your FORMER blog of the month

As it is August now, AYOF is officially no longer the Opera America Bloggo The Month.  So, instead of the award-winning material you have become accustomed to, I'm going back to the mindless drivel I doled out heretofore.  

Last night we had our third performance of Figaro.  This schedule is INSANE.  Our last performance was a week ago.  There is absolutely no momentum to this run of performances.  I don't know if I could even call it a run of performances.  It's more like a stagger of performances. It is intensely difficult to come back after a week and try to get your show back.  Ok, not intensely difficult like neuroscience is intensely difficult, but still....

Anyway, it feels like there are big sections of show that are passing us by- it's feeling a bit like instant opera at this point.  However, I do have to say that some of the moment-to-moment interaction does feel really spontaneous and honest.  And last night was actually, well....fun, dammit.  I think we all have embraced this kooky situation for what it is and have just decided to go out there with our guns blazin'.  

For me personally, I had a ball.  I have sort of decided to let this show be a bit of a playground for me, vocally speaking.  I have decided not to be afraid to sound totally terrible for the sake of being more vocally honest (i.e. singing with integrity vis-a-vis the technique I continue to work on).  The result has been more vocal freedom, more interesting singing...and I haven't sounded totally terrible yet (arguable).  I'm speaking in singer-y voodoo again.  Sorry.  It is just very freeing to give yourself permission to fail every now and again.  It was probably one of the best-sung Figaros yet, and I felt like I could have sung another one at the end of the night.  That ain't bad, kids.  

I'm thinking of live blogging my last Figaro (and my last in the year of Figaro).  Is that weird?  It might be kind of lame, but hey, I'm no longer Bloggo the Month, so what do I care?

In the meantime, here's another clip from the Vermont Figaro that just went up on Youtube; note my shapely calves and the Ritter-esque (I wish!!!) quality of the opening.  

Fun times.

I know it's been quiet on the blog lately.  Sorry about that.  It took me awhile to get over the whole Skylight thing, and I do appreciate all the support I got from all of my readership.  Thanks!  I'll be back with more tales soon.  

AW