ch...ch...changes

Okay, it's official now (well, it's still unofficial but at least I know).

Next year's season has officially changed. It has changed to include two shows which I would have no roles or covers in. It has changed FROM two shows which I would have leading roles in.
And therefore, the verdict from current-yap is, that although they love me, believe in me, want me to succeed, etc....there is ONE role for me to do there next season and nothing else.

Therefore---

The good/awesome news: I will be performing as a PRINCIPAL artist for one show next year (making about half of my YEARLY salary here)
The not so awesome news: I will not be returning as a resident artist for the rest of the next season.

What does this mean? Well, frankly it means that I get to start being an unmanaged singer without a plan a bit earlier than I thought...since I pretty much skipped out on mainstage audition season this year because I assumed (the season as it previously stood) that I'd have three awesome roles here next year.

What do I feel?
Really excited. Really anxious. A bit let down/sad. But mostly just absolutely in gear to find something great to do and DO it.

My choices:
1. SMALL opera companies (US) that have not announced/cast their season for next year. Try to get relased to do as many of these small auditions as possible and see if I can fill my 07-08 year with performances around current-yaps "principal" offer.

2. EuRoPe!!! My dream, my love, my longing... I've always always always wanted to do it. Somehow I know I'll succeed. They do my kind of music, my kind of roles...I have the right look, the right voice, half the right language skills and now- the TIME and OPPORTUNITY to go there and just try it out.
What I'm scared about for Europe: It wouldbe going without a "plan". And I like "plans". What do I mean? Every year I've had a fallback that is feasible WITH roles feasible- ie, if I wasn't getting into current-yap I could stay at last-year-yap. If I wasn't getting into last-year-yap I would have stayed at undergrad-town and had three small roles with local-opera-company...
etc.
Moving to Germany and just "trying it" with no contacts, no other plan-- is a little TOO loose for my generally strict plan-making self.

3. That school-that-shall-not-be-named still wants me. For a performance degree. Not even a DMA...for 2 years. For free:
IF:
a. I am released for the live auditions (UNLIKELY since current-yap's opera scenes are that weekend...NOT COOL)
b. IF they miraculously accept me whether I attend the live audition or not, AND let me come late because of principal-offer taking until Sept.30th of their first semester.

4. TWO programs with deadlines that have not passed yet:
AVA (just took a first-year coloratura last year...eh)
Washington national opera (same)

So.
Amazing opportunities to be made for myself. With a LOT of work involved in making them.
And with no internet from my house (AGAIN!!!!), I'll be at the opera center printing out every application under the sun this week I'm sure.

And that is the very big news of the day.