Well, there went my new year’s resolution to actually start blogging regularly! Pagliacci was a lot of fun, but unfortunately I fell ill during the run and had to miss the last show (and the cast party, horrors!). I got hit pretty hard with a flu-like virus that was circulating through the cast – I had a fever for a solid week, had a trip to the ER, and it took nearly a full month to get back to full strength.
Fortunately things were going well by June, when I got a short-notice invitation to join New York Opera Studio’s summer intensive program. A friend of mine (the lovely Kim Giordano, who was our Nedda in Pagliacci) did the NYOS program a few years ago, and through her I found out that they needed to replace a couple of sopranos who had to withdraw. I submitted some application materials and a couple of audio files – the audio files were the trickiest part since the most recent recordings I had were from my college recitals, and lord knows those aren’t a good representation of my current abilities. Fortunately, having a professional studio musician for a husband came in handy – he was able to set up some recording equipment in our living room, and a few hours later I had some decent quality recordings I felt OK (but not great) about submitting.
Pins and needles as I waited. A week later, I got the official word that I’d been offered the role of Zdenka in Richard Strauss’ opera, Arabella. The scene we’d be working on is a gorgeous duet between Zdenka and Arabella – two sisters, Arabella (the older sister who is looking for a suitor), and Zdenka (the younger sister, who spends most of the opera disguised as a boy). A soprano pants role with a high C? Sign me up!
Alas, only a week or so later it turned out that the entire NYOS program was cancelled for the summer, due to conflicts with the host venue, Vassar. It was really a letdown, especially after last summer’s disappointment (I was scheduled to play Baroness Schrader in the Sound of Music at Encore Theater, but it was cancelled due to licensing problems). But, at least our original plans for a summer roadtrip were back on. In the big scheme of things, spending two solid weeks with the love of my life, and getting to see friends in Colorado and have adventures in the beautiful parks of Utah, was really not a bad way to spend the summer!
Looking toward fall, next up for me is The Turk in Italy with Tacoma Opera. More news on that as it gets closer!
Dates to see you in your next Tacoma Opera?
Contracts have not been signed yet for next season. Will post news when I have it.