Conditioning

I'm giving a recital next week. And I accidentally programmed way too many hard things. At least that's how it feels now. Hormones and allergies probably have something to do with that...but in any case, I'm working to sing through things to build up my stamina. This is soooo the hard part. And I'm looking forward to the fun part, when I can forget about notes and memorization and perform the words of the pieces.

Summer is a time for singers to get a lot done. Whether by singing themselves into the ground to add roles to the old resume (this is the traditional method), or making a new recording, getting new pictures, revamping the website, learning the next role, or coaching the heck out of our audition arias. For me, the recital is in partial preparation for my new demo recording (I so so not sound like my old one any more, and I've thankfully realized I have no business singing "Vedrai carino."), and to try out some new repertoire ideas on an audience. Maybe I should hand out comment cards before the performance, to get everyone's opinion. Wait. No, I am not a masochist. And what a terrible idea.

Last week's audition was a disappointment. I can always count on my voice-- and I usually spend the half an hour before an audition counter-acting a rising freak-out with those very words. I've worked tirelessly on my technique, and it's starting to pay off for me, consequently, I've been in some less than ideal *cough, cough* audition situations and I've been able to pull it off because I could forget about the drama and just sing. Well, I can tell you this, people: there isn't a terrible lot that your technique can do with vocal cords that are swollen beyond recognition because of the hormones coursing through your veins. There are certain things you can muscle through and it will sound reasonably okay, but especially with delicate pianissimi and ridiculous register jumps, etc. you can just forget about it. Sometimes it's worse than others, but last week was not one of my best vocal moments. So Joe took me out to lunch, we had a beer, and I tried to just forget about it.

That is behind me, however, we're moving on with life. Now, to work on my translations.