I must be doing something right

I'm feeling more than ready for Grimes this week and our run-through last Sunday was a huge part of that. Making a conscious decision to concentrate, focus and have a solid intention really does help - duh!
As a result, I sang better than I have in a long time (without giving it all up - gotta save some for the actual performance), and think I may have even done some decent acting for once in my life. You see, although I've probably been better than I think I have as a singing actress, I have always been very hyper-critical of my own acting performances. It's always been difficult to find that line, but not cross it, so to speak. As an opera singer, we really cannot completely give in to the emotion, particularly if it is something that will make us cry. Crying makes singing almost impossible. You do, however, want to attempt to go to that line, so that you can convey the emotion of your character to your greatest ability. In the past, it has always been hard for me to even get to that line. In recent years, I've had the opposite problem of going a little too far. Ellen Orford is teaching me how to find the middle - and even more so, my Peter Grimes is helping me to bring it out. Throughout the course of rehearsals, I have developed a huge admiration for his intensity as an actor and am thoroughly elated to be working with him. Rock on, CS!!

In other news, I had the chance to eat at a lovely newish restaurant last night for my good friend EK's 50th birthday. The place was Insieme and the food was divine. Not to mention the wine list, which was one of the most interesting lists I've seen in NYC in a long time. The cooking is Italian-based, but very innovative and very fresh. We had some gorgeous homemade fettucine with venison & pomegranate ragu, among many other things and a 1996 Barbaresco that they were serving by the glass. Yum! Although it's a tad expensive to warrant going back multiple times, I really want to check out their other restaurant called Hearth and their new wine bar that is supposed to opening summer-ish. The sommelier is a Riesling fanatic and promises to have multiple Rieslings by the glass, whether customers like it or not. So there!!

All in all, her birthday was a fantastic experience - one in which ER and I tried to span her decades of experiences with NYC locale visits and appropriate presents at each stop. Needless to say it was fun and fruitful. Great friends are a blessing, indeed!!

Recital madness

The recital is over and I have to say, although I was worried going into it, it turned out to be a great success. For my first recital in NYC (and my first in a very long time), I am very pleased.
There was a fantastic turnout - many more people than I expected. I also received a great deal of wonderful feedback. All in all, it was very encouraging for making this recital into an annual event. I particularly enjoyed sharing it with my friend Vince's new group, Choral Chameleon and hope to work with them again.
I think my favorite feedback of the evening came from two friends of a friend who go to a great deal of classical music and arts events in New York. They said they really enjoyed the fact that it was a non-traditional recital with music that you don't hear all the time. They particularly commented on how engaging the music was. Good news, indeed!

Thanks to all who attended! Now, on to focus on Peter Grimes!!! Grimes ahoy!

Happy Belated New Year

Alas, I cannot believe that I didn't post during the entire month of December. Then again, I guess I can believe it. December was, needless to say, a busy month. Work, work, work, then gig, gig, gig and on top of it all, add memorizing Peter Grimes AND learning the music for my recital. PHEW! It seems I have survived.

I feel proud that I survived December vocally intact and still healthy (touch wood!) I've learned to manage my "vocal issues" (i.e. reflux) and am singing better than ever. So, enough of patting myself on the back, I've got more work to do. This coming Tuesday is my recital of new music. Although I am way less prepared than I like to be, I am jazzed about it and for more new music recitals to come. As a result of this one, I have decided to make it a point to do one every year that focuses solely on new works and hopefully, premieres. Championing new works has always been a passion of mine and although I have lost my way in past years, I am making a renewed commitment to making this happen.

Peter Grimes rehearsals have been great! Although it got off to a little bit of a rocky start for me personally, I feel stronger and more confident and ready to give this the best performance I've got. I have also learned much about how my attitude affects my performance and other people's view of me. Positivity is my new mantra and so far, it's working out quite nicely. My family has always been fairly cynical - not in a bad way, but to the point that it gets a little negative sometimes. An aunt of mine very astutely pointed that out to me recently and I've really taken it to heart. It makes an enormous difference in the way I present myself and I'm sure it makes a difference in how I am perceived.

This year, I feel, holds great promise. It's getting off to a great start and I once again, feel like I'm doing what I came to New York for - to sing. The elation of being part of a great music collaboration like this one for Peter Grimes is like an elixir! And I can't wait for more!

...and I promise to be better about posting in 2008.