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!!!

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.

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 20^th 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!

2009: End of the Aughts

Well, another year has marched on by. Let’s take a look at what happened for me in 2009... I saw some great concerts with some heavyweight Broadway talents: Kristin Chenoweth, Mandy Patinkin and Patti LuPone! Also got to see some great operas, including Salome and Ghosts of Versailles at OTSL, plus a world premiere musical: Abe—which turned out to be quite entertaining (despite all the hype of its camp value). Got the opportunity to go to Italy (next year) with my church choir peeps. Best of all, I worked a LOT this year. My favorite gig? Merry Widow, because who wouldn’t love to sing German operetta in German??? Was great to work with Tim Ocel twice: first with Don Pasquale and secondly with Amahl and the Night Visitors—for which I got my first legit newspaper review. And as much as we had to say about O Pioneers!—for better or worse—there is something to be said about doing a new work and creating the first characterization of a role…and being heard on the radio for it wasn’t too shabby, neither!

Can you believe we’re about done with another decade?!? Remember how about 10 years ago this time, lots of people were freaking that computers were going to send us back to the stone age? Crazy that it’s been that long. Looking back, there were many highlights to the years of the Aughts—the decade of my twenties. Here’s a list of some highlights of each year:

2000 – The Pirates of Penzance | attending President Clinton’s speech in Quincy

2001 – spending Spring Break in cold Chicago | having the best. summer. job. EVER: MUNY Usher

2002 – Amos in Chicago | turning 21 | experiencing real-life sitcom living in Senior House with Mark, John and all those wacky guest stars (you know who you are!)

2003 – going on Franciscan Pilgrimage to Italy

2004 – conducting Gypsy | graduating from QU | becoming Uncle Phil to little William

2005 – having least stressful (and laziest) summer in recent memory

2006 – earning my Masters from WashU | seeing Voigt in Salome

2007 – birth of my niece, Grace | performing The Magic Flute | seeing Christine Brewer in Die Frau ohne Schatten…then missing the bus!

2008 – serving as Best Man at John and Hilda’s wedding | experiencing and obsessing over the Election

2009 – making Radio Broadcast Debut | singing quite often (and in this economy, that’s a blessing!)

Hope you have an enjoyable (and safe) New Year’s Eve. I’ll be enjoying a friend’s cabaret concert in midtown, then ringing in the new year in South City. Happy 2010!

Finding that holiday spirit

So, I’m much better after that last entry. It’s been rough not to let the whole car burglary get to me. Things are back to normal, save for the lack of an iPod. I have yet to figure out when I’m going to replace that, but the important things I need (restored heat controls; repaired door lock) and wanted (car radio) have been taken care of. Now, if I can only stop having recurring dreams where I come to my car and discover it burglarized again, that would be great…

AMAHL

After the incident, I tried my best to focus on Amahl, which was a great gig. The Page doesn’t get to sing much at all, but when working with Tim Ocel, I never once felt that the role was peripheral. Aside from the obvious tasks and prop wrangling (Tim referred to me as “the Suzuki of this show”), the Page can become such a cardboard character. What Tim and I worked on was to make him protective towards the Kings—which also transforms him into a pretentious dolt—and suspicious of Amahl and his Mother, for he was once poor as they and knows what poverty can do to otherwise good people. (I couldn’t help thinking about Javert in Les Misérables saying “I was born with scum like you; I am from the gutter too!”) Aside from creating the character, I was grateful to work with and get to know all the singers involved.

We gave a special matinee performance the Thursday before opening night for local area school groups. They seemed to love the show, and the volunteers on hand noted how un-restless and un-distracted they seemed to be. That gave us some great motivation to give even better public performances. The show got a wonderfully positive review from Sarah Bryan Miller…and I got my first-ever mention from her:

“Phil Touchette, as the Page, did a subtle but notable job of acting; his expression upon entering the hut was priceless.”

Zowie! Honestly, I am admittedly annoyed when her writing is unreasonable, and a positive review won’t necessarily change that stance, but I am nonetheless appreciative of the mention.

CHRISTMAS

My Christmas spirit has been quite low this year. Money has been tight, and though I know that gift-giving does not make or break Christmas, I feel awful that I cannot be as plentiful towards those I love. Nevertheless, I’ve been able to scrounge up some gifts—including some child-size Snuggies™ for my Nephew (Toy Story characters) and Niece (Disney® princesses). I also feel a little better now that my Charlie Brown-esque Christmas Tree is up, lit and decorated.

On Christmas Eve, I will go to Freeburg to have a Spaghetti dinner with Mom and the Grandparents. Then, I’ll head over to Union Avenue Church for their Christmas Eve service. It’s hands-down my favorite service of the year—such a peaceful and simple way to end four weeks of Advent.

On Christmas Day, I’ll have brunch at my Sister’s place followed by some gift exchanging. (Can’t wait to see the reaction to the Snuggies™!) Later, we’ll go to a gathering with my Brother-in-law’s family. To cap off the day, I plan to take Mom out to the movies. I really hope she wants to see NINE.

Merry Christmas!

I've returned

Dear Blog Readers (if you’re out there, and I don’t blame you if you aren’t),

I must apologize for neglecting this space. I could make excuses, but they’re kind of lame…so here is a rundown on my life events since the end of UAO’s summer season.

During late September/early October, I was involved in a world premiere production of composer Barbara Harbach’s O Pioneers!, an opera based on the Willa Cather novel. I was quite happy to have the job: it paid well, I got to work with some great singers, Mark Meier directed, and it gave me the opportunity to perform at the Touhill PAC. That’s about all I have to say ;)

For the past few months, I’ve been actively singing with the church choir at Union Avenue Church. We are embarking on an Italy Choir Tour this June. Scott, our choir director, negotiated a trip with a NYC-based tour company. The proposed route plan: 10-days in Italy, including 2 nights each in Rome, Assisi, Florence and Como. The airfare, bus transportation, lodging, some meals and admission (for museums/attractions) brought the final total to a whopping $3500—and that was ONLY if we could get 40 people onboard. I, and others, were uneasy about this price. Nevertheless, I was willing to scrimp and save. We got about 25-30 people to commit, and after some developments (including the option to keep costs the same by nixing Assisi—a devastating prospect), it was decided that going through a tour group was no longer feasible…

…which brought us back to square one. Last week, Scott proposed a trip planned independently—and if not enough choir people sign up, it will be an enjoyable trip with great friends. This option looks far more palatable, given how it would save everyone about $1,000. Plus, we’d get to keep Assisi on the tour and end it in Venice—where I’ve never been—instead of Como (on the Swiss border). I can also visit many places/see many sights I missed in Rome and Florence the first time around. And Assisi? Well, you know how I feel.

Paying for the tour seems a tough venture, but I must say that the challenge has been eased by some fortuitous developments. Since O Pioneers!, I have been engaged for five singing gigs. I just finished the first with New Opera STL (Chorus/Ambrogio in Barber of Seville), where I’ll return for some brief comprimarios in Werther and Gianni Schicchi in January/March. Next week, I begin rehearsals for Amahl and the Night Visitors with UAO. Jolly Stewart also asked me to be involved in Die Fledermaus—her final production at WashU this March. I’ll be one of the New Year’s Eve party guests, singing the “Tit-Willow” song from The Mikado. For all of this, I am very thankful!

Speaking of thankful things, here are some other things I have to be thankful for this year:

• Countless wonderful, accepting, understanding friends
• GLEE, South Park, Survivor and The Amazing Race
• A boss and supervisor that “get” my odd schedule and career needs!
• Union Avenue Christian Church—for many reasons
• Prospect of returning to Italy; having the means to do so
• Emily, Jeff, William, Grace, Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, Uncles, Aunt and cousins
• That I’m alive.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

end of summer

The end of summer is more or less here.  UAO--all three months of it--is done.  Now that I'm back to a more "regular" pattern of life, I've begun to think about what's ahead for me. Prepare yourself for a somewhat meandering read...

Even if UAO has ended for the year, I have another opera gig coming up in a few weeks.  I was recently hired to sing in the world premiere staging of a new opera by composer Barbara Harbach:  O Pioneers!  It's based upon the Willa Cather novel.  I'm singing the role of Oscar, one of two cantankerous, sexist brothers of the opera's/novel's heroine, Alexandra.  Tom Sitzler, whom I got to know well this summer at UAO, will be Lou, the other brother.  We get a trio with Alexandra, and the rest of the time we absorb into the chorus.  Got the score the other day...and did I mention that it was the full orchestral score??  This things are a bee-yotch to read, but if anything, I'll walk away with an appreciation for conductors who have to read that much all the time.

Tomorrow I meet up with John to resume voice lessons, and I'm hoping for a fruitful lesson as well as a meaningful discussion about how I'm going to expand my horizons and put myself out there for audition panels. There are a few Young Artist Programs and Opera Companies that I am really interested in pursuing including, but not limited to Ohio Light Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Opera New Jersey. Of course there's local fare.  New Opera St. Louis (soon to be "Winter Opera St. Louis") is doing Werther, Barber of Seville and Gianni Schicchi.  This repertoire gives me a few things to shoot for, namely Brühlmann in Werther, Fiorello in Barber and Gherardo in Schicchi.  I'd even be happy to do the chorus of Barber once again...I remember the Quincy Barber to be fun stuff, and this time it'd be in Italian (I presume).  UAO's '10 season (Fille du Regiment--Pirates--Queen of Spades) isn't as ripe with role opportunity, but I'll get to all that later.  The hardest part is finding the right rep to bring to auditions, especially when the role you want has either no aria or nothing excerpt-able.  Then again, that dilemma can breed creativity like nothing else.

Of course there's also musical theatre auditions at Stages or the MUNY...HAHAHAHAHA!!!!1!!!11!  The former has announced its somewhat bland season (State Fair, Promises Promises and Big River).  The latter operates on a 5-year cycle, so we can expect a season including some (or possibly all of) the following:  West Side Story, Beauty and the Beast, Sound of Music, Singin' in the Rain and Jesus Christ Superstar (welcome back, Eric Kunze!). They probably won't repeat Annie Get Your Gun or Mame as both kind of stunk up the place.  Bottom line: not so many singing shows on that docket.

In a week or two, I start up again with my church job at UACC. As I mentioned in the previous post, we might be going to Italy.  Hopefully it will work out...and end up reasonably priced. I look forward to all that we're singing, especially if we end up doing this Italy trip for realz.

Ok, that's it...abrupt ending, I know...but that reflects the ending of my summer. ;)

Dourga Dourga

I've been "worshipping" Dourga quite a lot lately in a production of Lakmé.  Coming off of the hyperactivity of Widow, I was prepared to be let down.  However, putting this show together has been a decent experience.  The chorus definitely gets their moments, which are memorable and enjoyable enough to make all the waiting backstage bearable.  (The most unbearable backstage-waiting show?  Le Nozze di Figaro by a landslide!)  The Market Scene at the top of Act Two is probably the most fun and challenging, but I can't help but feel that the greatest moments in the show, for me, are the religious rite at the top of the show and our Act Three offstage chorus.  Delibes' may have viewed India through a possibly biased western-european lens, but his score--on its own--is just ravishing and sublime enough to forget about that.

Check out the video preview.  Scott and Kostis offer a lot of engaging commentary.  Come see the show if you can.  It's a piece well known for the Flower Duet...but oddly enough, it's not done very often anymore.

Our first weekend of performances is over.  Now, I can get back to a semi-normal routine of longer days at work and saving more money... why?

Well, it looks like I may be going to Italy next June.  The plans are far from finalized, but what I do know is that my church choir director wants to take us there for a possible 8-day performance/sightseeing tour to four cities: tentatively Rome, Florence, Venice and...wait for it...wait for it... ....ASSISI!)  I must admit to some apprehension at the first mention of this trip. Don't get me wrong...I loved going Italy back in ought-3, and the prospect of returning to Assisi (and maybe performing in one of its Basilicas) is quite tempting.  It's just that $$$ is a huge object in the way.  I also was of the mind that if I was to invest in a return to Europe, I'd want to visit someplace new, like Austria and southern Germany.  After some thoughts and projections and gigs I've picked up, it looks like the trip could be doable...as long as I can hunker down and be a little more careful and work-ethic-driven.  I'll visualize it as a way to improve my routines.

Goodbye 'Trovatore' ... Hello 'Witwe'

Opera season leaves me with so few days off...and today I'm free from rehearsals and performances.

No sooner than Trovatore finished, I went right into rehearsals for Merry Widow. Sunday and Monday evening were all about getting the music solidified with the chorus, then chorus + principals. Got to meet the principals on Monday. All the principals but one (Tommy Wazelle, our Camille) have worked with UAO before, but I'd not previously known Sylvia, our Hanna (the title character). She's got the looks and the voice for this role, and she's so wonderful to watch onstage. Ian, the Danilo, is also very engaging in his role. He is definitely going to be the matinee-idol for the audiences. It's also very fun to have a lot of old friends come back to town for the show: Scott Levin, James Harr, David Dillard, Ann Hoyt. It's like a homecoming...or something equally sentimental. John, my voice teacher, is even involved as Njegus, a speaking role. His german is a model for us all!

Tuesday, we had a concept talk amongst the cast. It seemed, at first, like it would be a waste of time, but I will admit that I did learn a lot about the characters and have been able to develop my character a lot better...even if I'm dialogue-less. :( That night, the men of the chorus gathered to work on our opening scene with Hanna...which ought to look pretty cool...almost like Ziegfield Follies-meets-Moulin Rouge.

Thursday, the men of the Marsch Septett in Act Two gathered to block that scene. Expect to see us doing a lot of high kicks...for an extended period... I thank Lehár so much for giving most of the men in that scene a chance to breathe (and for me to get all the sweat off my brow) for at least ten minutes before the next entrance.

Friday night was a night off from Widow, but not for us in Trovatore. As with all returns to a show after a six-day hiatus at UAO, things got a little hairy getting back into the groove...but according to maestro Schoonover, it went a lot better than usual.

Yesterday, I had my costume fitting. Let me just say that Teresa, our costume designer never fails to find and build kick-ass costumes. My Trovatore duds were really cool, and no matter what people think, I loved my gypsy costume which included a vest/coat that made me look like the mysterious man in Into the Woods...or Old Deuteronomy in CATS...those of you who came to the show may be the judge. My doublet and "poofy pants" (as Teresa likes to call them) weren't too shabby neither. Well, now that she's working on Merry Widow wardrobe, I got to see and try on my Bogdanowitsch duds. For Acts One and two, I'm wearing a creme-colored military snap-up coat with black accents. Teresa told me that my costume was recently worn in a San Francisco Opera production of Widow which I've already seen on DVD. Now I'll have to rent it again! (Apparently, I'll have to look for it worn by the Baron Zeta.) You'll see me in tails for Act Three, which takes place in a cabaret setting.

Oh, and did I mention that there's a TON of dancing in this show? Expect the obligatory champagne-operetta waltzes, the famous Act Three can-can, a polonaise, a ballet, a mazurka and my personal favorite (cuz it's clinically simple): the polka!

Saturday afternoon was spent blocking the Act Two finale and running all of Act One...which really flies by even though we had to stop after some minor trainwrecks. I went home in the afternoon to take a nap before I had to get back up for the evening... ...which brings me to the end of Trovatore. I think our final performance really was at the same energy level as last week...and that's a great way to go out. I'll miss the superstition scene, the anvil chorus, the raucous end of "Di quella pira", and the haunting miserere (which I am dying to have heard in the house!).

Now, I can focus my energy completely on Widow...and try to enjoy this lovely mild weather before August comes to screw us all!

Trovatore & its review

Well, Trovatore opened Friday night. Seemed to be an audience pleaser, as there were some arias that got extended applause. The Anvil Chorus seemed to go over ok, even if there were some shaky spots (imo) where the conductor worked to rein us in a bit.


Sarah Bryan Miller's review in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is out there...and it seems like a hot/cold review that was neither a complete, utter trashing like Carmen last year (when she compared the chorus people to refugees from a Viennese operetta) nor a highly favorable write-up, like last season's Elixir. For those of you who don't know, I am sometimes critical of her write-ups....and so I'm going to offer some thoughts on some of the most egregious bits (her words in block quotes):

In reference to a couple singers' acting:

Neither man will win any awards for acting.

Ok, so you obviously weren't impressed with the acting from these singers. You have the right to that opinion, but can you flesh out WHY they presumably weren't up to par? Sometimes, the readers (not to mention the singers themselves) would like to know something that brought you to that conclusion... Otherwise, your one-sentence, drive-by critique comes off as very snide. [This is one of her repeat offenses.]

On the chorus:

The tiny chorus — just 16 people for Verdi’s big do — sang heroically and well, but it was a little too much to ask, especially in the Anvil Chorus.

As a chorister, I appreciate knowing that we sang well. Trovatore is a taxing sing if you want to do it right. But please... There have been "tiny" choruses (some even tinier) at UAO for season after season. At some point one must accept that the company must spend its performance-fee funds wisely...and the chorus, though small, will work hard to fill the space.

The new "scrappy"?

"Trovatore" doesn’t really work with a chamber orchestra...

That part is my biggest beef of the entire review. Does SBM not realize that a great number of shows done at UAO (the Puccini, Verdi, Donizetti...even the Mozart) are performed with an orchestral reduction? Furthermore, is she completely ignorant that OTSL does the same thing? Their recent Salome was a standard orchestral reduction (60-pieces) from Strauss's original 90-piece orchestration performed only by some of the biggest houses (Met, Lyric, SFO, Houston). How about the fact that John Corigliano himself created a shrunken performance version of Ghosts of Versailles for OTSL and other similarly sized houses? You cannot tell me that the pit at OTSL could accomodate the players in a full orchestration of La Bohème.

Honestly, a larger number of players may have proven too much for the space. From what I listened to in the house during the sitzprobe and some rehearsals, the reduction filled the acoustic space, yet never covered the singers. That is what you want. UAO is a small house...and why SBM cannot accept small-house limitations (no matter how many times she feigns sympathy for them) is beyond me. Did she just now start to care that Trovatore was reduced...or is this just a clever new way of saying that the orchestra was "scrappy"?

Credit, where it's due...

I will give her credit that she was favorable to the conductor, half the singers and the director's approach to the presentation of this dramatically-challenged opera. This time around, she mercifully abandoned the following conventions:

• like, omg, those wigs/supertitles like totally blew!!1!
• i know it's not as cool the Met or even OTSL....but gawd can't it be?!?
• i'm just so flummoxed that they repeatedly ignore my pearls of wisdom, and they won't improve until they do.

Could it be that she's realized that UAO is going to continue what it does best? I know I'm somewhat of a shill, but I think even she sees the writing on the wall. But I can be (and have been) wrong.

ignunce & fireworks

These past four weeks have been a blur of rehearse, rehearse, dressels, work-during-the-day, rehearse, rehearse, ignunce*, rehearse....et cetera!

*Ignunce cannot be described; only experienced! Suffice it to say that when Mark Meier's in town, I stay out waaaaay too late and have waaaaay too much fun ;)

I'm currently singing in the chorus of Il Trovatore with Union Avenue Opera. Two weeks ago, we met to solidify the music and block the entire show. One great aspect of working with our director, Mark, is that his directorial philosophy goes like this: "Mama runs a tight ship." His approach allows us to get all the housecleaning out of the way as quickly/efficently as possible, then take the rest of the time to work in the dramatic elements. The past week was spent running acts and eventually running the entire show...which is incredibly tight and FLYS BY...and that's saying something for Verdi. Today, we meet with the orchestra for the first time to do the Sitzprobe...then the next few days are all Dress Rehearsals before Friday's opening night. Tonight, I will finally have my costume fitting and figure out what she wants to do with my beard...which is quite pitiful. Not gonna lie.

Overall, this has been a great cast to work with. The chorus people are mostly UAO veterans (Nate, Jonathan, Alan, Clark, Jon) with some new blood joining our company (Tom & Anthony). I have a lot of interaction onstage with Jonathan Brader, whose talent for chattering in Italian (whenever we're not singing) is impeccable and amusing. I chuckle at what he'd sound like in a russian piece. The atmosphere backstage is collegial and quite humorous at times...what a great place to to work. I've almost forgot the principals, too. Alexandra, our Leonora, tears. it. UP. in Act IV...and anyone undecided on coming to see Trovatore should keep this in mind. Patrick, our Ferrando, is a vocal powerhouse...one of those "could listen to him sing the phonebook" voices! Veronica, our Azucena, plays the old, crazy gypsy-witch to the hilt...yet another reason to come, y'all. Go to this website and get your tickets: http://www.unionavenueopera.org/

How did you spend your Fourth of July holiday?? I was originally supposed to join my immediate family members down at the Lake of the Ozarks for all of Saturday and then head back today, but circumstances kept us all here. My parents and I spent the afternoon with the Rhymer-side of the family--specifically at the place of my cousin Dave and his wife Amy. I never pass up a chance to schmooze with my Aunt Kathy, plus it was a great way to see some family I see rather infrequently. As dark approached, I drove to good old Freeburg to join my sis, bro-in-law, niece and nephew for a fireworks show at Freeburg Recreation Park. *cue sappy music here* I felt a lot of nostalgia to be honest. This was where my sister and I grew up going to the pool, playing on the swings, playing little league, riding the rides at the homecoming festival (ROCK-O-PLANE!!!), and many other small-town joys. Now, my little niece and nephew were playing there... *end sappy music here* Being in a small town, we weren't expecting a show on par with Fair St. Louis, but the Freeburg Chamber of Commerce (or whatever org) exceeded my expectations! 30 minutes of balls-to-the-wall fireworks...was mightily impressed with what they brought to the table. It was a delightful way to cap off the Fourth of July. All that was missing was a soundtrack of Neil Diamond and Irving Berlin!!

REVIEW: Salome & Ghosts @ OTSL

With the ending of Spring and advent of Summer, I have partaken of a couple Opera Theatre of St. Louis productions during their festival season. I was most interested in seeing Salome and The Ghosts of Versailles. The former is, in a word, Straussgasmic and the latter would be an opportunity to experience something new. Here are some thoughts on each production.

Salome

(seen June 3rd)

When I discovered that Richard Strauss's Salome was on the OTSL 2009 lineup, I squeeeeeed like a common Jonas Brothers fan--an embarrassing moment for sure. This excitement was suddenly tempered with concern of whether or not this smaller festival company was up to the task...but those concerns proved to be unfounded.

Director (and choreographer) Seán Curran used the small stage of the Virginia Jackson Browning Theatre to great effect, and showed that Salome doesn't have to "look" big in order to convey the opera's mammoth themes of lust, vengeance, dysfunction and death. Set/Costume Designer Bruno Schwengl depicts the grounds of Herod's Palace as a bleak void, wherein the moon (projected onto the stage floor) and the cistern (at the upstage wall) create a world where the viewer's perspective is skewed, capturing the overall warped nature of the dramatic content. His costumes capture the gaudy decadence of Herod and his wife Herodias, but I must agree with a certain local critic that Salome's wig was kind of "off" so to speak (NOTE: I promise not to fall into this "wig trap" in further reviews.)

Soprano Kelly Kaduce, making her role debut, gave a thrilling portrayal of an emotionally and sexually abused young woman. Kaduce's most chilling and effective moment comes after Jokanaan's rebuke, when she sees another man's blood and thus contemplates murder. Baritone Gregory Dahl was a vocally-strong Jokanaan, despite a few odd diction choices. As the prophet, he made Salome's desire believable. Tenor Michael Hayes gave quite a nuanced reading of Herod's excess, lewdness and paranoia. Mezzo-soprano Maria Zifchak's purple-haired Herodias was a perfect foil for Herod. Tenor Eric Margiore sang beautifully as Narraboth, but his stage movement was quite stiff throughout.

Of course, no Salome is complete without the Dance of the Seven Veils. Seán Curran's choreography utilizes the many dancing talents of his leading lady. Kaduce moves quite beautifully and naturally onstage, and these talents translated quite well into her dancing, which began with a Sari dance followed by several veil-tricks. The most innovative veil was made of a rubbery material which, held in place by attendants, allowed Salome to seduce Herod further.

OTSL should be especially proud of this production...which I found to be one of the best I've seen there in a long time.

The Ghosts of Versailles

(seen at final dress rehearsal)

As much as it may be sacrilege to say, I am not a superfan of Barber of Seville and Marriage of Figaro, both operatic adaptations of the first two in "Figaro Trilogy" of plays by Pierre-Auguste Caron de Beaumarchais. However, I do have a great respect for the operas and their place in the repertory. They've more than withstood the test of time. Suffice it to say that I walked away from John Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles with a very similar sentiment.

Ghosts seems, more or less, to be a companion piece to the Rossini and Mozart forerunners, though when compared to them, Corigliano's "installment" is told through a very unconventional conceit:

As Marie Antoinette and her phantom court haunt the palace [of Versailles] after the Revolution, the author of The Marriage of Figaro tries to cheer the Queen with a new opera – and change the course of history.

Librettist William M. Hoffman partially draws upon Beaumarchais's La mère coupable, the final third of the "Figaro trilogy"--in which 20 years have passed since Marriage, the Almavivas live now in Paris, Figaro & Susanna are still servanting. The guilty mother is Rosina, the Countess, whose fling with Cherubino produced a son, Léon...but the Count has also produced a daughter, Florestine, with an unknown woman. Throw in Marie Antoinette, the playwright Beaumarchais himself (a contemporary of the french queen), an Irish villain, and a host of other characters, and you have the recipe for a very convoluted evening...perhaps more convoluted than the preceding operas. And that's the rub.

I do find the whole Marie-Antoinette-seeks-to-redeem-her-image-and-evade-the-guillotine motive to be quite sexy. I just don't think this conceit was the clearest mode of execution (pardon the pun). The singing ranged from decent to outstanding. Nothing much else to complain about. This was a production worth seeing at least once...maybe I'll view it differently in the future.

Next Season...

I must admit that OTSL has outdone itself for next year...so much so that I'd pay to see all but one of them!

The Marriage of Figaro: ZZZZZZZZ (yes, I understand it's beloved...so shoot me)

Eugene Onegin: They've been wanting to do this one for a few years, I believe. Such a great piece and they've got a heavyweight Tatiana (Dina Kuznetsova) onboard.

A Little Night Music: Well spank my ass and call me Susie! They're doing a musical!! Not only that, they've hired designer Isaac Mizrahi to direct and design the production. The only way this could be even sweeter is if Sondheim came to town for a symposium...and it's possible as Mizrahi is good friends with the composer.

The Golden Ticket: An opera based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?!? ZOIKS! This Peter Ash piece will be a world-premiere at OTSL. They certainly are working the family-angle with this one...and I cannot wait to see how it will all play out.

UAO rehearsing begins!

Last week marked the beginning of ensemble rehearsals for the Union Avenue Opera summer season. We, the ensemble members of Il Trovatore, Merry Widow and Lakmé, have been working our tuchus off night after night. I'm not that worried about learning/memorizing the musical content of Widow and Lakmé, where we're utilized well but there isn't an inordinate amount of music to learn. Trovatore is a completely different ballgame, especially with only 8 men in the ensemble. That will be a true test of our mettle, for sure.

Excitement has been building. I know I'm a nerd for this, but I love getting all the production emails concerning cuts, rehearsals, etc. The only problematic email I've gotten so far was from our fabulous costume designer, Teresa. She wants the men of Trovatore and Widow to grow full beards and keep our hair grown out. Trovatore requires the men to change into and out of three groups of people (gypsies, Manrico's entourage, Conte di Luna's entourage)...often from one scene to the next. Widow is more an issue of having facial hair that will create pointed, waxy moustaches as well as a hairdo that will give us the waxy look of Parisian men in the early 1900s. I presume from this information that we might look like the cabaret patrons of Moulin Rouge for Widow...and that would be hella cool!

Here's my concern... I can grow a thick head of hair like nobody's business. I cannot, however, grow facial hair to save my life. The last time I "let myself go" in that respect was for Susannah at Wash U a few years back...and the fruits of that effort were not pretty:

The more I think about this issue...the more it bothers me. I hate the fact that I can't grow a beard...at least to try a different look than my default: babyface. Basically, I'd like to look 27 instead of 16 for a change. Not getting carded at bars would be a great bonus, too. Is all that too much to ask? I guess God (or genetics--I can't decide which) didn't mean for it to happen. I guess I'll have to just suck it up until some genius discovers a miracle rogaine for the babyfaced.

March has been good to me

The expression on my face in the picture below is inversely related to my joy at how wonderful March has been for me as a singer.


I won’t repeat all the details, as I covered them in the last post…but I do want to talk about Don Pasquale (from which the above photo was taken). This has to be among one of the most enjoyable productions I’ve done in a while. Our director was a delight to work with. The conductor was, as always, spot on. Gina, John, David and Joel were outstanding leads and kept the show bright and comical throughout. Opening night was generally good, but closing night was better…I somewhat wish we could do a few more performances.

Oh, and I cannot leave out this little detail. The director has connections to OTSL, who provided a lot of our props and costumes. My costume, pictured above, included an apron. At my first costume fitting, the director and I noticed a name well known to opera singers, directors and conductors…



I’ll always think of that apron every time I use one of his IPA guides!

So, what does April hold for me besides getting more work done at my day job? Recitals, Recitals, Recitals! No, I’m not giving recitals (though I really want to put one together—the sooner the better). Alan Naylor gives his WashU grad recital on Thursday, and I’ve heard promising things about it. I’ll be seeing a recital every day on the weekend of the 17th-19th starting with Megan & Anthony (joint junior recital at SLU), then Alison and Josh (undergrad & grad recitals, respectively, at WashU). Perhaps all these fresh-faced singers will all inspire me to actually get that Schumann/Heine Liederkreis out in public for once!

A surprising development

I was surprised by a UAO development three days ago. A chorus slot in Lakmé opened up and was offered to me. There were a lot of pros/cons to weigh. The major pros are $ and the chance to be in an important french opera; the only major con is that I'm giving up a significant portion of my summer to do all three operas. I accepted the offer. Who knows if I'll regret this choice or not. Nevertheless, I have decided to act against regret by making some concrete plans for vacation, preferably the last week of May or first week of June before chorus music rehearsals begin.

As for vacation, I'm thinking of spending a week in Fort Lauderdale to lounge on the beach and visit my Uncle Lance and Brian. Maybe they'll even let me stay at their place! *crossing fingers*

Tomorrow night is the opening night of Donizetti's Don Pasquale with New Opera St. Louis. I highly recommend the production, as all four principals are exceptional singers...and there's a bitchin' couple of choruses in Act Three...well maybe not bitchin' but I think the director has given us some fun stuff to do with what little stage time the composer gave us. ;) Here are the details...

WHAT: Don Pasquale
WHEN: Friday, March 27 @ 8pm / Sunday, March 29 @ 5pm
WHERE: Saint Ambrose Church on "The Hill" / 5130 Wilson Ave / St. Louis
TICKETS: $30 / $26 / $22 (Student Rush $10 @ the Door) Call 314.865.0038
WEBSITE: newoperastl.org

Prodigal Blogger Vol. 1

Woah, where have I been this month?!?

*cue cheesy baptist church organ music*

I’m a bonafied certified blog-backslider!!!  I am a lost sheep!!  But I—the Prodigal Blogger—have come home to beg your forgiveness!!!

Ok… now that that part is over with…lemme fill you in on what’s up…

WILLIAM TURNS FIVE!

My nephew William turned 5 years old at the top of the month.  His parents threw him a Cowboy-themed party, and the kid just had a ball!  Was glad to have been a part of it.  I have learned that one of his birthday presents was Tae Kwon Do lessons…though I think they are less a “wheee! fun!!” present and more a “we need to harness this kid’s energy so he doesn’t drive us nuts at home” present.  Either way, I’m wearing a cup next time I visit him in case he wants to practice any kicks when I walk in the door.

MOVIES

So I decided to catch up on a couple Oscar films, albeit retroactively.  I spent a Saturday afternoon at the Chase Park Plaza seeing two films in a row: The Reader and Frost/Nixon.  The Reader was quite amazing and prompted a lot of moral questions, but for reasons of plot spoilage, I cannot comment why I feel that way.  Nonetheless, Kate Winslet proved once again why she’s one of the best working film actresses today…and I actually feel this role to be Oscar worthy, even though I feel like the Academy pulled a “Scorcese” on her.  Frost/Nixon made me feel as if Frank Langella was robbed—and I loved Sean Penn in Milk.  Now I want to see the actual Frost/Nixon interviews.

GIGS, GIGS, GIGS

Got cast at Union Avenue for the coming season.  They’re doing Il trovatore, The Merry Widow (in German), Lakmé and a Christmastime production of Amahl and the Night Visitors.  I’ll be appearing in the Verdi and Lehár, the latter of which I’m most excited…because any chance to flex my german muscles is worth taking!  We have yet to hear how Amahl will be cast, but I am not necessarily holding my breath.

(Oh, and I entered the Crapshoot Olympics® but didn’t even get the Bronze.  However, I did get a compliment from the judge.)

Last weekend, I solo-ed with the St. Louis Women’s Chorale.  Got to sing some Lehár and Weill, one of which I can sing at parties; the other I can add to my aria list…SWELL!!

As if all that weren’t enough, I got hired at the last minute for a chorus gig in New Opera St. Louis’ season-closer Don Pasquale.  Great director, great conductor, fun colleagues... To quote the great Ethel Merman: who could ask for anything more? 

I Pagliacci

Last week, I was so busy with work, car repairs and my supertitles gig, that I practically forgot I had an internet connection and a blog...

...so here goes.  The highlight of last week was my gig as superititleist for New Opera St. Louis' production of I Pagliacci.  I'd never ran supertitles before, but it was a very simple job of making sure everything was readable on the screen (cleverly built into the set), watching the score, and making sure the running translation displayed at the right moments.  All in all, it was a fun way to make some needed cash...though I don't think I shall miss negotiating the catwalk every night...it's not a very big-guy-friendly space ;)  The best part, though, was reuniting with friends that I've made through the company.  Lots of good times!

Oh, and New Opera St. Louis got its first (and glowing) review from the Post-Dispatch.  Go NOSTL!

Sunday night, after the final show we had the cast party, which doubled as a SuperBowl viewing event.  I don't really watch the game with any great interest, but I did enjoy some of the commercials, including this one (my favorite):

In other news, I'm readying myself for the Union Avenue audition.  Tonight, I'm previewing "This is my Box" from Amahl and the Night Visitors @ the voice master class.  I'm also plugging away at "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz"...a deceptively simple aria, to be frank.

To end this entry, I leave you with a question... What do you recommend as an appropriate gift for a 2-year-old girl's birthday?  My neice is almost freakin' TWO!!

grumblings

Lots of stuff has happened today to make me grumpy.

First off, I decided to purchase some music from iTunes, which my computer downloaded and processed at a mind-numbingly slow rate.  Then, it lost 3 of the files which I had to re-purchase.

Secondly, my computer (in many ways other than the iTunes debacle) is a piece of crap, and I really hope that if Obama can pass this stimulus package, I'm seriously buying a freaking laptop.

Thirdly, Circuit City didn't have anything worth purchasing in their liquidation sale.

Fourthly, the air in Maplewood smells like farts.  Seriously, I think the sewers are belching!

Finally, I didn't get a callback for STAGES.  That's life, I guess.

The only bright lights?

1. watching a deliciously campy shot-on-a-soundstage-and-they-weren't-apologizing-for-it DVD of Salome from 1974 with Teresa Stratas in the title role and Karl Böhm conducting.

2. seeing my good friend Charlie Martinez, who is in town for a production of I Pagliacci, at Dressels.

Thankfully, my day wasn't a complete drag.

Auditions to come...

So, I've got three auditions on the horizon for summer companies (STAGES, Union Avenue Opera & The MUNY).  I get so embarrassed sometimes that I'm not casting my net wider.  It's due to several factors--most of which are in my power to change.  I just need to have more faith in myself...et cetera.  Anyhow, I am thinking of the following game plans:

STAGES

Just scheduled an audition with this summer musical theatre company doing Little Shop of Horrors, Drowsy Chaperone and Guys and Dolls.  I'm probably most appropriate for the third show, as the first two are a belty-singing show and dancing show, respectively.  I'm a singer that moves...so a good number of the Rodgers/Hammerstein, Loesser, Lerner/Loewe shows are right up my alley.

Thus, I'm bringing in my requisite two contrasting songs.  I'm starting off with "Mr. Cellophane" to give the panel a glimpse into my comedic personality.  Should they want to hear something else, I'll sing the title song from The Desert Song--which is my "ballad" with a lot of "money notes" during and at the end.  A friend smartly suggested I have a cabaret song ready and in my binder...so I've got a bittersweet William Bolcom number planned in that case.

UNION AVENUE OPERA

They're doing Verdi's Il trovatore, Lehár's The Merry Widow (in german), Delibes' Lakmé in the summer and Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors at Christmastime.   In short, there's a lot that I would love to be considered for (and have noted on my audition letter) in every production this season.  Though, I'm really gunning for Kaspar in Amahl and a few supporting roles in Merry Widow...did you think I'd pass up the chance to compete for a role in german?

At UAO, one usually gets to sing two pieces, time- and panel-permitting.  My thought is to begin with "This Is My Box" from Amahl, followed by "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz" from Lehár's The Land of Smiles.  This is, by my estimation, the best course of action.  You've got A.) an aria straight from the opera AND the role...and B.) another aria in the style of the composer to be featured.

MUNY

Oh geez... I don't even know where to begin.  Maybe the "Debbie Plan," which would consist of:

1. hardcore dance sessions w/Debbie Allen

2. Debbie Voigt surgery (maybe the lap-band kind?)

Ok, so the "Debbie Plan" is wildly expensive...so I'll just have to seriously out-sing the conservatory students.  I don't know what to sing yet, but luckily, the MUNY auditions aren't until the beginning of March.  I have a decent amount of time to find something old-school musical comedy that is both something I'd actually sing onstage yet aesthetically pleasing in all the ways it must be aesthetically pleasing.  Oh, and lots of ZOWIE!  I'm not sure what "zowie" entails, but I'll get back to you on that.

. . . . . . .

Your thoughts, if any?

the inner child gets his diva

How were all your holidays?  Christmas loot was decent this year.  The bulk of it was kitchen supplies, which I needed, along with some clothes and a set of wireless land line telephones.  Let's just say it was a holiday to fix up my apartment ever so slightly.  Didn't get much frivolous and/or fun gifts (i.e. DVDs, Electronics, Theatre Tickets, Gift Cards).  With my mom, practical gifts get top priority, which I understand since I am 27 after all.  Nevertheless, my dad and I went shopping post-Christmas for an external hard drive (750 GIGS BABY!) and I did get some ca$h which eventually helped to sate the inner child...

...which brings me to news about this weekend.  One of my purchases was tickets to see none other than Kristin Chenoweth at the Fox Theatre.  The St. Louis Symphony will be backing up the diminutive coloratura-soprano-turned-broadway-belter/diva this Saturday evening.  I have no idea what she's singing, but I hope that whatever she does, she includes the song featured in the video below.  

(BTW, don't you think she should return to her abandoned opera aspirations at least to explore Despina in Cosi or Adele in Fledermaus?  The MET had her tapped for Ghosts of Versailles next year, but the economy snuffed that out.  Even if a Despina or Adele were a crashing failure, at least they would have tried.  I'm sure they'd want to do something about her fast vibrato pulse, tho.)

Oh, I'm so excited!!!  To my knowledge, the last time Kristin was ever in St. Louis was with the pre-Broadway tryout of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown--for which she later won a Tony!  Could it be that she views the Fox as a good luck charm?!?  Probably not, but I would like to think so.  Expect a review on Sunday or later!