Tonight I am writing to you from Lucca Italy where I’ve joined a group of opera buffs for the Puccini Opera Festival. I am on my way to the Birmingham UK Festival of Quilts, but I am taking a little operatic side trip with my accumulated United miles!
As we arrived this afternoon, this is what I saw at the front entrance to the old walled city, and I thought it was such a great image capturing the essence of this historic place. Cars are not allowed inside the old walls, but there is lots of opera because this area is where Puccini lived and worked. (Madame Butterfly, Tosca, La Boheme, etc.) Everywhere you go here there are lots of bicycles, and lots of reference to classical music and Puccini’s operas. So I’ve put together this little collage of my photo, and eQuilter fabrics.
Instead of being with quilters, I with a music professor from Cardiff Wales, and opera fans who usher at their local opera performances. The conversations run very parallel to quilters’ conversations, but just insert “Opera” and “Puccini” instead of “Quilts” and “Fabric”. I get lots of inspiration when hanging out with creative people who have a different artistic passion.
Attending live performances always sets my creative brain buzzing, and often I get my best ideas during an opera, orchestra concert, or ballet. Local university music programs can be a great source of affordable tickets. Try it sometime!
sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana
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2016 Travel Calendar:
Aug 13-14 – Festival of Quilts – Birmingham UK
Sept 3 – Water is Life – Frascati Rome
Sept 18-25 – CUBA Arts Tour #2 – Havana, Trinidad & Varadaro
Oct 6 – Dairy Barn – Athens OH – “Intl Quilt Trends” Lecture
Oct 29 – Nov 4 – Houston Quilt Market & Festival
Nov 11-13 – Color Marketing Group – Albuquerque
Nov 15-20 – Luana’s Polar Bear Tour – Churchill Canada
