Well, after writing about how well I sang through both parts of Amneris's Judgment Scene (actually, to be literal, it's Radames's Judgment Scene)I just totally conked out at my lesson. My teacher wasn't worried, so I guess I shouldn't be.
Here's how things progressed.
We always start with warmups, and this time I sang a number of scale progressions up to a full voiced High C. I've been able to do that now both at lessons and at home for several months now, which is a huge accomplishment. In the past, sometimes I would have that note, sometimes not, and even if I had it, it would just be a little squeak.
I know from reading my favorite mezzo blogs that there are mezzos out there who vocalize regularly up to a High D, but I ain't one of them.
In any event, after some strenuous warmups we sang through the second half of the scene because that's what I'm going to be singing sooner (at the concert with my bass friend). I am singing it very well and I probably sang the ending the best I've sung it (I sang it about three times this afternoon). Then we decided to dive into the Amneris/Radames duet. My teacher loves singing this and it will be a definite yes for our Spring concert. Well, after fumbling a bit through the introductory recits, and singing a bit carelessly (read light and skimming the surface) through her glorious "Ah, tu dei vivere", I just totally ran out of energy and couldn't make it through "Chi ti salva sciagurato" and that first high B flat was a hideous bloodcurdling scream.
My teacher said the problem was I wasn't thinking about what I was doing but I also felt just completely drained, like all the "juice" had been wrung out of me. (Juice. That's what I should have brought with me, I now realize.) All was not lost, and after a brief pep talk from my teacher we went through the reprise (which is much easier for me of course because there's less to sing) and I nailed the note. And then we went through it (the reprise) again and I nailed it again and sounded really great, so we decided to quit while we're ahead. My teacher told me to isolate that ascending scale and sing it on "aw" (not "ah", which can get spread) and then go back and try to sing the section again from "Chi ti salva".
I just am really upset that I get so tired. I got enough sleep last night and have been eating healthy (and then some, in fact I'm at my maximum weight for being this short - there have been times when I weighed more but I was three inches taller) so why the fatigue? Yes, I've had among the most stressful weeks of my entire life but I sounded great yesterday. Maybe it was the heat? In any event, I just really hate that I'm such a weakling.
In other news, after my lesson we talked about repertoire for the Spring concert and decided we'll probably do the Water Duet from Gioconda (with the option of doing the two arias) and then maybe the last act of Carmen. I have never sung that so it should be interesting to learn it.
So that means I'll shelve Werther for a while. Charlotte is a role I keep meaning to learn but somehow I never get to her. The opera has a few nice moments but I have to say I'm not crazy about it.
Tomorrow I won't be singing because I'm taking my partner out for her birthday. We are going to see Sherie Renee Scott in Everyday Rapture
Rather ironically, Scott first came to attention playing Amneris in the Disney version of Aida. I haven't heard the whole thing, but never cease to be amused at how the erotically charged "Deh vieni, vieni amor mio m'innebria" morphed into "There's a buck naked princess in bed, waiting for you". Ah, pop culture!
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