Gratitude - Day 50

I'm grateful for hard workers. We snuck into part of the final orchestra rehearsal for Aida which opens here on the 9th, and I shot this candid photo while the 2 cellists worked together a bit after the proper rehearsal was finished. I loved the site of the empty pit, no overtime being paid, no one waving a baton, and musicians just working to make it better - simply for the sake of making it better. I know this goes on in many orchestras (not all - but many!) but I still love to witness it - it brings me a feeling of solidarity with the folks in the pit. Graçias, Amigos! (And for the record, it's like Christmas all over again to hear Dolora Z in this role!!!)

Gratitude - Day 48

Again, I'm grateful for comfortable shoes! Poor Cenerentola might have to go around in rags, but I guarantee you she doesn't have aching feet! It's actually also a bonus since this is quite a physical show for me, and it makes my chances for wiping out a bit smaller! It's true that I'm quite accident prone, and after many a spill on the stage (oddly enough, usually in the role of Rosina - she's given me 5 different ankle injuries!), I'm always keen to avoid those accidental falls witnessed by thousands of on-lookers!

I was all the more relieved to finish last night's show on my feet - it was a live broadcast on Spanish National Television (and also taped for future DVD release!) I love these kinds of live broadcasts, especially when they're a video feed as well, because the level of adrenalin surges (who needs those "Happy Pills" when we've got it in abundance naturally!), and the demand for concentration inches up, which I think gives a better overall performance for the people in the audience: everyone seems to win. I do love knowing there is a camera zooming in to capture our every expression, because the second I drop concentration, or committment, or honesty, it reads like a flashing neon light in the desert. It just makes me a better performer. Of course, it's also a tough mental game, because it's tempting to start singing with the single aim of 'perfection' instead of 'expression', and that's a thing I continue to learn . (I suppose it's a true predicament for all performances, but knowing that it is captured for eternity can add a certain degree of pressure.) Luckily, I'm getting more opportunities to participate in these kinds of broadcasts, so it's a skill I think I'm acquiring more with each event, but it absolutely requires a strong hold over your self-monitoring side, for if that little critical voice takes over, you're doomed!

Overall I thought it was a good performance (naturally with a gazillion things I'd like to do better), but it felt spontaneous and expressive, with each cast member 'on', and the audience again seemed to really enjoy themselves.

I'll take it!

Gratitude - Day 42

I'm grateful for my first bonafide, authentic, far-off-the-Ramblas tapas meal. A local friend recommended this place, and I lost track after roughly 20 dishes of assorted meats, salads, and various sundry creations split between the table of 9. We sampled everything, savoring each different flavor and variety of vegetable and sausage, and did not leave the table hungry. It is quite possible, however, that after all the plates were cleared, my favorite remained the simple pa amb tomàquet, prepared by the diner, himself: fresh bread rubbed with garlic and fresh tomato, sprinke with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Perfection.

The meal was the perfect finish to an incredibly delightful evening in the theater: Joan Font (creator of the Comediants, and director of our "Cenerentola" at the Liceu) invited us to his showing of "Tren de somnis" in the Teatre Nacional de Cataluyna. It was truly a special creation, centering around the old silent movies of, primarily, Buster Keaton, with modern score and modern spin. What a discovery to see those old silent films brought to light again. The main topic of discussion at dinner was how MUCH can be done with so LITTLE money and so little 'tools' - the imagination and creativity of a Keaton puts to shame most modern filmmakers who have the entire technological world at their fingertips, but with sadly little creativity.

Where is the age of enlightenment when we need it?

Gratitude - Day 34

I'm grateful for my maiden name, for all of my family which carries this name proudly, and for the Irish Pub around the corner of the same name, which serves the perfect cheeseburger to sate one's hunger after a long piano dress rehearsal! Yes, very grateful indeed!

And happily, I am feeling better - thank you all for your concern. Seems like every person at the opera house is coughing and wheezing, so I'm happy to be escaping it for the moment (touch wood, please!). We had a good, if long, rehearsal today, our final dress is tomorrow, so we should be in great shape for the opening on Sunday!

Cheers!

Gratitude - Day 31

I'm immensely grateful for the life and compositions of Fernando J Obradors! I think one of the most beautiful songs ever written was set by him:

DEL CABELLO MÁS SUTIL

"Del cabello más sutil
Que tienes en tu trenzado
He de hacer una cadena
Para traerte a mi lado.
Una alcarraza en tu casa,
Chiquilla, quisiera ser,
Para besarte en la boca,
Cuando fueras a beber."

"Of the softest hair
which you have in your braid,
I would make a chain
so that I may bring you to my side.
A jug in your home,
little one, I would like to be...
so that I may kiss you
each time you take a drink."

Recording his pieces for ¡PASIÓN! was such a dream - and they are pieces I truly never tire of. I happily walked down his street today (avoiding the drug pushers, of course, but that's another story!)

Muchas gracias, Señor!

Gratitude - Day 22

I'm grateful for intense, honest gazes.


Photos:

*"Edward Scissorhands" on La Rambla

*Beautiful old soul in the Boqueria Market

Gratitude - Day 20

I'm grateful for the beautiful view from the rehearsal room at the Liceu - there is nothing like working through the Act 1 quintet and turning to see this light begin to fall over the city.

Gratitude - Day 19

I am grateful for a beautiful walk to work and for palm trees in December!

It's funny to me also, that after nearly 3 days of rehearsing here in Barcelona, almost all the opera is up on its feet! (As opposed to the 3 weeks we took to stage it last time around!) I appreciate so much the patience and willingness of the director, Joan Font, to integrate the different personalities into 'his' production - something which not all directors are always willing to concede. This time around we have a good mixture of veterans ("there's some Peruvian tenor who apparently has made a name for himself singing this repertoire", she says with tongue firmly in cheek) and newbies, (a Spanish baritone debuting as Dandini - NOT an easy role!) For me, stepping back into the shoes of Angelina is such a welcome, wonderful fit, and it reminds me (once again!) the importance of repeating roles - and repeating them - and repeating them. It's so wonderful to have my mind free of the musical intricacies (aside from working on a few new variations) and technicalities of the role, and simply being able to PLAY her. That is when freedom can spring up, and freedom on stage can be such a magical quality!


Photos:

*The Plaza Real, Barcelona

*Joan Font, in an elevator at the Liceu

Gratitude - Day 18

I'm definitely grateful to be back in rehearsal for a role that I know inside and out, and in a production that I not only know, but really adore; it's surrounded by a team of enthusiastic, imaginative, life-affirming people who truly enjoy their work, and that makes it a joy to come to the theater each day.

In what will surely become a theme over the next few weeks, I'm also incredibly happy to be in the city of Barcelona! What an amazing city! I was here nearly 2 years ago for 2 quick concerts (my debut and likely retirement of the role "Fenena" in Verdi's Nabucco. I still remember the ovation that rained down on Maria Guleghina and Leo Nucci from the palchi after those performances, as the Liceu crowd immediately introduced itself to me as comprised of truly passionate music lovers. Singing here, I expect, will be a unique thrill. But the fever and pulse of this city hooked me, and I've been counting down the days until I could come back and explore it fully! So far, it has not disappointed:


Getting settled into a routine again feels very good. Since the final days of performing in Geneva, it has been non-stop for me. My time in NYC was exactly what I needed. First on the list was visiting my voice teacher and checking in to make sure things were in working order. It had probably been close to 2 years since I last saw him, and a lot of new notes have flown under the vocal bridge - and that can spell trouble for a singer. While I closely monitored and scrutinized myself through the new Massenet and the Strauss and the Handel, there still is no replacing that trusted set of ears outside of yourself to keep you in line. (Oh, how I miss the luxury of weekly voice lessons!) I do remember one of Steve's very first comments to those of us fresh and wide-eyed to the Houston Opera Studio some 10 or so years ago:

"My goal is to get you out of my studio."

Well, goal achieved! And truth be told, he was 100% right. I did not have the luxury of being near NY to systematically prepare all the past new repertoire with him - I had to rely on the skills and technique he taught me over the years to guide me, and ultimately I had to trust myself. (Easier said than sometimes done, by the way!) Reality crashes into your psyche when there is no one to turn to, and you must provide the answers to the questions you are seeking. My theory is that this is the process which begins to define us as artists - slowly, but hopefully surely, we begin to form what it is we want and need to say. That is our own to discover along the way.

A quick stop in Paris brought a crazy concert, which ended up being quite fun, despite no sleep, no jewels, and brand new repertoire being rolled out for the first time! A wonderfully supportive public made the evening quite special for me, and any chance to sing those pieces of Handel are such a gift. However, I should have known better than to use music not in a binder: there was a minor mishap due to a faulty page turn which left the poor bassoonist in "Venti turbini" playing a rather exposed solo when it should have been a ravishing duet with the hired singer! Note well taken.

But now, it's back to familiar fare, and honestly, the timing couldn't be better!

Photos:

*Our choreographer, Xevi, puts Cenerentola's 'rats' through their paces.

*One of the many extraordinary street artists which adorn the streets of Barcelona, "Edward Scissorhands"

Fender-benders, tirades and Spanish sunshine!

I truly did have the strongest of intentions of getting a journal (or even two!) written during my time in Houston, chronicling the multi-faceted events that kept me more than busy for these past 6 weeks, but alas, I’m in nearly the same, identical place on the highway as for my last entry, simply headed in the other direction. (Ah, and yet how sweet that it is the direction of home!) I suppose it’s another example of life coming full circle giving us a golden opportunity for closure!

(In rehearsal for Cenerentola at HGO)

Were it not for the fender-bender which we encountered just north of Dallas yesterday evening, (ok, let’s be honest…can a ‘fender-bender’ accurately describe an accident that breaks your radiator, power steering and air conditioning all in one swipe? I didn’t think so.), I’d still be riding an enormous high from the magical experience of this Cenerentola at the Houston Grand Opera. From the first moment of the first rehearsal, I knew this would be a special experience. The directing team, El Comediants, from Barcelona Spain (the very same squad responsible for creating the Opening Ceremony to the Barcelona Summer Olympics!), arrived on the scene bubbling over with creative ideas and a contagious, positive attitude, feeding their imaginative concepts by the minute. They had a very clear idea of the ‘look’ they wanted for the show, and yet were still completely flexible in letting us throw our thoughts and impulses into the fire. What we ended up with was a VIBRANT, intelligent, funny, heartbreaking, fresh approach, full of traditional as well as new ideas, wild costumes, rambunctious rats, geometric makeup, and an audience standing on its feet every night!

I cannot stress enough the importance of having a positive working environment where the singers not only feel free to contribute and take risks during the rehearsal process, but are encouraged to do so, as well. I think with this approach you arrive at the opening night with a cast that isn’t preoccupied with being ‘correct’, but instead are busy CREATING on the stage. I never want to work any other way!

I was able to steal away just before the opening night to receive an award from my Alma Mater, Wichita State University, where they generously bestowed on me the honor of “Young Alumni of the Year”. To say I was honored and deeply touched would be quite an understatement, not only because of the number of distinguished graduates the University consistently produces, but also because of the number of old friends and supporters that came to share in the evening. In seeing the faces of the influential professors beaming with pride, the committed members of the first church choir to hire me as their conductor and leader giddy with excitement, and some of my oldest, dearest friends reducing me to tears of laughter with the never tiresome recollections of Madrigal Feasts and choir tour escapades, I realized once again how many people have had a hand in guiding and preparing me for my life. I was quite emotional receiving the award, as thoughts of my Dad’s numerous trips to hear me try out the odd choir solo or my first Hansel were still quite fresh, as I suspect they will remain for quite sometime. What washed over me as these smiling faces listened to every word of my off-the-cuff acceptance speech was that each of them is with me every single time I take the stage. I looked out on their familiar faces and realized that they all contributed to the building blocks of my foundation – NOT ONLY as a performer, but more importantly, as a person. I’m so proud to say I am “Shocker”, and their continued recognition and support mean so much to me. It served as a beautiful reminder that you never know what contribution a solitary person just might bring to your table, nor what kind of effect you just may have on them. How thrilling to know we are always contributing!


(As Hansel at Wichita State University, 1991-2)

A great opportunity happened upon me just before the final dress rehearsal, in that I was invited out to a local high school to sing and speak with them about ‘what I do’. I insisted that they attend the final dress rehearsal before I visited them so they could see me in the context of ‘what I do’, and I think it was a roaring success, judging from the ‘whoops’ and ‘woo-hoos’ resonating from the hall that night! Come to find out, even though it was the first opera for every single one of them, they LOVED the show, and when I walked into their classroom, their enthusiasm and excitement bowled me over. I was mentioning this visit to Anthony Freud, HGO’s General Director, the next day, and I said, “Who knows if any of them will grow up to sing in opera, or run a company, but MAYBE they’ll buy a ticket in the future, or contribute $100 down the way.” And he simply looked at me, shook his head, and replied, “but Joyce, that’s not why we do it. That’s not what outreach and education are about: they are NOT a means to an end. We do it simply because we must.” I knew in that precise moment that Houston is an extremely fortunate city to have this man of vision at the helm, and that the world of Opera in general has hope, knowing there are people running it who have such a committed, focused belief in what we do.

Which makes for a lovely segue to a truly horrid article that recently polluted my inbox: there is a ‘journalist’ who writes for the El Paso Times, Mr. Muench, and he saw fit to berate and bully the El Paso City Council for passing a grant to help the El Paso Opera bail itself out of dire financial times. Actually, he saw fit to ridicule the art form with outdated and offensive stereotypes, proceeding to chide the children of the town warning them that they would surely rather take their “TAKS” tests than attend an opera! Well, I love a good fight, and adored registering my response (along with hundreds of other singers), and adored being handed the opportunity to defend my passion to this idiot. I suppose there always have been idiots afloat out there, spewing venom and poison against things that make them think and which challenge their comfort zone, but I for one am thrilled there are also intelligent, passionate individuals who do not let bullies like this man intimidate them into veering away from their vision. We have people like Anthony Freud who believe in committing to a community and reaching out to young people, simply because ‘we must’.

We face many obstacles, as have all the great artists of the past, but we are strong in the fight, and we are winning one small classroom at a time! I don’t know how much I can truly affect on my own, but I can say that my commitment is to bring honesty and conviction to all that I do.


(With the committed and always brilliant Cathy Cook: a fellow WSU alumni, as well as a beautiful person and singer)

So we’re almost to the end of the journey. I get 10 days (whoops, make that 9 days, thanks to my fender…ok, to my accident!) at home to: file my 2006 taxes, spend 2 days doing master classes at a local college, memorize the final stubborn songs for my recital, figure out my gown situation for said recitals, have a birthday party, catch up with family and friends, bake a little, or maybe bake a lot, chop away a bit more at stubborn, glorious Octavian, dry clean my stale, luggage-bound winter clothes, get some face time with my squirmy, boisterous, brilliant nieces and nephews that are growing by bounds and leaps, sort through the heaped up mail and bills, throw in a few interviews to promote my new disc, address the nasty leak in the master bath that was rearing its ugly head on my last 2 day stay at home, squeeze in my unwelcome dental exam, and maybe, just maybe take in the current episodes of 24. (JACK! Your DAD!!!!) Wait. Is that all? OH. Looks like constant shoveling may be in the forecast as well!

Here’s to a beautiful Valentine’s Day for you all, and let’s hope the fender-bender quota has been met for the next several decades!