We had a terrific second performance of Nightingale at BAM last night. Between the cheers of the public and the great reviews in the papers we couldn't be happier here. I am proud that the quality of our work is valued so highly.

Now, I'm just on my way to New Haven. Once a year I go there to hear the young singers of the Opera Program at Yale. It always is a very talented group and sometimes there are even a few Canadians. Last year, I heard a young soprano there who will now join the COC's Ensemble Studio next season.

I'll be back in New York for our third Nightingale tonight.

This morning, on my flight from Chicago back to New York, it made me so proud to see the other people on the plane read the New York Times with the review and huge photo of our Nightingale on the front page of the Arts section. Tuesday's opening at BAM was a wonderful success and it is wonderful to see that the critics agree. What an achievement for our company!

I had flown to Chicago for one day to attend the dress rehearsal of Handel's Hercules, a new production by the fabulous Peter Sellars, conducted by Harry Bicket and a stellar cast of Handelians, a co-production of Chicago Lyric Opera with the COC. We'll be presenting the production in a few years from now (with the same cast and conductor) and I can't wait to see it on our stage. We'll all be in for a treat.

Now, I'm back in New York for an afternoon of auditions and the second performance of Nightingale at BAM tonight.

On Friday and Saturday, we ended our winter season with two beautiful performances of Magic Flute and Nixon in China. I'm proud that we were able to add Nixon to our repertoire and bring Flute back after a very long absence, both true milestones in the history of opera in their very own way. Thank you to all our wonderful artists who have made this winter season so special.

Today was a big travel day and hopefully by this evening all company members participating in taking our production of The Nightingale and Other Short Fables to the Brooklyn Academy of Music will have arrived in New York safely. If your follow the other COC blog Parlando you will know that we've been busy with the technical setup at BAM for the past few days. Now, only one more day of rehearsals with the full cast, chorus and orchestra separates us from the opening on Tuesday.

And on top of all, the weather here in New York is quite a bit more clement than at home in Toronto. No more snow!