After a particularly thought provoking coaching Friday, I have about a zillion new arias to work on getting into my voice, and so I am in the soprano zone at the moment. My one sadness is the news that perhaps one of my very favorite arias to sing does not really belong in my audition package. The unfortunate thing is that it's true. Ah well. There are more where those come from. One aria I've successfully avoided all these years in Ach, ich fühl's, and it seems I can no longer get away with the excuse that I kind of hate Pamina as a person. The fact is, if you can like Micaela, which I do, you have no excuse for hating Pamina. Oh, and the other person I need to get to know all over again is Manon, and maybe Juliette.
The other thing I did this weekend was make: Ricotta Gnocchi. We ate it last night with tomato cream sauce and it was one of my proudest moments in cooking history. Oh my god, this stuff is worth the effort. Holy moly.
Tomorrow night I've got a lesson, which is lucky, because I have so much to think about vocally, and I haven't had a lesson in a couple of months. It is indeed time for a tune up!
All dressed up and everywhere to go
2 comments:
Tough piece. Loses the whole effect if not sung with proper emotion, which it seems relies a lot on the dynamic contrast that requires solid breath control. Plenty of tight coloratura in there as well. I don't know how it works for sopranos, but for tenors those are the changes you have to watch out for, when you do runs that switch in middle from chest to head and back again.
On the bright side it is a beautiful aria. Not that Mozart was short on great composition but this is in my opinion one of his best.
Good luck!
I have to admit that I'm not a Pamina fan either. She's kind of wimpy in my opinion - but then so is Tamino. Perhaps they deserve each other? I've avoided Ach, ich fühls for precisely those reasons. I'm much more enamored of the music given to the 3 ladies. It's much more interesting! I'm auditioning for the Magic Flute in a couple weeks, so we shall see if I end up as the dreaded Pamina or not.
Finding audition material that suits your voice can be difficult. Don't be afraid to venture out of your fach if a particular piece really suits your voice and you can sing it healthily.
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