In a news-conference today at la Scala, the Patrice Chereau production of Tristan Und Isolde that will open the season at la Scala on Dec. 7, a nicely graying Ian Storey and a spectacularly facially-tight-as-drum fifty something Waltraud Meier (a great idea for a director would be, Isolde dies after a botched Botox injection -- obviously poisoned by the Jews, to, you know, follow the composer's intent) talked shop with a bunch of journalists who, we're told, were basically only interested in one thing, ie, "are the unions going to let you sing or will the opera house be shut down by a strike as they have threatened for weeks now?" (the smart money is on, the show will go on) but had to settle for a lot of Wagner talk instead (and some additional amazement @ la signora Meier's impressively fresh visage).
OC was instead impressed by Storey's dedication: we're told that the big hulking tenor -- possibly the hardest working man in showbusiness, and certainly the one who can benchpress the hugest weight -- admitted that he sometimes studies his role even 7 hours a day because singing Tristan is more difficult than singing three Otellos at the same time, and then he hits the gym for 2 hours a day.
PS We'd love to run some pictures of the Chereau massively gloomy production -- complete with wailing Roman wall -- and of Isolde's hair extensions, but la Scala (and their lawyers) are among the minority of readers who do not particularly like us, so we're not publishing their press photos, thank you very much.