Deutsch Oper Vorstellung

Finished my last performance here in Europe two days ago. What a rush! The four of us really stepped it up that night and had SO much fun with our script and music. Despite the fact that the audience number was low, I think that our sentiments boosted our performance. It really doesn't matter how big or small of a crowd you get - numbers aren't the point. It's what you can give back to those who ARE there. I have many fond memories of singing for absolutely no one - for the one or two people that come up to you afterward and say "wow, that was affective. Thank you."

I've learned a great ordeal being here. I've loved playing this role and am happy to be feeling better about my German! It's still not fantastic, but it's a heck of a lot better than it was a few months ago- the times when my lovely voice teacher would finish accompanying me in a lesson and look at me with that smirk. "What do you think I'm going to say, Allie?" And I'd laugh and say "there's so much. Do I really have to choose?" She'd smile and say, "well, you're German is pretty... terrible." We'd laugh and it would dawn on me as I'm walking out of her studio that... okay... five years of college really didn't do ANYTHING for my German diction? I think it was then that inspired me more than anything to travel to German speaking lands.

And now, I'll have a hard time coming back to America where I'm surrounded with English. I'm so accustomed to "danke" and "ich möchte ein café latte zum mitnehmen bitte." I'm envisioning myself in line at In N Out (because that's all I can think about these days) ordering my cheeseburger mit french fries and responding with "danke schön, tschüss!"

But Lord knows I'm ready to come home. Two more days! More thoughts to come...

<3 Allie

Opening Day! And too much food.

I am eating SO MUCH FOOD. Here is how I know.

I bought a "cocktail" dress 3 weeks ago for the performances of Der Schauspieldirektor and could barely squeeze into it for today's performance! I have to laugh - talk about really indulging in food and wine. The film (and book) Eat, Pray, Love has inspired me to just let loose and enjoy European culture. Culture DEFINITELY means food. And lots of it!

Today's performance went surprisingly well! There are many things that are not organized about this program. Like... getting an audience together prior to the start of the show. They are having each of the performers pass out flyers on the streets this week to advertise for our 3 operas. Those who are actually in that particular performance (most casts are doubled or tripled) don't have to stand there and pass them out but if you're not performing... well... good luck convincing German natives to come a free opera. Being that my cast was the opening matinee, I wasn't expecting much of a turn out. But hey! There were people! So that was a nice surprise.

Here is a clip of the aria I perform in the show. (With a cross of Jesus in the background, very appropriate, right?) Mind you - my character is extremely ditzy/flirtacious. I am "showing off" in order to receive a lead role in the next big opera. Der Schauspieldirektor is a diva-fest. Two sopranos battle it out (with too many high notes for one to handle) for stardom. So this is my "look at me, pick me, I am young and sing high" aria to showcase my "extreme capabilities as a star." Or something like that.

It's been fun. I'm glad we're performing more now. I have learned a bit from this program, no matter how many frustrations and... cons... there have been. What I wanted was answers, right? And I feel like I've gotten plenty!

My opera viewing challenge has failed. I haven't been able to watch an entire opera since my last post. So disappointing! But now that I have a ton more extra time, I definitely will. I've also discovered Spotify... how did I NOT know about this before?! It's the most amazing music downloader ever. And I'm fairly certain it's legal. Mahler and his 8th symphony accompanied me yesterday morning while I was getting ready for the day. All with one click of a button. I am ready to go classically crazy! And yes, classically. I do love my pop and indie, of course. But now I have NO excuse not to listen to the best music ever written.

After the opera performance, Jill, Ali, and I took a nice long lunch at Cafe Tomaselli - our new favorite hot spot (also Mozart's favorite place to dine back in the day). Too much food. I might have to fast for weeks when I get home. I'm not sure my jeans can handle all this anymore. I have never eaten so many carbs in all my life! How do Austrians do it all the time? Oh... but so worth it...

Tomorrow I plan on seeing all shows. I perform again on Wednesday and then Thursday evening. 

One more week. Oh man...

<3 Allie

Liederabend via Von Trapp Home

Guten Abend!

The program is slowly but surely winding down to its final week. The performances begin tomorrow! I can't believe it's here already. But I am so thankful because...

dun dun dun duunnnn

I am homesick! :(

Tomorrow, it will have been 8 weeks since I was last in America. I've definitely, shamefully, hit my "I want to curl up in a ball and watch movies all day" phase rather than exploring the outdoors. I feel like I've explored to point of no return. My body is very tired as well as my mental/spiritual mind. I want to perk up and continue on this positive path to the best of my ability. It's not to say that I'm not positive - I'm just ready for some delicious burritos followed by a healthy dessert of In N Out. I miss my life at home quite a bit and am ready to embark on the next journey of my life - the journey into a foggy abyss of the complete and utter mystery to what the heck I am going to do with the rest of my life.

The group performed in a Liederabend a few days ago at the Schloss Frohnberg - home of the Von Trapp Family in The Sound of Music! It was a beautiful venue indeed and everyone sounded lovely.

This weekend is filled with dress rehearsals and runs for all shows before tomorrow's opening matinee/evening. Change of schedules means that Schauspiel opens the matinee performance day tomorrow. I'm not usually a fan of matinee performances, especially after a late evening run, but what can you do. It will be a great show nonetheless. :)

Not much else to report. Feeling myself catch a tickle of a cold but singing is 90% mental, right? So all will be fine!

Until then,

<3 Allie

The Challenges

I'll admit - the program isn't quite as challenging as I had initially hoped. Yes, occasionally I'll get my butt kicked with German lied but generally, I feel like I have much more free time than I had anticipated. I feel ready with my role and was memorized before I got here. So instead, I have decided to delve into my own list of goals:

Challenge #1 - Hair. My lovely friend, Kathleen, inspired me to experiment with hair styles because her hair always looks GLAMOROUS. I mean, seriously, she can twist and turn her luscious red locks into any style she wants. So I've decided to do the same! Most of my mornings are free until German class at noon so I take my time in the morning getting ready. Nothing quite as wonderful as having time to drink coffee and play with hairstyles.

Sneak peak:

I've gotten up to 8 styles now, all with pictures that I'll be sure to post soon. Each morning is a new creation!

Challenge #2 - Exercise. I have been running! Every morning! I started last week and have only skipped one day due to a serious outbreak of blisters on the bottom of my feet. That aside, I feel absolutely wonderful. I'll admit, my first day was a complete surprise to me. I honestly thought that if I eat breakfast, drink coffee, and put the running outfit on, running would come naturally. Boy was I wrong. I was huffing and puffing and felt horrible the entire rest of the day. I knew this was going to be a tough week. But after about 7 days, I'm able to run 2 miles nonstop. That's really all I need. I'm not training for a marathon. Just a nice jog in the morning to fulfill my craving of healthiness.

Challenge #3 - No bread. For 24 hours. Done! Very difficult considering all I've eaten in Salzburg is sandwiches followed by jam and butter rolls followed by pastries. I had no idea what an amazing intake of bread these people live on! This may as well have been my hardest challenge. But I did it. I'll try another day when I'm inspired again. My dinner tonight was definitely a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Whoops.

Challenge #4 - Auditions. So far, I have two auditions lined up immediately when I return home. I am thoroughly addicted to Yaptracker and other various audition sites. I live, eat, and breathe this research. It's really gratifying to know in my heart that I will probably get rejected to more than half of these things I'm looking at. But truly, that's the life of an artist, right? Might as well suck it up and realize that now.

Challenge #5 - Opera. I watched La Traviata this morning from the Salzburg Festival 2005. I know the story, obviously, and have seen parts of several versions of it. But I've never watched the entire thing all the way through. In fact, I realized, I haven't watched hardly ANY operas in their entirety. With that being said, my NEWEST challenge is try to get through 1 or most of 1 opera each day that I'm here. I started today. Wish me luck!

These last 2 weeks will, hopefully, go by in a breeze! I'm getting extraordinarily homesick. But have enjoyed my time GREATLY and have learned oh so much.... :)

Until then,

<3 Allie

  

Potluck Freitag!

Riddle: What do you do when you have 8 starving students gradually repulsed by ham and cheese stolen sandwiches for the past 15 days with access to a kitchen down the hall?

Buy a pot.

What do you do when you accidentally on purpose buy a massive amount of food from the fresh Thursday market and desperately need a break from stolen sandwiches for the past 15 days?

Get creative with that one pot.

Naturally, the girls cooked while the boys watched the Olympics but to make ourselves feel slightly less domestic, we attired in pajamas and blasted Nsync to assist with the arrivals of cooked deliciousness.

Potluck Freitag! Vegetables galore! The market provided a full meal of fresh produce and potatoes for 8 people under 10 euros!

Frugal students unite.

Europe = Plus One

La Boheme opening night for the Salzburg Festival 2012

Anna Netrebko - Mimi
Piotr Beczala - Rudolfo
Massimo Cavaletti - Marcello
Nino Machaidze - Musetta

The THOUSANDS filling up the streets to watch it on the screening outside the Dom. Aka those who couldn't afford tickets. Who knew opera could bring such a crowd...

Oh Anna. I really thought there was no possible way to make you look ugly. But then the director put you in the most hideous wig I have ever seen.

But despite the director's evident temporary meltdown, it was an absolutely stunning performance. Puccini is such an opera God.

I was actually feeling slightly down prior to this performance. My thoughts can be rather dangerous - the whole "oh my god, what am I doing with my life? I can't be a professional singer" toxic path started making its way back into my psyche but after this performance, I switched back to my "new positive" self.

To be continued... :)