Newsflash!

This morning I received an invitation to audition (for mainstage roles) at Opera Fort Collins! I'm not holding my breath, as any opera gigs in Colorado are pretty quickly snapped up by wonderful colleagues, but I'm excited anyway!

They have a summer season followed by a December concert and those have been cast, so these auditions must be for the 2013 season, which hasn't been announced (or perhaps hasn't yet been decided).

Fingers crossed! (Better start practicing!)

Il Trovatore!

Again, life has been so busy I've neglected this poor blog! We are halfway through our run of Il Trovatore and it is spectacular. Leonora is being sung by Michele Capalbo and Azucena by Nancy Maultsby. Both are incredible. It's almost too beautiful to endure! My favorite scene is when we are offstage singing the Miserere (as monks) while Leonora learns that Manrico is still alive - because he's also offstage singing with a harp (his lute). It is gorgeous!!! Here are some illegal pics.

Gypsy Scene: Act 2

Wig!

Nun scene: Act 2

Bless you, my child.

From Tuesday's Denver Post: "Kudos also to the crisp, incisive and dependably meticulous performance of the Opera Colorado Chorus (prepared by John Baril)"

Read the full article here. 

Florencia Update

It's been so busy that keeping up with emails, let alone posting, has been impossible! Florencia is in production now and it's a beautiful production. Here is a link to a slideshow. It's not our singers singing, but it is our pictures.



I'm on the far right, second from the end. Here's an illegal pic:

Perhaps the craziest thing about this season is that while we are doing Florencia, we are also in rehearsals for Trovatore! Oy! It's very busy with very late nights, but it's a lot of fun. :-)

Opera Rehearsals have begun!

Monday night was my first rehearsal with the Colorado Opera Chorus. We received our official backstage passes, which is how we'll get into the opera house for rehearsals. I managed to lock my keys in the car, so that was intelligent of me. Everyone was quite nice and another mezzo also lives in Boulder so we are going to car-pool! Hooray for that. Parking is expensive. I'm starting to think I actually won't make any money at all, once gas and parking is factored in! Oh well. It's all about the experience right now, isn't it?

The rehearsal went well and we got out a half hour early. We went through the Spanish with the Spanish diction coach, who is also the accompanist. The choral director is sick - they had just finished Figaro so everyone was tired and flushed with success. Florencia is a very cool opera. It follows the life of a Brazilian opera singer who returns to her hometown in search of an old boyfriend. (It's not in Portuguese because the composer is Mexican, not Brazilian). The music is reminiscent of Puccini but also lush like a movie score. It's really pretty.

The chorus is only in the first act, so that should hopefully make rehearsals a little less long once we get onto the stage for runs. We are supposed to have the first of three scenes learned tonight. That will take me about half an hour, though I think the men will need to woodshed a bit longer. There seems to be lots of vocal talent, but perhaps not the musicianship I'm used to. There are two section leaders in each section. All in all, it was a fun night. I'm looking forward to getting through the music rehearsals and onto the stage.

I'm getting fitted on Thursday morning. The costumes are going to be 1950's style. I'll snap pics when I can!

When it rains it pours...

Both scores came in the mail Saturday, or should I say, all four scores arrived. The package from Opera Colorado included contracts (exciting!) and both had nice letters explaining what part to sing where, etc. I'll be singing Alto 2 on most songs with the summer choralfest. Thanks. :-)

My piano needs some attention. There are officially more music scores on the piano than there is room. Perhaps I can find a basket somewhere to store it all.

This week I have some subbing gigs, but essentially it's my last week of free evenings. I'll try to make the most of them!

Another fun video - I can't resist.

I got the gig!

Auditions are such a funny business. If you're not careful, an audition that does not land the gig can set you back emotionally for months. Luckily for me, my NY "no-contracts-scored" audition just made me sad, not destroyed. My audition Saturday wasn't stellar though I sang my solos well. I am thrilled to have made it into the group which is pretty prestigious. And the pay isn't bad either! Hooray!

The group is Dr. Skinner's Professional Summerfest Chorale and all rehearsals and performances take place in late June. Hooray again! 

Another Audition - Another Opportunity!

The day I found out the Chicago Classical Singer Convention was cancelled, I also received an invitation to audition for Dr. Skinner. The Summerfest Professional Choir is a well-paid, week-long endeavor with a respected and much-loved, close-to-retirement, conductor. Of course I jumped at the chance.

Today was my audition, and similar to my audition for Venus and Adonis with the Baroque Chamber Orchestra, I was reminded of why I prefer opera auditions. Sightreading under pressure is just not my strong suit. I sang well though, so we shall see. I sang "Oh Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion" from Messiah (which was requested) and then a botched-words version of "Voi che sapete." Note to self: always review the arias, just in case. I sightread the Bach chorale easily but the Rossini was more complicated with the runs. Wish I had a chance to try it again. I'll know Wednesday. And even if I don't get the gig, it was a good experience and a very nice realization that I am in the singers' loop here in the Boulder/Denver area. And that is a good thing!

Tonight is Temple Sinai's big music department fundraiser and it's going to be so much fun. We are doing a bunch of show tunes. What a blast! I'll spend the night at Dawn's and then we have Holy Ghost tomorrow morning. Whew!

I think I have two more weeks of mellowness before Opera Colorado starts up every night. That will be interesting!

Here is today's video. SO TRUE!!! And hysterical. Enjoy.