Sunday not-really-matinee performance of Flute yesterday. It started just one hour earlier than the evening shows, so it didn't FEEL like a matinee although...it sure was Sunday and I sure did want to sleep in!
I stayed under the blankets for as long as possible and then made the mad dash to the tram, the train station, the train, and the theater. Which I'm called to Extremely early because I am the first hair and makeup call- 1:40 before the show.
So I have SO SO much time to warm up, sit around, eat a sandwich for dinner...
and really, after I warm up for about 30 minutes...there's not much to do but sit around and wait for the show.
I realized last night just HOW unproductive I am during a show. And this happens to me in almost every show I"m in. NOT during rehearsals or during the day of course. But once I'm at the theater, I cannot concentrate on ANYTHING else but the show.
Not even a magazine. Not sudoku. Not other music in my ipod. Not another score.
MAYBE one or two text messages.
But everyone around me seemed to have things to do--whether it was write in their schedules for next week, look at some other music they needed to learn, read a magazine, or do a book of sudoku.
Me- nothing. Sit there. Listen to the music. Think about my upcoming music.
Even if I had another score there I don't think I'd be able to do much.
What I CAN do is translate and highlight. But actually learning other things during an opera? I guess not.
And Koenigin is the WORST in terms of roles like this!!
Get dressed, show opens, sing 15 minutes into the show. Wait, Wait, ActI done, WAIT, intermission, OK second aria...WAIT WAIT WAIT -quintet/die.
Wait.
Bow.
I mean, just THINK of the possibilities if I COULD do things! Study the language? Memorize other piece? Get my audition binder back in shape?
ANYTHING?!
But no, that is- so far- not for me.
Maybe when I have 6 new roles to learn, 2 bit parts, and 4 roles to keep in repertory like the 2nd lady who is a Fest Mezzo and just found out her assignments for next year and this summer--maybe then I'll be doing a bit more than highlighting in the Garderobe.
But for now- Nix.
3 comments:
I'm a pit player. If I'm in rehearsal or performance it's a rare opera that I can manage to read. Mozart has a lot of tacets for us sometimes, but I still find it difficult. Sitting next to me is a colleague who not only reads, but reads *during* arias we are playing. I honestly can't figure out how she does it. (But she does miss entrances.)
I can't imagine being a singer and doing other things. My brain couldn't handle it! But then I can't imagine being a singer. Period. (I sing only at church, and I pray that even then I'm not heard very well!)
Hi! I'm a coloratura in an undergrad at a regular lib arts, and was just curious: do you highlight the Ital/Ger/Fr. text of your characters or across the measures to isolate your vocal lines?
Hi Susanetta-- I'm big on visuals. I highlight the text that I'm SINGING (not the translation or the Italian version, IF I'm singing something that has more than one text language), and sometimes I also highlight the actual notes in the staff :)
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