It may be a little to soon to say I am winding down as I have 3 different performances in the next 5 days, but really, I am. The opera opened on the 16th and went quite well. Of course it could have been better but not too much. I am having a hard time being understood as my character speaks half French and German with a French accent, but I have gotten some positive feedback.
Piernay's Klassenabend is on tomorrow and a brief rehearsal I had with him went fairly well. I think he is intentionally very grumpy some days and not on others. Either way, you never really know what to expect. That has its ups and downs.
The reason I am winding down is that after the 24th, I don't have any more performances and only 2 weeks more of class. As my classes don't really matter that much (I didn't say that) due to the fact that I will not get credited for most of them, it seems finally doing a bit of traveling would be more beneficial.
So I am heading to Italy. Right now the plan is 2 days in Rome, a day in Florence, and a day in Milan. I don't have as much money saved up as I wanted but am still looking to take a few hundred Euros home with me (a nice cushion before I find a job or hopefully get going enough tuning pianos.)
I can say now that there are legitimately several people here I will miss which is bittersweet. It has been an odd year in that the entire time I have felt torn between the desire to make a live here and thrive and the knowledge that it is all temporary. I guess life is. But somehow taking a year out of the middle of your life is a bit like listening to a bit of Liszt in the middle of Beethoven's 9th. It is still beautiful intriguing music, but it seems to upset the masterpiece. Lame metaphor...
Anyway, it has been a great experience but as of right now I don't think I will be upset if I never get/have to do this again. It has been good to learn what it is like to be a foreigner.
Side note. Singing with the Pepperdine group is great fun. This might be a little pathetic, but the last two times I have sung and then hung a little with them, I have gotten really sad the minute I walked out the door to leave. Haha. I think it is just nice to be a 3 dimensional person with three dimensional relationships, even with people I just met.
I have made a lot of friends here and have learned a lot about language, culture, and communication, but anytime I am with friends here, there is always a limit to how much we can connect. I don't think I reallised that untill hanging out with a group of Americans again. Plus you always feel a little bit...slow...dumb...out of it
Plus, Dr. Price is just a great guy. His enthusiasm and passion for opera is contageous. Germany in general feels very...hmmm...augen zu und durch....kinda means take a beep breath and plunge on in. It literally means eyes forward or closed and through...I think it is a bit less enthusiastic than plunge in. Kinda like you put your head down and work, and then at 8:00 at night you start to drink...haha. I have not been living that way, but I have definitely sensed a general oppressive air in Germany. I don't know if it is the weather, my circumstances in life, my activities and contacts here, or truly a national tendency but many of my peers have noticed it as well.
I should go eat dinner.
Wish me luck and god bless.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Singing
Singing is going decently well. I have certainly learned a lot. I have read about 5 books on vocal technique here. They have all been good but the last two of particular interest.
The first was Richard Miller's book on National Schools of singing comparing traditional schools from Germany, Italy, France and England. It has been very interesting to gain an idea of what different sounds are desired and what techniques are used in an attempt to attain such timbres.
Second, was The Free Voice by Cornelius L. Reid. This was particularly interesting because Mr. Reid was one of Piernay#s teachers and basically describes the entire process Piernay has taken me through this year. It is a dense book (very authoritative in its tone...perhaps a bit to a fault) but has been an excellent companion and tool to reason what Piernay has been attempting to do with my voice. Some of the principals in it are exceptional...though I am uncertainty about the complete validity of few. Nonetheless, having basically received the exact instruction he describes, I can say it certainly has great merit.
My access to these books was due to a report which I wrote for my Stimmkunde class (basically vocal pedagogy) This report was basically to read as many of the books my teacher had in English (since it is easier for me than for the German students) and summarise some of the different Techniques. I gave a presentation yesterday (I only had to write up a handout...ended up 4 pages of charts comparing techniques in German...) and it went really well! My German has gotten quite decent. Some days it seems a lot better than others but I certainly can live here and communicate without too much consideration to language.
Summary of performances
Two weekends I sang a few songs in the professor from my Pedagogy classes class evening since she needed a low voice. If she hadn't have had two singers come down sick, I would have sung more at the concert than any of her actual voice students..stressful and frustrating with a few misunderstandings. Nonetheless, it was a good time.
The next day I sang two arias from El Canguro (an opera in production by Cynthia Ferrel and Michael von der Nahmer) Ironically he got a stipendium to study in die Pfalz at almost exactly the same time I did. It was really interesting and entertaining to find out what the opera was about (I sang at a presentation about its development). I had already recorded a few scenes with Joey and Allison but never really knew the plot. It is really quite a good story! haha. Anyway, it was a bit rough as my voice sits a little higher these days and one of the arias was very declamatory and ungodly low. I think I made my voice a little raw for the next couple days.
Now I am in the midst of rehearsing Die Lustige Weiber. We have rehearsal every day except Sundays and the rehearsals are in Neustadt (a half hour rain ride fromt he Hauptbahnhoff) All in all it is at least 50 minutes of travel each way and has made attending classes regularly and impossibility. However it is a lot of fun and I am getting pretty close with a lot of the cast. We have on German (half Korean) Four Serbians, a Macedonian, a girl from Uzbekistan who has a contract with The Berlin Staatsoper next season for their coloratura roles, probably 8 Koreans, 3 Chinese, a Japanese tenor, and me...haha. It is a great group.
Meanwhile I have started spending my nights going to and from Heidelberg to rehearse with the Pepperdine group doing two scenes with them. It is a complete change of pace to sing Italian Mozart and really just have a good time in comparison to a comic role singing German with a French accent.
voice lessons consist of working on Russian songs for Piernay's Klassenabend and being called lazy and or slow. (still learning a ton though)
16th: first performance Lustige Weiber. 19th: class concert. 20th: Second performance Lustige Weiber. 23: Opera scenes with Pepperdine.
Then...Freeeeedom! I am thinking that I have already missed so much class and little need for the Scheins, that I may just travel the last 20 days. Actually that is not true. I find all of the classes interesting and honestly enjoy attending them, but if missing one means I can go to Italy...I will go to Italy.
Anyway, wish me luck.
The first was Richard Miller's book on National Schools of singing comparing traditional schools from Germany, Italy, France and England. It has been very interesting to gain an idea of what different sounds are desired and what techniques are used in an attempt to attain such timbres.
Second, was The Free Voice by Cornelius L. Reid. This was particularly interesting because Mr. Reid was one of Piernay#s teachers and basically describes the entire process Piernay has taken me through this year. It is a dense book (very authoritative in its tone...perhaps a bit to a fault) but has been an excellent companion and tool to reason what Piernay has been attempting to do with my voice. Some of the principals in it are exceptional...though I am uncertainty about the complete validity of few. Nonetheless, having basically received the exact instruction he describes, I can say it certainly has great merit.
My access to these books was due to a report which I wrote for my Stimmkunde class (basically vocal pedagogy) This report was basically to read as many of the books my teacher had in English (since it is easier for me than for the German students) and summarise some of the different Techniques. I gave a presentation yesterday (I only had to write up a handout...ended up 4 pages of charts comparing techniques in German...) and it went really well! My German has gotten quite decent. Some days it seems a lot better than others but I certainly can live here and communicate without too much consideration to language.
Summary of performances
Two weekends I sang a few songs in the professor from my Pedagogy classes class evening since she needed a low voice. If she hadn't have had two singers come down sick, I would have sung more at the concert than any of her actual voice students..stressful and frustrating with a few misunderstandings. Nonetheless, it was a good time.
The next day I sang two arias from El Canguro (an opera in production by Cynthia Ferrel and Michael von der Nahmer) Ironically he got a stipendium to study in die Pfalz at almost exactly the same time I did. It was really interesting and entertaining to find out what the opera was about (I sang at a presentation about its development). I had already recorded a few scenes with Joey and Allison but never really knew the plot. It is really quite a good story! haha. Anyway, it was a bit rough as my voice sits a little higher these days and one of the arias was very declamatory and ungodly low. I think I made my voice a little raw for the next couple days.
Now I am in the midst of rehearsing Die Lustige Weiber. We have rehearsal every day except Sundays and the rehearsals are in Neustadt (a half hour rain ride fromt he Hauptbahnhoff) All in all it is at least 50 minutes of travel each way and has made attending classes regularly and impossibility. However it is a lot of fun and I am getting pretty close with a lot of the cast. We have on German (half Korean) Four Serbians, a Macedonian, a girl from Uzbekistan who has a contract with The Berlin Staatsoper next season for their coloratura roles, probably 8 Koreans, 3 Chinese, a Japanese tenor, and me...haha. It is a great group.
Meanwhile I have started spending my nights going to and from Heidelberg to rehearse with the Pepperdine group doing two scenes with them. It is a complete change of pace to sing Italian Mozart and really just have a good time in comparison to a comic role singing German with a French accent.
voice lessons consist of working on Russian songs for Piernay's Klassenabend and being called lazy and or slow. (still learning a ton though)
16th: first performance Lustige Weiber. 19th: class concert. 20th: Second performance Lustige Weiber. 23: Opera scenes with Pepperdine.
Then...Freeeeedom! I am thinking that I have already missed so much class and little need for the Scheins, that I may just travel the last 20 days. Actually that is not true. I find all of the classes interesting and honestly enjoy attending them, but if missing one means I can go to Italy...I will go to Italy.
Anyway, wish me luck.
Miriam's visit and Munch land
I had too many themes to cover in one post, so I split them up...hehe
Miriam visited me the beginning of May and mand was it great. well...I should amend that
When Miriam arrived. It was the first time I have felt like someone who is close to me really did not belong somewhere. I reallized eventually that she was the first person who I knew more than 9 months ago to see my life in Mannheim and see it close up and personal. I have seen a few old friends here but usually they were more acquaintances and I saw them in Heidelberg or London. Suddenly, I had one of my 'closest' friends injected into a life that was to that point completely new, separate from my life in the States, and completely mine. I went from being in a city of congenial but generally formal strangers (the Serbians are a bit different) to being with someone who I was expected to be (and wanted to be) intimate with emotionally and physically. Mannheim has not, and especially up to that point, not been a place of much intimacy. That and rainy weather made the first couple of days honestly a little akward. However! hehe...they were still very enjoyable and it was very nice to have a close friend with me AND to be a TOURIST. hehe.
Miriam left after a couple of days spent mostly in Mannheim, Heidelberg and the surrounding area. After visiting her sister in Prague she returned and we made a trip to The Mosel Valley and stayed in a really cute little Bread and Breakfast. Then things were purely wonderful. We saw castles, rode bikes, hiked, got caught in the rain hungry wet and cold (we ended up in a nice chinese restaurant trying to hide the fact that we were dripping wet) and had great conversations.
The only downside to Miriam visiting was that by the time she left I was knee deep in rehearsal and making up the work I had put off while she was here.
Oh yeah! The day she left, in order to distract myself, I made a trip to München (Munich). I used a website called Mitfahrgelegenheit which is basically a carpool website. I made it to Munich and back for 35€ and spent probably 70 dollars on food, opera tickets, and local transportation for about 2 1/2 days in Munich!
I also saw John Relyea in Le Nozze di Figaro and Bryn Terfel and Matti Salminen in Die Fliegender Holländer. Figaro was decent. Definitely worth the trip. Relyea was good though a little...unclear production. I felt like there was a bit of damming of the airflow either from tongue manipulation or tense breath control (My taste really has changed a bit this year). Holländer was amazing! I had seen Die Meistersinger in Mannheim but was very tired, it was a strange insinierung and The voices ver mediocre. But hearing Terfel and Salminen (I couldn't actually see them because the seats were really cheap) was amazing. The orchestra was fabulous and you really FELT the music. I have heard enough Wagner I have really started to notice the Leitmotivs and that made it all the more interesting. I had heard Terfel twice before in person and always found him very good but had yet to be blown away. This times, I was. I think this role was essentially written for him. I could see why Wagner wanted his music song legatto (so often not the case these days). In a relatively small European house, with a great orchestra, he was really able to show his stuff. I still don't know if I think he would be a good Wotan. I still want a bit more growl for the King of the Gods, but man...Holländer...I won't forget that any time soon.
Miriam visited me the beginning of May and mand was it great. well...I should amend that
When Miriam arrived. It was the first time I have felt like someone who is close to me really did not belong somewhere. I reallized eventually that she was the first person who I knew more than 9 months ago to see my life in Mannheim and see it close up and personal. I have seen a few old friends here but usually they were more acquaintances and I saw them in Heidelberg or London. Suddenly, I had one of my 'closest' friends injected into a life that was to that point completely new, separate from my life in the States, and completely mine. I went from being in a city of congenial but generally formal strangers (the Serbians are a bit different) to being with someone who I was expected to be (and wanted to be) intimate with emotionally and physically. Mannheim has not, and especially up to that point, not been a place of much intimacy. That and rainy weather made the first couple of days honestly a little akward. However! hehe...they were still very enjoyable and it was very nice to have a close friend with me AND to be a TOURIST. hehe.
Miriam left after a couple of days spent mostly in Mannheim, Heidelberg and the surrounding area. After visiting her sister in Prague she returned and we made a trip to The Mosel Valley and stayed in a really cute little Bread and Breakfast. Then things were purely wonderful. We saw castles, rode bikes, hiked, got caught in the rain hungry wet and cold (we ended up in a nice chinese restaurant trying to hide the fact that we were dripping wet) and had great conversations.
The only downside to Miriam visiting was that by the time she left I was knee deep in rehearsal and making up the work I had put off while she was here.
Oh yeah! The day she left, in order to distract myself, I made a trip to München (Munich). I used a website called Mitfahrgelegenheit which is basically a carpool website. I made it to Munich and back for 35€ and spent probably 70 dollars on food, opera tickets, and local transportation for about 2 1/2 days in Munich!
I also saw John Relyea in Le Nozze di Figaro and Bryn Terfel and Matti Salminen in Die Fliegender Holländer. Figaro was decent. Definitely worth the trip. Relyea was good though a little...unclear production. I felt like there was a bit of damming of the airflow either from tongue manipulation or tense breath control (My taste really has changed a bit this year). Holländer was amazing! I had seen Die Meistersinger in Mannheim but was very tired, it was a strange insinierung and The voices ver mediocre. But hearing Terfel and Salminen (I couldn't actually see them because the seats were really cheap) was amazing. The orchestra was fabulous and you really FELT the music. I have heard enough Wagner I have really started to notice the Leitmotivs and that made it all the more interesting. I had heard Terfel twice before in person and always found him very good but had yet to be blown away. This times, I was. I think this role was essentially written for him. I could see why Wagner wanted his music song legatto (so often not the case these days). In a relatively small European house, with a great orchestra, he was really able to show his stuff. I still don't know if I think he would be a good Wotan. I still want a bit more growl for the King of the Gods, but man...Holländer...I won't forget that any time soon.
Heimweh
It has been a loooong time since I posted. This is mostly a reflection of how busy I have been...meaning I have more than ever to talk about. Unfortunately I will not be able to talk about it all, or even come close, so I will attempt to record the things I think others would find interesting, and which I am afraid of forgetting.
Last night I was in an Irish pub after the first dress rehearsal of die Lustige Weiber with a few of my professors and several of the cast, including the Eastern European group, mostly Serbian (they all study with Frau Stemancovich and are quite good). They have become my closest group of friends here outside of my roommates and a few Americans. Anyway, I was having a great time reveling in the fact that I only have rehearsal with the Pepperdine group tomorrow (a rare occasion the last 3 weeks) when Brown Eyed Girl came on the radio. Since that time last night I have some of the worst homesickness I have had since coming here. Normally while I have been here I have missed specific individuals: my girlfriend, brother, parents, or friends. Hearing that song, I started to miss the USA. haha...I just have some many memories of that song. Dancing with friends at parties in Highschool and girls who always wanted blue eyes saying that that song helped them to love their own. Concerts in the park. Fourth of July. I think that song just kinda symbolized growing up in Claremont and some of the best times I had there.
I have more friends here and am more social than I have been since Marburg but I really miss Summer in Claremont. It has been a few years since I have really spent one there and I am oddly very nastolgic to be there again.
13 days of intense rehearsal an performing. 20 days to travel and hang out with my friends here a few last times.
35 days and I will hug my parents and hold my girlfriend again. 36 days and I will laugh with my brother and talk about him becoming a father. 37 days and I will drive through my mountains, listen to Bob Dylan, maybe play some guitar and hopefully cry some tears of joy.
Last night I was in an Irish pub after the first dress rehearsal of die Lustige Weiber with a few of my professors and several of the cast, including the Eastern European group, mostly Serbian (they all study with Frau Stemancovich and are quite good). They have become my closest group of friends here outside of my roommates and a few Americans. Anyway, I was having a great time reveling in the fact that I only have rehearsal with the Pepperdine group tomorrow (a rare occasion the last 3 weeks) when Brown Eyed Girl came on the radio. Since that time last night I have some of the worst homesickness I have had since coming here. Normally while I have been here I have missed specific individuals: my girlfriend, brother, parents, or friends. Hearing that song, I started to miss the USA. haha...I just have some many memories of that song. Dancing with friends at parties in Highschool and girls who always wanted blue eyes saying that that song helped them to love their own. Concerts in the park. Fourth of July. I think that song just kinda symbolized growing up in Claremont and some of the best times I had there.
I have more friends here and am more social than I have been since Marburg but I really miss Summer in Claremont. It has been a few years since I have really spent one there and I am oddly very nastolgic to be there again.
13 days of intense rehearsal an performing. 20 days to travel and hang out with my friends here a few last times.
35 days and I will hug my parents and hold my girlfriend again. 36 days and I will laugh with my brother and talk about him becoming a father. 37 days and I will drive through my mountains, listen to Bob Dylan, maybe play some guitar and hopefully cry some tears of joy.
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