Press conferences are a staple of any opera premiere. To lighten things up, Carlus opened a bottle of water and emptied it over his head, declaring that he was now an immortal alien. That certainly got the attention of the journalists, but unfortunately I wasn’t quick enough to catch it on film.

The most exciting but also nerve-wracking period of any opera production are the Stage/Orchestra rehearsals, where the singers try to cope with the situation on the stage while lighting and direction are usually frustrated about the many things they still have to work on. It is also the last opportunity to make final decisions about the presentation…