sing." 

So crammed in the upstairs portion of the restaurant, trying not to feel like we were intruding in a family gathering we sat and listened. We tried to talk but the Portuguese take their Fado seriously. Our first cue to this was a placard on the wall that said "Silenzio." I think the foreigners were shushed 10 times in one evening. (It's very hard to make opera singers sit quietly. Ask anyone.) I learned I could understand the waiter/singer very quickly when they kindly told us to shut up. But we weren't the only ones. There was also a table of children they chided as well.

It's not a Cafe Taci kind of atmostphere either. When the singing starts, the lights go nearly off. The room freezes, waiters do not talk or bring food. Eyes close. And heart strings are plucked. As full of sun is the Italian's voice, that's how sad is the Portuguese's. 

Letra: Amália Rodrigues
Música: Alfredo Marceneiro

Estranha forma de vida

Google translation:

It was by God's will
I live in this anxiety.
What are all my woes,
that is all my longing.
It was by God's will.

What a strange life form
this is my heart:
live life lost;
Who would give him the privilege?
What a strange life form.

Heart independent
heart that can not command:
lost live among us,
stubbornly bleeding
independent heart.

I do not follow you more:
to cease to beat.
If you do not know where you going,
because it insists on running,
I do not follow you more

If you do not know where you go:
to cease to beat,
I do not follow you anymore. 

Luciano, how we miss you.