Mercer's

Problems with the music group's hosting providers continue. Yesterday was desperately frustrating, with one thing piling on top of another: not just hosting problems, with nastiness in other directions too, all of which got to be a bit much.

So I was looking forward to going to the opera tonight. Irish National Opera are following on from their triumph with Powder Her Face with something completely different — Mozart's Marriage of Figaro. It's a special production for two reasons: Tara Erraught returning to her native Dubllin in the role of Susanna, and Patrick Mason returning in the role of opera director. He did a wonderful job on another Mozart opera (Don Giovanni) a good few years ago, a production which I remember clearly for its energy and the superb coup de theatre with which it ended.

Tonight did not disappoint. Everything was top-notch – Tara obviously, but all the cast really. The surtitles were wonderful, nicely colloqualised and often laugh-raising, the staging and lighting were terrific, the Irish Chamber Orchestra with Peter Whelan conducting were ideal (especially the fortepianist who work accompanying the recitatives was brilliant. and Patrick Mason's direction which was a triumph. All in all a great night (long though: almost eleven when it ended, after a 7:30 start).

And the blip? Nothing special, just the corner clocktower (not working, of course) on the Mercer's Hospital building, which I passed on the way from the car park to the Gaiety Theatre.