While we prepare the opening of our spring season on Saturday I will make good use of two days with relatively few rehearsal activity to travel to Chicago for two very rare operas, Rossini's Mosè in Egitto and Cavalli's Giasone.

This past Sunday was the last free day in quite a while. Maria Stuarda had its first two stage and orchestra rehearsals on Saturday and Monday and yesterday evening we had the dress rehearsal of The Flying Dutchman in front of an enthusiastic young crowd. We are in good shape for the opening on Saturday.

Yesterday was one of these marathon days when late at night you wonder how all this could have happened in one single day. As every Tuesday I started with our weekly Marketing meeting followed by a phone call with an artists manager in Italy. Then I walked over to the Distillery District for the official announcement of Culture Days at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts. Culture Days is a major new initiative to promote the arts and culture everywhere in Canada. They will take place for the first time from Sept. 24 to 26 this year and I am proud that we will be able to contribute. From there I went to have lunch with Christopher Alden, the brilliant director of our Flying Dutchman, and a Board member who has made a very substantial financial contribution to our production. The afternoon started with another Board member at the offices of the Ontario Media Development Centre OMDC, followed by our weekly senior staff meeting which developed into a meeting with our Managing Director and our Director of Finance and Administration. Between the end of this meeting and the dress of Dutchman I just had enough time to go through all the e-mails that had arrived during the day.

Today started with an early breakfast with the Senior Vice President Marketing and Communications for North America of one of the world's major luxury brands which we hope to associate with the COC. Followed our weekly meeting with my Artistic and Music Administrators and an inspiring meeting with with a young director.

Now, I'm in the Porter lounge at the Island Airport waiting for my flight to board. I will send my performance report from Chicago tomorrow.