Back on top of the world

It's been a week of ups and downs but I'm back! I feel much better today.

Yesterday was a real mixed day. I felt low early on but cheered up as the day went on. We do manage to have a laugh in our office and the girls cheered me up. By the time I got home I was looking forward to my evening Opera rehearsal in Preston.

I've rejoined Preston Opera for the season as we are doing Samson & Delilah. There are going to be 2 shows at Preston Minster at the begining of May. I auditioned last September and they offered me the understudy role to Delilah, meaning I get to learn the role but only actually sing the whole role if, god forbid, the lead is unable to sing on the night. Not unheard of. But for a relative new comer it was a real honour to be given this opportunity. The lovely Rebecca Chellapah will be singing Delilah in performances. I've not met Rebecca but know her from her blog / and from the Royal Northern seen as I know so many people there. I'm looking forward to working with her, and with Bruce McLaren who will be playing Samson. Plus, it's great to be working with the wonderful chorus from Preston Opera. They are so friendly and welcoming and all remembered me from when I played Mercedes in Carmen back in 2006 so it was like I'd never been away.

So, yeah, I'm feeling much better.

I've got a busy few weeks ahead of me what with rehearsals for Preston Opera now adding to the rehearsals for Opera74, though the concert we're rehearsing for with Opera74 is actually on Saturday 31st January. I'll be singing with the chorus and as a soloist and we're being accompanied by Bolton Symphony Orchestra. The programme will be a mixture of Orchestral favourites and opera choruses, plus a large chunk of The Kings Rhapsody by Novello. It's just good to be performing again and I'm going to be doing plenty of it this year so I'm quite excited.

All details of my upcoming performances can be found on my website www.helenannegregory.com