At last I've ...KINDA... found you.
And I'm talking about this modern piece of music for which rehearsals begin in approximately 15 days.
YES. I've gotten to the stage where I can go through the score from tab to colorful tab (where I've marked my entrances), and sing MOSTLY correctly every random interjection of modern music that I have.
When I don't know what's coming up in the score I stop and review it, but that only happened a few times, and the funny thing is that after singing tritones to minor thirds to up one octave down a half step, the ones I actually get 'wrong' are perfect 5ths or some equally easy interval that in my head and on the score for some reason look more difficult than they are.
I'm Preeeeety sure I'm not going to be fired on the first day of rehearsal (have seen it happen before, twice). No, really. I always come prepared. OVER prepared. And with this piece I'm also pretty sure that I"ll be extremely well prepared (15 days from now, def.)
At some point I'll try to get into singing-opera-mom-baby conversations, but for now I'll say that no, I haven't had as much time to practice as usual, no, I don't have the time I would LIKE to start working out and get back into physical shape as quickly as I'd really like to, and no, I'm not really looking forward to going back to rehearsals with a 10 week old baby and figure out a 'schedule' when I will really have no set schedule (as is the norm in opera rehearsals..you never know when you'll be called- morning, day, evening, all, none, etc).
I know it's crazy. I also know that I CAN do it.
Just keep swimming...
26 February, 2012
12 February, 2012
have i mentioned
how much i LOVE modern music sometimes?
You see, sometimes the composer, decides that he has to control everything he possibly can in the score.
That means, that 1/4 of the orchestra is sitting on a raised platform precisely 3.5 feet above another 1/4 of the orchestra (except the 2nd violin players who are on stage right), and the last half are behind the audience in the opera house, and .. you get the picture.
Well in THIS specific piece, MY character/part has the 'indication' of being RAISED and SITTING in the orchestra (the stage right side of the divided orchestra which is raised above the stage left side of it)... SO, I was kinda-sorta hoping that this would magically happen ... and guess what it is?
I GET TO USE MY MUUUUUSSSIIIIIICCC! For like, a LOT of the action.
I have NO idea how I'm going to be blocked into it, but I received official word that I only need to memorize the last 'section' of the 4 section opera (about 50 pages, instead of 320!), and I have two things to say about this:
One- thank the sweet magical shiny unicorns who rule from their sugar-coated fluffy rainbow clouds on high... because this music is FRIKKING hard and NOT having to memorize the whole thing in the next month is going to make my life (with a baby that demands feeding every 3 hours and *sometimes* takes 1 hour naps after those feedings) SO SO SO much better!
Two- I AM SO LUCKY.
I know this.
Not every singer who agreed to start opera performances EIGHT WEEKS after having a baby actually gets to go through with that contract... I mean, I assume some singers would cancel it, not knowing if they COULD do it. Others may be canceled UPON, but houses that think they wouldn't be ready, and others still may not have even said yes in the first place, not knowing what their vocal situation would be, or not knowing whether they would have time to learn a role (if it was new, etc.)- thing is, I would have said YES to Queen, or ANY other role I've sung...and assume that muscle memory and good technique would kick in no matter what and I'd be able to do a great job at 8 weeks.
But modern, new, completely crazy music? That was...a tiny bit of a gamble.
And yes, I'll have it learned perfectly, and yes, I HAVE worked hard on this even though I've not been the most enthusiastic about the style and how it sounds in my ear (right NOW..maybe it'll grow on me with full cast and orchestra...as modern music usually does).
That's all for now!
You see, sometimes the composer, decides that he has to control everything he possibly can in the score.
That means, that 1/4 of the orchestra is sitting on a raised platform precisely 3.5 feet above another 1/4 of the orchestra (except the 2nd violin players who are on stage right), and the last half are behind the audience in the opera house, and .. you get the picture.
Well in THIS specific piece, MY character/part has the 'indication' of being RAISED and SITTING in the orchestra (the stage right side of the divided orchestra which is raised above the stage left side of it)... SO, I was kinda-sorta hoping that this would magically happen ... and guess what it is?
I GET TO USE MY MUUUUUSSSIIIIIICCC! For like, a LOT of the action.
I have NO idea how I'm going to be blocked into it, but I received official word that I only need to memorize the last 'section' of the 4 section opera (about 50 pages, instead of 320!), and I have two things to say about this:
One- thank the sweet magical shiny unicorns who rule from their sugar-coated fluffy rainbow clouds on high... because this music is FRIKKING hard and NOT having to memorize the whole thing in the next month is going to make my life (with a baby that demands feeding every 3 hours and *sometimes* takes 1 hour naps after those feedings) SO SO SO much better!
Two- I AM SO LUCKY.
I know this.
Not every singer who agreed to start opera performances EIGHT WEEKS after having a baby actually gets to go through with that contract... I mean, I assume some singers would cancel it, not knowing if they COULD do it. Others may be canceled UPON, but houses that think they wouldn't be ready, and others still may not have even said yes in the first place, not knowing what their vocal situation would be, or not knowing whether they would have time to learn a role (if it was new, etc.)- thing is, I would have said YES to Queen, or ANY other role I've sung...and assume that muscle memory and good technique would kick in no matter what and I'd be able to do a great job at 8 weeks.
But modern, new, completely crazy music? That was...a tiny bit of a gamble.
And yes, I'll have it learned perfectly, and yes, I HAVE worked hard on this even though I've not been the most enthusiastic about the style and how it sounds in my ear (right NOW..maybe it'll grow on me with full cast and orchestra...as modern music usually does).
That's all for now!
05 February, 2012
one month...
It's been one month with the little one, and I now have about ONE MONTH before the big day of going back to rehearsals!
I'm tired out of my mind and can still thankfully get it together enough to practice/learn the music that I have to know for March.
Even if it's only 30 minutes a day while holding/bouncing/rocking a cranky/gassy(?) baby.
More on singing and learning modern music later...
I have to wolf down some food before he wakes up and see if the 1 hour window of opportunity that is presenting itself currently (ie, he is sleeping NOT in my arms and is in his co-sleeper and has not woken up screaming yet) will let me practice for a bit!
I'm tired out of my mind and can still thankfully get it together enough to practice/learn the music that I have to know for March.
Even if it's only 30 minutes a day while holding/bouncing/rocking a cranky/gassy(?) baby.
More on singing and learning modern music later...
I have to wolf down some food before he wakes up and see if the 1 hour window of opportunity that is presenting itself currently (ie, he is sleeping NOT in my arms and is in his co-sleeper and has not woken up screaming yet) will let me practice for a bit!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)