Today was the first day that I was able to sleep in! I didn’t wake up until my alarm went off at 9:30. After breakfast, Jonathan, Kiyon, and I ventured to the laundromat with our significant others. The laundromat was easy to figure out, and we met a lot of colorful Italians while waiting for our laundry to finish, who all seemed dismayed when we couldn’t respond in Italian (especially Jonathan and Jordan with their Italian looks). Once the laundry was done, we grabbed some pizza for lunch and then all returned to the hotel for a pre-show nap.

At 5:30 I met Kiyon and Jonathan to walk up to the theater. Class was held onstage and led by Le Yin. After class, everyone was busy preparing for the show and discussing how much stage make up would be appropriate considering that the audience is very close.

While warming up before the show, it was apparent that nerves were high after the difficulties of last night’s rehearsal, but once we were out there those nerves seemed to melt away. Opus went really well and was a lot of fun! Sarah danced really well in Opus, but I could tell that she was nervous about getting through Sinatra Suite, and I was nervous that we weren’t prepared to perform it having missed dress rehearsal. However, it was clear that the audience was loving Sinatra from their reaction at the beginning of the first duet, and that helped to energize us. When Sarah and I went out for “Domani” the audience cheered, clearly showing their appreciation of the song’s Italian title. The duet was not perfect, but went really well considering the circumstances!

All in all, opening night in Spoleto seemed like a success. After the show, Alessandra Ferri came back stage to congratulate us on the show  before we all departed for dinner. Hopefully the shows will continue to become better and feel more relaxed as the weekend goes on.

–Benjamin Griffiths