onward and upward

Well, I can't quite say that things have remained in the doldrums. Just the opposite--things seem to be moving faster and faster...and only in good directions (knock on wood 3 times).

Something quite good came out of previous-audition...and the timing couldn't be more perfect in terms of things in my personal life that are being planned for the late summer/early fall...

A new project has also been approved for a release during an upcoming production...and if the music looks good (it's being shipped overseas as I write), that could be a really interesting three days--- of new modern music with new talented colleagues.

And perhaps most importantly, a huge huge huge opportunity is coming my way. One that I am excited about not only because of the "Who" of who I'll be singing for...but also because it's a piece of music that I was 'google-ninja-ing' over 4 years ago and is finally coming into, well, I can't quite say 'standard' rep, but it is being done more than ONCE in North America and the rest of the world this year.

While the music is some of the most challenging I have had to learn both in temperament and vocally...I am up for the challenge. I think that breaking it down into small blocks of study per day is how I'll approach this one.

First aria- done and done. 2 pages of crazy high, crazy low, and in general- crazy/cool.

Second aria- New as of three days ago, but I like it because it's crazy/creepy, and I memorized the words today, and some of the "blocks" of melody--for lack of a better music theory term...since it's certainly not atonal..it's kind of modal...but...who knows what these contemporary guys are calling it these days.

And I'm also toying with being MORE prepared by learning either one OR two other 1.5 page mini-excerpts. Just to show that I can do it...and do it all really well.

Flying back over the pond on Sunday and can't wait for 2 weeks of studying, auditioning, and performing.
Busy is good.
In a good way.

the lesson

Yes, it's time to write about the quest for perfection and pleasing...
Which is mainly what this business is about.
Getting people to like you--and hire you--for one reason or another. Usually mostly having to do with your voice, plus the sometimes elements of looks, acting, connections, and what the audition panel had for lunch that day.

So- according to some feedback, yesterday was not one of my best days.
That makes one audition out of..however many...but it still annoys me.

Should I be happy it wasn't a live performance for an audience?
Should I still be annoyed that I spent a rather large sum to come and even DO this audition and couldn't bring my best?
Should I think about the fact that even though the feedback wasn't great, I am still being considered for one of the roles that I was requested to sing an aria from yesterday?
Should I try to figure out what was wrong (well, without a recording, and just based on my own personal feelings about the singing?

Yes. I felt not the greatest from the first note I sang. I started singing it, and then it came blasting back in my face, distorting whatever tone I originally had in my ear (cadenza..have to stay on pitch..that did not happen)..and pretty much disorienting me for the rest of the introduction.
But then the aria begins.
So I get over it, start to sing the words and just think about the story and the language instead of vibrations coming back at me. I probably gave up on some phrases support-wise at the end which contributed more to the problem even though I was trying to ease up to make sure everything was still in order. I probably second guessed myself which made things sound tentative...I can't say I thought there was any problem with the coloratura sections at all...but then again...I couldn't hear well so maybe there was.
For the second piece I didn't hear anything, really..so who knows what was on or off. All I know is that to me it seemed like the F's that needed to be there were there, as were the arpeggios leading up to them. But again, since I have no recording I don't know.
And do I WANT a recording to hear something that as of right now--I feel like I couldn't control or have done better under the circumstances?
No. of course I can't blame a "room". I have sung in horrible horrible acoustics before and been just fine.
What should I 'blame' then? Nothing.
It's my job to do the best possible job at performances and auditions. But it is a reality that I may not be able to do that every single time. Since I'm not a wooden instrument with 4 strings and a bow, and since I'm a human whose physical surroundings influence the production of my 'instrument'.

So I can only say that yesterday I didn't perform as well at my job as I would have liked--or, as those who attended and offered feedback would have liked.

It's not the greatest feeling in the world. It's also not the worst.
I didn't know it before when I was warming up. It's not like I was sick and should have cancelled. Things felt fine warming up at 2 and getting ready for the day earlier.

What's the lesson?
No one is perfect, but we all strive for perfection on stage and in our careers. Things are so pressured all the time---from just beginning- Get into a conservatory, get an MM, get a scholarship, get a yap, get an agent, get a job, keep the agent, keep the job, get ..."famous"...get momentum, KEEP working...
that we forget that our entire job is to bring the childlike wonder of the voice and the story...to an appreciative audience.

It's easy to start feeling the pressure after a day like yesterday, but instead I'm going to leave it for what it was...and move on toward bigger and better and much more exciting things that will be happening about three weeks from now...and my next three operas, and my last 2 European performances, and the next European auditions...and everything good and exciting that is coming up in the next weeks, months and years.

Not forgetting that I can always do better and should do better and maybe should have done better...but needing to leave a sub-par day behind and just look ahead to other things.

leavin' on a jet plane (almost)...again.

10:30am flight arriving around 3pm US time on Tuesday and an audition wednesday at 4pm.
I'm usually good to go after flights anyway, but just to make sure, I WILL stay awake the entire flight...and maybe...hum lightly every hour or so...to make sure that crappy circulated air isn't getting to me. Ricola overload- that's a given.
Plus some emergenC, and I should be GOOD to GO--even if I had to sing on that same day.

There's no question I'll get a good night's sleep because jet lag will be working in my favor and I'll want to drop off around 8pm most likely.

If i can stretch it until 10, I'll be GOLDEN.

Plans, plans, and more plans...that I'm trying to fit into my literally 2.5 days in NYC and weekend upstate...
it will include shopping for things that I can't get cheaply in Germany (gladware- who knew?), bringing back a suitcase of winter clothes (well, actually I'm bringing my SUMMER clothes back to the US, so really, just changing places)...
and maybe maybe maybe even some more ..SHOES...
Oh how I have missed all of my shoes.

k k k karma

This won't be long or detailed but let's just put it this way---

If you happen to be an American living in a foreign country, MAYBE just possibly of the same profession that I am, with maybe just possibly some more experience, insight, advice, and general THINGS to tell me about my trying to start a life here and trying to coach, study, find english classes, contacts, auditions, etc.- OR just wanting some COMPANY of English speakers----please, just please think of YOUR first month or two here before you write me off like I'm just trying to somehow sabotage your own career or life by just saying hi and let's hang out sometime.

Really.
I know we're not besties and just acquaintances, but come on...I'm pretty sure YOUR life isn't so busy and great that you have no time to say yea, let's meet up some time.

I offer my apartment to friends to crash or warm up. I offer guided tours of a city that I don't even KNOW that well yet. I offer anyone coming to germany the same 'master list' that I made up by myself of every agent, house, how to contact them, what to do, etc. plus any other tips I've picked up along the way.
With an open heart and really all the best and positive thoughts for anyone (including coloratura sopranos...YESSSS....really), in making this kind of leap.

And really? You think I'm just using you for an email?

hmm.
ok then.

audition

Had an audition today in FRANCE that I had to take the ICE/TGV to get to...
Oh how I love fast train travel.
So painless.
So lovely.
Even when one train runs 5 minutes late they sometimes hold the next train if they know a ton of people have connections on it so that we can all safely get to our destinations.

That's beside the point.
Audition.
Woke up at 6:15, slept on the train until 9:30, arrived at 10:15, took a tram to the opera house, warmed up for about 20 minutes, rehearsed with the pianist for about 10 minutes, had some time to cool down and relax before my actual time...

and then I started with DurchZ (thanks, pianist--even though I pointed out that I will NOT be breathing on the three runs to the top notes and could you please NOT slow down the tempo--you still slowed down so much that it almost came to a halt and I had to breathe all of the times..thanks...no matter. Still sounded awesome and held the high E for like, ever)

Then- (this is the BEST) they asked for Lakme, but WITHOUT the introduction!?!?!??!
HHWHAT>??
Don't you people know that the intro. is the ONLY challenging part of the whole aria?
To start on an E, get it once from the piano an octave lower, and actually end that whole cadenza in the right KEY???
HAHAHAA- suuuuckers!

Anyway, so that was a snap too...oh, except : (thanks pianist, for somehow being the ONLY french person EVER to not know that the 2nd "lyric" sections of the aria --la bas dans la foret plus sombre---DON'T get sung at a snail's pace.
WHERE on the music does it say slow down, huh? huh? tell me....please).
This just confirms my anti-feminist suspicion that sorry--almost every male audition accompanist I've had is by FAR better than any female audition accompanist I've ever had.
I KNOW there are lovely talented women out there coaching and being repetiteurs and playing beautiful auditions.
Just not for me.
Yet.

Gah.

Anyway, both pieces went really well, the house was lovely to sing in, and hopefully I made a good impression.
To Be Determined.

einspringen

At last night's performance, we had an Einspringer--that means, last minute 'jump in' to the role because someone is sick or had an emergency, etc.
Our new Third Lady joined us in the dressing room about 2 hours before the show, after rehearsing for 2 hours in the afternoon ALL of the blocking with the First and Second Lady.

Now- ok, third lady...no big deal, right?
WRONG! The ladies are ALL over and ALWAYS blocked with plenty of action, choreography, shtick, and other blocking-related requirements.

So- this was a big one.

But our new Dritte Dame could not have been MORE relaxed and fun-loving for the whole process.
They didn't even have a matching costume that fit her, so she had her own black tank top on, with a sheer black wrap, and the costume department tacked big silver stars onto it (to match the other ladies).
No wig fit--she used her own hair.
Shoes- her own black shoes with added stars.

Blocking--she didn't even ask the ladies backstage before each scene--ok, here we do this, right?
Nothing!!! SHe just laughed and joked and said she hoped she would get all the dialogue right...and talked about her family, and her other opera house, and wishing that she was a soprano, and how she sings all the "Hexe" roles (witch parts)..even though she's not one...
I mean, this was one FUNNY lady that added an air of lightness and joy to the room instead of freaking out about what was about to happen on stage!

I guess that's what comes with being completely musically prepared to jump into a role. It doesn't really MATTER what the choreography/blocking is (well, of course it does, but still)...you can DO it because no matter what the MUSIC will be there to back you up..and if you get up or kneel down a second too early or too late, that's ok too!

It was thrilling.

OH. And in the middle of my second aria the audience clapped after the high F's....which was cool, except that they clapped so long they didn't hear the first two:
Verstossen Sei auf ewig, Verlassen Sei auf ewig's.
Fun.
AND I had a total ONE word brain fart in der hoelle rache.
WHAT?
HOW long have I been singing the aria?
So here's How it went:
Fuhlt nicht durch dich Sarastro WIRD ERBLASSEN (which...ARE the correct words from the END of the aria..just not right there), and then immediate recovery: SARASTRO TODES SCHMERZEN...so bist du meine tochter nimmer mehr...etc. etc.. high F's, etc.

Nice.
Glad all that is on descending scales so no one cares about the final words anyway.
But it was SO SO strange to not be in control of the words that came out of my mouth and all of a sudden be like- uhh...huh? that wasn't right. It didn't FEEL right..and NOW here are the right words.
Weird.

Anyway, no one seemed to care or notice since they were all just waiting for the high notes....

A lovely evening. And I still have glitter in my hair. Again.

baby it's cold outside

It reached Zero two nights ago (C), and mostly the weather has been between 8-14 degrees here for the past few days.
Cold enough to be SO VERY thankful to my parents who sent me my POOFY WINTER JACKET that I love so much.

I bought it two years ago, it's one of those long Northface ones (yes, the one everyone has in black), except mine is WHITE!

Good thing about having a white jacket--you don't mistake your jacket for anyone else's.

Bad thing about having a white jacket--daily use will turn it gray and then black (mistaking it for others) in an extremely short period of time.
The nice Chinese man at my regular dry cleaner's in the US has cleaned the jacket 3 times. Each time he has to clean it at least 3 times. And after this last time, he said he won't clean it anymore because he can't guarantee that all stains from ...subways, streets, sleeping on it in airports, and other general uses for extremely warm jacket as a blanket, pillow and heater...can be removed.

bureaucracy central, and 'bending' the rules

It's been four hours.
You would think with my ninja internet skills that by now I could have set up 7 bank accounts, transferred millions to my offshore accounts, and also saved the world from the next chain-letter mass email.

But, instead, I have barely:
Set up a new bank account (in America- details and reason why to follow).
Made a bank transfer that SAID it didn't go through. Made another bank transfer after waiting 20 minutes for an online "code" to MAKE said bank transfer.
Got 2 confirmation emails of my TWO bank transfers.

Called my health insurance in the US to find out if I'm covered here because there is a magical worldwide network for blue cross blue shield, but you have to get permission to use it first.

Reason for new bank account?
1. Bank of America doesn't charge for a checking account. Wells fargo now charges 12/month!
2. Bank of America exists on the East coast, wells fargo does not.
3. Bank of America has FREE transactions from Deutsche-Bank ATMs!!

AND the number one reason that has nothing to do with needing a new bank account:
To get a driver's license in Germany without having to take a written or road test (in German).

WHAT? you may ask?
What does that have anything to do with bank accounts?

Well, my friends, there are THIRTEEN states in the US which Germany recognizes in a super-special agreement of DMV offices...which allow drivers from ONLY these 13 states, to automatically get a German license, WITHOUT paying 100 Euros, AND taking the driving test, AND taking a written test.

Yes, I know, international license. But that's no good if I'm here more permanently...and I'm thinking that in the future future (not to be confused with the future), I'll be here a little more than permanently..maybe.

SO. Among the 13 states that are acceptable: Massachusetts.
Yes, the Massholes that I learned to drive amongst for 5 years living in Boston for my undergrad(s), THEY get automatic German licenses? Ok, maybe it makes sense since there are no speed limits on the autobahn, and that is pretty typical for ANY MA suburb as well as the Pike.

New York? Vermont? Minnesota? Any of the other 2 or 3 states I've lived in/had licenses in for the past 10 years?
NOPE.
Just MA.

SO- since my grandparents still live in MA and have an address where I USED to get mail sent to, I am now on my way to once again becoming a Massachusetts resident! (again).

I need proof that I live there, and what better way to prove it than to get some mail from my brand spankin' new bank account sent to my 'new address'? --Followed by a box of checks...which hopefully WON"T say bank of america on them, which will give me TWO letters received at said address.

Now all I need to do is wait to hear that it has arrived, and, oh, yea, find some time to go up to boston for ONE day of standing at the DMV and transferring my license (for 100 bucks..at least it's not 100 Euros).

Take THAT German bureaucracy!
I REFUSE to pay you and take your driving courses! And--in addition, I'm NOT planning to learn how to drive stick--cuz it's scary and weird and the car rolls when I am on hills! Automatic it is!


Health insurance call. I can't even BEGIN to write about that right now...let's just sum it up by saying that whether you love him or hate him, at least Obama is trying to do SOMETHING so that I'm not paying 200 bucks a month plus a 3000 deductible to be told that I still have to submit a claim to be APPROVED if I want to go see an ENT here...and that I have to call in advance the hotline (in Minnesota) and have THEM approve setting up the initial appointment.

on the road again...almost

Have to fly back to the US for an audition next week, and then again for a few days in mid-November.

I know how much of a hassle traveling is already.
I know how to pack light, I know how to trick those scales at the check-in to make it seem like my bag really IS under 20 Kilos even though it is about to explode.
I know that when I have a connecting flight I have to be sitting in an aisle seat to get out of the plane on time.
I know which line is faster at Newark and JFK for security.
I know that even though I'm dead tired after an international flight, I should still try to run to the front of the Passport line so that I'm not stuck behind half of America who is also trying to enter the country legally.

I've dealt with all of this SO SO SO many times.
But EVERY time I actually have to book a flight, part of me inside screams. A lot.

It's not as easy as: Business trip from the 1st to the 6th. Find the cheapest flight.

It's ALWAYS: POSSIBLE audition on the 28th. MAYBE something else will come along too.
So--how can I buy a ticket early?
I can't.
Unless I am willing to pay 300-500 dollars extra for a refundable ticket, OR just 30 dollars extra for "insurance" with orbitz, but EVEN that insurance doesn't cover the cost of changing the ticket.
All it does is let me "skip" the flights completely without "penalty", and be able to use that money toward the purchase of another flight (plus the 150 dollar fee to change the ticket plus the 30 dollar airline fee).

So of course yesterday I look up my POSSIBLE flight plans for next week as well as november.
538! A STEAL (although I've flown for 440, ONCE, most of my flights are between 490-540).
Leaving on the right day, coming back on the right day, and DIRECT!
And it wasn't even on India Air (although, don't knock it til you've tried it- it's actually quite awesome!)!!
It was on DELTA! via Air France, my snooty neighbors to the West.

So- my thoughts on Monday---
Should I get the ticket? Hmm... is there a chance I'll be called for a cancellation of Flute if the OTHER queen gets sick? (check it out, no performances of flute during that time)...
Should I get the ticket? hmm...maybe I'll wait one more day and see if...see if...
there was NO GOOD REASON for me not to buy the ticket yesterday!
DIRECT FLIGHTS PEOPLE!!

And OF COURSE,
when I logged into orbitz today.
LESS than 24 hours after yesterday's search,
the flight is no longer available.
Neither on orbitz, or delta, or air france.
Now- it's 1500!! Yes, joy to the world!

But what IS available for 562?
Well, it's the SAME departing flight (nonstop), and a flight back that goes from LGA to ATL (yes, that's atlanta), with 2.5 hour layover and then the flight to Frankfurt.
About 16 hours including an overnight flight.

So with a smack to my forehead and my credit card out, I bought that flight immediately.

Ok, a 20 dollar difference, and still a nonstop flight on the way IN which is what I really care about.

But really. There HAS to be a better system than the insanity of online ticket purchasing for poor artists that have open-ended travel dates!!!

As SOON as I have ANY clue about the dates I need to travel in November, my ticket WILL be booked. Immediately.

show #2 and a happy bday

Friday night was the 2nd performance of Flute. As I arrived at the theater early to warm up, get my hair and makeup done, and I remained seemingly calm and uninvolved in the usual storm of thoughts rushing through my head before any show in America, I realized why- first, I just had a week off between performances. And second, no one around me was crazy either.
Things here just seem calmer for most singers...whether that is because of the Fest system and the fact that this is their JOB- to show up and sing a good show. To come every day to rehearsal. To rehearse Rigoletto from 11-3 and come back for Flute at 6pm...maybe.
Or, whether it is because the shows are in repertory and you can't let one thing get to your head so much when you also have a big day tomorrow, and had a big day yesterday...

I don't know...but, everyone was excited but not too excited. They were all happy to be doing what they loved, but they were also just living their life. Their life, being, singers who have a job to do on a Friday night at 7pm.

So I warmed up, got ready, and did my job.
I'm really happy with both arias, how the show is going generally (except for the annoying crown that always falls off my head or feels like it's about to as well as my huge act 2 costume that makes it nearly impossible to fit through a door frame or sit comfortably).

And to top it all off, I'm having a great bday weekend. One year older, but it doesn't feel that way at all.
Sure, it's a number. But I'm having fun and I feel great.

Show number three this Friday.

slowly but surely

I'm realizing that I am getting more and more comfortable hearing German all the time, trying to understand it, and (gasp!) even, sometimes, formulating sentences that are seemingly correct to answer people or ask questions.

When I began this audition madness back in February, my auditions went something like this.
Show up at the porter's office and use keywords:
Audition, Today, 1pm, Here Early, Warm up?

And then listen for key words:
Upstairs, right, left, right, left, Frau so-and-so's office.

I would always just end up guessing the general direction of where I was sent, and hope that on one of the doors I would see a sign for KBB.

But more recently, I'm fielding phone calls from the KBB office of current-opera-theater, that are explaining to me in detail that I need this-and-that document, this for a work visa, to come into the office before this time to sign that contract, etc.

And--I GET it! And what's more fun- I can KINDOF answer them back and say- no, I won't be there until 5, can you send the contract in the mail? That would be great. Thursday? No problem....

I CERTAINLY have not been studying here...I have my books, but I just don't have the time or energy to really open them and start looking at verb tenses...

But I suppose that just being around this crazy language at all times somehow a LITTLE bit rubs off. And that gives me a BIT more hope of ONE day maybe possibly JUST perhaps that I will be 'ok' in German.

European Debut

Fun, Fun, Fun.
SHould I get into specific musical things alREADY? Well, this is a blog for my personal records, so sure, why not?
I liked EVERYTHING I did musically except for ONE thing.
I took one catch breath in the long Alle Bande phrase of the 2nd coloratura in the 2nd aria.
Yess....I recorded it sneakily w/my iphone because I have an entrance from the audience so I can hide the phone there right before the 2nd aria and come get it after Sarastro's aria. don't h8.

So. While I can hear it and it annoys me that I had to do it because suddenly today our conductor was inspired to take the triplet section three, yes, THREE ticks slower than the beginning of the coloratura section...I HAD to do it. There was no other choice. The aria was already kind of slow, and once I saw him slow the orchestra down to brace for that next section I knew that I would have to do it. So I chose as sneaky of a place as possible, took a tiny catch breath. And basta.

Otherwise, all the F's, all the arpeggios, all the german text, all the everything else that needed to happen--happened.

Yay.
Very happy about the first performance, and looking forward to the rest of the run...minus the glitter left in my hair for days after each show.

it's the TAG of the show y'all!

Well, except that it's :38 and I haven't gone to sleep yet...so it's "literally' the day of the show, however, I haven't 'woken up' for the show day .. yet.

That's ok.
Show starts at 4pm. I have to be there for makeup call at 3:20, which means since I'm completely paranoid about my trains being two hours late, I will leave the apartment around 12:15 and take a super early train to get to the theater around 1:45/2.

Spent the day relaxing, had dinner with friends and tried not to talk too much, hoping to get a good night's sleep, but happy that I can sleep in if needed.

Feeling pretty matter-of-fact about the whole thing. I guess I'll be more excited tomorrow on my way there or in my costume or on stage.

Until then...buona notte.

final orchestra dress

Well the big day arrived (at 10am this morning).
First time that I would get to rehearse in full costume and makeup with orchestra...and my last rehearsal before opening.

First the costume- slinky extremely sparkly silver v neck, low cut, halter gown to the floor. In the first act I come out with a totally huge and heavy black diva coat (no fur trim, but there might as well be for the largesse of this manteau... and then when I'm 'inspired' by the (coloratura section) moment--I take it off and sing the 2nd part of the first aria.
Oh yea, with a silver crown that is a foot tall, made of wires that won't stick in to the wig, which has to be placed on my head by the First Lady, after which I have to somehow secure it enough to get up on a bench and be inspired to SING the rest of the aria.

Nice.

2nd act. Same slinky dress, but this time there is an overlay of black cape with peignets (read: hips for days), with a cloak/cape type train in the back, which ALSO is a halter (yea, this costume is not so great for neck tension).
And it's so heavy that it has to be corseted at the waist and at the neck, lest, it strain my neck.

In THIS costume I have to once again wield the crown, a knife, black gloves, some ICE (read: super fake and huge glitzy diamond bracelet, drop earrings and necklace), and then crawl on the floor like a dog AND flap my wings like a chicken.
I wasn't kidding you when I said this production was 'euro-fabulous' people.

The singing went really smoothly today. Meh- what can I say.
Koenigin is actually not a hard sing at ALL except for the "expectations" of the role.
Everyone knows what it sounds like. Everyone knows whether you hit the high notes. Everyone just knows...
So in THAT sense you can just not mess up...any of it. Ok- definitely not the high F's or any parts of those cadenzas..and MAYBE something else may go unnoticed.

Queen for me is generally fun to play around with and offer to those who find it appropriate for my vocal timbre.

The one thing that's strange (and now I do believe those that warned me about singing too many Queens or only being singled out as a Queen in Germany especially), is that I agree that it could temporarily mess with your voice.
I mean- ok, granted I had a 10 am rehearsal for the last 2 days for which I had to wake up at 6:30 and get on trains to get to the theater...
But. After the rehearsals. I.Was.Tired.

I didn't want to sing ANY more--and, come on- it's just 2 arias and the finale!

Having only had a total of something like 5 rehearsals for this production, I was under more pressure than usual, and was singing the arias over and over and over again for the 2 days that we had the orchestra with us. I was staging at singing at the same time....it was just a lot a week and a half ago, and a lot these past 3 days.

And even though nothing feels "bad" right now, my voice doesn't feel as easy/breezy as usual.
Meaning, after the F's on Sunday I'm officially shutting up until the F's the next Friday.
Of course when I warm up and 'test' myself on my usual audition arias- DurchZ, Doll, etc- it's all there. It just feels like I'm warming up not from a day of rest with glittering E's,F's and G's that I can sit on forever, but--from a previous show day!--where I have to be a bit more scrupulous about approaching the high notes and how long I'm actually going to hold them for.

In some sense of the matter, that could be a good thing or learning experience. After all, for 2 of my upcoming productions I have to sing leading roles on Saturday evening/Sunday Matinees back to back. Not just 2 arias and one quintet for a total of 10 minutes.

I'm feeling good about this being my semi-official European debut--ok, well it's my stage debut in Europe, seeing as how Candide was "Semi-staged" concert-style.

Excited of course, looking forward to seamless singing and seamless costume-crown-knife-wielding.

more amusing by the minute

Have I mentioned how GLAD I am the Queen of the Night is so easy to sing and to stage?
Let me mention it again...
because I just got my schedule for tomorrow, and I am called from 8pm-8:30pm to run the first aria.

Yep- that's it!

No run-through, no costumes, no make-up.

Loving the last-minute-ness of it all.

I THINK (assume/hope) that there WILL be SOME kind of run-through on either Thursday or Friday.
Which is just fine by me--although...at this point, I'm not actually sure that will happen.

Whether it does or not, though, thankfully, none of my role is really dependent on anyone else's staging.

I come in all sad, stomp around, pull stuff off the walls, take a swig, sit down on a bench, stand up on a bench, sing some high notes, and leave the stage.

Then, I come in all pissed, yell a bunch in German, climb some stairs in 6 inch heels which I have yet to try on and a balloon skirt costume which I have yet to try on, wield a knife, fake-hug my daughter, yell at her some more, sing some more high notes.
Bow.
Then, I have to stay on stage for Sarastro's aria and get 'hypnotized' by him, bow to him, remove my crown for him, kneel before him, and then run off stage.
Then, I spy on Pamina while she almost kills herself.
Then, I come in with my ladies, and stay stage right (in Germany that's stage Left, p.s.)...for the entire 'death scene', during which I get branded with a hot iron and am left to wallow in my sorrow and pain.

See? Easy.

See you opening night.
ha.ha.ha.

back to regularly scheduled programming

I'm back in Germany after a beautiful wedding weekend!
Actually, almost didn't make it back thanks to the good people of Newark airport who decided to delay my flight from Chicago for two and a half hours because of low cloud cover and increased air traffic.
I mean...thanks for the safety and everything, but this is EXACTLY the day for this kind of thing NOT to happen...

I had the flights timed perfectly for an emergency situation of this kind:
Supposed to leave Chicago (O'hare- known for awful weather delays in general) at 11:15, and arrive in Newark at 2:35.
Get off the plane, get on the skytrain, go to Terminal B, check in to my international flight 2.5 hours before it leaves (they don't have e-ticketing so you have to stand in line), get through the horrific Newark security line (international flights are even worse), grab one last Bagel and Cream Cheese from the US (ahhhhhh....), and off I would go.

INSTEAD- my flight LEFT chicago at 1:50, arrived at 4:30, didn't get a gate for 15 minutes, all of which had me scrambling for the last 2 hours of airport transit time (well, except for that whole security line thing), to make it to my overnight flight back here.

All went well in the end (there was even a free middle seat in between me and the person on the aisle), and even though I barely got any sleep because I happened to be placed behind the rows where EVERY baby was refusing to sleep by screaming and crying, I made it back at 8am, got on the 10 minute Sbahn ride back home, and fell into bed--a bit dehydrated, and most definitely hungry.

Back to auditions, rehearsals, and Mozart on the mind.

quick trip stateside

Thankfully and luckily, the stars aligned last week when the staff for the opera decided to make their preliminary schedule--because I am not called for the next 4 days--the exact four days that over three months ago I had scheduled a return trip to NYC for a wedding of one of my friends that I really really really hoped I would not have to miss. (In addition to the fact that I already told her I'd sing during her ceremony and during the reception).

I've missed a LOT of weddings over the years. Performances, young artist programs, rehearsals...sometimes--most of the time, it JUST doesn't work out. And there realy is nothing I can do about it. When you're engaged in a contract for 5 weeks, it pretty much means you are owned by another city, another opera company, and another director and conductor's daily schedule for the entirety.

LUCKILY I was at my best friend's wedding 2 years ago. LUCKILY I have a one and a half day release in 2010 so I can be a bridesmaid for my cousin at her wedding (and sing and all that jazz), and LUCKILY again--I don't have to change my plans, and I will be on a plane tomorrow morning headed for NYC and then Chicago on Friday for a weekend of celebration!

lost in translation

Actually, not really lost with anything having to do with musical things..at all. I have the German dialogue DOWN! I recite it before I go to bed, and when I wake up, and when I'm eating all that bread, cheese, and chocolate (not always in that order) that is so good here in Deutschland.

But for everything else that I need to take care of--oh, you know--things like--
Becoming a Resident/getting a work visa, getting a driver's license, opening a bank account so that I can be paid--yea, all that--in German.

Thankfully--someone is by my side to do MOST of the talking (unless they ask me directly whether I am a member of one of Germany's 3 "Churches"- Protestant, Catholic, or Jewish ...yes, you pay taxes if you say YES), and I get flustered and confused and say NO with a big smirk on my face.

have I mentioned

that the show opens on October 4th?
Oh yea, I just got the schedule for next week and there are no Zauberfloete rehearsals. That is because Rigoletto opens the NEXT night, and so since everything is in repertory, they also rehearse that way. Rigoletto will be rehearsing on the mainstage all week, and we will resume on the 30th. Yes, that would be 3 days before opening.

Have I mentioned how glad I am that Queen is just about the easiest thing to sing and act and learn for me?
First aria, some dialogue, second aria, 'death scene'.
SUCH a great way to not freak out about only having ONE or TWO more rehearsals (because of double casting). And possibly only ONE rehearsal in costume.

sweet.

German Dialogue

Mmm, so tasty on the tongue.

Especially when you have to yell it running up some stairs, carrying a knife, wearing 6 inch heels, and a dress that poofs out 2 feet on each hip.

Nice.

holy European debut, batman!

People of the blog-o-sphere that sometimes visit here (yes, all 42 of you), behold my thunderous announcement and try to refrain from shock and awe:

I am making my European stage debut (well, kinda- if you don't count that semi-staged Candide at a summer festival 2 yrs ago) singing the role of Koenigin der Nacht- in TWO WEEKS!

Yep, you heard me.

Here is how it went down:

Tuesday 2:30pm : missed call
Tuesday 2:50 pm: listen to a voicemail from an agent telling me to call them back as soon as possible
Tuesday 3pm: call agent who asks me how quickly I can get to Heidelberg from Frankfurt (it takes an hour), and can I audition for Queen that same day--ie, in a few hours?

Me: SURE!

Me between 3:40-4:50: (getting stuff ready, warming up briefly, getting on the train, getting to the theater ...early.....of course)

5pm- change at the theater and warm up
6pm- audition on stage. They request Der hoelle rache and then O zittre nicht.

6:12pm- they say- we like you, come meet everyone, oh yes, and- we have rehearsal at 6:30- can you STAY for it and sing the arias with orchestra?

UMMM--yes please!!

I still didn't have an official 'offer', but during the 'pausa' 1.5 hours into rehearsal, the head of the KBB pulled me aside and said they would like me to take over the contract for the other Queen who had to withdraw from the performances and they would be very happy to have me...and...could I show up to rehearsal tomorrow at 9:30am?

Yep, and Yep!

So- I get home at 11:30pm, exhausted from the frenzy of the last 6 hours and the general awesome-ness that is to be my life for the next few months...
Email the agent who set this up with a few requests and clarification questions (since- I started working with no contract I had to see what I was in for...and the agent had no idea they hired me on the spot, of course).

Next day (yesterday): Call the agent in the morning, go through my requests regarding the contract. Go to rehearsal, get blocked into the show (which--is so "Euro-amazing" (some would substitute another word for 'amazing'))...run the arias once and the finale once. Have 5 hours off in the afternoon. Come back at night to work a few details in the first aria.
Released.

And with that, I'm 'blocked' into the show. Aaaand we open October 4th.

Aaaand: go!

ch ch ch changes

I figured I should try and add a little color into my blog to go along with the new color added to my life recently...

I'm not totally in love with what I've picked, but in general, I like blue. And red. So there ya go.
Spending any more time on blogger.com templates and color schemes would just be...well, a waste of time.
Why new? Why change?
Well--why not?

I'm an easily adaptable person. Always moving, always packing, always meeting new people, learning new music and new city maps, new money conversions from dollar to euro, cup to liter, etc.

And so, since I'm already going for a smooth transition in life, why not in the blog as well?
I know, it's just three colors. But hey, you have to start somewhere, right?

a fun little aside

My piano skilzzzz will be tested this morning, as I have volunteered to go to a music store and help the parents of a 5 year old (family friend) who is about to start taking piano lessons, choose a digital keyboard.
Now if only I knew how to say weighted keys in German.
I'm pretty sure I"ll figure it out.

All those years of lessons and I THINK I can glide my fingers over the keys at a real music store and still sound mildly competent-- Beethoven sonatas and Mozart preludes, here I go.

we don't 'act' as much in European auditions as you do in American auditions....

Ok, then don't "ask" for ZERBINETTA!

upcoming 1 and 2: MEMORY

The last time I sang UpcomingRole1 I was fresh out of Undergrad and ready to take on the world.
This time I get a chance to do it all over again, x years later, a few legato notes and cadenzas wiser.

I've been doing a bit of memory work recently, and here is the conclusion that I've come to regarding how it works for me personally.

Whether I spend three days crash-memorizing a role that I have to jump into (see Summer 2007), or whether I prepare a leading role 9 months in advance, at a leisurely pace while on the beaches of the 'motherland' (See Summer 2007 ALSO), memorizing works in mysterious ways for me.

Sometimes I can look at the score, listen to a recording once and just 'get it'. The melody will be in my head always. And all I have to do is memorize the words and fit them in the right place. Of course this is RUDIMENTARY role acquisition. I'm not talking about being musical, making the nice sounds, or building character. I'm simply talking about memory work.

Sometimes, it doesn't help at all to listen. I have to be at the piano, banging out notes and little tunes and themes for what seems like ever, learning the words at the same time as memory cues, and I can learn the whole thing that way. As something 'hand in hand' in terms of music and lyrics.

MOST times I've had to learn a role whether I'm at the piano, or just flipping through the vocal score sightreading (in my head, and usually on an airplane), or listening to some old recording of someone who I would NEVER want to copy, just so that the music can get in my ear), I always remember the music. NOT so much the words.
Which is why about a month before the production begins, I am usually walking around with little folded pieces of paper on which I write out the words to the entire opera. Numerous times. Every day.


And (knock on wood) I've never had a word blip or brain fart (as they say) on stage or during rehearsal that has been so ridiculous that I couldn't recover from it on the next note or phrase.

But it's so strange--I work so hard to GET to the first rehearsal, have five weeks basically sleeping, eating and living a show, and then, one month later, it couldn't be farther in my mind.
It's almost like I WILL my short term memory to 'forget', so that I can make room for new things!
Of course, I haven't forgotten all of it. On the contrary, I think I actually remember about..92-95 percent of it.
But it's those little ensembles and the accompanied recits and that big choral number--the parts that I usually don't LOVE to practice because it's not all about 'me,me,me' in that there are long breaks, other things going on, or a high note held above 26 measures and then some patter.

Well. So. UpcomingRole1.
I just listened to it while power-walking/Yogging (it's a soft J) for an hour and a half...and for the MOST part, my memory has served me just as I thought it would.
I recall all of the major things, and there are a few minor patter/chorus/middle of duets/talky parts that I need to stop fooling myself into thinking that I'll remember, and actually start writing down. Every.Day. Ah- routine.

UpcomingRole2?
WELL- I am starting to work through that, but I think it's going to be the piano-banging-type.
It's French (also), there is MUCH patter, MUCH repetition as in couplets, MUCH fast Frenchiness (basically, more cowbell....)....and with THAT I will end the entry and say that I am not sure I'll ever really figure out how I learn best, because there ARE so many choices.
To each his own, and seemingly sometimes...to each OPERA its own...

update

Ok, it seems like I AM mostly still eating bread, cheese and chocolate. But at least I found a gym to work it all off! And happily, it is two blocks away.
REALLY no excuse not to go.

Schedule

I have been here exactly six days. I think my 're-welcome-to-germany' time is over, and that now I actually have to start treating this place like my current and future home.

I unpacked my clothes into closets and shelves (instead of leaving them in my suitcases, as I tend to sometimes do during 5 week long gigs).
I brought my ELECTRIC toothbrush (instead of one that cost $1.99 at CVS).
I am not just eating bread and cheese and chocolate, but instead am seeking out semi-nutritious foods from (gasp) Grocery Stores! instead of stalls at the Main Train Stations.

And so, since today is Monday and I spent last night wandering around the streets of FF at the Museum Festival (every museum is free, there is food and music at every corner, and books, chatchkes, and knick-knacks for sale at every other corner), I am going to attempt to implement a schedule for myself so that I feel a bit more like I'm doing 'work' and less like I'm on an 'extended vacation' until I hear about some audition that I have to travel to in some other city.

The things that I need to do in no particular order are: practice German, practice music, and get my butt outside or to the gym.
Oh yea, and plan a wedding.

Aaaaand: GO.

tis the season

All of my singer friends back in the US are just beginning 'audition season'--which means that currently they are taking full advantage of their 9-5dayjob printer, and printing out endless copies of resumes, bios, and applications from online while supposedly working.
Hey, been there, done that, and you know you have too!
No judging.

Yes, it's audition season here too, but things are run a bit differently.

Firstly, there are no real 'YAPs'- young artist programs that run for a summer, utilizing 40 fresh young voices for chorus-work for five mainstage shows, while giving the youngsters invaluable lessons such as:

--Learning how to speed-memorize the chorus parts for 5 operas in one week
--Learning how to speed-memorize opera scenes that are handed to you upon arrival before next week's performance
--Learning how to speed-memorize recital music that is handed to you upon arrival before next week's recital...

you get the picture.

No, :) :) that, and of course meeting and working with amazing colleagues and friends, getting to live out your summer-camp youth in a dorm with shared showers, no AC, and someone who keeps stealing your low-fat fudgesicles from the refrigerator.

No applications and application fees, no pianist fees, no warm-up room fees, no singing an audition in a small 12x12 studio with an upright piano

Noo---here you get to the opera house, you are provided a warm up room, you are provided time with the staff pianist, who DOES know how to play Zerbinetta- thank you very much!, you are provided the STAGE. Yes, the STAGE to stand up and do your thing...with a lovely grand piano to accompany you.

Heaven.


I could get used to that.
Not having to scramble to see if my 'short list' of pianists is available to accompany me for an audition.
Not have to warm up on the streets of New York because I don't feel like paying 14 bucks to NOLA for 30 minutes of a non-soundproof room.
Not having to send in 20 to 60 dollars just so someone can look at my resume without hearing me and decide whether I'm worthy of a four minute audition slot three months away or not.
Not having to sing in an overly-live, tiny room, with the auditors tapping away at their laptops visibly while I attempt to make some art ;)

Bitter? Not me! I've just tasted the forbidden fruit on this side of the pond and could get used to this kinda stuff!

first audition

done and done.
Took the train, warmed up in a lovely park, walked in, found the KBB office, and they were super-nice--showed me everywhere to go from there. Another warm up room, rehearsal with the pianist (this is like the 5 star treatment compared to auditions in the US), and then audition on stage.

There were only three people!
Soprano, soprano, counter-tenor.
We each sang one piece, then rotated and were then asked to sing a second piece (so kind of like 2 rounds)--which is fun because you get a break after starting with Der Holle Rache!

My trusty iphone/italk was there to record from back stage, and what I heard, I like :)

up up and away

well i made it here...
with barely any sleep...delta was NOT oversold, there was a middle seat between me and the guy at the window, BUT he read three entire papers and crunched EVERY page really small and in half and then thirds so he could read the articles close to his face and not hold his hands out.
do you know how annoying it is to hear newspaper crunched and folded every 2.5 minutes? yea. no sleep.
THEN even though we were all instructed to CLOSE the windows so we could..oh, i don't know..SLEEP!!....he opened his at dawn to watch the "beautiful sunrise" all the way from london to frankfurt (ie, last 2 hrs of the flight--streaming light. on my face. thank you.)

aaaanyway, got to the airport--
my checked bag drama unfolds:
first bag: five pounds over the 50 pound max, so the skycap made me take out some books that CLEARLY did not weigh 5 pounds, but then he said it was ok...think it was cuz i was wearing a tight shirt.
SECOND bag (delta charges 150 for a 2nd checked bag)- so i made mine a carry on--except..it weighed 47 pounds and looked like a mac truck.
so i hid this bag from view from:
skycap,
security checkpoint
gate agents
airplane entrance agents
and then..the nice airline attendant helped me HOIST it up (over the overhead bin one row ahead of me- just in case it would fall and break my head..wanted it to be the other guy's head).

And so- with my huge backpack of my : laptop/laptop bag, all plugs, all electronics, food, water, three opera scores and other various things that made THAT bag also seem like i was breaking the "one purse/one carry on item" rule....

I MADE it through!

it's the day of the flight y'all

As usual, I barely got any sleep. I'm going to attribute this to excitement this time, not the fear of falling out of the sky in a flaming ball of..flames.

No, I'm not 'scared' of flying..but every time the plane shakes, rattles, or rolls (usually during food service), I calmly think about whether there is anything on my person that could be used to identify me in case the plane crashes.

And then, realizing that, no, I am wearing my most comfy clothes (sweats, sneaks, tank, and hoodie and there are no pockets), I slowly reach toward my bag that is tucked under the seat and make sure some form of identification is close by.

Again, JUST in case.

That's normal, right?

Riiiiight.
Moving on.

I.am.packed.

And here is how I plan to get around the weight limits for my bags:
Bag one (checked) can only weigh 50 pounds. Ok, mine is about 54.
Bag two (not allowed to be checked or else I pay 150 bucks), is a carry-on and is only supposed to weigh 30 pounds.
It weighs 47. HAHAHHA. Oooops.

BUT, I am sneaky, and I checked in online. What does that mean? I can take my bag directly to the 'dropoff' bag area, get my tag, and HOPEFULLY there will be no weighing involved because I won't be at the 'check in stand' where you have to put the bah on the conveyor belt.
Also, hopefully, they won't look at my carry on suitcase and start laughing out loud.

IF they make me take anything out of either one--that will be quite interesting, but I'll be up for the challenge of perfectly rearranging everything to fit the weight limits (kinda.).

bon voyage!

practice makes...

Well, hopefully CLOSE to perfect!

I have taken a bit of a break from practicing (except for in my head)...I mean, practicing out loud...for about two weeks.
I do things that can be considered 'preparing' for upcoming roles, auditions, etc., but I haven't actually sung a note since early last week. Unless it was in the car along with the radio or a CD.

Today I decided that maaaayyybe just maybe I should take a look at all of my audition arias that I'm about to present to a HOPEFULLY large number of houses while I'm abroad for the next six weeks.

Happy to report that they all feel great. Warmed up for about 20 minutes, sang through both Queens (since, I will not offer them unless asked, but they will ALWAYS be asked for), even sang through Lucia (!)..for fun...and then some Fee, Fire, Doll, Daughter, etc.

Tomorrow I'll go through whatever else is left in the book, the less-requested (at least by Europeans) arias.

Once again I find myself in a bit of a ...jumpy (is that my word for it) position...
Everyone in Europe has been on vacation for a month.
Auditions aren't being "scheduled" just yet, inquiries are just starting to be made, houses don't really know their Fest needs for next season (they have until October 30th to find out)...aaand of course, I'll be back in the US before that date.

So again, I'm counting on my managers/contacts and general online ninja skills to get the info., get the audition, and for me to rock it.

It's not a 'scary' place to be in. I was in the same place before leaving for Europe-part-deux in May. Again, I'm pretty zen about thinking that somehow it will all work out, as it has for far...knock on wooooood...but of course, my bottom line is to be auditioning for future work. Not lolling about Europe eating great bread and cheese and chocolate and wine...
hmm..on second thought...
bring on the chocolate.

Oh yea, upcoming post on how I decided that starting on Thursday of next week (giving myself 2 days to get over jet lag) I'm going to start working out. I already know the gym--actually, it's a boxing center..maybe I could get into that....

We shall see.

packing again

Excitement of the evening:

Realizing that even though I packed my stuff in a 28 inch (super big..as big as you can get) suitcase, I can SORTA squish it all into a 26 inch suitcase.

I know that doesn't SEEM like it such a big difference, but trust me..weight wise/size-wise and lugging-the-darn-thing-around NYC and German airports-wise, it's SOOOO much better.

Tomorrow I'll have a field day at the local CVS, buying toiletries and other odds and ends that I'm sure exist on the other side of the Atlantic, but will probably have a strange name, so I'm buying them HERE.

I'm baaaaaaack

Did you miss me? Didja? Huh? :)

I'm getting ready for my departure this weekend ONCE again to return to Germany/Europe.
Only THIS time, it's NOT only for work reasons (although auditions still remain my number one goal of the next month and a half)...
THIS time it's because there is officially someone on the other end who has officially 'asked' me to be there. :) I still have engagements (haha, engagements) in America, and I am fully aware of that and committed to continuing to perform wherever I have the opportunity to do so- in the States, and internationally, during my career.
So- career-wise (which is all that matters on this blog and for the purposes of writing here), this actually doesn't really change anything except for my continued work toward adding European venues to my performance opportunities.

blogcation

Time for some fun .... IRL...
Unless I absolutely can't keep my fingers off the white sparkly macbook keys, I will try not to be back for about a week and a half or two.

cya...ciao...bye bye now...bu-bye.

the first

This weekend I'll be paying a visit to my very first voice teacher.
I was 15 and begging my parents for voice lessons so that I could be the next Christine in "Phantom of the Opera" or Narrator in "Joseph", and a friend of a friend recommended a voice teacher.
Until that year, all of my singing was in choir, musical theater, and popular music of the mid-90s.

But at my first lesson, armed with my broadway hits book and the vocal/piano score to Phantom, Joseph, and myriad other musicals, this teacher heard me warm up, and said to me--have you ever sung opera?

Uhhhh-NO! That's for fat old ladies who wear horns, have braids twisted up on their heads, and metal breastplates. And besides, ..it's not "cool".

Ok then. She had me sight read a few pieces from the "24 hits", and then sent me home with a 'deal'.
She made me a deal--I could work on "Think of me" and "Wishing you were somehow here again" IF I also took a look at three pieces of photocopied pages of an "Aria" called "O mio babbino caro" and did homework on it.
Not singing...
figuring out the story, translating it, learning how to speak the italian correctly, and learning the melody on vowels.

(fine..whatever.I'll do it if I can learn Musical theater and be a STARRRR!)

So--I did.
And let's just say, that the next week--I didn't go back with my broadway books.

I was hooked and only she heard that voice inside me...the one that was suited to this genre...the one that I continued to pursue from that age, through college, grad school, and today.

And so--this weekend I will get to see her again, sing for her again (it's been close to over 2 years now because of my travels and lack of normal schedule), and see what the 'first teacher' "thinks of me" now.

ps- woah! my 25 things

I just realized that I'm fulfilling one of the things on my 25 things post! (See sidebar)!
Visiting FB friends IRL! LOVE IT.

Also in the past few months two or three other ones have been scratched off the list.
Sweet.

the good life

I know how I feel about 9-5 jobs, and as a creative type, it's just not the ideal for me.
But these past few weeks (almost a month now) has really made it even more clear to me how lucky I am to be successfully following this career path.
I know when my next jobs are. I know the window of time that I'm leaving open to auditions. But pretty much, for the rest of the summer, I'm traveling for pleasure.
Visiting friends from high school, undergrad, grad, opera programs, family that is scattered about, etc.
This is the life.
I know what follows all of this and so I am always preparing and am always prepared for any last minute audition that may pop up (have my high heels, audition binder and a nice dress I can pull it off with)..but in general...
it's reeeeelaxation with family and friends.
Awesome.

direct from nfcs.....yikes this is long.

"has a singer made it once they have an agent"?

This is indeed an interesting topic.
I remember in my PAD (pre-agented-days), thinking that singers who had agents were the 'professionals' who were singing the leading roles in the A,B,and C houses where I was apprenticing. And that was fine, because according to the 'shining path' (ok, LOOSELY use that term! lolzz) of having a singing career, it was: Undergrad, grad, apprenticeship at summer program, year round apprenticeship, and then either that company loved you and gave you a chance on the mainstage, or an agent heard you at one of the previous two things and wanted to sign you..because now you were "of age", "of maturity" and "of talent" enough to get their attention.

That or your b00bs looked awesome the day you sang for Placido via your teacher's personal recommendation into some competition that he was judging. j/k

OR, I believed, one could make their own path, and quite successfully do so for a few years:

Having finished school, and as an un-managed singer, approach both agents and houses of CERTAIN levels (CERTAIN-ly NOT A houses), and request an audition based on your previous work. Now, this only works if you actually accumulated about 10 to 20 roles in your Pre-Professional days (ie, school, summer workshops, apprenticeships, local/regional shows)...because, otherwise, I don't think you'd get much of a response from houses to book you for an un-managed audition unless you had the voice of an angel and they happened to listen to your recording that day instead of throw it in the trash along with the folder that all of your materials came in.
And it also only works if you are indeed ready in ALL sense of the word--you know, package, looks, voice, whatevs...that has been discussed previously.. to audition for these levels in the FIRST place.

Why does an agent make a difference?
Some math. (I'm a math hater- ...although according to "Outliers" it's just because I wasn't given enough TIME in my 42 minute classes to be a math-person)
Ok, let's say there are like ten to twenty 'top'-ish agencies, each of which (excluding the huge ones like CAMI) have..let's say 10 to 20 sopranos on their roster.

Ok, so rounding UP to include some of the bigger rosters that have more than 20, and some of the "more than top ten" agencies to include their sopranos as well, let's say 20 agencies times 20 sopranos are competitively managed in the US.
400 sopranos.

Now, out of those, I assume there would be an about equal distribution of years that those sopranos have been managed.
Some are world-class, world famous sopranos. Some have been at a career steadily for over 5 years, and some have been signed within the past five years.
Let's focus on the ones that have been signed within the last 5 years...since that is who you are in essence 'competing' against to get a spot on a roster.
And I won't even get into inner soprano 'faching' categorizations.

So of the 400 sopranos---take 1/3 (the number who have been signed in the past 5 years and are in their "early" careers) == 133.333..etc. Ok, 134 sopranos who are around YOUR level of development THROUGH five years ahead of you.

How many of those 134 sopranos will actually be in New York City (and not have a previous engagement for October-December) at all of the auditions in which YOU would like to request and audition.
Ok, I don't know what the 'rate of work' is for singers, but let's HOPE that Just Under Half of them are "working singers" and they Happen to have a Fall 2009 gig.

Let's say that leaves 60 sopranos.

Those 60 sopranos from 20 different agencies will be put up for consideration for audition requests each time an opera company comes to New York for two to five days.
Let's assume sometimes a company is not interested to hear a soprano a 2nd year in a row (sometimes true), and that for SOME kinds of sopranos, there is no need for their voice type in the repertoire for the next season.

Thinking generously, let's SAY that thirty are now left.
Thirty managed SOPRANOS who have been accepted to mainstage audition...and these are just the ones who are in their 'early' career---this does NOT include the ones who are a bit ahead, maybe DON"T even HAVE to audition because they are a 'name', etc.

If THESE thirty (who will take an an entire day of the one to three days of auditions...but not all on the same day) had to already go through a certain weeding out process already--ie, an agent heard them..somewhere..(school, performance, YAP audition, competition), and they have been SIGNED, isn't a company more likely to agree to hear a certain number of these thirty sopranos instead of the I'm sure ..hundreds of request letters that they receive every season for an unmanaged audition?

Now, of course... companies DO hear unmanaged singers. Many GDs have written in the past about how they go through recordings, resumes, looking for that diamond in the rough or that raw talent or sometimes just that one that went unnoticed for a few years and suddenly has the 'it' voice of the moment and just hasn't been snatched up yet.

Of course, this math is no where near precise. I haven't counted up the actual number of sopranos--either managed of any age and level, or unmanaged of any age or level. There are many more agents than just 20. Unmanaged singers get heard all the time and get jobs out of it. Managed singers get heard all the time and don't always get jobs.

What is my final thought IF I were to HAVE a final thought--since I have seemingly gone on forever and ever in this little math experiment only to debunk my own formulas?

Well, here it is.
It helps. a LOT. It means that SOMEONE has given you a seal of approval.
And, hopefully, that someone ALSO has a good reputation themselves. The win-win is when someone sees your potential, and knows how to get other people excited about it in the form of 'getting you out there'...getting heard by the right people at the right time.

Singers can do a very large amount of their own 'business managing' on their own, of course. But at the end of the day, the person that can call up this or that company, find out about some season in 2012, be in the know about the upcoming cancellation, premiere, or audition...before anyone else...and actually be able to DO something about it (in terms of throwing the artist's name into the mix for consideration at any of these moments) is the person's who has the job title of artist manager.

So- to answer the FIRST question now that I've gone on some tangential dalliances, has a singer "made it" once they have an agent?
Well- of course not. But there are certainly incredible advantages to having a name besides your own attached to your work, work ethic, and marketability.
It also means that you have to maintain and, what's more, strive to excel in your level of talent, ability, professionalism, conduct, business savvy, etc.- for the same reason-- You are now attached to a name that also strives to achieve a good reputation, respect, and representation of the top talent in the field.

popular...you're gonna be pop-YOU-Hoo-lar

(Notice the connection between the current post title and the last post title...two points for musical theater geeks if you get it).

Today I'm going to make a quickie-recording of some 'popular' music...well, popular for the 1930s and 40s, and 'standards' of today.

Hurray for fun side projects.
I don't really consider them to be interrupting any 'work' that I have to do on upcoming score1/2/3. All in due time, I say.
And in terms of 'due time', I certainly have it until I hear about the first auditions of the season which eventually I will do an 'aria binder overhaul' for--ie, new copies, fresh pencil markings, new hole punches, etc.

Back to the jazz lead sheets.

orbtiz, sidestep and kayak, oh my!

I'm trying...really trying...to be bff with these travel websites. I KNOW it's not their fault that their algorithm magically tells them when someone ELSE has purchased a round trip fare to LA and therefore when I logged in 30 minutes ago and the price was $517 and now I log in and the price if $589 my eyes pop out of my head and my heart breaks a little.
Ok, it IS their fault. Math and econ dorks!

I've already purchased two round trip flights to Europe and back, a round trip fight to Chicago and back for Fall Wedding '09, and now I'm trying to plan out my next 2 weeks of travel, all for the purposes of "deep deep relaxation" (please pronounce that phrase a la Katinka Ingabogovinanana from Zoolander), but right now my blood pressure is just rising with these insane summer flight prices!

IF the planets magically align, I will be spending 2 days in NYC, 2 days upstate, 4 days on the Cape, 4 days in LA, and flying back to an airport that is close enough by car to get to Newark airport at 10am in the morning the day AFTER my LA arrival to pick up a very special 'package' who will be visiting for 2 weeks!

Oh yea, and then pack up my life again to move for 2 months- but that's at the END of August!

It's SO nice to know that for the next (ok, I can only officially say 2...) productions someone ELSE will have to deal with my travel arrangements! All I have to do is tell them whether I prefer window or aisle. And of course, that depends.
I take into account:

Time of flight (early morning, I want to sleep against the window)

Day of flight (if it's the same day as the first meeting, aisle as far front as possible so I can get out of the airplane as fast as possible, get to the hotel, get ready, etc..I know, it makes ALMOST no difference..but in my head it does!)

Likelihood of a full flight (little midwestern airlines have more recently been a bit more empty, so I'll take window and hope no one sits next to me..big companies like Delta and Continental--almost always Aisle since some poor bloke will be stuck in the middle and probably leaning his corpulent self too close to me...gotta have the aisle spillover possibility in full effect)

And under NO circumstances do I ever book my ticket so late, or get to the airport so late that I'm stuck in the MIDDLE seat!

Oh, wait, did you think all prima donnas travel first class? Haha..yea...no.
A. not a prima donna
B. have never traveled first class--although where it would REALLY make a difference is in overseas flights...yes..11 hours of personal service and space to relax.
C. guess it's never really made a difference because even as the seats get smaller, leg room gets squashed, and aisle space gets narrower, I'm still the same small size that can be comfortable balling myself up into one seat and falling asleep ...in my own little corner in my own little chair....

Now if that chair just didn't cost $589 dollars...I'd be realllly excited to sit in it.

extra extra...read all about it...

Except that you CAN'T because I can't write about it yet!

But let's just say that I'll be revisiting a role in 2010 that is by the same composer of the 2010 role that I will be revisiting in January, but in a different language. Run-on sentence much?

Ooooh...aaaahhh....the intrigue.

And, interestingly enough, I'll be revisiting both of these roles in the order that I performed them way back when...ok, not SO way back when, but way-back-when enough to say way-back-when.

(run-on-much-part-deux?!)

Let's see how many times I can use the word revisiting in one blog entry.

(Four).

Oh, and I get to add a G sharp into a cadenza...ARTISTICALLY!

i'm biding my tiiiime...cuz that's the kinda 'gal' Iiii'm

Update for myself:
Score1 has been with me for 2 weeks now. It's all good.
Score2 needs to be cracked open and translated and learned..but there is PLENTY of time for that.
Arias that I am thinking about adding to my 'package' this Fall, or my general audition knowledge...looked at them, would love to coach them, but am on the right path.
Arias that I want to revisit such as all things Italianate to keep working on the seamless Italian feeling in all of my pieces even the ones that have 16 staccato Es and Fs in them--ok, have only practiced one or two in the past few months..but it's something.

My general feeling about this summer is that- I actually HAVE gotten a decent amount accomplished musically, I'm definitely glad that I made the decision to do 'important-audition' in Europe, and I'm looking forward to splitting my Fall between Europe and the US--and hopefully get a bit of the best of both worlds in terms of auditions in both areas.

The waiting game...it's always the roughest..but of course, all I can do is ATTEMPT to put everything out of my mind...trust in the fact that I did a good audition..and hope for the best.

This is a pretty scattered post, but I suppose I'm just thinking about the 'bottom line' --meaning, what I really want to do. Which is this. So- how to make that a viable option..given the economic effect on budgets for the arts.
I am VERY lucky to have the means (thanks to previous-shows0809) to travel pretty much wherever I want to whatever audition I want..in the US and in Europe..FRUGALLY...and not really have to worry about when it's all going to run out.
Thanks to good budgeting, I know what I can spend, how much more is left, and what more I'd like to do in the next 4-6 months that will involve travel for auditions (and a tax write-off NEXT year--woot!).

Goals for myself I suppose are to somehow secure the most auditions possible in Europe and the US for upcoming seasons...with a strong leaning on Europe, kick @ss at the auditions, and get fun and exciting offers that will continue to take me all around the world...

oh how starry-eyed and positive the outlook can be sometimes :) I suppose it's just one of those sunny days where nothing seems like it can rain on the parade.

iPost

Hello from chicaaaaago (please sing the word Chicago a la mr. Sinatra)
Visiting for a long weekend of fun with friends with an audition thrown in for good measure.
Not much to update as it's not ideal to do so from my phone, but I didn't want to neglect my bloggly duties... So I will just say
that I wouldn't trade what I do for anything in the world! Yes, I may write about my constant packing of suitcases, insane travel stories, uncertainty about the business, competition and self-motivation and everything that is NOTeasy about this path...but in the end...it's the best feeling to give your all, with all the years of study, coaching, and performance leading up to one great twelve to sixteen minute audition, performance, or even just cracking open a new score and feeling like a little kid at a candy shop.

score2

...has arrived!

Tomorrow will be spent packing (again!), translating things from French to English, and trying on my new dress which is maybe my audition dress (at least for any auditions in the summer/early fall) with different hair styles and shoes and accessories to see if I can pull it off!

It was a reward to myself for having teeth that my new dentist said were absolutely stunning, no cavities, and nothing to even write down or note as abnormal in the comprehensive exam!

Yea Crest whitening toothpaste with baking soda and Listerine.

meeeeemories....

That was so much fun! I just spent an afternoon singing through the entire role of opera.1.2010---
I haven't performed it since 2004, and boy--does it sound and feel different--in a REALLY good way!

What I have to figure out in the near-ish future are what cuts the company will be taking..as there are substantial repeated sections that are 'normally' cut, and also a few one page sections in 2 arias that are SOMETIMES cut, but sometimes..if the 'diva' wants them in, they stay...hmmm....is that MY decision this time? LOL...

So. I'm very reassured that this will be an easy and fun re-undertaking. Mostly some memory work, figuring out some new-er fun-er cadenzas, but in general, it seems to me like it will be great!

Now I'm waiting for score to opera.2.2010 to arrive so I can see what's in store for MORE french and french dialogue learning after this first French brush-up.

In financial news...I bought two round trip tickets to Europe today, as I have a wedding to return to in late September, and I am planning European-Invasion-Part-THREE for this upcoming Fall.

Ok, I will admit on a personal level, that yes, the MAIN reason (wow, am I even really admitting this?) that I am returning is for personal reasons....HOWEVER, I am going to take my work there seriously, as always, try to get every audition possible during that time period, and somehow try and make it known that I have a long list of roles completely prepared, already performed, and absolutely ready to SPRING EIN...ie, jump in...if ever someone should fall sick and need a last minute Queen of the Night to go rock the house.

projects

There's nothing like a slew of side-projects to jump start my 's.i.s' (self-imposed-study) goals.

Score-2 is in the mail, Score-1 is being toted around wherever I go.
I am thinking about learning Fiakermilli- the whole role--since it's so small anyway-- just to have it done and ready in CASE that ever comes up..hey, it's shorter than Zerbinetta and it's actually being done quite a bit 'over there'.

I want to play with some new ideas for French and Italian arias. Not sure which ones yet...and maybe/most likely ones that I've learned/sung before, but have not necessarily used as audition pieces--that often.

Also, German. Need to study more every day..ok, that hasn't so much happened yet..at all. BUT the text books are next to me!

And then I pulled up the old musical that I was writing...(libretto) and am starting to have some cool ideas about that.

No, no, must concentrate on tasks at hand.
Opera1, Opera2, and upcoming audition season ass-kicking.

First, sleep.

order

I've written in the past about doing a clothing overhaul...realizing that yes, in the ideal world, I will one day have a huge walk-in closet that can house all of my shoes, dresses, and clothes that I've had since who-knows-when that still fit me, since I've been the same size since about my sophomore year of college.

Still, every season or so, I go through what I have, and give away things that I won't wear again...in exchange (sometimes...if I can handle the shopping which I so despise) for a few new items.

Well, once again, the downsizing began this week, as I have an entire lifetime packed away and carefully labeled in the basement of my parents home---waiting, wishing, and hoping, that one day I will be settled enough...SOMEWHERE to be unpacked and placed on the shelves and in the drawers where they so rightfully belong.

Interestingly...it's not that easy.
Since in this next year I still won't really have anywhere permanent, and I seem to be leaning towards splitting my time between the US and Germany at least for the next half year...it gets harder to take all of those 'must have' relics and reminders of the past across the ocean--without actually making an official move into a place.

And so over the past 3 days I have:
--Found my CD collection from Highschool through College--yes, the CD's that were TOO numerous to even make it to my first FOUR gig ipod (later replaced by 8, later replaced by 20, later replaced by 60gigs, twice)...I've found the collection, isolated about 20-30 cds that I may copy onto my computer/hard drive, and I will either sell or donate all the rest of them for about...oh, a dollar a pop --or LESS!

--Gone through THREE huge boxes of every book that I had to buy for my college classes. Umm, sadly, I had to part with much of my collection of books for my international relations classes...books I always thought that I would have forever and would one day sit on my shelf JUST in case a debate about what neoclassic theory REALLY says about the overthrowing of the first Shah of Iran and the consequent impact on emerging Near-East democracies.
(I kept all of my music history and theory books..even the jazz course books...just in case I ever decide to want to each some poor soul solfege or theory).
I'm left with one HEAVY plastic bin of classics that I had to read for courses such as "Modern Arabic Literature", "French Satire", "Literature 200 level: Love and Sexuality", "Modern Philosophy", "Kant and Nietzsche", and of course my favorite classics and modern epics that one just can't live without in a personal library...The Russians, the British playwrights, The American wartime novelists, etc.

---Sifted through two boxes of HIGH SCHOOL awards, medals, trophies, report cards, essays for English Honors Freshman through Senior Year, teacher recommendations, copies of college application essays--all things that, sure, would be nice to look at once every 5 or 10 years for the purposes of nostalgia, but that were really just taking up boxes and will never be 'prominently displayed' in my "HOME".
(Got that down to Half of a Box ...kept all the essays and poetry...and the diplomas...and the other half of the box is all of my journals, and my favorite childhood books that are a bit tattered, but inscribed to me with love from my parents dated from birthdays and holidays that I won't soon forget).

---SHOES. Given away about 10 pairs of cute/fun/fancy shoes. That is all.

---Electronics. If I couldn't find what the plug was for, the plug was trashed. Old printer connections, DELL laptops that cost THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS in 1999, wires and more wires that I have no idea of the origin or the purpose, but I surely don't have the electronic device that they are supposed to charge anymore.

---And last but not least---tried to get SOME, I repeat, SOME of my music in order.
Obviously the easiest thing to do is tackle my scores. Most of which are real scores that are bound and bought from stores, SOME of which are photocopied because of a rare edition, some of which are photocopied because the company supplied premieres that way, and about 2/3 of which reside in the basement--the other 1/3 scattered about the house and other suitcases depending on when I've had to use them in the last few years.

I made Piles and Piles of art songs, arias, musical theater pieces--all in the form of photocopies...that I have used in the past 5 or more years. I found my junior year undergraduate recital music (holes punched, but no binder..of course)...I found my HIGH SCHOOL musical review broadway tunes, I found everything..but could not find a place for it..just yet...because going through those loose pages would just about drive me insane for two days straight, and I had already been tackling this basement job for 3 days.

So I organized my scores alphabetically by composer, in one huge and long box with titles showing for easy access if necessary, and I left 4 or 5 insanely huge piles of: Musical Theater, Looseleaf Art Song, Bound Art Song, Choral Solo, Orchestral scores, Aria Compliations, and "Teaching Materials" from my days of assigning Vaccai and 24 Italian pieces to my students.

Although I have always been a pack rat--I've been an organized pack rat...I know what I have, where it is (usually), and why it's there--there's a method to the seeming madness...
But it somehow felt really good to consider whether these items would REALLY be in my 'House" someday...and where they would be...WOULD there even be room for them.
If they weren't shelf-worthy...I most likely didn't keep them.

And so having to choose between keeping "blue-y" (a light blue dog) my favorite stuffed animal from when I was about 7 years old, and a stack of musical theater reviews and the "All Around Music" Award from my high school didn't seem so tragic after all.

(Blue-y won).

maybes

I received a call yesterday about a POSSIBLE opportunity that would pretty much allow me to do the 'ideal' Fall split between New York and Germany, and also make a bit of money and add a new role to my repertoire along with it.

It's silly to imagine that everything that is a 'maybe' will somehow work out, but all I will say is that it would be REALLY nice if this could actually work out.

So, in the meantime, I'm not thinking about it (THAT much), I'm just blogging it to note that it's a possibility and if it happens I can look back here in however many years and consider the moment.

back 'home'

Although I'm not really sure what I can call home these days, seeing signs that are written ONLY in English felt like a return to 'something normal'.
I arrived at the airport yesterday morning, stayed awake for as long as I could, and woke up around 6:30am today. Not too bad for post-Europe jetlag, but I will still be tired 'early' tonight, I'm sure.

The run-down of life for the past month and a half? The right choice.
For so many reasons.

For all of the crazy last minute decisions that I had to make, this one felt right...and so I can say that I'm glad that I went, glad that I had the opportunity to do the 'important' audition that most of the decision was based on, and no, I don't have an answer or feedback yet..still waiting to see if this possibility could work out for a future season.

Looking at finances again (because that's just what I do, I guess)--I again saved as much as possible while I was there, paying for 4 cheap hotels, and with the Eurail travel, again, saved a lot of money that would have otherwise been spent on travel. Food? Yes, it was expensive, but that's a given anywhere unless you live on Ramen Noodles like in college...and frankly, I didn't see those in the stores...nor did I have a microwave to heat water!

Considering what the next 6 months will look like is my new pet project.
Working backwards:
I know what I'm doing beginning in Mid-December through early February.
Upcoming shows 1 and 2.
I know that I want to be in the US for the majority of 'ny audition season', but the thing is..looking at my calendar from last year, I had three auditions between August 15 and September 20th, and then tons of auditions only after October 20th. The audition season that once was September, October, November, December, is now looking more and more like- end of October through December...due to financing, I'm sure--but still. Unknown.

Add to that my wish to return to Germany to do this YET again...at the 'right' season--even though September is still on the early side of auditioning for theaters that may not know what openings they have for the next season.

Add to that general anticipation of possibly hearing that I've made a good enough impression from previous-big-audition-in-Europe to actually GET the job? Maybe?? And then know that I am "set" for a certain period of time..which would of course mean, that I don't HAVE to worry about what is on the schedule for 2010 in the Fall.
Ok, that is the longest shot ever, but it would make me so so ridiculously happy to know that I don't have to think about where I'm moving/living every 5-6 weeks if that kind of offer came my way.

So, apparently because of 'life', somehow my 'ideal' has changed a bit. It's not 'ideal' for me to hang out in NYC with friends from August to December, as I did last year, and wait around for auditions to happen or not happen while living it up in the big city--because there IS a place I'd rather be, or rather, a certain person I'd rather be with--who happens to be NOT in NYC.

That doesn't mean I will ever just give up on NYC...I know I need to be there for auditions in the US, and how important it is to try and get there during audition season. And I remember how many auditions I missed when I was doing a production across the country that only ended in Mid-November about 2 years ago..and how I didn't know what to think--was it better that I was doing this job, or was I missing too many audition opportunities for NEXT year?!

In short, there are a number of decisions to be made. And again, they must be made without confirmation of specific auditions or work in either place that I'd like to be in the next few months.

Off to pack my things yet again, for a few days of 'country' unpacking, repacking, going through stuff in the basement that has been there for 10 years and deciding what I'm keeping and what I'm giving away, and then Boston for a few days.

free wifi at the airport

Me-Like.

It just makes traveling so much easier. We already have to show up three hours early to the international flight check in, I've already waited in too many lines to count, checked my bag (ONLY because it contains a seriously sick amount of Hummus from the Homeland and they won't let me take that through because it's KIND OF a liquid), scanned the duty free shops (and bought my favorite lotion), and had breakfast. And now I can just relax with my wireless---email, NYTIMES, facebook, and everything else that needs catching up on or more relaxation before I board my flight and arrive in Frankfurt once again.

Upcoming week COULD be a bit hectic depending on whether I receive a call or email about a last-minute flight change that I may need to make today.

Otherwise, will be back 'state-side' tomorrow morning!

I love paris in the springtime... (finally)

Written June 12th:
My Parisian adventure—
6am train from Frankfurt to Paris.
Arrive Paris.
Find my hotel near the Voltaire stop.
I usually try to book hotels that are near my audition location, however, Paris proved one of the most expensive cities, so I booked the cheapest room with a bathroom and shower included and hoped for the best.
I arrived at the hotel a little before 11am, fully aware that I could not check in until 2. However, I had to be at the audition location at 1:30.
So- I hoped for the best. Maybe there would be a room available earlier, maybe I could at least check in, leave my things, take a SHOWER, do my hair, and look presentable!
The man behind the counter was not amused and was of no help.
-come back at noon. MAYBE one room will be ready-
Well that certainly wasn’t going to work out, since by noon I hoped to be somewhere NEAR the audition location, perhaps having some baguette et beurre and some kind of cheese slathered on top of that before the audition.
So- dressed in my jeans, with overnight bag in tow, I headed out of the hotel and up the street.
For those of you that haven’t had the most experience with booking hotels that aren’t five stars…here is the greatest tip I can give you.
IF you can’t check in to your hotel and you need a place to get ready—go to another hotel that is less than 3 stars. Know why? Because those “Pensiones” or “Hostels” or “2 star motels”, MOST likely have the option to book a room that does NOT include a bathroom and shower. What does that mean for this weary traveler in need of a shower?
I waltzed right into another hotel down the street, walked up to the 2nd floor, walked into the shower, and proceeded to get ready for the next 45 minutes—hot shower and all.
Ok, so there was no towel and the space was cramped and I forgot the transformer for my hair dryer in Frankfurt so I had to let my hair air dry—but HEY- I was clean, there was a mirror to put my makeup on, and I got a hot shower on the day of the audition instead of feeling like a zombie that just got off a train.

Next- finding a warm up room.
Well, I would SOMETIMES usually do this at my hotel (all the while feeling guilty if there was some poor jet-lagged soul in the next room—but I keep to the hours of 9:30am-7pm for singing in public places with thin walls).
So it was back out on the street again in search of—some kind of alcove to warm up in and make some noise without all of Paris gawking at me wildly.

Tip number two- warming up in strange cities when it starts to rain:
If it was NOT raining, I would have just walked to my favorite park- Place des Vosges, and sung in the shade of the tree lined pathways.
However, it started to rain. Pretty badly. And so I didn’t venture far. I had two options- a Laundromat (it was occupied by only ONE person who was reading and listening to his ipod..so I felt KINDA bad singing loudly), and option two- out of nowhere I saw a sign for “gymnasium”…yes, people pay to go into a basketball-court-like establishment and play pick up games after school. It’s not a full gym..but there are ladies and men’s dressing areas, and basically a big empty gym. With a guard at the main entrance…but NOT at the other entrances! So- in between the heavy doors and the inside doors I stood, singing on Ah, Eh, Ee, Oh, and Oo…warming up in the rain, while I’m sure passers by with umbrellas paid no attention to the strange noises from behind the doors.
When the guard finally did hear something and approached me I played the best card you can play in the hand- the stupid foreigner.
Even though I knew quite well what he was saying—Madame, you can’t stand here. I must open the doors completely—(en francais), I spoke only English, and halting English at that.
And he didn’t attempt to speak any English to me…just looked at me strangely and went back to his post.
Voila--- showered AND warmed up in a hotel that I didn’t book and a gymnasium that I don’t belong to.

Now onto the actual ‘audition’ / working session.
This was one of the coolest/strangest audition experiences I’ve had.
Without going into too much detail, I can only describe it as an actor’s workshop session…with three or four people up for each role present, group acting/miming/improvising activities all WHILE singing the arias from the production—but not in a stand-and-sing audition kind of way….
No dressing up, no announcing the aria, no thank you very much.
Just acting your center and core, and seeing if that translates into something that this very famous director wants.
I don’t know whether what I did is what he wanted..but I can say that I’ve never felt MORE connection to being the desperate mother of an abducted daughter and trying to convince a young prince to save her and restore my power and treasure.

A quick train ride back to Frankfurt, a night of frenzied packing, and a few hours later, and I’m now on the plane to the motherland to visit family and vacation for 2 weeks.

whoopsie

ok, I know it's been close to ten days of no postage, perhaps even more.
It's not that I haven't been thinking about you, sweet blog 'o mine--it's just that the beach, the waves, the sun, and visits all over this lovely country have been taking up all of my time!
Plus, still no wireless so I can't post about my audition in Paris and I don't want to 'move on' with more musical postage (because there IS some more musical postage) until that one goes up.

So you'll just have to be patient.

au revoir for now,
beach-baby.

coming soon

I PROMISE I will post my two next entries just as soon as I can get wireless from my own laptop. They are already written and saved as documents.
But for now, I'm relaxing in the sun and on the beach--so ciao!

pareeee

Tomorrow at 6am I'll be on a train to Paris (that is, if I successfully wake up at 5am, having pre-packed everything I need except for what I'm wearing on the train, get to the Hauptbahnhof on time, and make it to my seat--which I still have not reserved--that is to be completed later this evening), and will be preparing for the Main reason that I flew back over here in the first place---
----big fun important amazing audition opportunity---

Well, not the ENTIRE main reason, but the first 'ball' that got the 'ball rolling' on me having to make a decision about summer plans and such over one and a half months ago.


So. What do I think? How have I prepared?

Well, it's just singer-work/life as usual.
My day includes reviewing the 2 Queen arias--language, diction, tone, intent, dramatic purpose...all in my head. Maybe singing them a bit later on.
It includes the mundane- doing laundry, packing for a day trip that requires one audition outfit plus character shoes for a 'working rehearsal', thinking about travel, hopefully not-missed train and metro connections, not getting lost in Paris (which is never a bad thing--unless you have an audition to get to at a certain time), and basically just staying calm cool and collected, as I always am before auditions.

It definitely includes excitement at the opportunity to DO this audition for this person in the first place.
It also includes the usual "god I hope i get...i hope i get it..how many people does he need ...how many boys how many girls" (some Tony-inspired musical lyrics to describe what every singer goes through at auditions).

But not the desperate kind of thinking...just the excited kind of thinking--that IF this works out and bla bla bla, etc. etc. etc. how super-cool (please re-read those two words out loud in a French accent) that would be.

Off to check on the laundry, hum some Queenly melodies, and attempt to repack my carry on for my NEXT adventure, post-Paris.

FREE wifi---finally

No, I will not pay 24 euros for 24 hours of internet surf-age!
So, sadly, that has meant that YOU have not heard from me.

Now I'm in a free zone (thanks to the hotel that I ALWAYS stay in when I travel to Munich), and can surf page to page for as long as I please.

So.
Two auditions down, one competition to go.
First audition- specifically for a French Offenbach piece--sooo--I sang the doll.
And may I add kicked some ass on the high G's and F's and whatever else I added in there.
I even have it recorded on iTalk on my phone...and so, I KNOW that it was good.
There were 10 other girls there singing for the same part (oh how I love typed-auditions--ie, showing up and having only the role you are singing for being cast that day)..ugh...
So- today (upon my arrival at my hotel) I received a kind email from the KBB saying that I did a great audition and bla bla bla...but I'm not the one that will be picked.
Ok, so shall I list all the possibilities why it's NOT me?
non-Austrian-ness, non-EU-ness, voice, acting, looks, wearing black and red to the audition, singing third, what else....I'm sure the list could go on.
But what I really care about is- I know I sang well.
So, just like in the US when we sing for 30 companies each fall (or so)--and MAYBE...just MAYBE get one or two great jobs out of it...
such is life here as well...

Zen.

Serenity Now.


Next audition- this morning, back in Deutschland.
Sang Queen and Musetta.
FIRST time ever singing musetta for an audition--and guess what? I LIKE it!
Have it recorded as well....and yes...I like the product. Not final by any means since I worked on it for a very short time in comparison to all of my other arias and have only coached it once...BUT- it was audition-ready for THIS purpose (where it was required)...and it went really well.

Who knows when or what I'll hear from these people--if anything...but again, at least I know that I'm singing well.

Tomorrow- competition.

Have to decide whether to start with Zerb or Una Voce.
I had to pick my arias earlier (hate that), can't change them (don't hate that so much, just hate having to remember which arias I actually picked!), and so now I"m doing the 'first aria dance'--which involves overthinking everything--such as:

Ok, IF I pick a 12 minute aria, will they hear another one?
Will they be annoyed like in the US?
Will they be IMPRESSED cuz it's in German and I'm rocking it?
Should I OFFER to start from the end?
Will they like my interpolations for Rosina IF I start with it?
Will they HATE the final high F if they are 'style sticklers'?
Will they hear that aria from mezzos a zillion times that day and not want to hear it from a soprano?

Sooo many silly questions to think about...so little time.

ooops i did it again

Lack of postage.
Due to extreme circumstances beyond my control- ie, having a ball in Europe.

The start of the middle of this week begins three auditions/competitions in a row (Thurs/Fri/Sat). I'm about to get on a train to Vienna, and I still haven't decided whether I'm taking my macbook.

I think the answer is ...of course...yes...since I'm about to be on a train for 7 hours and what better things do I have to do? (oh yea, except learning scores, music, preparing..bla bla bla....)

Postage may resume either tonight or tomorrow...depending on my free wifi status.