It’s not often that M W Choir rehearsals finish early, especially final rehearsals at the Cardinal Cerretti Chapel.  It’s more usual for Carlos to keep tidying up and polishing the  music way beyond the official end time, being the perfectionist that he is.

However, last night the final rehearsal for An Afternoon at the Opera did finish early.  “Why”, I wondered to myself on the way home.  There was a clue in his remarks at the end of the rehearsal, when he urged us to relax but yet to concentrate; above all to fully enter into the character of each piece and to enjoy singing such luxurious music.  Maybe, I thought, Carlos reckons that we are singing accurately, and we know what we are supposed to do with expression.  Hence he has done as much as he can, and it’s now all up to us to respond at the performance.

So that is our challenge for Sunday.  Concentrate and enjoy!

The early bath?  Those of us from England of a certain age will remember the Rugby League TV commentator Eddie Waring.  Whenever a player was sent off for a misdemeanour, he would say that they were going for an early bath, a hot communal tub being the sole method of recovery in those days.  Whereas for such players, an early bath is a punishment, for us last night it was a compliment and a bonus.