under construction

OH I am so annoyed with today.
First audition at NOLA. The room with all the windows, and yes, all the construction.
For my opening I just get one note and then I go to the cadenza.
Well LORD knows I'm not going to hear either with the drilling, sawing, and whatever else was going on.
I was just knocked right out of the comfort zone because while I'm hanging out on the high g, I suddenly can't hear MYSELF sing anymore, meaning, I don't know how many notes I have to go down the scale, meaning, I'm PRETTY sure I think I know where the aria starts, but I have no idea what I just sang or if I'm right.
Truly, I don't know if it was as big of a catastrophe as I'm making it out to be.
There may have been ONE note that was off right before the aria began, and the rest was fine. Maybe. But I wouldn't know because I could barely hear any of it.
Seriously. I finished the first piece and said something to the effect of fighting the construction out doors (as a joke)....but nothing could be done.
Oscar was 2nd and that's what they were casting (same production as before)...and I know I did better on that--but still! NOT FUN when I know I sing the pants off of the role (haha, pants role), THEY had heard good things about me via reviews and agent, obviously, and were looking FORWARD to hearing me...UGHGHGHHGHGHG..and I feel like it wasn't a personal best only because of the stupid CONSTRUCTION OUTSIDE!!!! WHat is UP with that?! I was in great voice, could sing rings around it all, and then can't hear what I'm doing so I get all whacked out.

To put it another way, it wasn't fun, and I'm not sure if it was good or bad because I truly didn't hear what I was doing for the first page and a half of music.



THEN:
COMPETITION TIME...
I arrived at the location to a list of 27 singers (selected via cd/preliminary round), and lo and behold, the majority of them were sopranos. WEIRD!!! SHOCKING!!!

I actually got there early enough to hear almost everyone sing that was in front of me.
I usually don't choose my rep early, and I like to wait and see what I'm feeling.
And also it's nice when the majority of singers are sops, to try and NOT begin with the same piece as someone before me--if I can help it. It's not that I care about being better, or them hearing the same piece and comparing--it's just that I have so many that are my usual 'starters' that it doesn't really matter to me. I love them all and would be happy to sing any of them.

Today I sang Queen. I always keep this around, never begin with it in auditions (I know casting preferences all too well), and yet it is a likely piece to be chosen in competition and be a winner. Yes, over Zerbie, which is a little more "out there" in terms of competition rep. where you can tell the panel is not necessarily all musical staff, but more board member, etc... (you pick crowd pleasers over artsy Strauss)

And it paid off because tonight I was called for the final round.

One more audition this week, for which I have learned an aria.
Hope that goes well.
One more final round of a competition this week, for which I hope that the 35 bucks times two (for the pianist) will yield a profitable gain.