Special thanks to Maestro Grant Cooper, stage director Bodo Egesz, Paul Helfrich, and the crew at the Clay Center for allowing me to come in and take pictures during the dress rehearsal.  I hope they’re not regretting their decision because of my sleep-deprived idiotic commentary with these photos.   To wrap it up, I have the only real candid shot that I took last night.  Maestro Cooper, deep in concentration between acts. 

I was able to relocate several times during the rehearsal, and I wound up in the front row, center, directly behind the Maestro.  It was amazing! No wonder he wanted that job.  You can’t imagine how cool it sounds right there in the sweet spot with all the orchestra playing full-tilt.   It was nearly orgasmic! We are so lucky to have a world-class symphony orchestra in this town.  And Thursday night, I was luckier than all of you, because I got to hear them early!

If you don’t have plans yet to attend the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra production of “Carmen,” you should try and change them.  There may be four or five tickets left.  This could well be the event of the year in terms of classical music in our city.