Off to Rehearsal

I'm off to my first Carmelites rehearsal. I now have Mother Jeanne totally memorized including the tough spot at the end where I sing (totally atonally) alone with Sister Constance. We will see if I can hold my own tonight. As I've said, I am not a natural harmonizer although once I get a part in my head I can hang onto it.

I also am going to seriously learn Mother Marie. She has to sing four high B flats but they're sort of "throwaway" notes in recitative, not big powerful notes that you have to hang onto like the ones in Aida.

I have been listening to her part of the recording and working on the French. As I'm primarily an "ear learner", if I keep listening to the recording I will know the part. Luckily French is an easy language for me because I grew up hearing my mother speak it.

I have to admit, unfortunately, that I'm not quite ambitious enough to get to rehearsal early to listen to the rehearsal of some of the Mother Marie scenes that I'm not in. I have decided to stop by my mother's apartment instead. But there's time. My goal is to know the part by the time we go on break on December 17. It shouldn't be hard because once I'm secure with Mother Jeanne I won't have to sing through it during my practice times at home - which I have to admit have not been as numerous or as extensive as I would like, as a result of all the copyediting (what pays the rent) that has come pouring in - and can work on Mother Marie instead.

More later....