Singing Makes It All Better

I haven't been having an easy time lately. I am worried about my finances (I don't want to cannibalize my 401ks) and exhausted by eldercare.

But when I sing, particularly when I sing well, or have a plan for someplace to sing next, all feels right with the world. I know this is probably foolish since I'm almost 60 and no matter how well I sing will never have a "career", but there you have it.

First, regarding the tenor. He wants to do Carmen (easy sing, lots of sex)and we're looking at the Fall of 2011. I will touch base with him again this Fall.

Next, I had a lesson yesterday. I can feel that my teacher is really excited about how I sound singing Amneris (despite lingering difficulties with those bloody B flats - more on that later) and he's also excited about singing the duet with me. Interestingly, he's still the only person who doesn't use the "D" word when describing my voice - he still calls me a "big lyric" - but he said I have real power in the upper register. The higher I sing the bigger my voice gets (which may explain why I hit a brick wall at A natural and have to push past it)but he's a little reluctant to call me a dramatic since I don't have a big middle. He did say that the conformation of my voice is more "old fashioned" (Simionato-like) than Zajick-like in that I don't shift to a lighter position for high notes. I have tried and tried and tried that and all it does is create tension so my teacher has helped me stay with the low larynx position. Actuall I think I figured out how to handle the B flats - if I raise my ribcage (and my arms) that pushes my larynx down and makes it easier to sing up the scale. In any event, the Judgment Scene is going really, really, well. I have always had a big, easy powerhouse A which is the note featured in that scene. And I've also learned to keep the drama in the scene by observing the dynamic markings not by feeling something myself. (I can hear The Mentor Who Shall Not Be Discussed telling me "You're not supposed to feel anything, you're supposed to make the audience feel something.")

Speaking of Himself, rather ironically, it turns out that the pianist who will be playing for us isn't set up with a piano in his studio yet, because he just moved here, so we may be using the basement of the Unitarian Church to rehearse with him. If so, it will be interesting to see what Himself thinks of this duet, if he's around to kibbitz. (If I haven't mentioned it before, we did make peace and he was very supportive and professional with me about my performance of "O My Lyre Immortelle" back in January.)