Before & After

The Wig:
The Pincurl Hair:(with conductor, Sara Jobin, and John Musto, our composer, who I believe was seranading us with "Knock Three Times." I can not tell you why...)

Last night went pretty well, all in all. I think we're all happy to have opening behind us. Now we can relax and get back to playing, to having fun and finding the groove.

Pre-Volpone miscellany

So, that wasn’t too bad. I was pretty stressed out before the run-through started, because the more I thought about the character and the show, the less I understood this new idea and how to implement it. But, with some great colleagues (couldn’t’ve done it without you, JJ) and more guidance from PK, I think I’m back to having a cohesive character. She still feels very new to me, which is kind of fun in the way that exploring a new character is always fun. Hopefully she’ll feel a bit more cemented before opening night, though!

I have no idea whether or not the healing scene is going to cause the same amount of rip-roaring laughter, but we should have a few new folks at the first dress rehearsal tonight, so I’ll get a chance to see. Celia is much less maniac and frenetic that she used to be, so I think I’ll be able to stay more centered, regardless of the audience’s reaction.

Last night we had our Sitzprobe, which is always one of my favorite rehearsals. To move from the percussive support of the piano to the enveloping support of the orchestra is always a wonderful transition! A bit unsettling at times, as it can be a challenge to hear the timbre (sound quality) of the clarinet or violin that is doubling my line after weeks of hearing it in the piano. But, we make it. And this orchestration is fantastic; some really beautiful and thrilling moments. Head over to Kim’s blog for a photo (that’s me in the red dress) and her thoughts on the rehearsal; as the General Director, she has a lot more to think about than I do!

After Tuesday’s piano dress, I had the chance to share one of my favorite “tricks of the trade” with one of the young women in the Studio program*: the joys of pin-curl hair!! I arrived at the post-rehearsal notes session with my hair still up in my wig cap, and while PK gave notes I stood in the back taking off the cap and pulling the bobby pins out of my curls. EO was next to me, dealing her own post-wig hair, so I said, “Here’s the trick,” and flipped my hair up and down like a rocker at a concert. When I stood back upright, Voila! Soft wavy curls a là an early-80s Breck commercial. We’ll get the chance to try it again after tonight’s rehearsal, and by Friday she’ll have it mastered! The best hair at the afterparty will be on EO; watch out, ya’ll!

A quiet afternoon here. Some Figaro, some gentle warming up, dinner of some kind… then to the theater at 5:30 for rehearsal!

*Wolf Trap has a new program this season for post-undergraduate students; seven of them have small roles in Volpone.

So close!

So, my fight with my hair was nearly non-existant tonight, thanks to my remembering a tip from AS. Her french twist always looks perfect, and she revealed her secret to me (to all of us in the ladies chorus dressing room, actually!) this summer. Twist from the top down, rather than from the bottom up. Unbelievably easy! So, this together with my hair's natural waves (no more straight hair here; I've given up that part of the fight) makes for an easy, elegant up-do. Done!

But the kink tonight? I forgot my jewelry! Or, rather, I forgot the jewelry for one of my gowns. (Yes, I broght two. I'm doing four concerts in four days; you don't think I'd wear the same gown for all of them do you?!) Hopefully I can borrow a necklace from a generous chorus woman...

There's always something!

AAAARRRRGH

Ok. First audition with the new haircut.

HELP! This is a great rock-n-roll, city haircut, but I have no idea how to pretty it up for an audition. I have bangs now, so to speak, and having them in my face is fun and sexy for walking down the street (I’m apparently the kind of woman who gets asked out by strangers on the street now… true story.), but it’s not good for an audition. No hair in the face.

Sigh. Maybe half-up with some strategically placed hair pins? And a lot of hairspray.

At least La Voce is working…

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.

A few pictures

Beautiful Eugene! This was the view from my hotel room. I did enjoy my weekend there, and can see why many of you were envious. Nice people, nice weather, great arts scene. Not impressed with the shopping, tax-free though it may be. Guess I'd have to go to Portland for that...

This is the beautiful and acoustically delicious Beall Concert Hall at the University of Oregon. So lovely to sing in. I've only recently started to really be aware of the sound of a room (the way your voice comes back to you, or doesn't), and this one was prime. It shouldn't change the way you sing; it's more of a mental thing, I think. The hall for Sunday's final round was very dead (but gorgeous!), the total opposite of Beall. Another challenge to overcome, though, rather than something to get hung up about. I was very happy with my performance on Sunday; I'm really starting to feel like I "own" Nannetta. I'm starting to understand why so many of my teachers/coaches guided me towards it. It feels like a good pair of jeans! I ordered the Falstaff score yesterday, and I'm going to try and learn the role this year.

The rest of the winners (there were five total) were all women, and all highly deserving. I listened to the whole concert on the monitor in my dressing room and heard some lovely things. Four of the five winners have ties to Seattle, oddly enough. Something in the (rain)water... Another odd fact: of the 8 female finalists, five wore red! There were two in black, and I wore gold. I've been thinking about getting a good red/burgandy/merlot gown for my holiday concerts, but now I'm not so sure! We made sure to break up the reds when we lined up at the end; it was a fun puzzle.

I didn't get any good pictures of people at the concerts, but here are a couple of shots from my preparations on Friday. Even with the annoying flash, this is the best pic I got of my hair and jewelry:That is my new favorite hairstyle! So easy, so elegant. I didn't get a full length picture of the dress, but here is the top:The skirt is a simple a-line. (I'm almost to the point where I need to have the bodice taken out a bit, as my ribcage has expanded in the past few years. These days, when I inhale, I add almost three inches to the circumference of my torso! My costumer at Santa Fe just about fell over when he measured that.) I hope to wear this dress for many more concerts; I always get so many compliments, and I love telling the story of where it came from.

So, there you go! Sarah, if I were truly Joan or Melissa, I'd be commenting and dissing on the other ladies outfits! I try to avoid that, both on the blog and off. But I can always dish on my own fashion choices!

What will I do with my prize money, you ask? Well, pay off some of the expenses I racked up in Santa Fe this summer, of course. Take a voice lesson and coaching or two. And, most importantly, pay for my Nov-Dec audition trip to NYC. I'm subleasing an apartment this time, so it's going to be more expensive. But now it's covered! Thank you Belle Voci! And thanks to everyone "here" for cheering me on. It was fun knowing that you all were in my corner.

Onward and upward!

Quick Update

Now that my hair is done in prep for tonight’s round (always the hardest part! I went with the double loop chignon.), I can sit and write a quick update.

This morning’s round went fine, very smooth, nothing eyebrow-raising either good or bad. The competition runs like clockwork, with each semi-finalist given a 4 minute spot (both for morning and evening). There are plenty of volunteers around, mostly chorus members of Eugene Opera, to guide us through the halls of the Univ of Oregon. I had half an hour in a warm-up room, then ten minutes in the green room while they got things started. There was a small audience this morning, and they were told about the strict time limits. I think they were also instructed not to mess with that time limit by adding applause time, ‘cuz when I was finished no one clapped! It was so weird. When it’s just an adjudication panel, you don’t expect applause; but when there is an audience of any size, we’ve come to expect that formality. It really threw me for a second! Once I realized they weren’t going to clap, I said my “Thank you!” and headed off. The pianist was very good; I think he’ll be playing tonight and Sunday, as well.

I was happy with how I sang. I got a bit distracted in the interlude and came in just a tad late for the next entrance. The pianist (David?) was right there with me, though, so no harm, no foul. I head the next four or five singers while waiting for the shuttle, and, boy, there are some great voices. A few colleaques from Seattle, and a couple of women that are friends of friends. Good company.

I’ve been asked to sing Adele’s Laughing Song tonight, which is one of the two I was hoping they’d choose. (The other was Glitter and Be Gay, which had its first outing last weekend at the BBOT fundraiser. It’s a great fit, and I’m think about making it my English aria. Have to gather opinions on whether it’s “opera” enough. Oh, and with the cut, it’s exactly 4 minutes!) I’m wearing my blue gown (I’ve written this post in fits and starts while getting ready, so I’m dressed now!), one of six dresses that my mother sent me in grad school. She went to Nordstrom Rack looking for recital gowns for me, and hit the mother lode (if you will). This one has served me so well. It fits perfectly, and is a timeless cut. For jewelry, I opted for a colorful but understated rhinestone necklace and earring set that my in-laws gave me for Christmas last year. I have to say, I look good!

I feel good, too. I’m wearing a good luck charm today for the first time, a little mushroom pin with a wonderful story. That will have to wait, though, because my chariot awaits! More soon.

Pin-curls

Just got home from the Turandot run-through. I’m starving, of course, and very tired. My hair looks fabulous, as it always does after being in pin-curls under wigs and hats all night. Gorgeous soft curls! I’ll get a picture one of these nights. But the trouble with pin-curl hair is that it only happens after a show, which means it’s very late, which means I’m too tired to go out and be cute with my fancy hair. Oh, the injustice!

All in all, the run-through went well. There are still a few holes and awkward moments, but it will come together just fine. It is a visually stunning show, to be certain. Turandot’s last costume is exquisite! My Act Three costume involves a wig that falls to the back of my knees, a sheer black kimono with gold embroidery and enormous sleeves, and – get this – 8-inch platform sandals. Ha!. I have an escort with me at all times, but there was still a moment or two where I felt more than a little precarious! I’m hopeful that with a few small blocking changes all fear of falling can be eased. At least from my mind; I can’t speak for the other two courtesans! They each have their own concerns, I think. But we look amazing!

Time for a quick snack, another go at my face with some soap, and then to bed. I have a rehearsal at 1:30 tomorrow afternoon, so I’ll be doing my best to sleep in. We’ll see if the puppies will cooperate…

PS I've had a request for updates on voice lessons! I'll try to get to that tomorrow, too. Had another one today that went very well.

Pampering and Cramming

So I’m striking an interesting balance these days between overworking and being self-indulgent. I’m pretty stressed about all I have to do and learn before leaving for Santa Fe in a week, and so in order to not let stress make me sick (as it has a few times this year), I’m trying to pamper myself a little more than usual. Yesterday I was feeling really run down, complete with the fuzzy head that is often a sign of an impending cold. So, instead of studying the fabulously complex choruses of Peter Grimes, I took a nap. I woke up feeling clear-headed, and was able to get some good studying in after dinner.

In years (ok, months) past, I would have just pushed through the fuzzy-headed-ness, working and stressing and ignoring my body’s warning signs until I just shut down. It’s been a hard lesson to learn that by taking an hour (or two!) to just be still, which is easiest for me to do if I’m asleep, I can be more productive in my day, not less. Of course, I can’t take an hour nap everyday, but I’m learning to do so when instructed by my overworked Self.

More pampering is scheduled for this afternoon: I’m getting my hair cut and colored, most likely back to my former (and natural) dark blonde. Sigh. I love being a redhead, but I am not ready for the commitment and maintenance required. My well-bred mother taught me that I should never show my toes if my polish was chipped, so I can only imagine what she would say about undied roots! We never had lessons on root-maintenance, as my mother is au natural and beautiful, but somehow I don’t think an inch of dark blonde at the crown of one’s red head meets the standards of the Pabor women.

But speaking of toes: I got a pedicure a couple of weeks ago with my friend Chiara, and now I’m hooked on them. I mean, seriously, no chipped polish. Ever! My mother would approve. And, for some reason, I would much rather spend $40 every six weeks to get a pedicure than spend $50 (or more) every two months to keep my hair colored. Call me crazy. Maybe it goes back to that “never been good with my hair” thing. But I love my feet.

Anyway… Somewhere in amidst all this pampering I have two operas to finish memorizing. I’ve never had to memorize a chorus part before, and it’s tricky. I think choruses often have more music than individual characters, for one thing. And we need to be much more precise. For better or worse, soloists have a little leeway with precision. The recording of Turandot that I’ve been listening to incessantly is a live recording from the Met, starring Placido Domingo and Birgit Nilsson in 1970, and it demonstrates this fact. When you add stage business, distractions from things going differently night to night, and the energy of performing to the music you’ve memorized and rehearsed, you’re bound to come in half a beat late or early hear and there. But you catch up, get back with the conductor, and move forward, no one the wiser. But in the chorus, you don’t really have this luxury. The chorus is a mob, usually acting as one voice, and therefore has to sound like it. Staggered entrances and cut-offs are the mark of an amateur group, and I just don’t think that will make the grade at Santa Fe. So I’m doing my best to be prepared. But what worries me? I won’t have any idea how ready I am until that first rehearsal…

Must be Prom Time

Twenty-nine of the last 100 referrals that brought people to my website have been web searches (Google, Yahoo, etc.) for “hair-do,” or “easy hair-do,” or “long hair-do,” or my personal favorite: “how-to hair-do.” I love it! Granted, I have a post entitled Hair-Do’s, but I find it ironic that all these folks are coming to me looking for hair help! My post is all about how bad I am with my hair! Makes me chuckle.

Other referrals include searches for Andrea Gruber (in various forms: “Andrea Gruber,” “Andrea Gruber addiction,” “Andrea Gruber opera addiction”), Benjamin Luxon, “a very merry unbirthday,” and “high f O zittre nicht.” I know I mentioned Ben Luxon sometime during last summer's Tanglewood entries, but I can’t find it! You’ll have to trust me on this one. There is also the occasional search for “Anne-Carolyn Bird,” which, I have to say, weirds me out a little! I mean, I know I have a career in the public eye (or at least, I’m trying to), but it feels a little stange – and a little good! – to know that folks are using “the internets” to learn more about me.

I also get a lot of referrals from other blogs, most notably Alex Ross’s fine collection of music blog links. Ionarts, Prima La Musica, and The Standing Room have also sent folks my way. I also got slammed the other day when Chiara mentioned me. Seriously, my hits were doubled that day! Of course, she is a Diarist Award winner, so she has a following... Thanks to all who’ve referred their readers here! I try to return the favor, although percentages are still in your favor. But my readership is up! That makes me happy.

However you get here, however long you stay, I’m glad to have you. Happy reading and blogging!

All dolled up

Anyone who has ever been around me while I'm getting ready for a concert knows that my least favorite part is doing my hair. Since my hair was naturally curly when I was in jr high and high school (don't ask me what happened; hormones are crazy things!), I never really played around with curling irons and blow dryers and product. Imagine my horror then, when my hair grew back straight after a drastic cut my freshman year in college! As it grew out, I realized that I knew nothing about how to make it look good. So I kept it short, grew it long and straight, or just left it to its own devices. Each look managed to work with my overall style at the time, but when I entered grad school and started my path to Divahood, I knew I was in trouble.

I mastered makeup thanks to very helpful women at the Clinique and Lancôme makeup counters. I slowly moved away from my black, vintage, and generally shapeless wardrobe and have embraced color, cut, and timeless styles (timeless, not dated!). But my hair has still been the thorn in my side. I've been known to style and re-style my hair four times before a concert, each time dissatisfied with the mess on my head.

So, imagine my joy when this appeared on the back of my head yesterday:


I know it doesn't look like much, but for me it is a huge step forward! It is a variation on a style that my Pamina wore in Flute, and it seemed to be way beyond my reach. But I did it!! Hopefully I'll be able to repeat the 'do, and my days of swearing at my hair are over.
 

New laptop and a pain in the neck

I’m writing this on my new laptop. Erik and I each got some money from the sale of our house to do whatever we wanted with, and I decided to get a laptop. (It was actually Erik’s idea, and it was such a good idea!) It is really nice not having to kick Erik off of our PC whenever I need or want to do something, like write a blog entry. Funny how computers, like cell phones, have gone from “nice to have” to “must have one in the house” to “everyone needs their own!” I will also use this when I travel. I’ve been using a PocketPC with a fabulous roll-up keyboard and my cell phone as a modem for email while on the road, but it is a bit cumbersome. Right now I’m in my dressing room at the theatre. I got tired of working on my crochet project on my downtime, and as Queen, I have lots of downtime!

It turns out that my fabulous costume is so heavy that it has sprained my neck. I’ve had a steady severe pain in my neck for about two days now. I thought maybe it was caused by our new car, which doesn’t have power steering. (Don’t laugh! My mom pulled a muscle driving a car with no power steering. We’re delicate little flowers!) But after having this dress back on, I can actually feel it pulling on my neck. It has a lot of material in the back, so I must be overcompensating forward, so as not to fall over. I’m in a lot of pain today, which makes me grumpy, which is actually great for my character! I’m looking forward to a quiet ride home, maybe some Ray Charles, but that’s it. No talking, no singing, no unnecessarily loud PA system calling people to stage ten minutes before they’re actually supposed to be there. See what I mean? Grumpy.

But, on the bright side, I look amazing. I have died my hair deep red; think Debra Messing. They originally wanted black hair, but I talked them into red. I’ve been looking for an excuse to dye my hair again. And besides, this time, it’s tax deductible! I start the show with simple tight curls, which then become frazzled and frizzed as my true colors come out. My makeup also starts out very plain and white, with just a little shading (not even any eyeliner or lashes); in Act II, we add severe shadows in purples. It looks hideous face to face, but under the lights on stage, I’m told the effect is very scary.

Mary, our hair & makeup lady (and impromptu costumer, as the official woman has been awol), just came in to check on me. When she asked “how are you doing?”, I just about cried. She’s the kind of person who really wants to know, so I felt no need to put on a brave face. I just said, “I’m in a lot of pain, and it’s making me grumpy!” She loosened my dress and rubbed my shoulders a bit, and repinned my headpiece. Bobby pins sticking into the scalp don’t do much for grumpiness, either. She encouraged me to get my husband to rub some Tiger Balm into my shoulders and neck tonight. That sounds good to me; I hope Erik is up for it...