treat

My sweet husband - not an opera fan - took me to see Tosca last night. It opened the Cacassonne festival, in the open air in the chateau. Cool breezes wafting in from the mountains.
Not an easy setting for bashing out Puccini perhaps but it seemed to me the production was masterly, loads of back projections, orchestra half under the stage, signs to the sides with the sung texts (unreadable to me and Bob on account of age and eyes -)  Never seen Tosca live so can't make comparisons but seen a few recordings and this was better.

Eva Vesin was a full-bodied Tosca; not fat full-bodied but full bodied as in a really good toothsome red wine. Scarpia was Jean-Luc Ballestia and he was brill too. More of a Muscat.

In the afternoon Phil and I took Max to swim in Rennes-les-bains. Natural hot water, warm day, hardly anyone there. Love the idea of the lake for swimming  but, erm....

Got home about 2.00 am and thrilled to find the stars across Esperaza, the milky way bridging the street where we live. The policy of turning out the street lights at 1.00am is  marvellous - like a blanquette.