Today we enjoyed a mid-tour break, reviewing the auditions we heard to date, engaging in some more repertoire brainstorming, and catching up on office work. Here’s day 11 of #ASQoD* “I am not afraid of storms, for I have learned how to sail my ship.” Louisa May Alcott Ah, the storms of the audition season… Passing squalls of delayed
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ASQoD: Courage
Sending this out to you after a strong day of auditions back home in Virginia. Loving being at The Barns – it obviously has the comforts of home, but it’s also an acoustical environment that is both honest and enjoyable. Here’s your day 10 of #ASQoD*. If the idea of auditioning strikes fear in your heart, this one’s
Read MoreASQoD: Calm
Day 9 of #ASQoD*, coming to you from our home base in Vienna, VA, where we are starting two days of auditions at The Barns! “At the still point, there the dance is.” T.S. Eliot Calm can imbue your music-making, and a helpful and healthy cycle can result. But it’s hard to “go there” when the
Read MoreASQoD: Individuality
Day 2 of Cincinnati auditions is done. There was a strong showing from Studio Artist candidates from a whole range of schools, with the largest contingents from CCM, Indiana University, and University of Michigan. We had an interesting run of NSFW audition monologues this morning… some of them worked, some didn’t, but the preponderance of them on
Read MoreASQoD: Triage
Day 1 in Cincinnati, at CCM’s beautiful Werner Recital Hall. Arias are coming in pairs today: We started the day with back-to-back 10am performances of Sarastro’s “O Isis und Osiris” (The Magic Flute) and we heard double renditions of less-standard arias Ilia’s “Padre, germani, Addio” (Idomeneo) and Marenka’s “Och, jaky zal!” (The Bartered Bride). On to our #ASQoD*
Read MoreASQoD: Wabi-sabi
Road trip today, from Chicago to Cincinnati! (With a required traditional stop at Crabby Mike’s BBQ in Lafayette, IN.) In the spirit of this Friday the 13th, I offer entry 6 in #ASQoD* “There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” Leonard Cohen Wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty
Read MoreASQoD: Flexibility
Day 2 of auditions in Chicago. Some great monologues (including Eli Pope from Scandal) and hearings of rare arias (“Nicht ein Augenblick” from Silent Night, Berg’s “Lied der Lulu”, “Agitato da fiere tempeste” from Riccardo Primo, and “Alles vorbei” from Das Land des Lächelns.) And here’s your 5th #ASQoD* “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”
Read MoreASQoD: Focus
We’re in Chicago today, at Pianoforte Studios. A full day of auditions – 71 arias. (That’s a lot…) And only 3 repeats. (For the record: Sam’s Aria from Susannah, “La calunnia” from Barber of Seville and “Embroidery” from Peter Grimes!) Tonight I get to see WTO alums in town to star in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Die Walküre – soprano Christine
Read MoreASQoD: Serial Processing
In transit today, from LA to Chicago, spending the flight researching new repertoire on the 2018 Short List. On to today’s #ASQoD* “Nobody can do two things at once, you know.” The Red Queen, via Lewis Carroll (Through the Looking Glass) Take that, multi-taskers. The Red Queen was a tough customer, but she had much to
Read MoreASQoD: Preparation
Day 2 in LA, hearing a wide range of repertoire, including some things that we’ve never (or extremely rarely) heard in audition! Fidelia’s aria from Puccini’s Edgar, the Controller’s Aria from Dove’s Flight (the first of several this year, possibly), the Song of the Indian Guest from Sadko, Lagrimas mias from El anillo de hierro, and Miei pensieri fom Orlando Palladino.
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