Espresso First, Shampoo Second

Every morning, I put on my slippers and dressing gown (yes, I’m that guy) and head to the kitchen to draw myself an espresso. Unless doctor’s orders strictly prohibit me for some reason, I could not imagine starting my day in any other way. It is a critical morning ritual, so much so that the trusty espresso machine is always the very first item to be unpacked when we move to a new house. I won’t even begin to describe the rigid regimen that takes place soon afterward for my morning ablutions — a tightly ordered military operation that the finest soldier would be proud of. God forbid I reach for the shower gel before the shampoo (why do I still use shampoo?!?)

Our lives are full of these little rituals. They provide order, help us remember essentials (I always floss while the shower warms up…), and bring comfort in the familiar. Sometimes, we develop rituals like this together: our little neighborhood up on the hill above the Festival tries to come together once a month for a rotating family dinner, and we now have many silly stories to share from those occasions. Last weekend, I performed at a friend’s annual holiday party in Connecticut with two fabulous singers (one of whom will be starring in The House on Mango Street this coming summer). I realized I had done this almost every year for the past quarter of a century.

The Comfort of Tradition

When these rituals are shared, they become traditions. Those that are shared by whole societies, faiths, and countries help define us — they become our culture, our religion, our national identity.

Of course, traditions are on my mind because the holidays are full of them. Whether it’s your favorite annual sweet treat, family tree-trimming the day after Thanksgiving, or going out for Chinese food in New York City on December 25, we all have the things we look forward to (or even begrudgingly suffer through with a knowing wink!) at this time of year.

The theater, and especially the opera, is loaded with tradition: opening night gifts, never saying the name of ‘that Scottish play,’ the ghost light (which became so moving and symbolic during the pandemic), saying ‘break a leg,’ ‘toi toi,’ or the more operatic ‘in bocca al lupo’ instead of wishing someone ‘good luck’ (which would, of course, be very bad luck).

Some of these are musical traditions, such as the great Italian school of singing we call ‘bel canto,’ optional high notes we get excited about, like Violetta’s high E flat at the end of ‘Sempre libera,’ or even the way a conductor usually beats a certain passage. These performance traditions are passed down from one generation to the next, much like the recipe for grandma’s cookies.

Of course, some traditions become controversial or change over time (there are conductors who will not allow that final Eb, like the great Riccardo Muti.) One of the most discussed in recent weeks has been the vocal riff at the end of ‘Defying Gravity’ in the new movie adaption of Wicked. While many were affronted by her audacity, it might be that Cynthia Erivo’s final riff as Elphaba has finally won out over Idina Menzel’s iconic original!

Traditions can be a double-edged sword. While some are harmless, beautiful, and comforting, others, like theatrical blackface, have been rightfully reevaluated over time as deeply inappropriate and offensive. As our world evolves, it is important to objectively examine our traditions from time to time — and sometimes, the new ones are just a better fit.

The Joy of Discovery

We now have half a century of traditions and rituals that we have created together here at Glimmerglass: our pre-performance lectures and picnics, our gatherings in the Pavilion, the closing of the side doors just before the curtain rises, the orchestra flowers that are thrown onto the stage from the pit for closing performances… This summer, we’ll enjoy many of these old traditions, and we might even start some new ones. As the theater world continues to evolve, we may decide to leave some of our old rituals behind and discover other exciting ones in the process.

While you relax with your glass of eggnog this holiday season, I encourage you to think about which traditions are most important to you and which you might put aside in favor of discovering something new. I’ll leave with an example – if you tend to stick to the familiar chestnuts each summer, why not take a chance this season on our world premiere, The House on Mango Street? We promise you won’t regret it!

From all of us here at the Festival, we wish you the happiest of holidays and all good things for 2025!