Run-Through? What's that?

Today at the theater was just more ridiculousness, but by now, I'm used to it and I don't even get upset by it anymore. Today was supposed to be the "make-up" rehearsal for that one they took away from us last week, but it was only a two and a half hour rehearsal, so there was no way we could actually run the show (something we've NEVER done). And instead of starting at the first scene, they decided to start with the overture, and to work on it musically for 20 minutes (I counted - he stopped and worked on it 4 times) while we waited anxiously in the wings. Then the decision was made to skip over all the recitatives and just do the numbers with orchestra, which is very difficult dramatically, because you don't get a chance to do all the things that led up to whatever it is you are supposed to be singing about. Then as time went by, it became obvious that we wouldn't even finish all the musical numbers, so the conductor started skipping around - except nobody knew what he was going to do next, so they weren't in place backstage and ready to start. So he would start the number anyway, without the singers, and somebody would eventually rush onstage and start singing in the middle of the scene. But I did get to sing both of my arias in full, which was more than some people got to do. So, we will never have run through the opera, nor will we ever have even done certain scenes before our dress rehearsal thursday, for which there will be an audience. Good luck to us!

When I returned to the theater to watch the first cast do their rehearsal (a full run though of the entire opera without stopping) I arrived a little early and saw the cast onstage with the director and the conductor in some kind of discussion. Apparently, somebody decided that in fact, we cannot do the entire opera without any cuts, and we would have to cut some of the recitatives. Today. 2 days before the opening. When we have no more rehearsals without an audience. Lucky for me I happened to show up to this rehearsal, because I guess if I hadn't someone would have told me right before I went out onstage "by the way, this recit has a cut in it now, so after such and such part, sing this line instead. Go!" I mean - insanity!!! And there's no reason to make cuts at this point because only something drastic would make a difference in the timing of the show! And was anybody gonna even tell the poor second cast anything??? I really am laughing at it all at this point - I feel no stress, only amusement at this circus. As long as nobody falls off the trapeze!