Dinos and Divas and Robots, Oh My!

A Little Left Out

2009-11-13T17:20:24Z

NaNoWriMo is going on right now and, to be completely honest, I feel a little left out. I love the concept, I love doing it, but I cannot (CANNOT) do it now. But I want to! But I can't! OH THE ANGST.

The bottom line is that I cannot sacrifice my sleep for NaNo because sacrificing what precious-little sleep I get means sacrifices my opera-strength. AKA NOOO. It's not worth it. And I don't have time during the day to write. :( I have class non-stop 9am-10pm three days a week and I get out at 5:30 on the other two days. The weekends are work and practicing. Keine Zeit für schreiben...

So, yeah, this is a whiny post. I'm sorry. I just had to get it out of my system...

I Want the World...I Want the Whole World!

2009-11-11T16:26:47Z

Opera Theater of Saint Louis is hosting the world premiere of The Golden Ticket, a new opera based on Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. One of my favorite mezzos, Jennifer Rivera, is playing Veruca Salt. (Of course the mezzo would play the bratty kid...)

As exciting as this is, this brings up a topic that I've been thinking about/talking with other people about recently. What is with this new trend of making musicals out of movies? Granted, Charlie is a book, but there are two big movies and a musical based on it already. Now there needs to be an opera of it? I think the question needs to be: is this good operatic material?

So here's my problem: medium. Every medium -- be it opera, broadway musical, movie, play, novel, whatever -- has its inherent strong points. Some stories just work in a certain medium. When you start juggling it around, the story loses its original impact. Shrek the musical? Spiderman the musical? An opera based on An Inconvenient Truth? I mean, come on -- who thought this was a good idea? You see the same thing happen when they make your favorite book into a movie. Some movie renditions are wonderful and they even enhance the original story, but some books just lose all their power when they're put into movie form.

I've noticed a trend, especially in broadway musicals, and I think that these media are being compromised because everything new that is being written isn't taking into account the strengths and weaknesses of the form in mind. I could blame it all on commercialism, but this trend began before the recession came in full-force. I think the cause is more laziness than anything. There isn't a commitment to the craft. There needs to be a commitment to the craft! Nothing good ever came from half-hearted writing.

Joyce Didonato, a very successful mezzo-soprano with a refreshing, ever-present awe of life, said it perfectly in her last post when she explained Dr. George Gibson's philosophy. He believes in the three Ds: Dedication, Disclipline, and Determination. I think that is such a great motivator and thing to live by. If only the entertainment industry would do the same...

Nein! Es ist nicht auszukommen mit den Leuten!

2009-11-06T16:10:07Z

No, there is no dealing with people!

This semester needs to be over. Now. Kthanksbye

Letter to Life

2009-11-05T03:50:42Z

Dear Life,

How can you be so complex and lovely and draining all at once? I've been here so long, trying in vain to peer through you, but all I see are nameless things-- those things which inspire and confound and ignite.

Open to me! Show me your secrets! Explain yourself. Unravel the hand-knit knots that plague my mind. Night and day you stare me down and laugh because I cannot stare back long enough to win against you. Give in just this once--let me beat you!

God, you present such beautiful things: the scent of winter's fireplaces on the night air, the feel of a wool scarf on my fragile throat, the sight of a kiss blown across the room from one so beloved, the sound of enchanting music -- music to break my heart from an abundance of love.

I gather it all about me; I try to let it seep in. My soul desires and yet resists. When will anything make sense?

See, you have tired me out! I can only sleep now. Unconsciousness beckons to me. I cannot push it away; I cannot stop my hearing. I seek it out as it searches after me. Sleep--one of my favorite dance partners. Let us waltz!

Until tomorrow. Only until tomorrow. Then we shall begin all over again. Conflict, love, tension, release, revelation...

Love,
me

Experimental

2009-11-03T04:33:35Z

Imagine a 100-piece orchestra and a 60-piece choir improvising. At the same time. In no set key. INSANITY

That is about 50 measures worth of the Pärt Credo that we're doing with symphony orchestra and chorale. EPIC

How's that for art?

The Skinny on Skinny

2009-10-30T14:54:57Z

I walked into work today and the first words out of my coworker's mouth were,

"Hey there, skinny girl!"

I'm proud to announce that I am wearing a size 10 pair of jeans today. In May, I was pushing a 14. Here's the story:

In May, I was cast in the opera and I said to myself, "Now this is real. In order to have this career, I need to look amazing." I was really inspired by something that Natalie Dessay (a very successful opera singer) said in an interview. She said, "[If you're on stage,] you have to make people dream." I agree with that. Also, I'm totally committed to my artistry and I want to make my character look like they would if they really existed. It needs to be realistic on every level. Prince Orlofsky, a spoiled brat rich teenage boy, is definitely skinner than I am. Besides, I work so hard on my technique and my languages and everything- why should I work any less on this aspect of my performance? I can't let anything get in my way. Therefore I started to try.

The first five attempts/strategies did not work. Some were a lot of work (and I lost literally ZERO pounds) and some made me sick (I got off them immediately) but I've never used pills and I've only done things naturally. (I will talk in a second about the health aspect of this.)

While I was in Austria, I ate tons of pastries and sang my butt off and dropped to a 12. But I couldn't do anything after that and I couldn't go back to Austria and simulate the experience, so I was stuck once again. Two weeks ago, I started a new diet that has finally worked and I am now a size 10. I am thanking God every day because SOMETHING IS FINALLY WORKING! Sure, I'm not eating any of my favorite foods, but it's worth it! I learned that everyone's body is different and you have to find what works for your chemistry. I guess it's like everything else in life: when things don't work the first time, try something else and never give up!

Now, I was committed to losing weight in a healthy way, because I think that it's very important. Looking good means nothing if you're not healthy. Besides, as an opera singer, my body is my instrument and I have changed my lifestyle on a few accounts in order to keep it in top condition. As a singer, you also have to be extremely careful about losing weight because fat distribution affects your singing and technique. (There's an extremely interesting blog post about how your body type affects the sort of vocal problems that you will encounter.) Dropping weight too fast or unnaturally can cause major issues with your voice. That is the last thing I need because it totally defeats the purpose of losing weight in the first place!

So here's my thing: if you want something bad enough, work hard to get it. Go for what you want! I still have a ways to go (and this will probably be a life-long endeavor of mine), but I'm willing to do it because I love what I'm doing and I will do anything I can to be completely successful at it.

Prince Orlofsky, here I come!

Accomplished

2009-10-26T04:34:06Z

Just finished signing up for classes for spring semester. FUN! I was SOOOOO tempted to take French 1 and Russian 1, but I promised my best friend that I'd wait for next year to start French. I'm taking German 4 and Italian 4 next semester. I think I can hold off on French. Russian's optional at this point. I might want Play Analysis or Creative Writing instead. We'll see. I'm not sure that my brain can handle FOUR foreign languages. I know the Russian alphabet. I'd love to learn the basics. :)

So, the final verdict on my schedule is:
German 4
Italian 4
Private Voice Lessons
Private Cello Lessons
the usual ensembles (chorale, chamber singers, opera, symphony orchestra, string orchestra)
History of 20th Century Music (w00t - Philip Glass)
Orchestration (!)

There was this honors class that studied Ring Cycles in film, lit, and OPERA (aka Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Wagner's Ring Cycle, James Joyces' something, etc) but I can't take it because it's during my opera scenes class. EPIC FAIL. I'm so upset! They have an opera class when none of the serious opera people can take it. Genuis. I went to the honors office to make them aware of this fact, but they won't change the time of the class. I'm probably the only person in the school who might be SINGING in the Ring Cycle one day but whatever. Do you know how rare Wagnerian singers are? Sheesh.

Ok, my rant is over. There are so many good classes that I'd love to take (like Speech for Actors), but alas -- I only have so many hours in the day.

Three Cups of Coffee or, The Life of a College Student

2009-10-24T16:43:00Z

I've had three horrible cups of coffee today. The first I made myself, the second I bought at Starbucks and the third I got from Panera. All of these places usually have good or at least DECENT coffee. But today, they were all mutinying against me. The one day I really needed it!

I had chorus rehearsal at 10 this morning and I have an orchestra concert tonight. And I still haven't had a good cup of coffee. Boo.

</lame>

Just Because

2009-10-22T14:03:09Z

This is the underworld.

I miss Mark Morris productions. They make my life.

Discoveries

2009-10-17T15:40:01Z

So, I made some discoveries yesterday.

-Skinny hazelnut lattes at Starbucks = LOVE And they're only 90 calories!! DOUBLE LOVE

-When something seems sketchy, LEAVE. PRONTO. I went to a local college last night with some friends to see an experimental drama and we left before it even started because the place was SKETCHY. We took a vote and went to Starbucks instead.

-Isabel (opera director) told my best friend, Rachel, that our characters are going to "like each other very much." Granted, I'm playing a boy (what else is new). I'm very interested to see how this opera turns out...

How did my life turn out this way?

First Day of Scarves

2009-10-12T16:15:02Z

Believe it or not, singers don't wear scarves just for the heck of it. There IS a reason. And that, of course, is vocal health.

Being the lame-o opera singer that I am, I have to keep my throat the same temperature all the time. In other words, it's cold enough now that I have to start wearing scarves. Hurray -- fall has officially arrived! If I'm seen outside without a scarf, Tammy has full claim to my head. I mean, she makes sure her 6-year-old son has his throat covered and he's not even a singer! When she says to do something, you do it! She means business. ;)

My mom had the cutest reaction. She said, "Oh, so opera singers don't wear those scarves as a fashion statement; there's actually a reason!" haha I had always assumed that opera singers wear scarves to seem classy, but I guess not. Although, I've learned that opera singers are not as classy as they seem. (Most of them are actually pretty nerdy.) But you don't have to take my word for it. (* cue Reading Rainbow music *)

Observe: Renee Fleming (HUGEST thing in opera right now - La Diva herself)

From the Met's production of Thais last season:

Caught backstage at the Met after a performance:

And, yes, she's wearing her scarf!

Not Too Young for Marriage Proposals

2009-10-02T16:25:08Z

The funniest thing happened at opera scenes yesterday:

I was running through my Werther piece with George (on piano). It was just a musical run-through and no one was actually supposed to be listening. But, alas, it's rather hard to NOT hear my voice (through walls, down the street, you get the idea...).

So after I finished, I went to sit down and Brian (one of my good friends) leaned over and said,

"One day, I'm just going to propose. There's something about when you sing...whenever you sing, you make me want to marry you."

Haha!

Then Rachel, hearing this, leaned over and said,

"I never told you this, but last semester at opera scenes, Pat [her boyfriend] said to me, 'Honey, you sang beautifully, but when Kim sang I just wanted to marry her.'" LOLZZZZ

So apparently my singing has magical powers. At least it inspires people to virtue (and not other things). Marriage is a good thing! This could be very useful. Maybe this will work in real life...

Another funny story that's kind of related:

I've babysat Tammy's 6-year-old son, Rainer, a few times. He was at one of Tammy's performances 2 weeks ago and when he saw me, he started jumping up and down and he asked,

"Are you coming over today?"

"Not today," I said. "Maybe soon, though."

His next question was, "Um, can you move in with us?"

hahaha

Morgen, his older sister, came over and asked,

"Did he just ask you to move in with us?"

"Yeah."

"Oh gosh. He's been talking about it all week."

lolz

So many proposals. What to do with them all?

Maybe a Psych Degree is Good for Something After All

2009-09-30T16:18:30Z

My Mom finally put her psychology degree to good use: she helped me with my opera homework.

I'm studying a scene from Werther and I couldn't figure out Charlotte's super-objective. She's a very complicated character and I really needed someone to talk with about it. It took about an hour of conversation, but it was worth it! I went in to Isabel with my idea and she was totally satisfied. I told my Mom and she's like, "I wasn't a psych major for nothing!" hahah

I don't have anything against psych majors; I'm just being silly. My Mom actually did a lot with her psych degree. She went into advertising and eventually got a high-level job with A. C. Nielsen (the people responsible for TV ratings). She's very good at figuring people out and she has given me valuable insight on more than one occasion. It's like having my own personal shrink. ;)

Either way, I'm very happy with how my "character work check-up" went yesterday. Isabel was excited by the things I was spewing out. I even got a "that's intense" from George. SCORE.

I was reading an interview with Vesselina Kasarova (an EXCEPTIONAL opera singer) and she said something very interesting about acting. She almost alludes to the fact that you can mess up your mind and your emotional state if you take on the wrong characters at the wrong time. She says it this way,

"Beside the vocal range, it’s also very important to know the character of the role. For example, there are roles I could sing now because all the notes are there, but the problem is to bring in the character, and that I couldn’t do right now. Maybe later, with more experience, then it would all come together. With the dramatic repertoire, the point is that you are singing with so much emotion that these emotions really can damage your voice. It's not the notes which are written, but there is so much happening in your mind.. For example, if young singers try certain roles too early, it can be a problem, because on stage these emotions, these feelings, don't fit your personal state of being. Maybe a boy who's thirteen years old isn't ready to do certain things. It's the same for the singer. You will have difficulties to control the balance of all these big emotions. So it's better to be a bit older."

(You can find the entire interview here.)

Interesting, no? I've always wondered about this and I find it very interesting to actually see that someone else has an opinion on it.

Most people think that don't have to act to be an opera singer, but this is ENTIRELY untrue. Opera is an extension of straight theater and therefore it adheres to the principles of drama. The actual physical act of singing does sometimes hamper the movement onstage, but this isn't to the degree that most people believe.

This is a whole other discussion in itself (so I'll leave it for the moment), but what I'm trying to say is that this character of Charlotte is definitely stretching my limits. She's my age but she's been through much more than I have and so, in one sense, she's older than I am. It's going to be very interesting learning how to balance the emotions and the music in this scene. This is a very dark, charged scene and I'm going to have to figure out how to let the dark elements of the scene leak in without letting too much in (because that would destroy everything). I have my goals laid out for me.

Oh, and keeping my sanity is always a good thing.

For Granted

2009-09-28T03:18:53Z

It's amazing how many things you take for granted. My dishwasher broke a few days ago and we've been washing everything by hand. It's so much time and effort! I feel bad for people who have to do this all the time. I am such a spoiled brat. The worst part of all this is that my Mom's skin problems have gotten really bad lately from it. :(

This lack of convenience was the worst part of being in Europe. It was so different to live there! I thought I'd already gotten my dose of "you take this for granted" but I guess it's not over yet!

I just finished watching Das Rheingold, the first part of Wagner's Ring Cycle. The last ten minutes were filled with such incredible music. Wagner is NOT all screaming crazy ladies with horns and spears. To be honest, it wasn't even what I was expecting. It was so fantastic. I can't wait to see the rest of the cycle.

There's a character in it named Fricka and I love her. I want to play her! When I was in Austria, my teacher said (on more than one occasion) that I'd play her. That's crazy! Very few people can handle that part. You need to be a Wagnerian mezzo-soprano. I almost fell over the first time she said it. Me, a Wagnerian! I never dreamed it would happen but you never know!

And now, because I love them:
Stolen from mcollinknight

I put my music player on shuffle and these were the songs that came up.

Song 1: Got To Get You Into My Life by The Beatles

Is this your favorite song by that band/artist? Almost! The only one that beats it out is "Here Comes the Sun"
Is there a certain part of the song that you absolutely love? I love the screaming "GOT TO GET YOU INTO MY LIFE!" part
Which lyric is your favorite? ditto
Is this song more happy or sad? very happy :)
How long have you liked this song? Since I first heard it...that was forever ago
Do you sing along to this song often? always...although, I sing along to almost everything

Song 2: Hanging By a Moment by Lifehouse

How long is this song? 3:36
Does this song relate to your life at all? definitely: I'm always "desperate for changing, starving for truth"
Did you find this song on your own and did someone else introduce it to you? I heard it on the radio and fell in love
Is it like most of the other music you listen to or is it completely different? It's a sound that I like. I have a good amount of music with this sound. however, my music is really varied; I don't have one "sound" that I like best
Are you embarrassed to like this song? a little bit
Do you listen to this song when you're doing certain things or is it a song you can listen to anytime? I like to listen to it when I'm driving

Song 3: Charge of the Light Brigade by DeGarmo and Key

What album is this song from? Commander Sozo and The Charge of the Light Brigade
Is this the only song you like by this band/artist? pretty much; it's the song that got me "into" them but I don't listen to them too much anymore
What's your favorite aspect of the song (lyrics, the beat, etc)? definitely the lyrics and the overall sound (gotta love that 80s keyboard!)
Do you know what this song is about? yes -- it's about the "end days"
How did you come to find this song? parents
What year did this song come out? 1985 (this thing is older than I am!)

Song 4: Wizards in Winter by Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Have you seen this band/artist in concert? No!! Every single time I want to go, I have a concert of my own. It's so annoying! I even got tickets for my bday one year and I had to GIVE THEM UP because of a concert conflict! aggggggggghhhhhh
Do you know anyone else who likes this song? yes -- pretty much my entire family
Do you have any other versions of this song? this is a remix of a lovely Beethoven piano sonata :)
Is the singer male or female? no singer
How does this song make you feel? pumped
Is this band/artist very popular? pretty popular

Song 5: Since by Man Came Death from Handel's Messiah

What's your favorite song by this band/artist? hard question! probably the Hallelujah Chorus and not because I don't know anything else by him (I know and love a lot of his opera and oratorios!) but because it's just one of the most amazing pieces of music ever written
Do you have any of their merchandise? I don't think Handel has any "merchandise"
Does this song have good lyrics? Yes :)
Is this song special to you in any way? the entire Messiah holds a special place in my heart
Do you know who wrote it? George Frideric HANDEL
Can you remember when you first heard this song? recently actually -- this is a section that's never on the "highlights" versions that I've always listened to until I bought this recording one month ago

Song 6: The Steward of Gondor from The Return of the King soundtrack by Howard Shore

Do your parents know this song? Yes and they all love it
Is this song longer than 6 minutes? nope
Does this song have lyrics or is it instrumental? mostly instrumental but it has this INCREDIBLE a capella interlude where Pippin/Billy Boyd sings this chilling Hobbit song
Do think you this is the best song the band/artist has ever done? definitely one of the best
Do you get sick of this song quickly or can you listen to it over and over again? It never gets old.

Song 7: Children in the Streets by Edison Glass

Is this song by your favorite band? they're one of my favorite bands; I don't have one favorite
Would you ever pay to see the band/artist in concert? definitely
Is this song older than you? nope (for once!)
Can you head bang to this song? hmmm, probably; I've never tried
What genre would you classify this song as? instrumental/experimental rock
Does this song remind you of a certain time in your life? high school

Song 8: Spiel'ich die Unschuld vom Lande (Adele's "Audition Aria") from Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss

Do you listen to this song often? almost never -- it's one of the most annoying arias in the whole show
Do you own the CD this song is on? no; I downloaded this album
What's the longest song you have by this band/artist? depends how you count it -- probably 30 minutes
Is this song fast or slow? it keeps changing; typical Strauss -- twenty different tempi in one piece
Has this song ever been a theme for a TV show? no but it definitely could be; it's so darn catchy
Do most people know about this song? only people who know operetta

Song 9: Bei Mannern, welche Liebe fuhlen from Mozart's The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflote)

What's this song about? being married :)
Are there any cuss words in this song? ha, no
Has this song ever been covered by any bands/artists? by Beethoven (he wrote variations on it for cello)
Do you know all the words to this song? almost all of them
What's your favorite song by this band/artist? by Mozart!! It's impossible to choose. IMPOSSIBLE. Some of my favorites are his Marriage of Figaro overture, "Deh, per questo istante solo" from La Clemenza di Tito, and his 40th Symphony
How long is this song? 2:46

Song 10: Puedo Escribir by Sixpence None the Richer

Does this song make you sad? a little bit
Does this song have any odd instruments in it? yes -- definitely some ethnic instruments
Do you think anyone in this band is attractive? Leah Nash, the lead singer, is very cute. She's the only one I ever see on their stuff.
Have you ever heard this song live? nope
Can you dance to this song? definitely some crazy impromptu spanish dancing or something
Can you relate to this song at all? not really; this is probably my least favorite song from this artist

Song 11: The Eleventh Hour by Jars of Clay

Why do you like this song? this entire album is one of the best albums of all time and this song is the culmination of it all; the lyrics are to die for and I LOVE the sound
Is this song by one of your favorite bands/artists? yes
How did you find out about this song? bought the album and listened
Is this a love song? yes, but not in the usual way
Have you liked this song for a long time? ever since I first heard it -- so, yes
Is this song older or newer? olderish

Song 12: Autobahn by Anberlin

Is this song special to you? yes
Is this band/artist known for anything? amazing lyrics
What's your favorite lyric in this song? "as time drips like Dahli"
Do you like this song or the song from #6 more? I think #6 wins but only by a hair
Do you know all the words to this song? yes
Where is this band/artist from? America I think

Song 13: An Epiphany by The Send

Does this song have good lyrics? pretty good
Does anyone in your family like this song also? my brothers - they got me into it
What country is this band/artist from? America I think
Do you have any of their merchandise? nope
What's the chorus of this song? "We've got the motions down
And we all have the moon and the raining clouds
We need to realize that only love
Will show us what we all are living for"
Did you find this song on your own? nope - I blame my brothers; they listened to it nonstop

Song 14: Cruda Amarilli by Monteverdi

How many times have you listened to this song? way too many; a group did it for opera scenes last Fall
What album is this song on? my listening assignments for my music history class
What does the album cover look like? orange and ugly
Have you seen the video for this song, if there is one? there definitely isn't one; it was written in the 17th century
Did you download this song illegally? I took it from the music library at school; is that stealing?
What genre would you say this song is? baroque madrigals

Song 15: Ich kenn' Ihn schon recht wohl from Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss

Is this one of your favorite songs? YESSSS -- this is one of the cutest scenes of all time
Does this band/artist happen to be from your state/province? No - he was German
What year was this song released? 1911
Do you have any posters of this band/artist? not yet
Is the lead singer of this band attractive? the singers in this song are women and I don't know what they both look like so "no comment"
Is this song more upbeat or mellow? upbeat...so upbeat...so cute!!

Calming the Storm, Walking on Water

2009-09-17T02:28:48Z

Things have been pretty crazy at my school recently. There were news guys all over the place today. I successfully dodged them all (score!), but I hate to think that they were there for bad reasons. Thankfully, the whole thing was a racket. The alleged crimes never happened. Good to know now. I only wish I knew this when I got a text message this evening saying, "Two female students were accosted on north campus. Please exercise caution." I was at home (a freak accident) but all my girl friends were there. Stress, anyone? Apparently even those incidents were not serious/real. Stupid, stupid girls at my school. All they care about is attention. Nevermind that you made 15,000+ people crazy for three days. So stupid.

In other news: I've just been having a fabulous music week. I discovered Hindemith's orchestral suite to his "Mathis der Maler," Chopin's "raindrop" prelude, Bach fugues and suites played on the lute, and three new CDs that are all amazing (!: Anberlin's "New Surrender," Jars of Clay's "The Long Fall Back to Earth," and Daughtry's "Leave This Town"). That, and I got to see the NY Phil's opening on PBS. <3 Renee's dress was gorgeous. She was gorgeous. They played Messiaen and Berlioz (Symphonie Fantastik). LOVE.

As an added bonus, I have Haydn's L'anima del filosofo; Orfeo ed Euridice coming in the mail and I only paid $20 when all was said and done. I CANNOT WAIT. My Orpheus obsession continues. Next on my list is the DVD of Vesselina's Orfee. AHHHHHH.

So, all is well. I'm unveiling my Werther scene tomorrow. Über goosebumps for that. It should be okay. Please let it be okay. LET ME REMEMBER MY FRENCH! (Je devrais les détruire... je ne puis!)

Another bonus for today: I passed my first German exam! *fireworks* I'm going to survive German 3! Life is good. :)

Let's see how tomorrow goes...

Stress-Busters

2009-09-11T15:53:27Z

School's back in session and that means BRING ON THE STRESS! (Especially if you're a music major and you have 10 days to learn 10 pages of music in French plus do all your homework and practice everything else and show up for rehearsal and... Need I go on?)

So, here are 5 ways that I've found to reduce stress and bring a little HAPPY! into your life.

1. Read Jennifer Rivera's blog, Trying to Remain Opera-tional. She's so funny and down-to-earth and you'll always learn something about the "real world of opera." Or you'll learn something about life -- she can be very deep. Either way, it's a great way to add a little flavor to your day.

2. Listen to Mozart on the way to class. There's nothing like Mozart to lift your spirits no matter WHAT is happening. MP3 downloads on Amazon are easy and cheap! I suggest The Overture to The Marriage of Figaro (only $0.99!) or one of the beautiful duets of all time, "Ah perdona al primo affetto" (from La Clemenza di Tito) which is also only $0.99.

3. Take 10 minutes to just sit and drink a cup of coffee (or other comforting beverage of choice). Taking time to just "chill" gets you prepared to face the rest of the day.

4. Read a Psalm. Even if you're not "into the God thing" or whatever, you have no idea how these words can bring peace into your life. They're so reassuring and calming -- definitely worth turning to when you're really stressed out. You can find a "modern" version of the Bible (no "Thou art" and such) online. Here's two really good spots: Psalm 37 and Song of Songs 4:8-15.

5. Write a letter. Writing a letter to someone is such a nice (and unexpected gesture). Not only will it give you time to relax and just enjoy something for a moment, but it will have a nice effect in the future when that person gets the letter. Draw pictures on it for extra stress relief. :)

Shout-Out

2009-09-06T02:55:17Z

F-list, I need your help! I'm writing a chapbook - partially just because I want to and partially as a way to give creative Christmas gifts this year - and I'd really like some people to read what I have and give me some feedback.

It's a total of about 30 poems. They're generally short and are by no means dense reading. Besides, you can read as much or as little as you want. They're split into two seconds: one set called Songs of Orfeo (based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice) and another called Qualms (or, Society).

Any and all help is VERY MUCH appreciated. :) Comment or message me with your email address if you'd like to be a reader. Also let me know what/how much you want to read. Thank you in advance!

I'm Going!

2009-09-01T18:54:12Z

For opera scenes this semester, I might get to play Sesto, possibly one of the coolest characters under the sun. Listen to this:

Sesto (you might know him as Sextus) is right-hand man to Tito (Titus), Emperor of Rome and he's going out with the deposed emperor's daughter, Vitellia. Now, Vitellia is only interested in Sesto because she wants to knock off Tito but Sesto's too nice/naive/in love to notice this. So the whole show Vitellia's trying to convince Sesto to kill Tito. Not only is Tito the Emperor, but he is Sesto's best friend, mentor, father-figure, and the reason that Sesto has such a good position in the government.

So in the fantastic aria that I might sing, Vitellia has just asked Sesto why he hasn't left yet (to go kill Tito) and Sesto sings "Parto, parto" (which means "I'm leaving, I'm leaving!").

Sesto is so complicated and unpredictable and incredibly nice (which makes him unbearably cute and yet sometimes annoying) and I really hope that I get to play him!

Here's one of my favorite renditions of this aria, sung by the wonderful Susan Graham. This aria is from Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito and it's not usually performed this way. The opera takes place in ancient Rome but this staging is modernized. I just love that they have Vitellia putting on war paint while her boyfriend desperately just tries to get her to look at him. It's different but it works. Also, listen for the crazy clarinet solos. That is TOTALLY Vitellia manipulating Sesto. (Mozart, you're ingenious!) I apologize for the Italian aria with Spanish subtitles. I couldn't find one with English. :( If you want to know what's actually being said, a rough English translation is under the video.

I'm leaving but, my love,
let's make peace!
Your happiness
is all I want to have.

Look at me and I'll do everything for you.
I'll take your revenge!
A single glance for me!
Oh gods, to know such beauty!

In Which the Brain is Well Pleased

2009-08-31T14:50:25Z

Did you ever get the feeling that something is just so beautiful that you could burst from it?

It doesn't happen too often (and when it does it usually involves me taking 888 pictures), but this summer was chock-full of those moments. It happened every day when I was over in Europe and it happened again last night. It's amazing how these things can sneak up on you and bring such a profound surprise that it tantalizes your brain for days.

Enter Sven-Eric Brechtold's production of Der Rosenkavalier (also known as "the best $20 that I've ever spent"). This has to be one of the most beautiful opera productions that I've seen since the Met's new Butterfly. But this isn't about opera; it's more than that -- it's aesthetics and talent and loveliness.

It doesn't happen too often, but when a bunch of creative and talented people get together and work for something, beauty is created. It's amazing to think that we can generate beauty -- that's it's something tangible enough to be formed with human hands and brains. And yet beauty is intangible enough to be elusive, even when it's on full display. My mind cannot comprehend the immense power of what it has witnessed. It's like putting down an incredible, incredible book and spending the next week thinking "How does something like this even exist? Who had the ability to create it?" And to be the one to actually create that is one of my life goals.

The funniest thing of all is that my awe is never inspired by perfection. These immensely beautiful things are always flawed, sometimes deeply so. I could rant and rave about how much I hate a particular choice that the director made or this bad character moment, but I'm still overwhelmed with love for the production. How is this possible? How am I so overwhelmed by one little DVD?

(Strangely enough, as I was writing this post, I read that m_stiefvater wrote an entry on this very subject. I happen to be reading her book at the moment and it has added to my mystifying encounter with beauty.)

I'm actually at a loss for words. Some writer I am!

Poor Baby Brother!

2009-08-28T15:11:38Z

My lovely military brother is home on sick leave. I've never been so happy to see someone with the flu! It's so nice to have him home. I do feel bad that he's sick, but he gets to watch Star Trek and eat E.L.Fudge cookies so it can't be all that horrible.

Ah, baby brother, how I love you! I knew I'd miss him, but now that he's home for a few days, I know that I've been REALLY missing him. I write/email him almost every day and I think we're closer now than ever. Isn't that funny? He's farther away than ever before and we're closer than we've ever been? Funny, funny stuff...

I'm just really trying to stay healthy myself. He came home wearing one of those face masks and I'm like OMGOSH WHAT DOES HE HAVE?!??! But it's just the flu. :( His roommate MADE him go to the infirmary and I'm glad he did! Three cheers for Fogarty! Notable people have died from the flu (many of which I love with all my heart -- like George Washington and Jim Henson and Mozart and ~~Lully~~). I'm glad someone knocked some sense into him and told him to get help. Poor guy had a 102 fever!

So he's on the couch watching Captain Picard save the day and listening to me blabber on about Austria and Hofstra and opera and such. I get him until Tuesday. :) Hurray for sick leave!

And the World Seems So Big...

2009-08-27T18:58:07Z

Kim = safe and sound and fighting jet lag

My European Adventure was wonderful but I'm so glad that it's over. It was certainly an adventure in the grandest sense. We had our rough patches and our moments of breathless glory, but it's all over now. I learned a lot (A LOT) and I'm so grateful for the experience.

Now it's time to look ahead. I'm excited for the new school year. There's so much to look forward to! Incoming freshman, music department politics, a whole new opera production (in which I have my first real role!), junior recital (!), friends, loves, anti-loves, quasi-loves, and the normal surprises of life. Oh, and surviving both German 3 and Italian 3. This semester is shaping up to be a challenging one (as always).

The freshman have just started moving in. I love watching gaggles of teenage girls -- all with the same pencil-thin figure, pin-straight hair, and Prada bags -- mosey over the quad like they own the place. Just wait until the upper-classmen arrive. They won't be so sure then...

Ah, I love being a junior! I love it already. I hope we get some freshie recruits for the opera company. I'd love to see someone come in who's really into it. I have a goal -- I'm going to try and find one freshman who knows who Renee Fleming is. That shouldn't be too hard considering that Renee Fleming is poster-child of the Met and of the opera-world in general. And she's a soprano! Every aspiring soprano knows Renee Fleming. Can't wait to hear all the new vocal majors! ~~whahahahahahahahahahaha~~

So, all is well. I miss the Austrian coffee already (and the slow pace) but I definitely don't miss the dorm room. Ahhh, my beautiful bed, how I love you. :)

And just to prove what a nerd I am:

Yes, that's real. And I own it. On the back, it says, "Weapon of choice: pure musical genius!" I LOVE IT.

Creepy

2009-08-21T21:01:57Z

This is by far the creepiest thing I have ever seen in real life.

This guy, a count from forever ago, is enshrined in the middle of the altar at the front of a church. And it's not just any church; it's the church where they filmed the wedding in The Sound of Music.

Um, ew.

Here he is with his buddies in the altar.

On a happier note: sunsets are so much prettier in old cities.

Check out all my pictures here. I visited a fortress (Helmsdeep, anyone?) and other famous Sound of Music spots.

Maggie Stiefvater Strikes Again!

2009-08-20T20:16:15Z

BALLAD, Oct. 1 -- be there...

The City of Music

2009-08-18T19:26:12Z

A recap of Vienna, the city of music:

First of all, I want to show you some pictures of the locals. (Uncle Bob, this is for you.)

The main streets of Vienna were a lot like a circus. There was always something going on. Below are some (rather interesting) street musicians.

The square group (playing Chinese music):

The triangle group (playing "Non piu andrai" from The Marriage of Figaro with a Spanish flair):

Here's a video of the triangle group:

And, last but not least, the creepy street musician:

Now, onto the sights. My favorites had to be the Stephansdom (the huge cathedral where Mozart was married), the Vienna State Opera House, and the Hofburg Palace.

First, the Stephansdom. Here's a taste:

You can see all my pictures of the Stephansdom here.

The Vienna State Opera House was interesting because on the outside it was bigger than I expected but on the inside it was smaller than I thought it would be. It only sits about 2000 (the Met sits 4000). It seemed small to me because I'm used to the Met. I'm spoiled, what can I say?

You can see all the pictures of the Vienna State here.

And the Hofburg Palace. This place was crazy. It was beyond huge and it was covered in marble. Floors, walls, ceilings -- all marble. It blew my mind.

Inside the Palace, there were three museums. We went to the musical instrument collection, the arms and armor collection, and the ancient Roman ruins collection. Here are some of the highlights:

See all the Hofburg Palace pictures here.

And of course, as always, you can see all the pictures here. For just Vienna, you can start here.

Now, a special section: FOR THE MUSIC GEEKS.

There were many *squee!!* moments during my trip to Vienna. Here are some of the highlights. :)

1. On the streets of Vienna, I started to notice these stars on the ground. I looked and behold - each one was dedicated to a different composer or important music person! You can see them all here.

2. It's Mozart Land II. Here's another beautiful statue of him and more paraphernalia.

The BEST part of it was standing in his apartment at 5 Domgasse. I stood in the rooms he lived in and stood at his windows and saw the things he saw (the street outside his study window was preserved!). I had goosebumps standing there knowing that he and his family had romped around in that living room, that Haydn and Leopold Mozart had stayed in that guest room, and that Mozart had sat in his study composing The Marriage of Figaro, my favorite opera of all time. They didn't kill the apartment by adding modern things to it like they did to the other two Mozart houses (in Salzburg) and the bare shell of the house made it all the more exciting. There was so much room for imagination and speculation. There are no words to describe my feelings.

3. This piano was given to the Schumanns as a wedding present by the maker. The Schumanns used it until Robert's death at which time Clara gave it to their good friend Johannes Brahms. Brahms used the piano until his death and he always treasured it as a precious gift. I TOUCHED that piano! How cool to think that less than 200 years ago, it was used by three great composers. How absolutely fantastic.

What else is there to say? The place was bursting with music and I loved it to death. I want to go back.

Dystopia

2009-08-17T20:07:29Z

This is a real picture that I look in Vienna, Austria.