Friday 19 March 2010

Extraordinary, really, how difficult it can be to gauge the right energy for starting a rehearsal mid-opera. This morning we carried on from where we'd previously left off - a disturbingly confused scene, thrilling with energy, at the end of which I am left broken on the floor. However without the manic run-up, it was a real effort to summon up the requisite feelings and I found myself a lot more tired, vocally, than I had previously been. (Nothing worrying, and quite to be expected, seeing as how we'd repeated again and again a part where I break out into a self-righteous and triumphant yowl, written pretty much without breathing spaces to get a particular effect, all the while wrestling with a wriggling and angry tenor. Well, not really angry, and come to that, half the time not really wriggling either. He'd had the same energy dip as me - not to mention, wasn't one hundred percent averse to a woman in high heels and slinky dress grabbing him from behind and holding on tight...).

I am very grateful at this point, with such all-encompassing music surging through my veins, to have the luxury of distraction. Yesterday I watched a live webcast of a Rameau opera in which a friend was singing (fabulous! and very, very funny); this evening I am looking forward to a Bellini Romeo and Juliet featuring my colleagues. I love premieres; I have fished out a sexy evening dress, bunged my hair up and carefully fixed in the glorious winged diamante earrings which make me feel so glamorous. The fact that I'm now going to stick a leather jacket over the lot and cycle to the theatre is neither here nor there; and I may have mentioned before that cycling is fantastic if you're wearing ridiculously high shoes - you don't really have to walk far! I intend to take my time cycling, too - spring is in the air. Yesterday for the first time this year I went jacket-free during the day, and even though the sun has now set, the birds in their spring frenzy haven't yet realised, so the air is rich with their song.

Excuse me while I go and paint my claws blood-red in preparation!

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:13 pm

    You are a poet, my dear! Not only are your posts incredibly detailed, but my heavens, your writing style begs for a novel. Enjoying your posts so much!

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  2. Jean-Ronald is correct. I mean, wow. I can smell the birdsong.
    I played Joe in a production of "Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" many years ago and Act I ends with me running onstage having been raped by bullies and Act II begins in the SAME MOMENT from a cold stop. I know exactly what you're talking about. It's like lifting a refrigerator over your head with one hand.
    I am looking forward to reading much more of your blog! I became aware of you after you commented on a post in Susan Eichhorn-Young's blog. She's my new voice teacher. She is a goddess.
    Finally, it is a personal goal of mine to have the opportunity to work in the musical theatre of Germany and Austria. I'm a huge fan of Levay and Kunze. I know our worlds don't overlap much and my being in the US doesn't help me. But if you've any insights I'd be very grateful to hear them.
    Thank you and break a leg! (But NOT because of your shoes!!!)

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