I am sick. Extremely sick. Coughing up a lung and completely voiceless. Last night I had to sing in an opera here at my school, in a fairly big role. I skipped all my classes yesterday, and went to see the doctor instead, who gave me every medication you can possibly think of (over the past week, I've taken 8 different ones). I've been drinking tea like it's nobody's business (including some emperor's green tea that I brought back from China last month, that's supposed to cure all my ailments).
Last night, I got to the theatre, after vocalizing (disastrously) with my voice teacher, scared to death, and put my costume on. Everyone told me I'd be fine, that my voice sounded better than I thought it did. I didn't believe them. It was awful. My first entrance on stage was something of a musical disaster. I was acting the hell out of the part, to compensate, but my voice was hardly functional. I found it very discouraging.
My aria is about halfway through Act II. At the beginning of Act II, I had a violent coughing fit... on stage. I couldn't stop. Everyone on stage was messing up their lines because they were worried about what was going to happen during my aria (which was the next scene). Finally, I got a chance to go off, and I found about three bottles of water waiting for me backstage that people had rustled together (I love my friends). I drank as much as I could during the scene change, and went on stage to sing my aria.
I had to chest/belt (which, if you know me, I CAN'T do) the low stuff, but the high stuff came out!! There are several high Cs in my aria, and I sang them ALL. A lot of it sounded like crap, and of course, by this point, the audience KNEW how sick I was, but I acted all over the place, and did what I could, and despite my poor vocal performance I was quite proud of the fact that I didn't let it throw me, and I kept going. I got a lot of applause at the end of my aria, and at the end of the show. My double for tonight and Sunday came down to the dressing room immediately to tell me that I should have let her do it instead, but I disagree. I would have been very disappointed if I hadn't given it a shot, and I had friends in the audience who had come to see me. On the whole, I thought I carried it very well. Now I'm on COMPLETE vocal rest until Saturday night, haha, but nonetheless... my voice teacher told me how proud she was of me, and it just made me feel good.
posted
What a nightmare. It takes guts to go out there in that condition--I probably would have backed out (our professor knew most of the roles).
On that same note, I've been shocked at how adrenaline manages to pull notes out of you in your worst state. I was pretty sick for the tenor solo in Carmina Burana (the ridiculously high one), but somehow I got through it.
So which opera are you performing?
Posts: 1314 | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well, unfortunately, it kind of takes away from the credibility of my story if I tell you, but we're doing "The Abduction of Figaro," by PDQ Bach. So, not a serious opera, but still challenging music! I promise!
Posts: 7877 | Registered: Feb 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Trust me, your music department is not alone. It's still got arias with high Cs, and I don't think it's not valid just because it's not Verdi. Our opera workshop mostly did scenes from operas, and the only "whole" ones we did were children's operas (less than 2 hours).
PDQ Bach is hardly snubbed by the music elite--he's a favorite.
Posts: 1314 | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Congratulations on making it through - that's awesome! I can't imagine using my voice like an instrument that way, I know it takes serious dedication and training. I teach children's choir and after singing with them for 45 minutes, my voice is tired, and I certainly never get anywhere close to a C!
Relax and rest your voice now, so it gets better. Hope you're over your sickness!
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:On that same note, I've been shocked at how adrenaline manages to pull notes out of you in your worst state. I was pretty sick for the tenor solo in Carmina Burana (the ridiculously high one), but somehow I got through it.
My choir is singing this. It's awesome.
OOOOOO FORTTUUUUUNNAAAA
EDIT: And Raia, good for you. Sounds like a bit of a nightmare.
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Orff's Carmina Burana is the 2nd most performed choral work after Handel's Messiah. If you've been in choirs for a few years, you're almost bound to come across it--and if you stay in choirs over more years, you'll sing it many, many times.
Posts: 1314 | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
So, not a serious opera, but still challenging music! I promise!
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
