It is inky black at 2:00 am on the Balkan backroads and we are following the insane driving of the red van ahead of us. In BiH insanity is a prerequisite for a drivers licence. My body is numb after 10 hours of work and 4 hours of being on the road, but I am alert - knowing that I have to take my turn at driving soon. We are heading for Fazana, a small, sleepy fishing village on the northern adriatid coast. Much later ... we pulled into the driveway at 5:30 am. The sun was rising, and one or two of the 10 sleeping bodies strewn about the house stirred in greeting. Nigel Osborne looking tired but fresh, appeared out in the damp dewy morning to welcome us to this amazing home that emerged from left over Roman ruins... ruins that would form the theatre stage for the Sevdah Opera we would see later that day.

So what is a Fazana summer music camp? ....

... It's being tired all the time. Andrew is the youngest (by about 100 years) and slept most of the trip... but he hasnt been Balkanized yet. After 6 days in Mostar, we kidnapped him to this strange place with strange... very strange people ... Still - he survived, as did we all.

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.. It's being tired but happy ... After a confusing but warm and friendly breakfast, we watched the Opera Circus rehearse Nigel Osborne's 3 day opera. That is to say - composed and rehearsed in the 3 days prior to our arrival. Here Larisa and Marisa revive themselves in the garden while waiting for the final performance. It rained so a stage was improvised inside the house.

. It's the music. Oh my - its the sweet music of real musicians who know how to tune themselves together. After the performance and delivered lunch, the musicians needed to play some more! Here is Nigel, Aiden, Tony, Goran and conductor of the opera just enjoying themselves. Great food, amazing music and ... maybe a patch of grass to lie down and snooze a bit..

... It's the dance ... and what a dance. Lenka, our hostess, knows how to live - here with Andy. A talented, warm and gracious lady, she made us all feel at home in her summer "cottage" - the next day I would be an early morning guest in her other home on Brjuni (island) after dancing all night andcatching the 7:30 am ferry to go to work in Pula.

... It's the work we do ... what really matters after all. We had music workshops with children with special needs in Pula for 3 days before the Mostar children arrived. Here Lori from Opera Circus helps out with the music workshops and finds new connections in the music ..... caption

... It's the cat, the dog, a mouse and some cheese ... a "physical" music drama created by one of the childrens groups in Pula with the help of Andy from Opera Circus and musicians from Mostar.

.. It's the joy within us .... and a happy ending. I think the cat and dog ended up friends and maybe the mouse got the cheese, but it all made Andy very happy!

...It's perseverance. Shiri, a young composer, found her own music at all times and in all places

.. It's the beach.  And the north adriatic offers the best ambience. Here in Fazana it is like an unspoiled Italy (i am told) The children and volunteers all had plenty of down time on the beach.

Olive tree on Brijuni reported to be 1000 years old.

... It's being younger than at least one other living thing. Nothing can replace life experience we 'elders' like to say. But occasonally, we covet the vibrance of youth. So there are two of us who definitely feel youthful next to this tree.

...It's being with great people .... Opera Circus people from the UK. Berty, Lori, Tina, me, Gay (journalist) and Darin (and Andy who left) These wonderful people donated quality time to the special needs children of Pula and Mostar - . We will see them in Sarajevo next year sometime when they bring the opera "home".





...  NO - It's the money!  Meet "Clyde" aka Nigel Osborne who financed this amazing camp - After a bureaucratic glich in the system that required some creative problem solving and a few banks with "Bonny" - an undisclosed female accomplice - the money arrived in time to save the camp from a premptive ending. And the rest of the story continued ...

Nigel Osborne - very happy to pay the summer camp landlords who threatened to evict us.