Overture to Collegeville

Last night's concert in the Overture Hall was a big success. The choir adapted superbly to the clear but dry acoustic and gave a really convincing performance of the Victoria Requiem - a work which is hard enough to bring off in a resonant church but requiring so much more attention to line and blend to be convincing in a concert hall setting. The result was splendid - well done to everyone.

Here we are during the concert. The extra room available on the stage meant that the singers could be more widely spaced than usual, helping to avoid a lumpy sound.

Earlier in the day some of us went to look inside the Capitol which sports a 200+ft dome, made from granite.

Today we had a long coach journey through Wisconsin and Minnesota, arriving at St John's Abbey, Collegeville, at 4pm. Mr Stevens and I are guests in the monastery where there is no wifi - I've had to sneak out in the dark to a neighbouring building to write this.

The Abbey church dates from 1961 and our concert tomorrow afternoon is part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. The building is of its time. Here is Mr Stevens in search of the tabernacle: "They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him" (Jn.10:13)

I may have to buy some antihistamines to treat his allergy to watered-down Catholicism...

But 1960s architecture aside it's a very beautiful place, situated in 2,740 acres of woodland and lakes. Here are some stunning views from a walk I took just before sunset.