notes on the dress rehearsal

mmmmkay,
so making a singer sing for a 9:30am rehearsal is NOT the coolest, but that's how it happened today. One session in the morning and the dress rehearsal in the afternoon.
So I actually sang through Zerb twice this morning, then ate a light lunch, and then came back for a third round.

After the 2nd time (with twice on a few sections, so maybe the 3.5th time) of the morning rehearsal I could feel that I was beginning to grab a little at the top, meaning larynx position was compromised, meaning, I needed to calm down from the excitement of getting to do it w/orchestra!

Notes didn't suffer, but it could have felt more 'free and easy' as opposed to ...hmm..I'll say 'placed', but that's not the right word.
Just...careful...maybe...versus free and easy.

Dress rehearsal notes to self:
The section I think is most easy (so war), is the most hard for the orch. ensemble-wise. I had better pay attention to the Maestro's 2, AND have fun.
First section I love--free and easy with piano and orch coming in.
Noch glaub- watch some ends of held notes in the middle-high passag. like Ds and E's. I can very easily let them bloom and just as easily drive them a bit too much so that they sound flat at the ends of the pitch when I don't feel free and easy about them.

Things I liked:
My pianissimos, my TRRRRillls! Seeeriously, I have not thought about the importance of these before, but DANG! They are fun and I KNOWZ that I'm doing them Ree-aaally well.
My audible 'fun' 'acting' voice within my 'voice' 'voice'
My deutsch.

Things I didn't like:
Driving those middle notes as stated above.
The second to last notes of long phrases where all I care about, seemingly, is to get to the end of the phrase w/enough breath and therefore give up too much on the penultimate note and it's under or under-supported.


Places to watch out:
Grossmachtige:
suuussssss
Fraaaaaau
verwandt--LUNGEN (after that whole long frikkkin phrase)

noch glaub:
nothing? really nothing? I liked it all? YEA I DID!!!

so war:
ah's right before Das Ein Herz.
HERZ (first note)
sich SELber (sel)
2nd run DOWN of cadenza

als ein gott:
Stirn
Gott (gefangen)
kam JeEEEder gegangen (the SLOWWWW part, approach from bottom)


Plans for the evening:
ZERO! Relaaaxxx because I am still exhausted added to the obligatory exhaustion from having to wake up early (AND my body waking up at 6am again..SO. NOT. COOL).