Amneris, Take One

Yesterday I ran through the Judgment Scene with the bass and the piano. This is the first time I've sung this in front of anyone except my teacher. It went really well.

Now it's important to remember: Any time I'm singing something requiring this much vocal stamina (it's got three high As and three high G sharps....attainable notes for me but nothing I can toss off if I'm tired or improperly fed) I watch what I eat and everything else I do like a hawk.

I didn't set the alarm, ate a cheese omelette (no carb-y cereal for breakfast if it's a singing afternoon)got up and made some phone calls, did a little work (I work at home, so any day can be a work day, or not), dressed (not up, but since the rehearsal was in a church I wore a skirt), and had a nice warmup. I sang excercises up to a B (I really can stretch up to a C but it's often a squeal or a shriek so I didn't go there) and then sang the ending "Empia razza, etc etc" which has to pack a big punch.

Luckily, by the time rehearsal started the congregation had cleared out so we got to use the big piano in the sanctuary. There were a few challenges, but we did one complete runthrough, a second minus my "Empia razza" bit (once per rehearsal is enough for that! - I worry if I sing it when I'm tired I'll end up with a bad muscle memory), and then worked on bits and pieces, mostly the counterpart at the end, including my singing an ascending scale up to an A which I managed about four times, remembering to keep my larynx down and that it will not make it easier if I sing "lightly"!!

So we're good to go for Sunday. I have a lesson tomorrow, otherwise I don't want to fiddle with the piece too much because I like how it sounds.

P.S. While we were practicing I drank half a bottle of "Muscle Milk". This is very high in calories but I find drinking it keeps me perky and helps my stamina when I'm singing (coffee does not!!) so I always have one with me unless I'm singing alto in the choir which takes no energy at all. Today in Pilates class someone referred to me as "fit" which I found flattering. By my younger standards I'm huge (5 foot 3.5 and 140 pounds) but I really have very little flab on me except for a midriff bulge that is the result of having once been taller. I think I'm a good size and build for singing this repertoire.