Sunday 15 November 2009

Another performance tonight. I am wandering around the flat, in a scenario instantly recognisable to all singers at this time of year, clearing my throat in a gently worried sort of manner, wondering whether the slight soreness and phlegm (apologies to anyone who is of a delicate disposition, but you should hear what we discuss amongst ourselves!) will affect the voice to any extent during the performance, and trying to reassure myself, in between bouts of humming, that any rasp is unnoticeable. I think my yoga practice today will be moderate, aiming to relax the body and mind and wake up the support muscles, without anything too taxing. You seldom bounce onto the stage with the voice and everything else in perfect gleaming working order, anyway, and often (paradoxically) you often find you sing better through a bit of a cold. We'll see.

The performances are settling down into more of a "job" now. Turn up, get into costume, chat with the make-up ladies, sing, read Asterix (peculiarly appropriate for operetta, I find), sing, complain briefly with colleagues about how long the can-can lasts during the curtain call, then cycle home in the rain. The excitement and adrenalin generated by the first night doesn't last, and it means you have to find your own ways of keeping up the energy during performances. The second outing is notoriously hard in this respect, but I managed to keep my energy levels up by the simple expedient of accidentally inhaling one of my fluorescent pink marabou feathers during the first phrase of my aria. Keeping a smooth legato line flowing whilst attempting not to gag on the feather quite literally tickling one's tonsils certainly hones the concentration! I suspect I was as pink as my outfit when I snatched my gin bottle off the unsuspecting tenor and gulped desperately - luckily it's all perfectly within character!

I haven't had much time to mess around with the horses' heads I so rashly promised the theatre in Frankfurt, but the deadline for delivery is looming so I've been fiddling around with them today. The picture shows them with chicken-wire armature complete, manes knotted in and enough layers of papier mâché to hopefully survive a couple of performances intact. Before anyone says anything, I am morosely aware that they currently resemble nothing so much as pigs having their highlights done at the hairdressers; however I am hoping that a few licks of paint will sort it out to some extent. Fingers crossed!

1 comment:

  1. Horses' heads are great! They show the underlying musculature. I can't wait to see them finished. Lots of talents have you!

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