constructive criticism

I had a coaching today on a brand new aria with a brand new coach.
An aria I have to learn by Monday.
And sing for an audition.

I know, it's not the modus operandi that I prefer, but knowing that I can do it, and do it well, I do it--even on short notice.

AAAANYWAY,
Just so it's on record, here, today--
this coach turned to me and said "when you sing it like that and I close my eyes I hear Damrau".

WHAT?
I laughed it off and said I imagine my voice as a complete 180 from hers.
Since, truly, most of the rep. I've heard her in (and it has never been live) has been Youtube videos of Queens/Glitter and a bit heavier rep. than I'd ever sing.

And he said, that after working with her and hearing her, the voice isn't that large, but she knows how to use it and always sings with full resonance.
Ok, I'll accept that.
Tone and color, I'm still not sure about, and I suppose I have my recording of today to prove him even remotely in the ballpark or not.

It doesn't matter in the least, it was just the most amusing comment of the day, in addition to extremely good work for the hour.
Turns out my grad coaches WERE trying to get something out of me that was there, but I wasn't ready for it to come out yet.
Turns out that when I really really and I mean truly relax into something (especially in the middle voice), the resonance opens up so much...so much, well, that this coach thought I sounded like Damrau. ha.

I was feeling
a. extremely crappy in a girl-time kinda way,
b. extremely not warmed up since I found out only an hour before the coaching that it would actually happen, and I didn't eat or really warm up for more than 10 minutes, AND I walked in the freezing cold to get there,
c. very much in a "work it out" mode and not "sound pretty to perfection" mode since this is a brand new piece and I just need to see what it sounds like more than anything and how I deal with it.

And it turns out that even with all of that not-so-goodness that I was feeling, I got great work done.

Pleased with myself, filled with yummy sushi and good dinner company (and did I mention the cruncyspicy salmon role?!, and hoping to have a good audition tomorrow.