Tonight I Become an Opera Singer

Woot! Great voice lesson this morning. Before the lesson I went with Alex and Husband to most of Alex's lesson. What a way to warm up! Besides warming up vocally, in Alex's class we had to run and stomp around the room according to the speed of a rhythm the teacher played. There was other running, standing and sitting and so on. A full body warm-up. Then I went to my lesson. We went over Una Donna. I rang out that G, for the most part. My teacher gave me some tips. Nothing new - more like reminding me things, like, jumping off the lower note to bounce to the G, and not thinking of it as a jump. Same old story. We didn't sing too much. After that we went through the song books together to think about what other songs I'd like to eventually sing. She is so sad she can't make it tonight but I'm going to text her right after I sing to let her know how I thought I did. She said that she has found that the things we worry about the most before a performance usually go fine, and we can be surprised by what does go in an unexpected direction. That, she said, is the joy of live performance.

After the lesson I went straight to Sondra's for a fabulous massage. Then we went out to a coffee shop for lunch, and now Alex and I have been playing all afternoon. Soon I'll neti (again) and then start getting ready, no doubt far to early. Then I'll sit around in my nice clothes trying not to sweat. I wrote that somewhere, was it here, yesterday? That wouldn't surprise me. I'm very excited and a bit nervous, which means my brain is even looser and wigglier than it usually is.

So here we go!! Two and a half years of lessons, and now I'm singing opera with other opera singers in front of an opera crowd. WOW!!!!

Following My Own Advice

A few entries ago I said something about identifying a problem not being enough - once you know about it, you have to do something about it. I've been trying in dribs and drabs to solve this one. Over the summer I bought running shoes and a couple of super-duper sport bras. I was running a few times a week. Then Husband's teaching schedule got all wacky - he is out of the house Mon, Tues and Wed afternoons until after 9. So much for going for a run on those days. Now, previously I was able to have Alex be my personal trainer and we'd run through the house, banging into walls. It was very motivating when I was participating in a weight-loss challenge with my friends. In two months I lost over 10 pounds. Well now I'm taking this weight thing to the next step. I've set the DVR to record my fitness boyfriend, Gilad. (Aside: Every time I say his name I think of that Star Trek episode and I think, Darmok and Gilad at Tanagra.) Yes, Gilad, and his fascination with "the thigh." But that's free, or at least, it's one of the benefits of a service I'm already paying for. So I went ahead and ordered a couple of Billy Blanks Freestyle Funk DVDs. On sale of course. But even so, once I pay for something I guilt myself into actually using it. The only challenge to overcome is getting the time to do the workout with Alex interrupting. I try to interest him in doing it along with me, but that works for about, oh, 5 minutes before he "needs" me for something. Ok so here we go. I'm determined to get back at least some of that Tiny Person I used to be.

Other advice I'm following is Alex's. He said I should sing Despina on Saturday. In spite of the questionable quality of the higher notes on the video I posted, I do feel more comfortable singing it. I have more fun singing it. And when I relax and let loose, which oddly enough I can do if strangers are watching, I have a lot of fun. I know I can hit the notes if I use proper form. And I'm hoping that the fun overcomes any technical errors I might make. Plus from the way this guy was talking, they're not that picky? And when I saw the group a few months ago, my first impression was that I would fit right in. So we'll see!

Practiced some karaoke today. My friend and I (did I mention she's coming to see Mr Gunn in Grapes of Wrath with me?) sang the duets from Grease and then we did Heart - Magic Man, B52s- Love Shack (with interruptions to prevent our children from flooding her house), she sang Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend - Or I should say, she ROCKED it, totally awesome... we did so many others... and, of course, that old standard that I know only because it's here, Polka Dots and Moonbeams. And my friend stared at me like I was a freak. Well maybe I am. It's just so comforting to actually know the words when you sing karaoke. It's hard!

Ten days til the party. But first, two days till I Sing For Others. Well, sober Others, as opposed to Others at a party where there's karaoke. And alcohol.

Despina Returns

Voice lesson tonight. Went back in time and reviewed Una Donna. Only it wasn't back in time - it was right now. All those little bits I had trouble with last year - the note jumps, the legato at certain parts - no problems. Of course now there are new things to work on... always something new... which actually I just love! We're getting into the little details of what sounds start and end what notes and how the legato sort of slides together and when to start or end a consonant sound... and I love it.

When I left the room, the mom of the next student was in the hallway and she started grilling me. "Are you soprano? Which one? Soprano 1 or 2?" Um... what? And then she asked all sorts of unrelated stream-of-consciousness questions about my teacher, what she charges, does she sing now, then about what I sing, about her daughter having only 1 elective next year and should she take flute or voice? One question after another. Meanwhile, a headache was creeping up the back of my neck and I had chills and all I could think about was going home, taking Tylenol and getting under my blanket. So I told her, make an appointment with the guidance counselor and see if you can't fit both in somehow. She went on to describe other school scheduling issues and I kept telling her, talk to your daughter's teachers or guidance counselor... tell them what you want and ask how they can help... we parents are the only advocates for our children... and so on. Then I ran out so I could get home, medicate and tell you, Dear Reader, all about it.

So I have a question. Now that I've ended my moratorium, does that mean I have to mention the guy in every blog post? Cuz I could scrape around for something if I had to. But I don't think I will. Go read his newly updated blog (as of this evening) if you want something. There. There's some teeny little thing. Not worthy of a tag, even.

Number 101!

I just signed in to add some more links to the sidebar and noticed that I have 100 posts! So this is number 101. I need to get a life.

Been watching Bathroom Divas. It was on all day yesterday so I recorded it. I'm learning a lot! I think any amateur singer (like me!!) would learn a lot from it. They have vocal coaches, opera directors, orchestra conductors and other music specialists all providing feedback and guidance to each singer. It's great! One of the vocal coaches says and does some of the exact same things to the singers as my teacher says to me. It's kind of creepy... but not really.

Traipsed all over my office this morning looking for a working photocopy machine to copy my music. Now I need an Italian-English dictionary to do my word-for-word translation. I also need to learn more about Despina. I will become her for this aria I'm about to learn. I know what Cosi is about, but I need to study the character in depth. I'm looking forward to learning a new aria, something longer than what I've sung before.

Last week during warmups I hit a C sharp. And to think I sang tenor in high school chorus because there weren't enough boys.