Verdi: Requiem (Montpellier, May 2023)

In May this year, the Opera in Montpellier, South France invited the chorus of Opera Vlaanderen to join them in performing Verdi’s Requiem. I honestly had the best time. We travelled there for a whole week and the sun decided to come out for us.
It was very good for me to get the opportunity to practice my French. I studied French for only 2 years at school, and it wasn’t taught particularly well, so I don’t feel confident forming my own sentences. But as the week went on, my confidence was growing, and I began to say more, and I was also able to understand more too. I also decided to take the opportunity to take in some French cuisine. I visited a Fromagerie and bought some incredible cheeses that I ate for lunch daily with fresh baguettes. When in France, right?


The concert itself was a great success. To my eye, the 2000 seater auditorium “Le Corum” looked completely sold out, and the rapturous applause after was very heart warming. They certainly like to cheer in the Mediterranean. Best of all, my new French colleagues expressed how much they had enjoyed working and singing with us, and the chorus master said that she would very much like to collaborate with us again. I really love touring, it really is one of my favourite parts of my job. I hope that we will get more opportunities to travel and sing again soon.