We went on a trip on November 18. Yesterday I was finally able to pick up the instruments again. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t sound as awful as I expected, but I of course now have to build up stamina, and get things back up and feeling comfortable.

Thankfully I have a full month to practice before I start work. There is a symphony concert this month, but I opted to skip that due to a San Francisco Symphony performance for which we have tickets.

I’m now in the build up endurance and get my brain wrapped around the opera we have next, Bluebeard’s Castle. It’s a new one for us, and it’s quite a work. (It’s also short.) I will be playing both second oboe and English horn, as we have a reduced version. Yesterday I listened to a recording and it was clearly not the reduced version: my part showed an English horn bit and I was hearing clarinet instead. I guess I now need to search to see if the reduced version exists as a recording anywhere. I’m guessing not, but I’ll at least look around for it.

Anyway, if you are interested, get your tickets! But don’t expect something fun and silly. It’s quite the work.