The organist librarian

Tuesday an unexpected treat as Louise came over to help Bruce pack up so had Seán and Ciarán to look after. Liz took Ciarán for a tram ride to Wimbledon. I went to St Paul's cathedral for the 359th festival of the Sons of the clergy. Tewkesbury Abbey and Norwich cathedral choirs sang well - Britten, Will Todd, Gibbons and Greig Ave maris stella. A good sermon from the Bishop of Norwich. Rejoice in the Lamb worked really well as the combined anthem as did Hymn to the virgin. We had some great hymns to sing "Christ is the king" "Ye that know the Lord is gracious" (but why to Blaenwern and not Abbots Leigh?) and Christ triumphant. Bishop of London wearing horrid black and red cope and mitre. Bus and time for a sandwich at Pret before meeting Liz to see Boheme at Coliseum. Upper circle centre two for one £25. Wonderful production with some great singing. Duncan Rock particularly impressed, Glyn Hughes Jones got some fine top notes and Kate Valentine and Angel Blue ...

To Canary Wharf on train and Jubilee line in good time to get a good place to watch Royal Ballet live in Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet". This is a masterpiece by Kenneth MacMillan. Like me the couple next to me had seen Fonteyn and Nureyev dance this and they can't be matched but I must say Sarah Lamb and Viacheslav Samodurov were excellent. The music is wonderful and so moving. The story could not be more apposite in our gang knife crime climate. I found sitting on cushions (mine and an inflatable one from BP) on a rug on the grass quite OK. There was a good crowd with many from ethnic minorities who no doubt would never go to Covent Garden! Alas I can't go to the big screen operas as we have Elijah rehearsals. Liz was cantor at 5.30 p.m. Mass so didn't come home - Fr Ed did well in his first mass at 10.30 a.m. Fell asleep watching "Wild China" and Dimbleby in Russia. excellent broadcast evensong from Tewkesbury Abbey.