Solo Adventure: Stuttgart and Leipzig Auditions

I left Kenny in Torremolinos to guard the big suitcases while I headed off for a 10-day audition excursion to Stuttgart and Leipzig. It was certainly a bit of a tease to get to experience glorious beach weather, only to have to return to chilly Germany right away, but I knew I’d be back soon enough. My solo adventure began at 5am with a flight via Barcelona and Kenny was chivalrous enough to accompany me to the airport despite the rain and ungodly hour.

Apparently you’re not supposed to snap pictures of the security lines in the airport. Kenny was scolded for this shot as he was taking it. Whoops.

A first glimpse of Stuttgart! Not too shabby.

Spotted on my way to the grocery store: a group of Stuttgart-ans walking their big wooden toy?

A new development in the discovery of hotel room cookery.

Proud Stuttgart horse

I found the opera! I thought it looked a bit square and quickly realized I was at the wrong end of the building

Much better.

The warm-up/waiting room before the audition. It was for the Stuttgart Opera Studio: It went well, but the spot went to another mezzo-soprano (she was incredible-I heard her warming up). Not to worry though! Good news ahead…

I booked another early flight out of Stuttgart and was late running to the train, but had to stop to catch a picture of the glorious sunrise on my way out.

My first big accomplishment of Leipzig! Kenny and I are prone to competing and our latest competition has dealt with who can be the first to perfectly soft boil an egg. I had access to a fantastic kitchen at the hotel in Leipzig and here is my prize-winning entry.

I performed an independent validation of the method.

Abandoned kite at a park in Leipzig

Something about a caged bird…

So grand!

Statue with missing shoe

Stocking up to get more use out of the kitchen

The gorgeous view greeting me the day of my audition (backside of the opera house)

Warm-up room with a view

Some feathery costumes lying around

Waiting to sing onstage! The audition was for a small role in Opera Leipzig's 2014-2015 season.

The view from behind the curtain

Post audition treat. It went well! I didn’t get any feedback right away, but some good news to come…

Some more interesting Leipzig art

A sampling of some of the old derelict buildings around Leipzig

Full moon before dawn for my final early morning departure

Pit stop for a day in Stuttgart at this quaint little inn

Full service coffee in Stuttgart before heading back the beach!

Meanwhile in Torremolinos...

The Rock/Torremolinos

After our four-day stint in London, it was time to head to the beach. We picked Malaga to settle down in so that we could be near a major airport (I still had two German auditions to get to in the next week), and we happened to find a colorful little studio apartment in a suburb called Torremolinos. We got to travel through Gibraltar and see the big rock! It was definitely a shock to the system for the plane to land next to the warm beach, but we were very glad to shed our heavy winter coats. 

Our first glimpse of what to expect  I explored the Gibraltar airport some via the google and expected the approach over water.  But it's still an experience, to say the least, to see ships right outside your PLANE window.

Another fun feature of Gibraltar International Airport: the runway crosses the main (only) road onto the rock.  As do planes. (Denise was in the aisle seat.  Hah!)

There it is! 

Lest you forget that Gibraltar is on British soil.

Our hotel in La Linea (the Spanish city right outside Gibraltar) was by far the nicest we’ve stayed in so far. We took full advantage of our ocean front balcony.

The best part of the hotel: free afternoon Nespresso. Don’t mind if I do... "Determined laser focus."

FLOWER!  For reference, that post with all the snow and freezing temperatures in Berlin: 5 days previous.

Apparently what we believed to be t-shirt weather was winter coat weather to the locals. 

A playground encountered on our exploratory mission about town.

Our new friend. We definitely didn’t find too many of these flowers in Berlin.

Still on the tree!  I didn't understand at first why they were just left up there, so easy to reach.  I retrieved one.

There wasn’t too much open on a Sunday, so we ended up at the McDonalds where we happened upon this wild party. The woman who noticed the secret photographer doesn’t seem very pleased with his antics.

Somebody went about acquiring this building, on the beach, and then bricked up every opening.

I took this picture moments before encountering that building with bricked up windows...the thing found so reprehensible as to keep out using bricks?  Maybe there's a sea zombie problem.

Kenny was brave enough to try a free tree orange. Evidently these are not meant for comfortable human consumption. Unfortunately I didn’t have the camera ready to capture the expression he made when he tried the supremely sour fruit.

Balcony view (!) of the sunset.

Such a pretty thing

At the bus station.

Finishing up (inhaling) the last of the crisps we bought in London in our new (temporary) digs! 

The top of Torremolinos's promenade to the beach.  Notice: locals bundled against the ravaging winter conditions (60°F, light cloud cover).

Yes!

As promised...

On the road again.