While driving through Beverly Hills on a Tuesday afternoon, I got a call from the Modesto Symphony wondering if it were possible for me to sing the soprano solo in Mahler's Symphony No. 4. The snow storm had made it impossible for the soprano to leave the east coast, and this meant I would have to learn the German text and melody in the car on the drive home, possibly not singing it until rehearsing in front of the orchestra...sure, why not? My dear friend and colleague Ming was gracious enough to let me do it, as I was supposed to sing in a gala for his youth symphony in Napa, CA. It turns out that the tenor I as supposed to sing with was also snowed in out east. What a wild weekend!

I arrived home from vacation late on Wed. night, got my rehearsal and formal wear together and left for Modesto on Thursday afternoon for the first rehearsal with the orchestra. Talk about BUTTERFLIES! Yikes, I don't think I can explain how I felt, because as much as my stomach was not allowing me to keep anything in it, I still felt very calm. It was really strange. I guess when you know you have a job to do, that's what happens. 

I heard the piece once through with just orchestra, then sang through it with them before the break. At the break there was a meet and greet with the subscribers and I was able to chat with my lovely host from the opera just two weeks prior, Bob. He introduced me around and we had a lovely chat. Then I went back stge to rest my voice. it was quite harsh on it to be speaking words in the car drive for 10 hours almost solid. Then back to rehearsal. But I was not aware that it was an open rehearsal for the subscribers...gulp! A little nerve-wracking, but again, I had a job to do and knew it was neither the time nor the place to worry about perfection, but just the next layer of getting comfortable with the piece, the German, the interludes, and the orchestration for which I needed to listen. Needless to say, I slept like a baby that night. Thank goodness, I was exhausted!

In Friday's afternoon rehearsal I was able to add still one more layer of comfort with the piece and with what i needed as far as breath etc. Maestro David Lockington was so incredibly generous with his conducting and making sure that I was alright and had what I needed. I am extremely grateful for his patience is letting me chip away at the piece in layers, knowing that more sound and more interpretation would come on the night of the performance. I am also grateful to Ming for allowing me to go and take on such an opportunity! 

You just never know what might be around the corner!

I drove back to Modesto for the Friday night performance. On Sat. I had planned on toodling around and then attending the student performance that night. I wanted to see their work on stage! Unfortunately, I ended up singing the performance. Courtney, the student cast Hannah, had no voice at all. I felt terrible for her!

All went well. Working with the student cast was a great time. They are all such INCREDIBLY hard workers, what a joy!

The cast was great! Vincent Chambers played Count Danilo on short notice, and did a great job. I am grateful to have been able to work with him on this. He and I have AMAZINGLY similar senses of humor, which made the break neck pace of the rehearsal schedule much easier on both of us! THe other point of rest were the amazing hosts that opened their homes to us crazy opera singers! I stayed with Bob who is well known in the Modesto area for his amazing support of the arts. No last name for Bob is needed. Everyone knows Bob! Truly, I am in amazement of his loyalty to the arts and his great generosity. Bob is always attending a recital at CSUS, a Modesto Symphony Board Meeting, an Opera Guild meeting, housing artists that are performing in the area or driving the artists too and from the Sacramento airport! Also, bacon and eggs in the morning and grapefruit and oranges from his trees outside were a plus to staying with him! Mmmmm, bacon! 

Nearby, were Dick and Kay who housed our lovely Baron Zeta, Eric Graber. Eric and I enjoyed morning walks, and even more enjoyed coffee in the morning with Dick and Kay. (and Eric's home made cookies!) and once in a while a night cap to process the events of the day. 

This was a true collaboration with California State University Stanislaus. The chorus were students and there was a second cast for 3 of the leads, Hannah, Danilo and Valencienne. The student cast was wonderful! And of course, I can't talk about this production without talking about the young conductor Ryan Murray. Watch for him! He really is amazingly talented, prepared and knows how to work an orchestra and reign in a singer when needed! Thanks Ryan!

What an experience!

Thanks to everyone at Townsend Opera!

Right now my focus is on Hanna in the production of "The Merry Widow" in Modesto, CA with Townsend Opera Players. I am really excited to begin rehearsals on Saturday! I have the great privilege to work with some wonderful artists that I have already sung with in the last year. When I played Mimi in West Bay Opera's "La Boheme", Ani Maldjian played Musetta . She will play Valencienne in "The Merry Widow". In Townsend Opera Players' Opera Gala this fall, I sang the duet from La Boheme with the powerful tenor Vincent Chambers. He will play Count Danilovitch. It will prove to be a very playful and buoyant production and I look forward to seeing the CA folks there! www.townsednoperaplayers.com 

I am excited to have such an incredibly varied season. There is not one project that is even close to another that I am doing. So far this season I have interpreted Puccini's heroine Mimi, the playful comprimario role of Giannetta in "L'Elisir d'Amore", sung operatic excerpts alongside some of the SFO Adler Fellows in concert and have done performances for and helped in the musical education ofevery child in Berkeley, CA elementary schools with members of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra. What a 2009 I tell you, and with joyful operetta "The Merry Widow" to kick off 2010, it will be another amazing year!

More to come on the other projects that I am also researching, learning and preparing for the new year!

Cheers!

WOW!!!!!!

It was a bit nerve wracking to go into my first rehearsal in such tired shape, but all went well and we actually got through the whole opera! Afterward, I arrived at my host family's house  and got ready to go to sleep. It didn't take long, that's for sure!

The road to the performance seemed a long one. The nap didn't last as long as I would've liked, and I didn't want to study too much other music, as I could get too confused. SO I read and watched llamas some more and listened to the fog horn then got ready for the concert.

All went well with "Pulicinella" so Joseph and I went out to have a glass of wine and listen and watch the "El Amor Bruja". In line for wine we were ab;e to meet several of the patrons and had some great conversations. One was with a gentleman who has been at the rehearsal the day prior to the performance. He had several questions to ask me about the voice, singing, preparation and he even seemed a little nervous. At the performance, he was glowing and went on about how much he loved it. He then said a very sweet thing to me. "I know I probably shouldn't say this, but the moment you opened your mouth and sang, I fell a little in love with you. Who knew that simply the human voice could do that?" Well, that's why I am in this business, to connect with people, on and off stage. 

This was an extremely satisfying experience! 

The road to the performance seemed a long one. The nap didn't last as long as I would've liked, and I didn't want to study too much other music, as I could get too confused. SO I read and watched llamas some more and listened to the fog horn then got ready for the concert.

All went well with "Pulicinella" so Joseph and I went out to have a glass of wine and listen and watch the "El Amor Bruja". In line for wine we were able to meet several of the patrons and had some great conversations. One was with a gentleman who has been at the rehearsal the day prior to the performance. He had several questions to ask me about the voice, singing, preparation and he even seemed a little nervous. At the performance, he was glowing and went on about how much he loved it. He then said a very sweet thing to me. "I know I probably shouldn't say this, but the moment you opened your mouth and sang, I fell a little in love with you. Who knew that simply the human voice could do that?" Well, that's why I am in this business, to connect with people, on and off stage. 

This was an extremely satisfying experience!