Christmas Letter - 2006

Original Post Date: December 7, 2006

This is my annual Christmas letter. I'm mailing and e-mailing it, but I figured I'd blog it as well! Enjoy!

Christmas 2006

Dear Friends,
As I sit here, writing my Year in Review for 2006, I'm thinking..."Where did the time go?" This year sure has flown by!

I'll start with my biggest, bestest news of the year: I finally got to go on my dream vacation! That's right...I went to New York City! My sister Shauna's roommates paid her way as a graduation present, and I got to tag along (at my own expense, of course)! We were there for almost a whole week in March. We saw most of the sights, went to a show every night, and came home totally and utterly exhausted! I can hardly wait to go back! Oh, and in case you're wondering, we saw Wicked, Blue Man Group, Cyranno de Bergerac at the Met (with Placído Domingo!!), The Light in the Piazza, the Wicked Backstage Tour, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

There's not much else to tell for the year, since the trip to NYC was the highlight of my entire life. Just kidding!! It's been a busy year, theatrically and operatically! I spent the first couple of months working on some opera scenes with the Loveland Opera Theatre. We had two performances in May. I played the role of Dorabella in Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte Act 1 finale, Meg Page in Verdi's Falstaff Act 1, Scene 2, and chorus in Strauss' Die Fledermaus Act 2 Party Scene. I had about 2 weeks off after our final performance before I started rehearsals for Anything Goes with Front Range Music Theatre. I played Reporter #1 and a ship passenger. The show was loads of fun! My brother Craig and my cousin Brian were both in the cast as Sailors. My sister Shauna built the set in our driveway, which was an adventure. In September we had a fundraising Gala for Loveland Opera Theatre, and I sang the Lakmé Flower Duet with my friend Mary Beth. November kicked off vocal rehearsals for Loveland Opera Theatre's next production, Gilbert & Sullivan's The Gondoliers. I am playing Vittoria and I'm understudying Tessa. We start full rehearsals in January and will perform in early March. Add to that, I am involved with LOT's "What is Opera?" school outreach program. When I say I had a busy year, that's no joke!

I quit my job at Falcon Properties in September. I needed a change. I was totally burnt out. I thought I'd be able to find a new job quickly, but alas, that has not been the case. I'm enjoying the vacation, but the lack of income is catching up to me fast!! I am working as the Administrative Assistant for Loveland Opera Theatre, but it doesn't pay much and some of the work I'm trading for voice lessons!

I am very much enjoying being an aunt to my absolutely adorable niece, Emily. She's now 21 months old and as cute as a button! I sometimes go up to Wellington (where they live, it's north of Ft Collins) and kidnap her for the afternoon. It gives my sister-in-law Robin a break and gives me an Emily fix.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
LOVE, ANGELA