So, so nearly there.  Final performance this season of My Fair Lady (definite possibility of revival next season, which is good).  Standing ovation.  A couple of colleagues in tears because it was their last performance here, and generally raised emotion overall.  There remains the last outing of Macbeth tomorrow; I'm looking forward to that.  If you have to say (pretty much) goodbye to a theatre, best to do so from the perspective of a lead role.

Has to be said, though, the past few days have been a riot.  Without rehearsals to worry about, I have had enough time to fully enjoy the long weekend of festival here (Johannisfest - have absolutely no idea how to translate that, not being what you might call a practising Christian).  I have so enjoyed flitting from one experience to the next, simply enjoying the atmosphere and the (finally) wonderful weather, not to mention the occasional beer.  The picture above marks the final moments, when a barge on the Rhine lets of a load of rather spectacular fireworks, and masses of people on either bank of the river, and in serried ranks across the bridge, ooh and aah in unison.  I have evidently absorbed exactly enough German-ness to enjoy having the same reactions as a crowd of many, many thousands. 

And tomorrow is predicted to bring massive storms and rain.  All I can say is, please do so earlier rather than later, so that (a) I am not tempted to bask in the sunshine again (BAD for the voice on day of performance!) and (b) by the time I have to don a fur coat and belt around being nuts, the temperature will have come down a few degrees...  Fingers crossed!