First and most frustrating, was that I was hoping to announce today that I would be singing in a supporting role in a February production of the Merry Widow at Wichita Grand Opera. Obviously, I am not making that announcement. But, last Tuesday I received an email that there was an opening for the role of Raoul - a relatively minor role, but a great opportunity to sing with a professional company. I called first thing on Wednesday morning to WGO and then emailed my information. I received a phone call later in the day from one of the directors at WGO. They asked for more information and I emailed that to them. Then, later that evening I received another email asking for an even more specific set of information. I was able to give them many different recordings, video, pictures, bio, information about productions and scenes I have been in, awards, people I have worked with, etc. They seemed very interested and I was very excited that all this attention was going to lead to a role offer. Well, Thursday went by with no response, then Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and now Monday. Unfortunately, I probably did not get cast. Even though it was a relatively minor role, I would have loved to perform with a large company - a great opportunity. But, this is how this business is I suppose, and unfortunately it requires us all to be rejected many many times. "Hurry up and wait!"
This is so difficult on my coffee-diet lifestyle.
Nevertheless, I am planning on auditioning for the Kansas City Lyric Opera early next year for their inaugural season in the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Hopefully there will be some opportunities for me close to home. And, let's not forget the UMKC production of Don Giovanni in March!
The other stress has been centered around homework for my theory class and memorizing loads of music and preparing for some major recitals. All of this I am very excited for and love every minute of the challenge, but because I am a really active person, I get very anxious. So, fortunately and unfortunately I have a lot to be anxious about.
I had a small concert on Wednesday that went very well. I was part of a presentation at the Conservatory of Lieder from Graz, Austria. It was a wonderful presentation and it was a lot of fun to sing art song for once. It is a lot more delicate than operatic singing and likewise, the singer is allowed more opportunities to be "musical". I am also the cover for the Dialogues of the Carmelites production at UMKC. It will be a wonderful production and I encourage all the opera lovers in the area to attend this production this weekend. The opera is very very emotional, and ends with a rousing scene where a convent of nuns (the Carmelites) are beheaded one by one as part of the French Revolution. Each nun walks offstage to their execution screaming their fear of death as a chorus of onlookers witness their fate while the interrupting clap of the guillotine beheads them.
Watch the final scene below - if you have 10 minutes to spare. It's one of the most emotional scenes in all of opera. Just imagine the pain of waiting for your own execution....on second thought please don't spend too much time thinking about that. The last nun was spared by the rest of the convent when she was the only dissenter in a vote for martyrdom, but after witnessing their execution, the spared nun runs on at the very end of the scene, and I'll let you see for yourself what happens.
Also, please check back next Monday as I will launch the auction site for the 2010 KCVI Charity Auction. Last post I listed several items up for auction - here are some more items up for bid. These were all donated by these individuals to be auctioned, supporting their individual scholarship funds through KCVI. The Kansas City Vocal Institute provides free and greatly discounted music education for children and families in the Kansas City metro area. 100% of the proceeds from these items will benefit their respective scholarships.
Nearly every album of Melissa Etheridge individually autographed
Several items from American Idol winner David Cook
Autographed photo of the Dalai Lama (seriously!)
Autographed photo of Angelina Jolie
Autographed book by opera singer Marilyn Horne
Several items by cellist Yo-Yo Ma
and many other items by Pulitzer Prize winners, Tony Award winners, Grammy Award winners, and several award winning children's books.
The first of these items will go up for auction on Friday, November 26. Check back next Monday to see the full catalog.
And finally,
In preparation for the 400th Anniversary Concert of the Monteverdi Vespers where I will be a featured soloist with the Kansas City and St. Louis Symphonies Chamber Ensembles and the Conservatory Singers, this week's weird and ancient instrument is the Bladder Pipe.
And in case you are wondering - it's a pig bladder. Here is a recording of a Bladder Pipe used in a liturgical celebration.
Current Audition Info & Results
Missouri NATS - October 30-31 - 2nd Place Advanced Division
Santa Fe Opera - applied 9/16 - not invited 10/22
Chautauqua Opera (New York) - applied 10/5 - invited 10/22
Wolf Trap Opera (Washington D.C.) - applied 10/8 - not invited 10/18
National Opera Association Competition (San Antonio) - applied 10/12
Crested Butte Opera (Colorado) - applied 10/12
Sugar Creek Symphony and Song (near Chicago) - applied 10/12
Shreveport Opera Competition - applied 10/12
Symphony in the Valley (Colorado) - applied 10/13
Ash Lawn Opera (near Washington D.C.) - applied 10/13
Upcoming concerts:
November 18-21, 2010 - The Dialogues of the Carmelites by Poulenc - Chevalier de la Force (cover) - White Recital Hall
November 30, 2010 - Choir Concert - Atonement Lutheran Church
December 2, 2010 - Chautauqua Opera Auditions - New York City, NY
December 7, 2010 - Featured Soloist - Monteverdi Vespers (400th Anniversary Concert) - Visitation Catholic Church - Kansas City, MO - 7:30pm
December 12, 2010 - Tenor Soloist - Messiah by Handel - Centennial United Methodist Church - Kansas City, MO - 4:00pm
March 17-20, 2011 - Don Giovanni by Mozart - Don Ottavio - White Recital Hall
April 23, 2011 - Gloria by Poulenc - White Recital Hall
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