I can't believe August is already here. Yesterday the buses had a major break down. Apparently there was a power outage on the electrical lines that the buses run on. Traffice was backed up in town from Mozartsteg to Theatergasse. We had to switch buses earlier at Akademiestrasse. When we got off the bus and where waiting for the new bus to come, I heard an old lady swear at the bus in German. The Austrians are nice, but don't mess with their bus system.
Because of the buses, I thought I was late for my coaching at 9. It turns out though that it really was a 10. So I was able to warm up and get ready for the coaching. This coaching was with Prof. Ragsdale from Oklahoma City University. I liked it, we worked on In Waldeseinsamkeit. He made a good point, and I am making this discovery too: I'm smart, I can pick up things quickly and make changes when they are asked. What I need to work on is maintaining these changes by putting them into practice. I really am regretting not bringing my italk microphone for lessons and just borrowing someone's ipod. Its too late to buy and overpriced recorded here as well. I think that's the best way for me to remember what happens in lessons, is by listening to them. I also need to listen to how I sing more. When I sat down with Ragsdale at the beginning of the coaching, he asked me what I like most about my voice. I kind of didn't know, because I have no idea what I sound like.
In the evening we went to the Christa Ludwig masterclass. Oh my goodness, the singers were amazing. One of them was last year's winner of the Cardiff Singer of the World competition. He is only 24 and has this amazing baritone voice. The singers were from all over. The ones we heard were from Turkey (she actually was in the UMiami program, the one I'm in now, four years ago), China, SouthAfrica/Canada, Hungary, and Ukraine. They are all part of the Young Singers Project through the festival. It's a program that Barbara Bonney started. They learn roles from the festival shows, sing in masterclasses, etc.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
A Day of Surprises
So my roommate and I were woken up by our buzzer ringing at 3:45 AM. Some guy said something in German, rang the buzzer again, and then opened our door. He just stood in the hall with the door open and said something. I just replied "I don't know what you are saying". I think he must have been too drunk to figure out that I was speaking English. Then he said something else and I said to go away and that we were trying to sleep. He sounded frustrated and then shut our door. My roommate then went and locked the door. I would have gotten out of bed to talk to the guy or slam the door in his face, but I didn't have any pants on. After Julie locked the door, she said that it was so scary and her heart was pounding. I guess I'm such an optimist that I just thought that it was a confused person, which I'm pretty sure it was. Once she mentioned how scared she was, I then had a bit of trouble falling back asleep because I was thinking of how it could have gone completely wrong and how we really should lock our door every night now. I wonder how he got in since the building is locked every night. It was probably some drunk guy. The other strange thing was that I still heard people socializing in the courtyard outside at this time 4 AM. What the heck?
I was a little upset because I was supposed to sing in a masterclass today and needed to be well rested and I had to wake up at 6 to meet my accompanist in town at 8:30. I had a good lesson, but it was cut short so that I wouldn't over sing. "Oh Had I Jubal's Lyre" by Handel is coming along well. It's not easy yet, I don't know if it ever will be, but it's getting better. I've always hated that song and refused to learn it, but now it is actually working in my voice. "In Waldeseinsamkeit" by Brahms was ready for the masterclass. However, it was cancelled today.
This week Annette Dasch agreed to come talk with our group and give a brief masterclass. However, she's been sick and cancelled today. I had just found out that I was singing in the masterclass yesterday. This gave not much time to be fretting over it, but it was enough to give me heartburn this morning.
Annette Dasch is kind of a big deal. She currently is singing the role of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni here at the Salzburg Festival. She's sung all over Europe. I hope that she is able to reschedule and I will get to sing for her.
Our group will get to sit in on a masterclass of another famous singer. Prof. Schiller was able to get tickets for all of us to the Young Singers Project (through the Mozarteum) masterclass with Christa Ludwig. Christa Ludwig was one of the leading mezzos from the 50's-90's and continues to be an amazing teacher. I'm excited, but hopefully she'll give some of the masterclass in English.
Some of us might go hear another famous mezzo. Grace Bumbry, an American mezzo who was carmen in the 1967 festival production, has now moved to Salzburg and is singing at her church on Sunday. If any of you have seen pictures of different Carmens, she's the black Carmen from the 60's. It was on the festival big screen last night. I stayed for the first act because I needed to see my favorites songs, the duet, the fight, and the seguedille. I would have stayed longer but needed to sleep and didn't want to miss the bus. Also, it had started raining, but they handed out ponchos for everyone.
The last two days we had masterclasses by a couple who live in Vienna. The wife, Sylvia Greenberg, is a singer and teacher who is originally from Israel. The husband, David Aronson, is one of the vocal coaches for the Vienna State Opera. He was especially entertaining and a great clinician. Afterwards they answered questions about the opera scene in Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria. There are so many job opportunities over here. Much more, than in the U.S. I guess I really should start learning German just in case.
Another surprise today was that my birkenstock sandals arrived. Just as I was headed out the door, the DHL man rode his bike up to the college. I didn't think they would arrive so soon. Another surprise was that I had to pay an extra 15 Euro (probably for tax) when I picked them up. I like them. The reason I got them online from an American company is that I couldn't find any store in Salzburg that had them and the dollar is generally more affordable and these were on sale. Though, after talking to Emily, I realized that I could have had the group that Munich last weekend pick up a pair for me. Oh well. I'm keeping these ones.
German is finally starting to make sense. I've figured out that I do need to use my dictionary because the provided textbook sucks and is inconsistent with new vocabulary. I was just so used to having an awesome Norwegian textbook and having my Norwegian professor scold us for looking at a dictionary.
I was a little upset because I was supposed to sing in a masterclass today and needed to be well rested and I had to wake up at 6 to meet my accompanist in town at 8:30. I had a good lesson, but it was cut short so that I wouldn't over sing. "Oh Had I Jubal's Lyre" by Handel is coming along well. It's not easy yet, I don't know if it ever will be, but it's getting better. I've always hated that song and refused to learn it, but now it is actually working in my voice. "In Waldeseinsamkeit" by Brahms was ready for the masterclass. However, it was cancelled today.
This week Annette Dasch agreed to come talk with our group and give a brief masterclass. However, she's been sick and cancelled today. I had just found out that I was singing in the masterclass yesterday. This gave not much time to be fretting over it, but it was enough to give me heartburn this morning.
Annette Dasch is kind of a big deal. She currently is singing the role of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni here at the Salzburg Festival. She's sung all over Europe. I hope that she is able to reschedule and I will get to sing for her.
Our group will get to sit in on a masterclass of another famous singer. Prof. Schiller was able to get tickets for all of us to the Young Singers Project (through the Mozarteum) masterclass with Christa Ludwig. Christa Ludwig was one of the leading mezzos from the 50's-90's and continues to be an amazing teacher. I'm excited, but hopefully she'll give some of the masterclass in English.
Some of us might go hear another famous mezzo. Grace Bumbry, an American mezzo who was carmen in the 1967 festival production, has now moved to Salzburg and is singing at her church on Sunday. If any of you have seen pictures of different Carmens, she's the black Carmen from the 60's. It was on the festival big screen last night. I stayed for the first act because I needed to see my favorites songs, the duet, the fight, and the seguedille. I would have stayed longer but needed to sleep and didn't want to miss the bus. Also, it had started raining, but they handed out ponchos for everyone.
The last two days we had masterclasses by a couple who live in Vienna. The wife, Sylvia Greenberg, is a singer and teacher who is originally from Israel. The husband, David Aronson, is one of the vocal coaches for the Vienna State Opera. He was especially entertaining and a great clinician. Afterwards they answered questions about the opera scene in Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria. There are so many job opportunities over here. Much more, than in the U.S. I guess I really should start learning German just in case.
Another surprise today was that my birkenstock sandals arrived. Just as I was headed out the door, the DHL man rode his bike up to the college. I didn't think they would arrive so soon. Another surprise was that I had to pay an extra 15 Euro (probably for tax) when I picked them up. I like them. The reason I got them online from an American company is that I couldn't find any store in Salzburg that had them and the dollar is generally more affordable and these were on sale. Though, after talking to Emily, I realized that I could have had the group that Munich last weekend pick up a pair for me. Oh well. I'm keeping these ones.
German is finally starting to make sense. I've figured out that I do need to use my dictionary because the provided textbook sucks and is inconsistent with new vocabulary. I was just so used to having an awesome Norwegian textbook and having my Norwegian professor scold us for looking at a dictionary.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Extended weekend
On Thursday, I did not get to sing in the masterclass; I was the alternate. After the masterclass the whole group walked to the Augustina Bier Haus. It was a very different atmosphere. It was interesting how they have concession stands from other vendors and then the bierhaus provides the bier. The school paid for our first drink. It was a good idea they put us in a room off to the side away from the main hall. We were so noisy.
I had to wake up really early on friday morning. I got on the bus at 6:30 so that I could meet up with the group for hiking at 7 at the train station. We got a group pass (28 Euro) for all five of us. We took the train to Werfen. Then in Werfen we took a bus up the mountain. They dropped us off 5 minutes from the gondola. Many people take the gondola up to the ice cave, but we chose to do the 90 minute hike up the mountain. It was rather steep. After the first 2 minutes I was thinking (I should have taken the gondola), but it actually wasn't that bad, my body adjusted to it quickly. It was worth it. I went with a good group of people: Jackie and Stephen (CU-Boulder), Lindsey (Luther), and Ryan (Carnegie Mellon). Before heading further up the mountain into the ice cave, we thought it would be a good idea to cool down and dry off the sweat before heading into freezing temperatures. So we had our packed lunches at the restaurant at the top of the lift. The cave is called Eisriesenwelt, and it is the largest ice cave in the world. http://www.eisriesenwelt.at/site/content/CB_ContentShow.php?coType=home&lang=EN There is still another 5k of cave that we did not see. There are huge ice formations that grow every year. I was not allowed to take pictures because it slows the group down. We had to go up 700 stairs and down 700 stairs. It didn't seem that bad, it was just a little dizzying when we just kept going up and up and I couldn't see my feet. Every fourth person had a lamp. I got to carry one, it was really old-school with a gas and flame, no flashlights. The lamps put off very little light, just enough to see the path. The guide would burn magnesium for us to see the ice formations. After the ice cave tour, we went back to the restaurant and warmed up with hot chocolate and dessert, I had my first apfelstrudel of this trip. I took the gondola down with Ryan because we both were feeling weak. My hip was also acting up, I think I had pulled something. Surprisingly, most of us didn't feel that sore the next day.
That night I went with Lindsey to the Marionette Theater to see Sound of Music. It was good and it stuck to the original musical, not the movie. It's quite amazing what they can do with those puppets.
Saturday morning I met the other Lindsey, the one from Oklahoma, at the college. We walked along the river, they have a saturday market set up everyother saturday. Then went to lunch at the Afro Cafe. It's my new favorite restaurant in Salzburg. It's food with an African flair. They have couches and chairs to sit in outside under the awnings, very relaxed. All dining in Salzburg is relaxed, they expect you to sit for atleast 2 hours. By no means to they intend to push you out the door. Waiters don't get huge tips like they can in the US so they aren't concerned about getting lots of customers through.
After lunch we got some eis and walked around to Getreidegasse. Salzburg was so packed! It was the start of the festival! Lions club was selling cherries for a charity and glasses of champaigne outside of Residensplatz. So we stopped and enjoyed some cherries. When we asked if they were from Austria, they said that they were actually from Canada. Oh well, they were still really good.
We still had time to kill before the festivities of the festival opening happened, so we sat down to people watch in the Domplatz. We were sitting right next to the giant chess board and a group of University students from England started playing.
The three guys played the game and the one girl in the group sat next to us. We had a lovely conversation, she was from Bath and the four of them were just traveling through Europe by rail. In the middle of the game, the canons went off from the fortress overhead. We then headed over to the steps of the cathedral where some of the opera stars were signing autographs. I didn't know any of them, so I decided not to get in line. We ran into the other Lindsey and Zach, and then Stephen, Jackie, and Ryan. We all just sat down and enjoyed the jazz band playing all american music.
The guys split off and had dinner with their host family and we sought out the other side of the river and found a schnitzel restaurant just down the street from Mirabell Gardens. After that I was quite tired and just wanted some time to myself. I headed back to the hotel and watched some episodes of my new favorite TV show online.
Today I went online and chatted with the family on skype and then did some translating of my duet that I am singing and then slept again until 2:30. I ended up going to Jedermann tonight, which was not my original plan but my friend Angelina was feeling sick and wanted to trade tickets. Little did I know that tonight's performance was at 5:30, not 7:30 like I had thought. So I ended up not being able to go to mass in english at 5:00. The Jedermann play was well acted, though I had no idea what was being said. But I certainly could feel what was going on. Jedermann is based off of the medieval play called "everyman". It has been performed every year of the festival since 1920. Jedermann was adapted by an Austrian playwright. The story goes that God sends a messenger to tell Everyman (this is the main character's name), that he will die. When Everyman is looking friends to take with him at the end of his life, they all abandon him. Such friends as Goods and Fellowship won't come when he requests it. Good Deeds is the only character that is willing to go with him, though he had been ignoring Good Deeds for such a long time. Basically he dies with Good Deeds and the moral of the story is that only your good deeds can follow you in the after-life. All other things are lost.
This was performed on the steps of the cathedral. It was really cool how they used the bells of St. Francis church (directly behind) and a bell of the Cathedral for affect.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to practice today like I thought I would. I guess I'll have to do some more score study instead. The practice facility's close so early.
I had to wake up really early on friday morning. I got on the bus at 6:30 so that I could meet up with the group for hiking at 7 at the train station. We got a group pass (28 Euro) for all five of us. We took the train to Werfen. Then in Werfen we took a bus up the mountain. They dropped us off 5 minutes from the gondola. Many people take the gondola up to the ice cave, but we chose to do the 90 minute hike up the mountain. It was rather steep. After the first 2 minutes I was thinking (I should have taken the gondola), but it actually wasn't that bad, my body adjusted to it quickly. It was worth it. I went with a good group of people: Jackie and Stephen (CU-Boulder), Lindsey (Luther), and Ryan (Carnegie Mellon). Before heading further up the mountain into the ice cave, we thought it would be a good idea to cool down and dry off the sweat before heading into freezing temperatures. So we had our packed lunches at the restaurant at the top of the lift. The cave is called Eisriesenwelt, and it is the largest ice cave in the world. http://www.eisriesenwelt.at/site/content/CB_ContentShow.php?coType=home&lang=EN There is still another 5k of cave that we did not see. There are huge ice formations that grow every year. I was not allowed to take pictures because it slows the group down. We had to go up 700 stairs and down 700 stairs. It didn't seem that bad, it was just a little dizzying when we just kept going up and up and I couldn't see my feet. Every fourth person had a lamp. I got to carry one, it was really old-school with a gas and flame, no flashlights. The lamps put off very little light, just enough to see the path. The guide would burn magnesium for us to see the ice formations. After the ice cave tour, we went back to the restaurant and warmed up with hot chocolate and dessert, I had my first apfelstrudel of this trip. I took the gondola down with Ryan because we both were feeling weak. My hip was also acting up, I think I had pulled something. Surprisingly, most of us didn't feel that sore the next day.
That night I went with Lindsey to the Marionette Theater to see Sound of Music. It was good and it stuck to the original musical, not the movie. It's quite amazing what they can do with those puppets.
Saturday morning I met the other Lindsey, the one from Oklahoma, at the college. We walked along the river, they have a saturday market set up everyother saturday. Then went to lunch at the Afro Cafe. It's my new favorite restaurant in Salzburg. It's food with an African flair. They have couches and chairs to sit in outside under the awnings, very relaxed. All dining in Salzburg is relaxed, they expect you to sit for atleast 2 hours. By no means to they intend to push you out the door. Waiters don't get huge tips like they can in the US so they aren't concerned about getting lots of customers through.
After lunch we got some eis and walked around to Getreidegasse. Salzburg was so packed! It was the start of the festival! Lions club was selling cherries for a charity and glasses of champaigne outside of Residensplatz. So we stopped and enjoyed some cherries. When we asked if they were from Austria, they said that they were actually from Canada. Oh well, they were still really good.
We still had time to kill before the festivities of the festival opening happened, so we sat down to people watch in the Domplatz. We were sitting right next to the giant chess board and a group of University students from England started playing.
The three guys played the game and the one girl in the group sat next to us. We had a lovely conversation, she was from Bath and the four of them were just traveling through Europe by rail. In the middle of the game, the canons went off from the fortress overhead. We then headed over to the steps of the cathedral where some of the opera stars were signing autographs. I didn't know any of them, so I decided not to get in line. We ran into the other Lindsey and Zach, and then Stephen, Jackie, and Ryan. We all just sat down and enjoyed the jazz band playing all american music.
The guys split off and had dinner with their host family and we sought out the other side of the river and found a schnitzel restaurant just down the street from Mirabell Gardens. After that I was quite tired and just wanted some time to myself. I headed back to the hotel and watched some episodes of my new favorite TV show online.
Today I went online and chatted with the family on skype and then did some translating of my duet that I am singing and then slept again until 2:30. I ended up going to Jedermann tonight, which was not my original plan but my friend Angelina was feeling sick and wanted to trade tickets. Little did I know that tonight's performance was at 5:30, not 7:30 like I had thought. So I ended up not being able to go to mass in english at 5:00. The Jedermann play was well acted, though I had no idea what was being said. But I certainly could feel what was going on. Jedermann is based off of the medieval play called "everyman". It has been performed every year of the festival since 1920. Jedermann was adapted by an Austrian playwright. The story goes that God sends a messenger to tell Everyman (this is the main character's name), that he will die. When Everyman is looking friends to take with him at the end of his life, they all abandon him. Such friends as Goods and Fellowship won't come when he requests it. Good Deeds is the only character that is willing to go with him, though he had been ignoring Good Deeds for such a long time. Basically he dies with Good Deeds and the moral of the story is that only your good deeds can follow you in the after-life. All other things are lost.
This was performed on the steps of the cathedral. It was really cool how they used the bells of St. Francis church (directly behind) and a bell of the Cathedral for affect.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to practice today like I thought I would. I guess I'll have to do some more score study instead. The practice facility's close so early.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Tickets
I also forgot to mention that tickets for the Salzburg Festival were handed out today. Everyone got a ticket to the masterclass and Jedermann. Then everyone got either the Schubert szene or the Mozart Matinee, some lucky people got a ticket for the Vienna Philharmonic. For the opera almost everyone got a ticket to Don Giovanni. I, however, got a ticket to The Magic Flute. While I haven't found anyone else who is going, I am fortunate enough to have a 50 Euro ticket in a seat. Everyone going to Don Giovanni has to stand through the entire performance. Yay! That will be a great way to end the program (It will be on my last night in Salzburg). I've never seen the Magic Flute before.
Free afternoon
Because it was in the 50's and raining, we post-poned our trip to Hellbrunn (a park with water fountains that spray you, and there is a palace and the infamous Sound of Music gazebo). Instead of sticking to my original plan of practicing and taking a nap, I went to Cafe Republic and had some tea with a shot of rum in it (quite good). It was such a good time. I hadn't laughed so hard since I've been here. Then Fiona, Lindsey, and I went shopping down Getreidegasse (we're calling it Diagon Alley).
This morning I had a coaching session again with Enman. We worked on the Mahler. It felt like a completely different song after the coaching. I liked it. He complimented me by saying that I have the personality of a choral singer, but the voice of a soloist. Because I was an idiot and left all of my music on my desk in a folder, I only had my German Lied Anthology with me. He circled some of the songs that I should look at. Then he also said that I need to learn the Frauenliebe und Leben song cycle by Schumann. He helped me figure out how to sing a piano without contorting and sounding awful (which is what I have always done for choir). To sum it up, I wish I could have coaching sessions everyday.
This morning I had a coaching session again with Enman. We worked on the Mahler. It felt like a completely different song after the coaching. I liked it. He complimented me by saying that I have the personality of a choral singer, but the voice of a soloist. Because I was an idiot and left all of my music on my desk in a folder, I only had my German Lied Anthology with me. He circled some of the songs that I should look at. Then he also said that I need to learn the Frauenliebe und Leben song cycle by Schumann. He helped me figure out how to sing a piano without contorting and sounding awful (which is what I have always done for choir). To sum it up, I wish I could have coaching sessions everyday.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Weekend as a tourist
This weekend I was a typical tourist. Lindsey and I went to the salzburg fortress, ate lunch up there, and then went shopping and bought souvenirs and walked through the Mirabell Gardens.
It was a very nice day, but I was certainly exhausted by the end. After Saturday night mass at the Franciscan church, I just came back to the hotel and watched episodes of 'How I Met Your Mother'.
Earlier in the morning I sang in the auditions for the recital competition. Dr. Moteki asked me to sing the one song I was least prepared with. Oh well, I forgot the words and breathed in really awkward spots. I was just auditioning for the experience and I'm glad I can start with new music, though my voice teacher wants to keep working on the Rossini with me and I'm singing the Mahler in a masterclass with Wolfam Rieger on Thursday.
Our lunch up at the fortress had the most amazing view of the mountains.
Upon the recommendation of our German teacher, Lindsey and I tried the Salzburg Nockerl. It's a egg-meringue-like dessert that tastes very much like a crepe. They give you fruit to add to it. Little did we know that it is definitely something to share with a larger party than two.
The view from the fortress is quite fantastic. We were lucky that it was such a clear day. It has been raining most of last week and it started again on Sunday.
On Friday night, a group of us went down to Mirabell Gardens to hear traditional music and see traditional dancing.
On Sunday, the entire group went the Salzkammergut region out side of Salzburg. This is in the mountains and there are a number of lakes. We went to Moondsee, St. Wolfgang, and Hallstatt. Moondsee church is the site of the wedding scene in Sound of Music. St. Wolfgang was maybe one of my favorite places. The lake is soooooo clear there and the church some how caught my attention (the altar carving artwork was made by a famous Baroque artist who was actually from Austria).
After spending about an hour in each city we made one last stop to the Gosausee, a glacial lake further into the mountains that was Wagner's inspiration for Parsifal. It was breathtaking. We couldn't see the peaks of the mountains entirely because it had been cloudy.
It was a very nice day, but I was certainly exhausted by the end. After Saturday night mass at the Franciscan church, I just came back to the hotel and watched episodes of 'How I Met Your Mother'.
Earlier in the morning I sang in the auditions for the recital competition. Dr. Moteki asked me to sing the one song I was least prepared with. Oh well, I forgot the words and breathed in really awkward spots. I was just auditioning for the experience and I'm glad I can start with new music, though my voice teacher wants to keep working on the Rossini with me and I'm singing the Mahler in a masterclass with Wolfam Rieger on Thursday.
Our lunch up at the fortress had the most amazing view of the mountains.
Upon the recommendation of our German teacher, Lindsey and I tried the Salzburg Nockerl. It's a egg-meringue-like dessert that tastes very much like a crepe. They give you fruit to add to it. Little did we know that it is definitely something to share with a larger party than two.
The view from the fortress is quite fantastic. We were lucky that it was such a clear day. It has been raining most of last week and it started again on Sunday.
On Friday night, a group of us went down to Mirabell Gardens to hear traditional music and see traditional dancing.
On Sunday, the entire group went the Salzkammergut region out side of Salzburg. This is in the mountains and there are a number of lakes. We went to Moondsee, St. Wolfgang, and Hallstatt. Moondsee church is the site of the wedding scene in Sound of Music. St. Wolfgang was maybe one of my favorite places. The lake is soooooo clear there and the church some how caught my attention (the altar carving artwork was made by a famous Baroque artist who was actually from Austria).
After spending about an hour in each city we made one last stop to the Gosausee, a glacial lake further into the mountains that was Wagner's inspiration for Parsifal. It was breathtaking. We couldn't see the peaks of the mountains entirely because it had been cloudy.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
First Coaching
Today I had my first vocal coaching session. It was with Tom Enman from the Longy School of Music. 'What is a voice coach?' you might ask. Well in Tom's words: a voice coach is a bastard. They're the ones who say 'that was beautiful tone, but the consonants sucked... nice, but... etc.' They knit-pick every detail in a performance and help you perfect it. They help singers come out of mediocrity. I love it!!!
We were going to work on the Verdi, but instead spent the entire hour working on vowels and En Svane. It feels like a whole new piece. I love it and it is so much easier to sing than before. I'm hoping they'll ask me to sing it at the recital auditions this Saturday. That was the other thing, Prof. Enman helped me pick out what to sing for the auditions. I'm not sure if I want to sing the Rossini or the the Bernstein. My character seems very clear with the Bernstein, but the Rossini can show off a bit more.
One funny thing, while in the middle of the session, he randomly said 'wow you look a lot like Kirsten Flagstad'. I had no idea who that was. Aparently she was a famous Norwegian Wagnerian soprano in the 30's. Anyway, I can kind of see a resemblance, but not that much.
There was a masterclass today. It was really good, and I loved how Professor Ragsdale ended it. He said that we need to adopt the Austrian mentality of we instead of me. And that if we ever are just singing for ourselves, our egos, we need to sit down, because that performance will be in vain. All the performances were great. I especially liked the performance of Willow's Song after Ragsdale had worked with her on making it more reflective and private.
After the masterclass, I went to the mall and found a shawl for my brown dress at one of the department stores. I now no longer need to be in search of anything from the stores, except souvenirs.
I also found out today that my friend, Angelina, was on "Clash of the Choirs" the reality American-Idol-like show that all of my music education major friends watched to make fun of. Haha! I love it. She was in the choir from OK City.
We were going to work on the Verdi, but instead spent the entire hour working on vowels and En Svane. It feels like a whole new piece. I love it and it is so much easier to sing than before. I'm hoping they'll ask me to sing it at the recital auditions this Saturday. That was the other thing, Prof. Enman helped me pick out what to sing for the auditions. I'm not sure if I want to sing the Rossini or the the Bernstein. My character seems very clear with the Bernstein, but the Rossini can show off a bit more.
One funny thing, while in the middle of the session, he randomly said 'wow you look a lot like Kirsten Flagstad'. I had no idea who that was. Aparently she was a famous Norwegian Wagnerian soprano in the 30's. Anyway, I can kind of see a resemblance, but not that much.
There was a masterclass today. It was really good, and I loved how Professor Ragsdale ended it. He said that we need to adopt the Austrian mentality of we instead of me. And that if we ever are just singing for ourselves, our egos, we need to sit down, because that performance will be in vain. All the performances were great. I especially liked the performance of Willow's Song after Ragsdale had worked with her on making it more reflective and private.
After the masterclass, I went to the mall and found a shawl for my brown dress at one of the department stores. I now no longer need to be in search of anything from the stores, except souvenirs.
I also found out today that my friend, Angelina, was on "Clash of the Choirs" the reality American-Idol-like show that all of my music education major friends watched to make fun of. Haha! I love it. She was in the choir from OK City.
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