Having a frustrating moment, vocally. I'm thinking it might be time to put Ouvre ton coeur aside and start something else. Most of that dang song falls right where my voice breaks. Then there are these jumps from notes there to notes above or below, notes that I'm comfortable with on their own but those dang transitions are hanging me up. I've been practicing all sorts of vocalizes (vocaleses?) to help train myself to just do it. I think that first I have to get through the mental thing. I mean, duh, first I have to conquer this mental thing. It's not a jump, right? I shouldn't look at the staff and think, gee, I have to jump up to that note from there. I need to keep it all on the same level and just go there, otherwise I either punch it (out of control) or close down and swallow it. It's not easy to digest so swallowing it is not ideal.
It's not a jump. It's just a go. Go from here to there. No problem.
I'm still working on the energy thing, controlling my abs and my breath, getting the breath lower in my body so I can sustain the higher notes without that blurt-and-swallow thing.
The truth is, I want it to all come together the first time I try to put it together, and of course that's not possible. So now how does my logical brain get the message through to the singing brain? I guess that's why the Evaluators suggested I try this song - for the learning experience. Or, as it seems to be today, the frustration experience.
Showing posts with label bizet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bizet. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Tuesday Post # 1 - Pearl Fishers Broadcast WOW WOW WOW!
Pearl Fishers. I had no idea how beautiful it was. I had a real, "Where have you been all my life?" sort of feeling, because I don't think my mother ever had that one on in the background when I was growing up. I wish I could have seen the action, but the radio announcers did a great job giving a detailed synopsis of what was about to happen before each act. The famous duet is right near the beginning, and then that same melody returns in bits and pieces throughout the rest of the opera, in such a way that it just makes your heart ache.
It's like this - Zurga, (the Gunnster), is sort of the top dude in this fishing village, like a judge and lawmaker type dude. One day his old buddy Nadir shows up and the two of them reminisce about how much they had been through together way back when, and they sing that oh-so-famous duet about how they were at this temple and saw this priestess and they both fell in love with her. They decided not to let that ruin their friendship, and then at that point for some reason I didn't catch, they parted ways. Zurga went off and found the village. Nadir, the sneak, stalked the priestess. She knew he was stalking her and thought it was kind of cool. Ok. so, back we are in the present. Every year (I think) this priest (deep-saffron clad CVH) brings a beautiful priestess, Leila, to bless/pray for/bring luck to the village. She wears a veil, has a vow of purity, yadda yadda yadda. So soon after Nadir arrives, up floats the boat with the beautiful priestess. Zurga is like, "Hey, are you ready to do your thing?" and when she replies, Nadir recognizes her voice, then she somehow sees him and does a double take, causing Zurga to be like, "Um, are you sure?" and she's sworn in or whatever the ceremony is. Later as everyone is out working but that sneak Nadir, he goes to sing to the priestess. She can't resist him (if he sang to me like that I'd have been his too) and replies that she digs him too. So of course they can't help themselves and there goes her vow. Now I wasn't totally paying attention so this part of the story is a bit fuzzy, but I think they either get caught, or, more likely, Zurga realizes who she is and goes to talk to her because, of course, he still lusts after her after all these years. She admits to him that she and Nadir are already "together," and he freaks out, abuses his position of power and in a fit of jealousy condemns them both to death. Harsh.
So to prepare for being dead, she gives her necklace to a soldier and asks him to give it to her mother, it was given to her by a man whose life she once saved. Well of course jealous Zurga overhears and recognizes the necklace because, wouldn't you know, he's the man.
So everyone's ready for this execution - it's like a big party because this is an Event. Zurga is like, dang, I can't put them to death, not only do I still love her (and him, in that brotherly way), she saved my life! So instead of just telling everyone, which would have been the right thing to do, he sneaks off and lights the village on fire. Then he comes running back, yelling, "Fire! Everyone run back and save the children!" When the villagers are gone, he tells Nadir and Leila to run while they can - he's saving their lives! He knows that when the villagers realize what has happened they'll put HIM to death. So it's all heartbreaking and stuff and even the happy couple floats off in a cloud of guilt.
So I know my description is a bit lighthearted, but the music was anything but. I was all weepy and sniffly for most of it. I was so moved, I sent messages to both CVH and Eric Cutler to let them know, mid-show, (yes I know they weren't checking their email during the show) how wonderful it was.
In between acts they broadcast bits of an interview that was done with the Gunnster, Eric Cutler and some others. Eric explained a technique called "mixed voice" for hitting the higher notes in certain arias. He sounded amazing. Seriously - another one of those, "If you sing it to me, I'll do whatever you ask" kind of voices. Dang.
Now I want to hear the opera over and over (and I can because I have a copy of the broadcast already) and read as much as I can about it. It's nice to add a new opera to the mix in my brain.
It's like this - Zurga, (the Gunnster), is sort of the top dude in this fishing village, like a judge and lawmaker type dude. One day his old buddy Nadir shows up and the two of them reminisce about how much they had been through together way back when, and they sing that oh-so-famous duet about how they were at this temple and saw this priestess and they both fell in love with her. They decided not to let that ruin their friendship, and then at that point for some reason I didn't catch, they parted ways. Zurga went off and found the village. Nadir, the sneak, stalked the priestess. She knew he was stalking her and thought it was kind of cool. Ok. so, back we are in the present. Every year (I think) this priest (deep-saffron clad CVH) brings a beautiful priestess, Leila, to bless/pray for/bring luck to the village. She wears a veil, has a vow of purity, yadda yadda yadda. So soon after Nadir arrives, up floats the boat with the beautiful priestess. Zurga is like, "Hey, are you ready to do your thing?" and when she replies, Nadir recognizes her voice, then she somehow sees him and does a double take, causing Zurga to be like, "Um, are you sure?" and she's sworn in or whatever the ceremony is. Later as everyone is out working but that sneak Nadir, he goes to sing to the priestess. She can't resist him (if he sang to me like that I'd have been his too) and replies that she digs him too. So of course they can't help themselves and there goes her vow. Now I wasn't totally paying attention so this part of the story is a bit fuzzy, but I think they either get caught, or, more likely, Zurga realizes who she is and goes to talk to her because, of course, he still lusts after her after all these years. She admits to him that she and Nadir are already "together," and he freaks out, abuses his position of power and in a fit of jealousy condemns them both to death. Harsh.
So to prepare for being dead, she gives her necklace to a soldier and asks him to give it to her mother, it was given to her by a man whose life she once saved. Well of course jealous Zurga overhears and recognizes the necklace because, wouldn't you know, he's the man.
So everyone's ready for this execution - it's like a big party because this is an Event. Zurga is like, dang, I can't put them to death, not only do I still love her (and him, in that brotherly way), she saved my life! So instead of just telling everyone, which would have been the right thing to do, he sneaks off and lights the village on fire. Then he comes running back, yelling, "Fire! Everyone run back and save the children!" When the villagers are gone, he tells Nadir and Leila to run while they can - he's saving their lives! He knows that when the villagers realize what has happened they'll put HIM to death. So it's all heartbreaking and stuff and even the happy couple floats off in a cloud of guilt.
So I know my description is a bit lighthearted, but the music was anything but. I was all weepy and sniffly for most of it. I was so moved, I sent messages to both CVH and Eric Cutler to let them know, mid-show, (yes I know they weren't checking their email during the show) how wonderful it was.
In between acts they broadcast bits of an interview that was done with the Gunnster, Eric Cutler and some others. Eric explained a technique called "mixed voice" for hitting the higher notes in certain arias. He sounded amazing. Seriously - another one of those, "If you sing it to me, I'll do whatever you ask" kind of voices. Dang.
Now I want to hear the opera over and over (and I can because I have a copy of the broadcast already) and read as much as I can about it. It's nice to add a new opera to the mix in my brain.
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