Stockholm - Hooray, hooray - it's " K te K day" ..!!

Yes, all being well, "The Magical Maori Maiden" is with you today at the Konserthuset, in Hortorget - where last week your delightful Swedish soprano Lisa Larsson, charmed us with her gorgeous, youthful 'Marzellina' in the 'Fidelio' concert. I always tease her that she is in good company on You Tube, 'sandwiched' between videos of Kiri - now they will have shared the same platform ..nice one !! Having previously spent some wonderful hours with my first Swedish 'breathing convert' and treasured friend, the amazing Anna Larsson, contralto extraordinaire, and some of her promising and talented young singers, walking in the woods with Mussi, the cuddly dachshund - blissful, heaven on earth, I left Stockholm extremely tired, but totally inspired by the progress of all my devoted breathers...You really brought the spring to life for me. My first meeting with K te K was in 1967 (!) when we were students at The London Opera Centre, a 1930's cinema, converted to a rehearsal space for The Royal Opera Company, in the East End of London. All the International singers of that period rehearsed there on a daily basis, before moving in to the opera house at Covent Garden. So, as students, we queued for meals with Placido (who always kissed ones' hand - so romantic and dreamlike .) Domingo, Joan Sutherland, Birgit Nilsson, James Mc. Cracken - it was a bit like a singers Valhalla !! What I recall most vividly was how kind and generous they were towards we 'greenhorns' - no airs and graces which one might have expected, very modest and human, human beings.. As one commented 'I am always aware that I'm very fortunate to have been blessed with my abilities, it doesn't make me any better than anyone else, just luckier'...so enjoy the experience of being in the same orbit as a living legend, Dearest Kiri - may she inspire you to greater heights in whatever you wish to achieve, she has enchanted us worldwide for half a century and still has the 'inner child' wide awake - ah meee..what a miracle ...toi toi toi Kiri ...I'll be with you all in spirit - and breathin' along...don't you forget to k..p b.......g in all the excitement...'bye, 'bye ... love from Simsibimsi....