Yesterday I got a call from Chris Carter, one of the founders of the Northwest Puppet Center. This family-run theater presents a full season of six shows a year, covering the range of puppetry arts, from Balinese shadow puppets to the Carter’s handmade marionettes. And every year, their final show is an opera! We saw “The Dragon of Wantley” a few years ago and loved it. In keeping with the traditions of puppetry, it was a silly, fun, bawdy evening that incorporated commentary on current events into the story! Very fun. (We also saw “The Hobbit” that same season; so delightful. Early on, when Bilbo is alone in his hobbit hole, we see a shadow go by the window and then hear a knock on the door. Bilbo said “Who could that be?” A small voice from the front row cried out, “It’s Gandalf!”)
I submitted a tape to them last year around this time, after working with David Stutz, a bass whom they hire often, who encouraged me to contact them. They offered me the role of Pamina in their Magic Flute adaptation, but I sadly had to turn it down. In the end it was best, as my spring was WAY overbooked this year!
One of my many spring projects was the role of Cupid in Venus & Adonis with the Seattle Early Music Guild. My first pants role! I had a great time acting the mischievous boy. Chris and her husband, Stephen, saw a performance, and loved me as a boy so much that they’ve asked me to sing Tom Thumb in Arne’s Opera of Operas, or Tom Thumb the Great, this year’s Marionette Opera! How cool is that? Granted, in a puppet opera, I’ll be sitting on the side of the stage while my marionette gets all the action (including falling in love with a giantess, sung by my friend David!), but I will have a blast. It will interesting – and fun, I think – to only have to sing a role, not to have to be onstage doing the actions.
So that makes two “boys” on my resume; anybody want to hire me to sing Oscar?
My mom always said that I was “incorrigible,” at least in the way Maria described it to Fredrich: “it means you want to be treated like a boy.” I was a bit of a tomboy in jr. high, preferring to ford streams with my brother and “the guys” than to practice putting on makeup with my girlfriends from school. I still appreciate being treated not so much like a boy, but certainly not like I’m helpless. I hate having a fuss made over me, believe it or not. I can do my own wash and get my own coffee, and if I know where something is, I’ll help myself, thank you very much. I know people think I can be pushy, but I’m not going to waste time hemming and hawing and waiting for you to notice that my cup is empty or that the light is shining in my face (yes, there's a story there, not one for the blog!). I'll get up and take care of it. I would want you to feel comfortable enough to do the same at my house. (I’ll do my best to notice first, though!)
But, of course, I also enjoy being a girl: today I came home with $80 worth of MAC cosmetics (thanks to a gift card from Erik!) and teal pumps with an adorable D-ring detail. Then there are the new sweaters and scented powders and a plush white robe from Christmas, all reminding me that not only am I a girl, I’m a Diva!
Friday, December 30, 2005
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Finally!
My website has soundfiles!! Erik and I stayed up way too late last night, even though it was once again a “school night” for him, getting the Downloads page set up, and I’m very happy with how it turned out. He even found a really simple way for us to have the files available for streaming or for download, rather than one or the other. Once again, technology is very cool!
I’m happy with the files I’ve chosen, too. They are all from live performances, as I have had no time this fall to get a recording session organized. (You’d think it’d be easier for me, since I have a husband who is a recording engineer and a friend with great recording equipment and another friend with access to a church, but, no.) Listed in reverse chronological order, the first recording is still a year old. The oldest is just over two years old, from October 2003. Here are my thoughts on each.
The Lakme Flower Duet was recorded in January of this year at the Opera Rescue Tsunami Benefit concert at Town Hall Seattle. It is a gorgeous piece that really needs no introduction, other than to say that Sarah and I had a wonderful time singing together and we are both happy with the recording! (It is posted with her blessing.) That is a rare thing, as singers are picky! Our voices blend beautifully, which is really key for this duet. I decided to post the whole thing, since it is an “opera gem” that I figured people wouldn’t mind hearing!
My first public outing for Zerbinetta is next, from a Ladies Musical Club of Seattle concert at the Asian Art Museum (great recital hall in the basement!). I want to record this again, but for now, I’m happy with what this shows. I feel that in the past year, I’ve gotten more free with it and I’m having more fun. There is one note that I’m still not totally happy with, but I’m working on it… And, no, there is no prize if you can figure out which note! I’ve included the last half of the (12-minute) aria, the half with all the fireworks.
My first full role with orchestra, Britten’s Tytania, is next. I chose to use her first aria, “Come, now a roundel,” rather than “Be Kind & Courteous” for a few reasons. You don’t hear it as often (in auditions), which I think is a shame. I guess those spectacular strings are hard to replicate on the piano. Also, the legato is a nice contrast to the fireworks in the other arias. And, hey, a nice floaty high-C# never hurts, either!
The next song, “In a Gondola” by Ned Rorem, is one of those stage moments a performer treasures her entire life. I sang this song and another (“Song for a Girl,” both from Rorem’s Six Songs for High Voices) at the Tanglewood concert celebrating the composer’s 80th birthday. I was terrified when I saw my music, as they are truly HIGH! The other we ended up transposing down a half-step (dear, sweet, talented pianist!), and it still ended on a sustained high-Eflat. Eeeek. But, when it came time to sing, the magic of the moment was truly with me, and I just lived the music. It was transporting for me, taking me to the realm of performance where we get to stop worrying about the words and the notes and the breath and the legato and all that intellectual stuff that can get in the way of truly inhabiting the stage. Afterwards, a friend said to me, “If you keep singing like that, people are going to start asking you to sing Zerbinetta!” Ha! This performance is one of the reasons Tanglewood is so special to me. To read the text, visit such stuff.
Finally, my favorite recital closer: the Prima Donna Song! I know people find this piece annoying, but I think it is so fun when performed totally tongue in check. Lots of places to work the audience! The little chuckle you hear at the beginning is in response to a little curtsey I gave, already in character, and this character hates to curtsy. Unless she’s doing big Diva Bows, which I do during the interlude and then chastise the audience for not clapping. Fun! Also, a moment that doesn’t really translate on recording: I hold the final high note FOREVER (it’s only a B)!! With my arms up and eyes closed, totally wrapped up in myself, and then, towards the end, I take a peek to see if the audience is still with me. Again, just a fun moment!
I’m going to home for three uninterrupted months this spring, so I’m planning to record some more arias. Nannetta, of course, along with Adele and maybe Sophie (Werther). I also have some concerts from the fall that might have usable tracks; we’ll see. I don’t want to have more than five or six at any one time, though. Don’t want to give it all away! Enjoy.
I’m happy with the files I’ve chosen, too. They are all from live performances, as I have had no time this fall to get a recording session organized. (You’d think it’d be easier for me, since I have a husband who is a recording engineer and a friend with great recording equipment and another friend with access to a church, but, no.) Listed in reverse chronological order, the first recording is still a year old. The oldest is just over two years old, from October 2003. Here are my thoughts on each.
The Lakme Flower Duet was recorded in January of this year at the Opera Rescue Tsunami Benefit concert at Town Hall Seattle. It is a gorgeous piece that really needs no introduction, other than to say that Sarah and I had a wonderful time singing together and we are both happy with the recording! (It is posted with her blessing.) That is a rare thing, as singers are picky! Our voices blend beautifully, which is really key for this duet. I decided to post the whole thing, since it is an “opera gem” that I figured people wouldn’t mind hearing!
My first public outing for Zerbinetta is next, from a Ladies Musical Club of Seattle concert at the Asian Art Museum (great recital hall in the basement!). I want to record this again, but for now, I’m happy with what this shows. I feel that in the past year, I’ve gotten more free with it and I’m having more fun. There is one note that I’m still not totally happy with, but I’m working on it… And, no, there is no prize if you can figure out which note! I’ve included the last half of the (12-minute) aria, the half with all the fireworks.
My first full role with orchestra, Britten’s Tytania, is next. I chose to use her first aria, “Come, now a roundel,” rather than “Be Kind & Courteous” for a few reasons. You don’t hear it as often (in auditions), which I think is a shame. I guess those spectacular strings are hard to replicate on the piano. Also, the legato is a nice contrast to the fireworks in the other arias. And, hey, a nice floaty high-C# never hurts, either!
The next song, “In a Gondola” by Ned Rorem, is one of those stage moments a performer treasures her entire life. I sang this song and another (“Song for a Girl,” both from Rorem’s Six Songs for High Voices) at the Tanglewood concert celebrating the composer’s 80th birthday. I was terrified when I saw my music, as they are truly HIGH! The other we ended up transposing down a half-step (dear, sweet, talented pianist!), and it still ended on a sustained high-Eflat. Eeeek. But, when it came time to sing, the magic of the moment was truly with me, and I just lived the music. It was transporting for me, taking me to the realm of performance where we get to stop worrying about the words and the notes and the breath and the legato and all that intellectual stuff that can get in the way of truly inhabiting the stage. Afterwards, a friend said to me, “If you keep singing like that, people are going to start asking you to sing Zerbinetta!” Ha! This performance is one of the reasons Tanglewood is so special to me. To read the text, visit such stuff.
Finally, my favorite recital closer: the Prima Donna Song! I know people find this piece annoying, but I think it is so fun when performed totally tongue in check. Lots of places to work the audience! The little chuckle you hear at the beginning is in response to a little curtsey I gave, already in character, and this character hates to curtsy. Unless she’s doing big Diva Bows, which I do during the interlude and then chastise the audience for not clapping. Fun! Also, a moment that doesn’t really translate on recording: I hold the final high note FOREVER (it’s only a B)!! With my arms up and eyes closed, totally wrapped up in myself, and then, towards the end, I take a peek to see if the audience is still with me. Again, just a fun moment!
I’m going to home for three uninterrupted months this spring, so I’m planning to record some more arias. Nannetta, of course, along with Adele and maybe Sophie (Werther). I also have some concerts from the fall that might have usable tracks; we’ll see. I don’t want to have more than five or six at any one time, though. Don’t want to give it all away! Enjoy.
Friday, December 23, 2005
The Bloggy Year in Review
I borrowed this meme from Mental-Multivitamin, who borrowed it from someone else, as is often the way of these things. Take the first sentence of the first post of every month of the year. Here are mine:
January: Andrea Gruber, a soprano who we heard at Seattle Opera last spring as Minnie in La Fanciulla del West, is talking publicly about her struggles with drug addiction.
February: In our new apartment, I have an office.
March: Well, my first Queen of the Night is in the books!
April: I haven’t posted in the past couple of weeks because I’ve had too many things to write about and not enough time to write about them.
May: WARNING!! Serious tech talk within.
June: Where to start?
July: I’m still here!
August: Tonight we have the second performance of Ainadamar, which opened strongly on Saturday.
September: I arrived back in Seattle late last night, and boy, does it feel good!
October: Having friends from The Summer here in my home was at once delightful and a little bizarre.
November: The Manolo, he has discovered the joy that is Osvaldo Golijov.
December: Sorry to take a while to get an update here!
It was amusing for me to see which posts started with excuses or apologies! Not surprisingly, they were the ones from months where I was very busy traveling, rehearsing, auditioning, etc., which are the main topics of the blog! I need to stop apologizing for doing those things and just write about them more.
To more writing – and traveling, rehearsing, auditioning, etc. – in 2006!
January: Andrea Gruber, a soprano who we heard at Seattle Opera last spring as Minnie in La Fanciulla del West, is talking publicly about her struggles with drug addiction.
February: In our new apartment, I have an office.
March: Well, my first Queen of the Night is in the books!
April: I haven’t posted in the past couple of weeks because I’ve had too many things to write about and not enough time to write about them.
May: WARNING!! Serious tech talk within.
June: Where to start?
July: I’m still here!
August: Tonight we have the second performance of Ainadamar, which opened strongly on Saturday.
September: I arrived back in Seattle late last night, and boy, does it feel good!
October: Having friends from The Summer here in my home was at once delightful and a little bizarre.
November: The Manolo, he has discovered the joy that is Osvaldo Golijov.
December: Sorry to take a while to get an update here!
It was amusing for me to see which posts started with excuses or apologies! Not surprisingly, they were the ones from months where I was very busy traveling, rehearsing, auditioning, etc., which are the main topics of the blog! I need to stop apologizing for doing those things and just write about them more.
To more writing – and traveling, rehearsing, auditioning, etc. – in 2006!
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
The End
Today was my last day. The last time driving over the 520 floating bridge. The last time calling ahead to say I was stuck in traffic on said bridge and that I’d be there about ten minutes late. The last time shuffling lesson books and notebooks and asking “what would you like to play first?” The last time reviewing last week’s lesson, being impressed with progress or commiserating with the student over lack of practice time. The last time saying “Goodbye;” the first time not saying, “See you next time.”
I gave each of my students, or each family of students, a book of holiday songs as a parting present. We spent the last ten or fifteen minutes of our lessons today picking out a holiday song (or better yet, a duet!) to practice and play for family.
Every one of them said, as we slogged through this thinly-disguised sight-reading exercise: “This is fun!” You can imagine the pitter-pat sound my heart made every time I heard that! The inscription in each book was “From Ms. Bird, with love and best wishes for a lifetime of music-making.” And if they can say sight-reading is fun, then they are well on their way!
This fall, for the first time, teaching was a real strain on me. My schedule was never the same from week to week, and I was constantly having to play catch-up or rearrange twenty people’s schedules in order to keep up. It added a surprising amount of stress to my already stressful season. I know the students suffered, too; I don’t think they made as much progress this fall as I know they could have if I’d seen them every week. And that is why I have to stop! If I truly wish for them a “lifetime of music-making,” they need consistency at this stage of development. It would be selfish of me to ask them to stick with me through my irregular schedule and cancelled lessons. But I have thought about asking…
I can’t get the voice of one of my 5th-graders out of my head: “I’m going to miss you so much!” She must have said this half a dozen times, and each time I thought my heart would break. As happy and proud and joyful that I am to have made such an impression, to have given these children the gift of music, I am so sad to let them go.
I gave each of my students, or each family of students, a book of holiday songs as a parting present. We spent the last ten or fifteen minutes of our lessons today picking out a holiday song (or better yet, a duet!) to practice and play for family.
Every one of them said, as we slogged through this thinly-disguised sight-reading exercise: “This is fun!” You can imagine the pitter-pat sound my heart made every time I heard that! The inscription in each book was “From Ms. Bird, with love and best wishes for a lifetime of music-making.” And if they can say sight-reading is fun, then they are well on their way!
This fall, for the first time, teaching was a real strain on me. My schedule was never the same from week to week, and I was constantly having to play catch-up or rearrange twenty people’s schedules in order to keep up. It added a surprising amount of stress to my already stressful season. I know the students suffered, too; I don’t think they made as much progress this fall as I know they could have if I’d seen them every week. And that is why I have to stop! If I truly wish for them a “lifetime of music-making,” they need consistency at this stage of development. It would be selfish of me to ask them to stick with me through my irregular schedule and cancelled lessons. But I have thought about asking…
I can’t get the voice of one of my 5th-graders out of my head: “I’m going to miss you so much!” She must have said this half a dozen times, and each time I thought my heart would break. As happy and proud and joyful that I am to have made such an impression, to have given these children the gift of music, I am so sad to let them go.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
4
I saw this meme first at girish, and it has since been picked up by Alex and TT. Just a little “get to know you!” Or, rather, “get to know ME!”
Four jobs you've had in your life: art model, secretary, stage tech/stage manager, bookseller
Four movies you could watch over and over: Gone With the Wind, The Shawshank Redemption, Out of Africa, The Sound of Music
Four places you've lived: Frankfurt, Germany; Limestone, ME; Atlanta, GA; Ogden, UT
Four TV shows you love to watch: Project Runway, Mythbusters, West Wing reruns, Sex & The City
Four places you've been on vacation: Italy, the San Juan Islands, Prince Edward Island, Greece
Four websites you visit daily: NFCS, Slate, Bloglines, Perez Hilton!
Four of your favorite foods: enchiladas (cheese w/ verde sauce), NY Pizza on (Seattle’s!) 5th Ave, sushi: catepillar roll or tuna nigiri; Erik’s homemade pasta
Four places you'd rather be right now: in front of a rolling fire atCT’s yet-to-be-built house on Orcas Island; my grandparent’s house in Athens, GA; Olympus Spa; Germany (I always miss the Kristkindlmarkt at this time of year…)
I’ll pass it along with some official tags: Melissa, Gregory, and Sarah. Of course, as always, feel free to pick it up and spread the narcissism, I mean, joy! =]
Oh, and re: Olympus Spa? I’m on my way!! Happy Vacation Day to me!!
Four jobs you've had in your life: art model, secretary, stage tech/stage manager, bookseller
Four movies you could watch over and over: Gone With the Wind, The Shawshank Redemption, Out of Africa, The Sound of Music
Four places you've lived: Frankfurt, Germany; Limestone, ME; Atlanta, GA; Ogden, UT
Four TV shows you love to watch: Project Runway, Mythbusters, West Wing reruns, Sex & The City
Four places you've been on vacation: Italy, the San Juan Islands, Prince Edward Island, Greece
Four websites you visit daily: NFCS, Slate, Bloglines, Perez Hilton!
Four of your favorite foods: enchiladas (cheese w/ verde sauce), NY Pizza on (Seattle’s!) 5th Ave, sushi: catepillar roll or tuna nigiri; Erik’s homemade pasta
Four places you'd rather be right now: in front of a rolling fire atCT’s yet-to-be-built house on Orcas Island; my grandparent’s house in Athens, GA; Olympus Spa; Germany (I always miss the Kristkindlmarkt at this time of year…)
I’ll pass it along with some official tags: Melissa, Gregory, and Sarah. Of course, as always, feel free to pick it up and spread the narcissism, I mean, joy! =]
Oh, and re: Olympus Spa? I’m on my way!! Happy Vacation Day to me!!
Monday, December 19, 2005
New Links
I’ve added a few new links to the Blog Roll:
Although I’ve been a reader for quite some time, I kept forgetting to add Terry Teachout’s About Last Night. It’s there now, and we are all glad to hear that TT is recovering, and with his wit intact.
For a view from the piano bench, check out Christopher Foley’s Collaborative Piano blog.
At Vertesi, another singer joins the rank and file of music bloggers, this one a young bass finishing up a Bachelor’s degree at Indiana University. (His girlfriend, a soprano, also blogs at Too Many Sopranos.)
Finally, Kim Pensinger-Witman has embarked upon a blogging journey through a year at Wolf Trap Opera. From the application and audition process, to choosing singers and repertoire, all the way through to closing night next August, follow along as an opera administrator gives us a glimpse into the business of opera. For an introduction and explanation, be sure to read her first post.
I will also point to her post on blogging singers. This topic – is it safe to blog? – seems to be giving a lot of bloggers a lot of grief these days, and KPW has some good things to add to the conversation. Specifically, her “test” for everything she writes: I imagine that I am reading it from the perspective of the following people: a colleague, an aspiring singer, an amateur musician, a classical music fan, and an arts patron. That doesn’t mean that every sentence is relevant to all readers, but it does assure that it’s not inflammatory. If important ideas don’t pass the test, they’re not jettisoned, just reframed. Good advice. We’re all happy to have you along for the ride, Kim!
Thanks to all the bloggers, anonymous and otherwise, who have made 2005 such a fun year for me. I’ve discovered new friends, new musicians, new interests, and most importantly, new things about myself. I hope you all, bloggers and non-blogging readers alike, can say the same for your Year in the Blogosphere!
Although I’ve been a reader for quite some time, I kept forgetting to add Terry Teachout’s About Last Night. It’s there now, and we are all glad to hear that TT is recovering, and with his wit intact.
For a view from the piano bench, check out Christopher Foley’s Collaborative Piano blog.
At Vertesi, another singer joins the rank and file of music bloggers, this one a young bass finishing up a Bachelor’s degree at Indiana University. (His girlfriend, a soprano, also blogs at Too Many Sopranos.)
Finally, Kim Pensinger-Witman has embarked upon a blogging journey through a year at Wolf Trap Opera. From the application and audition process, to choosing singers and repertoire, all the way through to closing night next August, follow along as an opera administrator gives us a glimpse into the business of opera. For an introduction and explanation, be sure to read her first post.
I will also point to her post on blogging singers. This topic – is it safe to blog? – seems to be giving a lot of bloggers a lot of grief these days, and KPW has some good things to add to the conversation. Specifically, her “test” for everything she writes: I imagine that I am reading it from the perspective of the following people: a colleague, an aspiring singer, an amateur musician, a classical music fan, and an arts patron. That doesn’t mean that every sentence is relevant to all readers, but it does assure that it’s not inflammatory. If important ideas don’t pass the test, they’re not jettisoned, just reframed. Good advice. We’re all happy to have you along for the ride, Kim!
Thanks to all the bloggers, anonymous and otherwise, who have made 2005 such a fun year for me. I’ve discovered new friends, new musicians, new interests, and most importantly, new things about myself. I hope you all, bloggers and non-blogging readers alike, can say the same for your Year in the Blogosphere!
Composer of the Year
Congratulations to Osvaldo!!! He was named Musical America’s Composer of the Year last week, and deservedly so. Ayre was also nominated for a Grammy, so it’s been a week full of champagne toasts!
Read Alex Ross’s full profile of Osvaldo at the composer’s website.
Read Alex Ross’s full profile of Osvaldo at the composer’s website.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Holiday Miscellany
Another busy week: getting final piano lessons scheduled (last ones next week!); rehearsals for the SBO Bach concert; buying, making, wrapping and shipping Christmas presents (thanks, Oak Tree UPS Store); and hosting our annual Christmas party. (We don’t host annually, thank god, but this year we four Rognebrothers wanted to host in our new home. We cooked a goose! And Brussels sprouts and parsnips and carrots and stuffing and… yummm…) I’ve started a half-dozen blog entries this week, but nothing stuck. So here’s a bit of miscellany to wrap up the week.
Above you see how industrious we all strove to be in the three hour break between Messiah concerts last weekend! 
I would not have been able to make my fabulous ice cream pint cozy had it not been for Melissa’s guidance! I was hoping to get two made in time for the gift exchange at our party, but one will have to do for now. (I couldn’t remember how to get started on the second one, and Melissa wasn’t around to help!) Check it out – no more chilly fingers!
I also want to comment on the hair in the above picture. That is NOT all Melissa’s hair! She found a clip with attached curls that perfectly match her hair color, so with very little effort on her part, she has instant Diva Hair! I’ve got to get one. Although, my hair suddenly decided last week that it was going to cooperate with my desires to put it up in a “simple” French twist. I couldn’t believe it! I tempted fate and tried to do it again for last night’s concert, and it wasn’t a fluke. (It looks a little off-center in the picture, but I swear, it was perfect.) Something crazy is going on these days if my pre-concert fight with my hair is a thing of the past…
Let’s see, what else… The SBO concert has been really wonderful work. I’m always my most nervous before the first rehearsal with a new group, and this was no exception. Do I really know my music? Will I fall apart once I have strings under me and not a piano? Have I counted all these interludes correctly? Etc. But everything went fine, as it usually does, and I’ve had a lot of fun. The other soloists are all great, and I look forward hopefully to working with them again in the future. But, the highlight of last night’s concert seemed to be my gown! I got so many compliments on it, and at the reception afterwards, someone told me that every group they passed at intermission was talking about how beautiful it was! I consider it to be my first “diva gown,” complete with big puffy skirt; I absolutely love it. It has a great story, too, so once I get a good picture, I’ll tell all the details.
For now, here’s a picture of our house in all it’s holiday splendor! Hope you have a great week, finding time to enjoy the Season amidst all the chaos.
Above you see how industrious we all strove to be in the three hour break between Messiah concerts last weekend! 
I would not have been able to make my fabulous ice cream pint cozy had it not been for Melissa’s guidance! I was hoping to get two made in time for the gift exchange at our party, but one will have to do for now. (I couldn’t remember how to get started on the second one, and Melissa wasn’t around to help!) Check it out – no more chilly fingers! I also want to comment on the hair in the above picture. That is NOT all Melissa’s hair! She found a clip with attached curls that perfectly match her hair color, so with very little effort on her part, she has instant Diva Hair! I’ve got to get one. Although, my hair suddenly decided last week that it was going to cooperate with my desires to put it up in a “simple” French twist. I couldn’t believe it! I tempted fate and tried to do it again for last night’s concert, and it wasn’t a fluke. (It looks a little off-center in the picture, but I swear, it was perfect.) Something crazy is going on these days if my pre-concert fight with my hair is a thing of the past…
Let’s see, what else… The SBO concert has been really wonderful work. I’m always my most nervous before the first rehearsal with a new group, and this was no exception. Do I really know my music? Will I fall apart once I have strings under me and not a piano? Have I counted all these interludes correctly? Etc. But everything went fine, as it usually does, and I’ve had a lot of fun. The other soloists are all great, and I look forward hopefully to working with them again in the future. But, the highlight of last night’s concert seemed to be my gown! I got so many compliments on it, and at the reception afterwards, someone told me that every group they passed at intermission was talking about how beautiful it was! I consider it to be my first “diva gown,” complete with big puffy skirt; I absolutely love it. It has a great story, too, so once I get a good picture, I’ll tell all the details.For now, here’s a picture of our house in all it’s holiday splendor! Hope you have a great week, finding time to enjoy the Season amidst all the chaos.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
First Messiah
My first Messiah’s are officially on the books! I performed this weekend with Skagit Opera’s Starry Night Orchestra, the group with whom I sang Magic Flute last March. It was a whirlwind weekend, with dress rehearsal on Thursday, a performance Friday night and two on Saturday. We performed a “highlights” version, but all four (and a half) of my arias were there. Beautiful music, but a lot of singing! Oh, and to add to the marathon, we ended each performance with TWO Hallelujah Choruses! One as part of the performance, and one as an audience “sing-along.” That’s a lot of Hallelujah!
I was nervous about getting through three shows in 24 hours, seeing as how my voice is only just starting to get back in shape after my cold. The last remaining element to fall into place is stamina, so I really had to concentrate and not overdo it early in the day. I tried my best to not talk a lot, which is a real feat when I’m surrounded by 40 people! Or in a car for three hours each day with my good friend and sometimes roommate, Melissa. But, I made it through with no damage and no real glitches in the performance.
Unless you count choking on my own saliva and having the first “Shout!” of “Rejoice greatly” come out like a hiccup... Oh, boy, that’s so fun! (Not.) It’s amazing how delicate the balance is between one’s mouth being too dry and too wet. And if you don’t (or can’t) swallow at just the right time, bam! There goes your beautiful legato… But, it’s all part of the joy of live performance, and as long as you can keep going and finish strong, most of the audience won’t remember that glug. At least you hope!
It now officially feels like Christmas, so I think we’re off to get our tree today. But first I plan to sit in front of the TV, watch some football, and work on Christmas presents. I am knitting the coolest thing; after I give it I’ll post a picture.
Happy Holidays!
I was nervous about getting through three shows in 24 hours, seeing as how my voice is only just starting to get back in shape after my cold. The last remaining element to fall into place is stamina, so I really had to concentrate and not overdo it early in the day. I tried my best to not talk a lot, which is a real feat when I’m surrounded by 40 people! Or in a car for three hours each day with my good friend and sometimes roommate, Melissa. But, I made it through with no damage and no real glitches in the performance.
Unless you count choking on my own saliva and having the first “Shout!” of “Rejoice greatly” come out like a hiccup... Oh, boy, that’s so fun! (Not.) It’s amazing how delicate the balance is between one’s mouth being too dry and too wet. And if you don’t (or can’t) swallow at just the right time, bam! There goes your beautiful legato… But, it’s all part of the joy of live performance, and as long as you can keep going and finish strong, most of the audience won’t remember that glug. At least you hope!
It now officially feels like Christmas, so I think we’re off to get our tree today. But first I plan to sit in front of the TV, watch some football, and work on Christmas presents. I am knitting the coolest thing; after I give it I’ll post a picture.
Happy Holidays!
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Why and How
A few days ago, fellow blogging soprano Canadienne posted a farewell from the blogosphere, hopefully a temporary one. She explains her well-thought-out reasons in her post, so I won’t rehash them here. Go read it, though, as my post is related. (This post in not intended as a judgment on Canadienne’s blogging choices, just an explanation of mine.)
She got me thinking about why I blog and how I choose to blog. The “why” has changed over the years. I started keeping a journal of sorts of regular “Updates” from Tanglewood in 2003 in order to avoid writing the same email over and over again to keep friends and family in the loop. I stopped at the end of the summer (in the middle of the summer, actually) because I didn’t think I had anything “worth writing home about” going on during the rest of the year. But I started up again when I went back to the Berkshires in 2004. As I gained confidence as a singer, confident that I was truly in the early stages of a career and not just a hobby, I gained confidence as a writer, writing more often and in more depth. I started writing to a more general audience, not just my family, even though, at the time, I didn’t think anyone else was reading. I guess it was a manifestation of what everyone (?) dreams about: writing your memoir or autobiography. Hoping that you’ll have a life exciting enough that people will want to read about it! I have certainly dreamed about, and from a very early age. Reading biographies of Gelsey Kirkland and Maria Tallchief made me hope that someone would write my story someday. Or that I would.
When, in February of this year, I saw that Alex Ross had put me on his Blogroll, I learned that, indeed, other people were reading. After I dealt with the strange, small-worldness of the internet (people in New Zealand were reading!), I decided to embrace it, to see my blog as another creative outlet. And – and this is the big one, I think – to see it as a chance to give people an insider’s view of life as an aspiring opera singer.
This brings me to the “how” of my blog, or, rather, the “what.” When I started writing in 2003, I understood that as vast and anonymous as the internet can be, it can also be very small. So, I decided not to use my blog as a place to vent frustrations or go into detail about negative experiences. I knew for certain that I wouldn’t use someone’s name unless I knew they would be comfortable with the context in which they were mentioned. Hence the initials or vague descriptions. I also knew that even general references to complaints and troubles I might have with colleagues, companies, or situations “at work” would have to be left out. That was my choice from the very beginning. If it was ugly or overly frustrating, it didn’t get written about.
The chorus master at Santa Fe last summer stumbled upon my blog while looking for reviews of the summer’s operas, and he spoke with me about this. He voiced what I’ve thought for some time now: that I’d “better be careful” what I say! I hope I am, and that I haven’t crossed the proverbial line at any time.
This may mean that I’m presenting a slanted version of my life by leaving out the frustrations. But I don’t think so. I’m generally a pretty optimistic person, choosing to either see the good in a situation or get over the bad as quickly as possible so as not to poison myself and people around me with useless negativity. So perhaps I see the bad stuff as less worthy of airtime to all but my closest friends and family. Those conversations, the ones with tears and swearing, happen face to face or over the phone and are, generally, not suited for general consumption! They need to be accompanied by hugs and kisses and immediate feedback that this, too, shall pass. I do write about personal struggles – getting sick and cancelling auditions, for example – but those posts are, as they say, all about me, not my colleagues or workplace.
So maybe this blog doesn’t represent the life of a stereotypical aspiring opera singer, but this is my life. Stereotypical in some ways, unique in many others. And, hopefully, an interesting read.
She got me thinking about why I blog and how I choose to blog. The “why” has changed over the years. I started keeping a journal of sorts of regular “Updates” from Tanglewood in 2003 in order to avoid writing the same email over and over again to keep friends and family in the loop. I stopped at the end of the summer (in the middle of the summer, actually) because I didn’t think I had anything “worth writing home about” going on during the rest of the year. But I started up again when I went back to the Berkshires in 2004. As I gained confidence as a singer, confident that I was truly in the early stages of a career and not just a hobby, I gained confidence as a writer, writing more often and in more depth. I started writing to a more general audience, not just my family, even though, at the time, I didn’t think anyone else was reading. I guess it was a manifestation of what everyone (?) dreams about: writing your memoir or autobiography. Hoping that you’ll have a life exciting enough that people will want to read about it! I have certainly dreamed about, and from a very early age. Reading biographies of Gelsey Kirkland and Maria Tallchief made me hope that someone would write my story someday. Or that I would.
When, in February of this year, I saw that Alex Ross had put me on his Blogroll, I learned that, indeed, other people were reading. After I dealt with the strange, small-worldness of the internet (people in New Zealand were reading!), I decided to embrace it, to see my blog as another creative outlet. And – and this is the big one, I think – to see it as a chance to give people an insider’s view of life as an aspiring opera singer.
This brings me to the “how” of my blog, or, rather, the “what.” When I started writing in 2003, I understood that as vast and anonymous as the internet can be, it can also be very small. So, I decided not to use my blog as a place to vent frustrations or go into detail about negative experiences. I knew for certain that I wouldn’t use someone’s name unless I knew they would be comfortable with the context in which they were mentioned. Hence the initials or vague descriptions. I also knew that even general references to complaints and troubles I might have with colleagues, companies, or situations “at work” would have to be left out. That was my choice from the very beginning. If it was ugly or overly frustrating, it didn’t get written about.
The chorus master at Santa Fe last summer stumbled upon my blog while looking for reviews of the summer’s operas, and he spoke with me about this. He voiced what I’ve thought for some time now: that I’d “better be careful” what I say! I hope I am, and that I haven’t crossed the proverbial line at any time.
This may mean that I’m presenting a slanted version of my life by leaving out the frustrations. But I don’t think so. I’m generally a pretty optimistic person, choosing to either see the good in a situation or get over the bad as quickly as possible so as not to poison myself and people around me with useless negativity. So perhaps I see the bad stuff as less worthy of airtime to all but my closest friends and family. Those conversations, the ones with tears and swearing, happen face to face or over the phone and are, generally, not suited for general consumption! They need to be accompanied by hugs and kisses and immediate feedback that this, too, shall pass. I do write about personal struggles – getting sick and cancelling auditions, for example – but those posts are, as they say, all about me, not my colleagues or workplace.
So maybe this blog doesn’t represent the life of a stereotypical aspiring opera singer, but this is my life. Stereotypical in some ways, unique in many others. And, hopefully, an interesting read.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Postponed
I hated to do it, but I had to cancel my audition. Yesterday my cold finally hit my voice, and I have about an octave range with zero power. Not exactly the voice I want to present to the Higher-Ups at the Met! So, I cancelled. Or rather, rescheduled. And, in fact, I didn’t have to do it.
I’m still not at the place where I can reveal names or agencies, but I have some help now. I’m now in an unofficial trial period with a manager and his team, and they have been very helpful on this trip. I sang one audition that they arranged (Nevada Opera; it went well) and was able to call on them for help when I needed to cancel with the Met. I emailed them to let them know that the first round went well enough that they wanted to hear me again. They responded by saying, “Great news, we have a good relationship with the company, keep us posted.” Heartening! I asked at the Nevada audition if a representative would be willing to come with me for the second Met audition, and they said of course. But yesterday, as my voice failed to get stronger, I had to ask for their help in canceling.
They made the call, gave my apologies, and were able to reschedule immediately for January. For better or worse, having an agency act in my stead likely gives me a level of authenticity with a company like the Met. Sure, they understand that I’m a young artist just getting established and so I may not have management, but, if I do, all the better. Besides, they are more used to working with managers than dealing directly with singers and all their foibles! The rep also tried to deduce what, if anything, they might be hearing me for. From what she could tell, though, it is truly a general audition, most likely for small parts (“one-liners”) or covers. Hey, fine with me!
Speaking of covers, there was a fantastic article in the NYTimes about opera covers. It is insightful, and may help explain what exactly I’d be up for if I was a cover at the Met. Or at any company, for that matter. While I certainly don’t want to make a career out of covering, it can be a great way to get my foot in the door. As with anything, what happens after that is up to me.
I also had to cancel my Seattle YAP callback, scheduled for today. Again, better to cancel than to sing sick, and hopefully I (or my quasi-manager) can arrange to sing for them back on our home turf. But all in all, this audition trip turned out to be very successful, encouraging, and worth the trip. Even if only for the pants!
I’m still not at the place where I can reveal names or agencies, but I have some help now. I’m now in an unofficial trial period with a manager and his team, and they have been very helpful on this trip. I sang one audition that they arranged (Nevada Opera; it went well) and was able to call on them for help when I needed to cancel with the Met. I emailed them to let them know that the first round went well enough that they wanted to hear me again. They responded by saying, “Great news, we have a good relationship with the company, keep us posted.” Heartening! I asked at the Nevada audition if a representative would be willing to come with me for the second Met audition, and they said of course. But yesterday, as my voice failed to get stronger, I had to ask for their help in canceling.
They made the call, gave my apologies, and were able to reschedule immediately for January. For better or worse, having an agency act in my stead likely gives me a level of authenticity with a company like the Met. Sure, they understand that I’m a young artist just getting established and so I may not have management, but, if I do, all the better. Besides, they are more used to working with managers than dealing directly with singers and all their foibles! The rep also tried to deduce what, if anything, they might be hearing me for. From what she could tell, though, it is truly a general audition, most likely for small parts (“one-liners”) or covers. Hey, fine with me!
Speaking of covers, there was a fantastic article in the NYTimes about opera covers. It is insightful, and may help explain what exactly I’d be up for if I was a cover at the Met. Or at any company, for that matter. While I certainly don’t want to make a career out of covering, it can be a great way to get my foot in the door. As with anything, what happens after that is up to me.
I also had to cancel my Seattle YAP callback, scheduled for today. Again, better to cancel than to sing sick, and hopefully I (or my quasi-manager) can arrange to sing for them back on our home turf. But all in all, this audition trip turned out to be very successful, encouraging, and worth the trip. Even if only for the pants!
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Excellence
Patti over at oboeinsight regularly posts quotes, mostly music-related, all thoughtful, some inspiring. Yesterday’s is so good, it might become a new motto of mine:
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
-Aristotle
Now that is something to think about.
My other mottos:
Regrets cause wrinkles.
-Sophia Loren
You are only as young as your spine is flexible.
-anonymous yogi
I feel like I have another one, but I can’t remember it. Must be a good one…
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
-Aristotle
Now that is something to think about.
My other mottos:
Regrets cause wrinkles.
-Sophia Loren
You are only as young as your spine is flexible.
-anonymous yogi
I feel like I have another one, but I can’t remember it. Must be a good one…
Partners
We've come a long way, baby!
I forgot to mention in my Met audition post that afterwards, JD encouraged me to go shopping. To buy myself something to commemorate the day. "Even something small," she said. "This is an important day."
So I decided to walk from Lincoln Center up to the 72nd Street subway stop and see what shops along the way caught my eye. Barnes & Noble, a madhouse. A kitchen shop? Not really fitting, somehow, although I love kitchen stuff. Then, across the street I saw Ann Taylor. If I had to choose one store to shop in for an extended period of time (can't bring myself to say "for the rest of my life!"), I think it would be Ann Taylor. Classic, elegant, luxurious. I'd need to supplement with a few trends here and there, but I think I could make it work.
In I went, and they had an entire room full of sales racks. With just a little searching, I found what might be the perfect pair of pants. Black wool, well cut, tone-on-tone stripe with a bit of shimmer. And on sale! But the real find was a lambswool/angora boatneck sweater, dark grey, with a leaf-trellis pattern in the knit. When I put it on in the dressing room, I looked in the mirror and immediately thought, "This will always be the sweater I bought the day of my first (successful) Met audition." It should suprise no one who knows me that tears came to my eyes.
Friday, December 02, 2005
We apologize for the delay
Sorry to take a while to get an update here! I’ve been in a bit of a fog. Yesterday (yes, that yesterday) I woke up with a stuffed nose a sore throat, both only on the left side. Weird, and slightly disconcerting, given the events of the day! I steamed and took some Sudafed and drank more tea and water than I thought possible. When I warmed up, everything felt fine, so I decided to go ahead and do the Met audition.
I made one slight change to my rep list: I took off “Glitter and Be Gay.” That piece takes so much energy, if I want to do it right, and I was a little nervous about the E-flat. It’s an extra piece on my list, anyway, so I didn’t even need to replace it with something else. I can not tell you how much more relaxed I was at that audition, not having to worry about whether they would ask for it! I felt 100% ready to sing any piece on my list, which is a good feeling and one that has been rather slow in coming. But that’s another post.
One thing about being a bit under the weather is that I conserved my energy. I didn’t ever get my little nervous butterflies or have trouble sitting still, things that often (but not always) present themselves before an audition. It was as if my body knew that I only had enough energy to go in and give a great audition, so not to waste any on being nervous! It was a true blessing in disguise. Jocelyn was with me, too, and we talked about all the people who were praying or meditating or sending good vibes for us at that moment. I felt so comfortable, so much like I was in the right place and ready to be there.
I sang Nannetta’s aria, and the only weird thing was that my ear buzzed a bit from the congestion. I noticed it, acknowledged it as part of “this moment,” and let it go. Then we talked a bit (there were two women there, both of whom seemed very nice and very “real”): how living in Seattle allows me to do “normal” things like own a home; how I’m not in the YAP there, but might want to be, although I’m doing mostly mainstage auditions at this point so blahblahblah; even how old I was, which I told myself I was going to start lying about, but you can’t lie to the Met! Well, I can’t, anyway. So I’m 29. Deal with it.
Then they asked for Sophie’s aria from Werther, which I was so glad to have a chance to sing. I love this aria. It is so sweet and innocent, perky even, but without being saccharine or annoying. When it was over, they asked how long I was going to be in town on this visit. Why?
Because they want to try and have me back to sing for “more of their colleagues” before I leave town.
Woohooo!!! I’d say that’s a successful first audition at the Met.
Of course, today I woke up with more of a cold, two auditions today and one tomorrow. (Tomorrow’s audition was arranged by a manager with whom I’ve been talking for a few months. A good sign!) This morning’s audition went fine, and this afternoon is Santa Fe, so it will just feel like singing for friends. I’m looking forward to it.
(The Seattle audition also went very well, including a Glitter ending that I was very happy with. I’m going to sing for Mr. Jenkins and the rest of the staff on Monday or Tuesday. More on that later, too.)
I made one slight change to my rep list: I took off “Glitter and Be Gay.” That piece takes so much energy, if I want to do it right, and I was a little nervous about the E-flat. It’s an extra piece on my list, anyway, so I didn’t even need to replace it with something else. I can not tell you how much more relaxed I was at that audition, not having to worry about whether they would ask for it! I felt 100% ready to sing any piece on my list, which is a good feeling and one that has been rather slow in coming. But that’s another post.
One thing about being a bit under the weather is that I conserved my energy. I didn’t ever get my little nervous butterflies or have trouble sitting still, things that often (but not always) present themselves before an audition. It was as if my body knew that I only had enough energy to go in and give a great audition, so not to waste any on being nervous! It was a true blessing in disguise. Jocelyn was with me, too, and we talked about all the people who were praying or meditating or sending good vibes for us at that moment. I felt so comfortable, so much like I was in the right place and ready to be there.
I sang Nannetta’s aria, and the only weird thing was that my ear buzzed a bit from the congestion. I noticed it, acknowledged it as part of “this moment,” and let it go. Then we talked a bit (there were two women there, both of whom seemed very nice and very “real”): how living in Seattle allows me to do “normal” things like own a home; how I’m not in the YAP there, but might want to be, although I’m doing mostly mainstage auditions at this point so blahblahblah; even how old I was, which I told myself I was going to start lying about, but you can’t lie to the Met! Well, I can’t, anyway. So I’m 29. Deal with it.
Then they asked for Sophie’s aria from Werther, which I was so glad to have a chance to sing. I love this aria. It is so sweet and innocent, perky even, but without being saccharine or annoying. When it was over, they asked how long I was going to be in town on this visit. Why?
Because they want to try and have me back to sing for “more of their colleagues” before I leave town.
Woohooo!!! I’d say that’s a successful first audition at the Met.
Of course, today I woke up with more of a cold, two auditions today and one tomorrow. (Tomorrow’s audition was arranged by a manager with whom I’ve been talking for a few months. A good sign!) This morning’s audition went fine, and this afternoon is Santa Fe, so it will just feel like singing for friends. I’m looking forward to it.
(The Seattle audition also went very well, including a Glitter ending that I was very happy with. I’m going to sing for Mr. Jenkins and the rest of the staff on Monday or Tuesday. More on that later, too.)
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