6 days...

Lots of little things are still left to be completed but overall I am ready to go!  I don't think I'll really believe I'm going until I'm there (or at least on the plane).  It still feels like a dream.

I have learned some ESSENTIAL Italian phrases - to get me through the next month.  They include:

- "Io non so."  [I don't know]

-"Io vuolle mangiare qual cosa." [I want to eat something]

- "Lei capisce L'Inglesi?"  [Do you speak English?]

HA! - Actually, it has been fun to revisit the Italian language.  I studied it as part of my undergraduate (years ago).  I look forward to trying out my new phrases on real Italians!

7 days...

So, it's 5 am and I have been awake for 90 minutes.  Can you tell I'm getting excited?  My mind is full - not of stress but anticipation!  This seems to always happen to me when I am preparing for something BIG.

I found some beautiful pictures online of Piobbico:  PICTURES 

Here's an idea of where I'll be in Italy:  MAP

8 days and counting...

Today has been one of those "wood-shedding" days. For weeks now I have been meeting with my vocal coach, Dr. Robert Mills as well as my pianist friend, Jeremy Peterman, several times a week to go through my music. We are at the point now where it is time to leave the score outside the room and really try singing through stuff OFF-BOOK.

I have been sitting in the practice room up at ASU all day just hammering words into my mind. Overall I am doing good with memorization - there are just certain spots that need to be ironed out. However I must admit that locking myself in a room and trying to memorize repertoire is not my favorite part of the job. I prefer to just practice and practice and eventually, naturally memorize everything. However in this case I have not had the luxury of time to do that. With only 8 days to go, I need to just do it until it's done.

So, in the end I will be glad for the progress made but yikes it's tiring! *Whenever I feel tempted to complain - I just remind myself that in a week I will be in Italy having a blast and these fleeting moments of madness will be gone and forgotten about!!!!

9 days...

More travel details...

Toward the end of my time in Italy I will be joined by my mom and step-father!  They are traveling to Rome for vacation and then they will make their way to Piobbico to see our final production, Suor Angelica.  After my program is over - mom, David and I will head to VENICE for a few days!!!  Then after that I will take a train to MILAN where I hope to see the "Teatro alla Scala" (La Scala) before catching a flight home.  *La Scala is the most famous opera house in the world besides the MET in New York.  Teatro alla Scala

I doubt I will see an opera there, however just to stand in front of the building where so many of my favorite works have premiered will be thrilling!

More later on...

10 days and counting!

Gees - I cannot believe all that goes into leaving the country for a month!  Thank goodness for family & friends!  I am starting to get really excited!  I think it's finally hitting me that I am going to Italy for a month!  

One of the most common questions I get is - "What part of Italy will you be in?"  My trip starts by flying into Bologna (northern Italy).  I will stay the night and then take a train 2 hours south-east to Pesaro.  Pesaro is located in the center, East Coast of Italy, on the Adriatic Sea.  From there I will take a bus to Piobbico.

I will be in the "Marche Region" of Italy, (Le Marche) near Urbino.  The city I will be in, Piobbico, is so small that you won't find it on the map.  Piobbico is up in the mountains and the climate there is cool (70's and 80's).  There are rolling hills and lots of beautiful countryside.  It is known for olives, cheeses, hiking and the arts!

Once in Piobbico, I will have my own 1 bed/1 bath flat!  I will be within walking distance of everything - right in the center of town.  My mornings will be spent at the Scuola Italia where I will have three hours a day of Italian class.  We will then break for lunch and in the afternoons and evenings I will participate in music rehearsals.  I will be able to shop for fresh fruits and seafood at the local markets and eat gelato at the local cafe!

The first weekend we are there we will present a night of arias and scenes in Piobbico.  I will perform Act III of La Boheme, by Puccini, singing the role of Mimi.  The following weekend we will again present a night of scenes.  This time I will perform the sextet from Don Giovanni, by Mozart, singing the role of Donna Elvira.  Finally our last weekend there, we will travel down the mountain to Urbania where we will perform all of Il Trittico, by Puccini, with orchestra.  Il Trittico consists of three one-act operas:  Il Tabarro, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicci.  I will be singing the role of Suor Angelica in Suor Angelica.  We will perform this with a full orchestra at a beautiful historic castle.  *Yes a castle!

Throughout my time in Piobbico I will also have the opportunity to work with professional opera singers, coaches and teachers.  I will have one-on-one and group instruction.  There will be about 30 singers there from all over the USA and beyond.  This will be an amazing experience, I'm sure, and I will hopefully be able to use my computer there to keep in touch - so check back frequently!

More to come before I depart!

16 days 'til departure!

Buon Giorno!

It's been a while since my last post!  After my recital I fell over dead!  Then finals and now finally I'm back!  I leave for Italy in 16 days and I cannot believe it!  Learning mass amounts of music in a small amount of time has been a crazy growing experience!  I have been spending many hours each day speaking through, singing through and translating Suor Angelica, La Boheme and the scenes from Don Giovanni and L'elisir Damore.  It seemed like a good topic to discuss:  how to learn music well.  Especially if you are learning vocal music that will be sung in a foreign language, I recommend to start with a word-for word translation and IPA of the text.  This will allow you to know each word and how to pronounce it.  Then, especially with languages like Italian, it is key to try to speak the text in rhythm.  There are twice as many syllables as there are beats per measure and so it is key to be able to say it before trying to add pitches.  THEN - just do it over and over again until it's memorized.  Listen to recordings, watch DVD's of the performance and just practice a lot!  This type of repetition works great for me. 

In addition, I have also been working on reviewing my Italian!  There are some fabulous resources out there, such as Simon and Schuster's Pimsler audio-only method.  This set of CD's allows you to interact in conversation.  The vocabulary used in each lesson is then repeated and built upon in the following lessons.  The speaker also breaks down the pronunciation of each word.  I also purchased a wonderful workbook on Italian verb tenses by McGraw-Hill.  This is very similar to a workbook a student might use in a classroom setting.  There are lessons and then fill-in-the-blank questions.  There is a key in the back that allows you to check your work.  These resources have been GREAT!

I am really getting excited about the trip.  I know I will learn so much from the instructors and the people of Piobbico.  I also look forward to meeting many new people!!!!

Italian words of the day:

Buon Giorno! = Hello!

Scusi = Excuse me

Arrivederci! = Good-bye

Italy on the brain

Well, now that my recital is finished I can start to think about my summer in Piobbico, Italy!!!  I got my ticket today - so I guess it's official - I'm going!  I listened to a fantastic recording of Suor Angelica yesterday, starring Joan Sutherland & Christa Ludwig (LONDON label).  As I read through the score and listened I felt the deep emotion that Puccini hoped to convey.  The music paints a clear picture of the story line and even if you don't speak Italian, you can feel the mood of each scene.

Poor Angelica!  She is a young woman from a noble family who gives birth to an illegitimate baby boy.  In hopes of avoiding a huge scandal, Angelica is placed in a convent; her son taken away from her.  For seven years she serves and pays her penance in the convent, never hearing a word from her family.  Then finally one day, her aunt, La zia Principessa, comes to visit.  However she was not coming to "visit" Angelica but rather to have her sign over her inheritance to her sister who is to be married.  Angelica's aunt is cold and heartless; unsympathetic toward her.  Angelica begs her aunt for just a word about her son.  She has wondered about him for seven years.  Reluctantly and with little emotion, The Princess informs Angelica that two years previous, her son had become ill and died.  Angelica immediately becomes distrot and devastated.  Soon after her aunt leaves, Angelica decides to take her life so that she can be with her son in Heaven.  However, once she takes the poison, she cries out to The Virgin  Mary to save her soul because she realizes that suicide would send her to hell.  There is a miraculous light and as Angelica dies she sees a vision of her son approaching her.

This story is tragic and grabs at your heart.  The music is rich and full of drama.  I look forward to learning this role!

Tonight's the night!

Well, after months of preparation, my recital date has finally arrived.  How blessed I am to have the opportunity to sing!  One year ago I was working for a great company in a job that wasn't for me.  I knew I was a singer and had a deep passion and purpose with music however the time was not right for me to pursue it.  Now I am at ASU, pursuing my doctorate and tonight I have the gift of being able to share what I love with my friends and family.  Thank you Lord!  I know not everyone in the world loves what they do all day long - so I count my blessings and I give thanks to God for this wonderful opportunity.

The music on this program is striking.  It has penetrated deeply into my heart.  The poems and stories have come inside and caused me to think and to respond.  I hope that you all have the chance, even if not tonight, to experience this music.  It will touch you deeply.

My goal today is to rest, reflect on the text of my music and recall my blessings!  I am really excited for the recital and hope to see you there!

Going out of Buisness and a Dress Rehearsal

When my day started on Thursday I was alerted to the fact that ATA Airlines was going out of business due to bankruptcy - effective immediately!!! What I didn't know at the time was that my mom was scheduled to fly here on ATA! I soon learned that she had been woken up super early by the news and scrambled to find a new ticket to Phoenix from Honolulu. Even while she was searching flights, they were becoming "unavailable." She was able to find a ticket on United and for a reasonable price (although now she has to connect in SFO). So, instead of coming tomorrow, she'll be here tonight! Thank you Lord!

My day ended with my dress rehearsal from 9-11pm. It went well. However I was kinda tired because I had already spent a whole day working, singing, etc... Plus, I don't normally sing that late at night. However, the run-through was an overall success. Karen, my fabulous accompanist, did an outstanding job at EVERYTHING! This experience was encouraging and also a reality check. It's one thing to sing on a practice room or in your lesson and it's another thing to stand on stage in heels and perform a whole recital.

What I need between now and Sunday is sleep, tea and peace. Thankfully, my mom will be here and today is FRIDAY - which means I am done for the week and all that remains is my recital on Sunday at 5!

4 days to go . . .

Well, with only four days to go until my recital I am feeling excited and full of joy!  My mom will be here from Hawaii and many friends from church and school are expected to attend.  I am at the point where I know I need to go back to the basics of the text and remember the stories I am telling.  After all, we are performers, not just singing machines.  People say "Have Fun!"  "Relax!"  But also - tell me a story.  

Most audiences want to feel as if they are captured up into another world.  People may walk away discussing your breath support or the purity of your "oo" vowel, but more likely they will remember what they felt through the stories you told.  Or, they'll just be bored and forget everything.  

So, my challenge to myself is to "Have Fun!" "Relax!" and tell the story!