Saturday, May 22, 2010

OMGTRAVELINGSOON!!

So, I'm going to Italy one week from Thursday and my affairs sure as hell ain't in order. Here's a list of things I must do before I can go (in no particular order):

- buy cargo pants with removable zipper legs (churches and museums in Italy don't allow shorts, but i can't wear pants all the time...too hot)
- buy some new shirts
- halt my mail service
- send off any bills owed
- pay the rent
- get my euros boughten (today's exchange rate is $1.25 to buy €1...of course, fees will obliterate that)
- authorize the cards for overseas purchases
- clean my apartment and move furniture for repairs while gone (a story for later)
- PACK PACK PACK
- research what I might like to do in Florence/Venice (suggestions, folks?)

I'm also gearing up for ensemble music rehearsals for Pirates and Fille du Régiment. I'm not too concerned with my knowledge of the former, but the latter is kicking my arse. I don't mind the copious French to learn if the G. Schirmer score weren't so screwy. Some SADISTIC A-HOLE editor mostly stuck the English singing translation on the Tenor lines. I find myself having to cross out all the English words, as not to confuse them with the original French, and then highlight the French on another part, then write arrows to MY part..... as you can see, it all leads to a big hot MESS on the page. Why oh WHY weren't we told to use the Ricordi? No fussy English to deal with. Wide open spaces on which to write translations/IPA. I realize this is all a bit ridiculous in the end, but I am very particular about this stuff if I want to learn it properly.

Ok, I'm off to either attempt to learn my Fille score, or run around in circles figuring out how to accomplish stuff on that list!!!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Recitals | Tech-Toy | Italy

RECITALS & CONCERTS

April was the month of recitals. I think I set a record this year—five recitals in one month! I started things off with Meghan Garvin’s senior recital at SLU, then Stephanie Ball’s Masters Recital for WashU a few days later. One particular Sunday, I did a 3-recital marathon: Joy Boland at Christ Church Cathedral, Tom Sitzler’s Masters Recital at WashU and Anthony Heinemann’s senior recital (for SLU) at Union Avenue. Capping off this month of recitals was a concert in Belleville with Christine Brewer and broadway singer Anna McNeely.

One highlight for me from each (though there were many of note):

- Meghan’s Frauenliebe und –Leben

- Stephanie’s Roussel set (with flute)

- Joy’s Puccini arias from Turandot

- Tom’s rendition of Hoiby’s “Last Letter Home”

- Anthony’s Tosti/Donaudy set

- Anna’s Broadway show selections (loved her “Broadway Baby”)

- Christine’s dramatic-soprano encores (which will be released on CD soon)

This month of recitals gives me an itch to audition for Artists’ Presentation Society next year. I have rep that I’d love to put out there…plus I’ve been plugging away at character Tenor rep for some time now. It’s time!

A little over a week after seeing Christine Brewer’s concert in Belleville, I had the opportunity to see her again in an all-Wagner concert with the Saint Louis Symphony. She performed the Liebestod as well as the final scene from Die Walküre with Alan Held (whom I remember from Salome in Chicago). The former was sublime; the latter makes me want to rediscover the Ring Cycle. It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

THE NEW TOY

A couple weeks ago, I bought myself a new tech-toy. Usually when faced with the urge to splurge on a tech-toy, I second-guess the purchase until I spin myself out of the temptation. It’s a good habit that has spared me money woes. Not this time, though. I now own software and video/audio connections to convert my VHS tapes into DVD format. It’s mostly an effort to downsize and simplify my life, but also to preserve some of my treasures…including a live broadcast of The Light in the Piazza from PBS, the 1982 Pirates of Penzance movie (a box office disaster which will probably never be digitized), plus a bunch of college plays and musicals. I also promised my family I would make DVDs of my sister’s wedding and various family vacations. Bring on the awkward memories!!!

ITALY [!!!]

A month from now, I get on a plane for Italy. There is so much to do between now and then, I cannot even begin to say. However, I can say for sure that I have my plane ticket, hotel reservations in every city (even Venice, which costs an arm/leg), plus my Eurail pass. So that’s getting somewhere. Since church choir will be singing in three of the cities we visit (Rome, Assisi, Florence), we’re gearing up for that with rehearsals. The repertoire is a mix of sacred works (classical and renaissance period) and American spirituals—which Italians tend to enjoy greatly since that form is not part of their cultural/musical history. So far, I’ve heard that while in Rome, we’ll be singing in a service at a major Anglican Church which reportedly has a Sunday attendance second only to the Vatican!! (Funny how in the birthplace—more or less—of Catholicism, we’ll be singing somewhere non-Catholic.) Oh, and a certain traveler in our group will be turning the big THREE-OH while we’re in Rome. Can we say Birthday debauchery?!?!! More on Italy as it approaches.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Memory Lane

I took a little trip down “memory lane” yesterday. Since I moved out of my parents’ house nearly six years ago, my old bedroom has gradually turned into my dad’s office. My mom, who barely uses the room, has been on my back about going through certain things to thin out the clutter and make room for… more of my dad’s crap, I guess. Nevertheless, I thought I’d begin what will be a lengthy, but rewarding process. While cleaning out shelves full of old notebooks from grade school through undergrad, I discovered some literary GEMS. Here, I share with you some of the highlights (bad grammar, ALL CAPS, and misspellings included):

8th Grade History Notes

On Richard Nixon’s VP Choice:

“His VP – Spiro Agnew – Nixon’s ‘hatchet man’ Picked on anyone who were hippes.”

On President Gerald Ford’s wife:

“…his wife Betty – 1. Had cancer, 2. Addicted to pain killers, 3. ALCOHOLIC!!!! She took care of it. She founded the Betty Ford Clinic.”

On the construction of the St. Louis Gateway Arch, in which I argue with AND contradict myself:

“Construction started in the late ‘50s. 100s of tons of concrete. First death—tearing out an elevator a man got his arm cut off. 13 would die. –NOBODY DIED BUILDING IT.”

From a Research Paper on Racism, in which I don’t mince words about former Cincinnati Reds Owner Marge Schott:

“Marge Schott called those baseball players the 'n word' because she is a bigoted nazi.”

Student Teaching Journal

In addition to all the class notes, I discovered an old journal from my undergraduate student teaching experience. We were encouraged (but not required) to write in it daily about our experience. I kept at it for a whopping THREE WEEKS…probably a testament to how much I’d mentally checked out of the whole experience later in the semester.

On leading choruses at Quincy Junior and Senior High School:

Today at the Junior High was rather uneventful. I basically patrolled the room while the boys worked on a skit with their own group. I have no idea what skits have to do with choral music, but Kathi Dooley must think it’s important. It was the same old crap at the High School today, though Paul Shelor had me teaching part of a piece with Mixed Chorus. This group really challenges my patience at every turn. It makes teaching them the music so difficult and asinine. Someone ought to force these people to visit a prison. It would give them a preview of their life… especially if they don’t shape up and listen to authority and be accountable for their actions.

The entries weren’t all bad. My writing was far more positive on the days I was teaching with Sarah Guilford, a teacher like no other!

Crappy Poetry

Oh! And I even found first drafts of some crappy four-line opera-themed poems that I wrote for Poetry Class at QU:

The Coloratura Soprano

[first line uncompleted] / Soaring through melismas and back / Yet no one takes me seriously / ‘Cause I sound like a birdie on crack

The Dramatic Soprano

She shrieks and screams and shouts / To get up on the boards / She’d be perfect to sing Brünnhilde / But someone should stifle her cords

The Mezzo Soprano

Us mezzos get the saucy roles: / Gypsies and old maids and witches / But we always get upstaged / By those haughty sopranos – those bitches!

Yup...a good chunk of this probably wasn't nearly as funny to you as it was for me...oh well :)

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Sheepishly catching up

Hello, my friends. It seems that I just cannot seem to stay faithful to the things that actually bring me joy (like this blog) and get reshackled to the things that bring me trouble (like my car—which ain’t so kaput as I’d stated in the previous entry, but more on that later). Nevertheless, here’s a rundown of the more eventful happenings in my life since last I put keystroke to blog.

UAO

So, at the end of January I auditioned for Union Avenue Opera. They’re doing The Pirates of Penzance, La fille du régiment (Daughter of the Regiment) and Пиковая дама (aka The Queen of Spades or Pique Dame). It wasn’t an easy year to bring in an aria for a prospective role I’d be right for. There are, however, a few tenor comprimarios in Pique Dame. Thus, I figured I’d go into the audition to show off my Russian skills with a ready-learned Tchaikovsky art song (“At the Ball”) as well as a Gilbert-Sullivan piece (“Tit Willow,” which I had to learn anyway for the party scene in Die Fledermaus). Not the most perfect audition repertoire, but I had to have something.

I went in and started with the Tchaikovsky. It seemed, to me, that it went over well with the audition panel. One of them asked me if I’d learned the piece especially for this audition. When I replied that I had previously sung it at a recital, they followed up by asking how I learned the Russian. I stated that the diction was self-taught, and the panelist replied by saying (and I paraphrase), “For having been self-taught, the diction sounds quite authentic to me.” I took it as a compliment. Russian is my weakest, most unfamiliar language.

Buoyed by such a compliment, I thought that I might be at least offered chorus in Pique Dame. Not so. I was offered choruses in Pirates and Fille, with a bit part in the latter. Honestly, I was seriously dejected over not being involved in Pique Dame, which seems like it’s going to be the “IT” show this summer, what with Tim Ocel’s involvement. (Really enjoyed working with him on Amahl!) I get it, though. Not everyone can be cast where they would wish, and one must accept that. So, less whining…more looking on the lighter side. I’ve always had a sweet spot in my heart for Pirates and with a director like Mark, it’s going to be silly, frivolous, campy joy onstage. Fille should have its charms, too…and if Jolly can make it even half as fun as the recent Met production, I’ll be happy to participate.

BIRTHDAYS

My niece turned 3 years old in February; my nephew 6 on the first of this month. Emily and Jeff decided to make this birthday extra special by taking them to Disney World for a week, with both sets of grandparents in attendance. I was invited to come along, but declined if only because I’m already taking off a substantial amount of time from work in June (…more on that laterz) but would have loved to revisit the resort, which I’ve not visited since 1993. The kids had a ball, and if that weren’t enough, they had a joint birthday party with all the neighborhood kids and family members a few weeks later. I hope that after all the travels, cake, presents and Mickey Mouse, they will come to appreciate how much their parents, grandparents and uncle love them.

CAR

Oh yeah, so my Dad and I learned a valuable lesson way later than we should have…and that is to NEVER take your car to its dealer unless you have no other alternatives. Why? They’re always going to triple or quadruple the cost of parts you could easily purchase at AutoZone, then screw you further on labor. If this weren’t enough, the local Ford Dealer did some shoddy work on replacing the Taurus’s heater core in January 2009, which caused all kinds of problems back in January of this year. Rubbing salt in the wound was the discovery that I drove 900 miles beyond the mileage allowance on the part-warranty. Could have had most of this nonsense COMPED!!!

A local, mom-and-pop mechanic shop was able to get my car back to drivable status until I can figure out what kind of car to replace it. So yeah…the assumption that my car was kaput? Not so.

MARCH MADNESS

You might think I’m referring to the annual hullabaloo over college basketball, but you’d be sadly mistaken. My personal March Madness was rehearsing two shows—Gianni Schicchi and Die Fledermaus—at once.

Gianni Schicchi was the third and final production of Gina’s current season, and I think it was apt to cap things off on the Hill, even if St. Ambrose Church is not the most Opera-friendly. Got to work once again with some wonderful colleagues—including my homeboy Charlie Martinez—as well as some new people. A very low-stress gig with the opportunity to go a little over the top on the acting side of things.

Die Fledermaus was Jolly Stewart’s final production at Washington University, involving several alumni, grad students and undergrads. In 20 years of the WU Opera, she almost always mounted productions of 20th Century British and American works with the objective to challenge students’ musical and dramatic chops. Thus, we were quite surprised to find that she wanted to cap off her time at WU with an operetta completely out of the ordinary fare. However, Fledermaus is one of her faves, so it made some sense. As Ivan, Orlofsky’s very Russian valet, I had the honor of capping off the “midnight entertainment” in the middle of Act II with the “Tit Willow” song. It was also enjoyable to walk about in my Cossack and Stalin moustache/beard/eyebrows whilst speaking English in a faux-Russian accent, dropping all definite/indefinite articles and making sure to swallow every last L.

ITALY

My June trip to Italy with the UACC Chancel Choir is, as they say in pop culture, AWN. My plane ticket is bought. I considered that move a true commitment. I’ve found hotels in every city but Venice, and will soon acquire my Eurail pass. Looks like the dollar is getting stronger, too, so I won’t be so set back by the € exchange rate. The itinerary is 4 days in Rome (with a side-trip to Naples), then 2 days each in Assisi, Florence and Venice.

More on this as it approaches… and if you’ve made it this far, I salute you!

Monday, January 11, 2010

My Car = KAPUT

My 1999 Ford Taurus is, for all intents and purposes, practically dead. Let’s take a look back at the history of my car.

1999: Phil’s Grandpa purchases it brand new; for next five years, Grandpa only drives it to the Mall, the Grocery Store, the Bank and various eating establishments (Fazoli’s, White Castle and Hardee’s, mostly)—all of which were located in one town.

June 2005: Grandpa stops driving. Mom and Uncle Denny decide to hand the car over to me. It had only 6,000 miles on it (see above driving history). For a used car, it was very new and I was lulled into a false sense of security that it would last me several years.

Summer 2005 – Spring 2006: Utter Car Bliss! Blumen und Sonnenschein! LOLZ!!!

June 2006: Car Radio #1 conks out mysteriously (though an electrical short is more like it). Radio #2 installed...

June 2006: CAR STOLEN!!!!!1!!11!

July 2006: Car discovered in Wellston being joy-ridden at 80 mph down city streets by its thief. Cops catch/prosecute the asshole. Car was repaired fully by August…including installation of Radio #3.

Late 2006 – 2009: All kinds of stuff went wrong. Countless trips to Ford Dealer. Countless radio replacements. Countless dollars thrown at various problems. BURGLARIZATION!!1!!!1!!!

Present: Second heater core busted, etc. The last straw. The final insult.

We’re convinced that the car theft back in 2006 was a major blow to the car’s longevity. It sucks to be virtually car-less until I can find a new one. However, maybe this turn of events is deliverance. Maybe the car seeks an owner with better luck. My friend Jason, knowing enough of the car’s history, recently told me “Phil— that car is just trying to Final Destination itself! You’ve gotta let it go!” And you know what? He was right.

The plans are to figure out how to fix the car without forking over an arm and a leg. Then, we’ll either sell it outright, or work out a trade-in deal. The former is more likely than the latter, but some local dealerships have some decent offers to consider. We’ll have to see.