Thanks for today / Thursday info

Folks,

Thanks for your help today. I really appreciated everyone being proactive and helpful, and was grateful that you stayed late. Though it was only 20 minutes, it still helped. Thank you.

Instructions for how Thursday will run are below. Enjoy your first run-through, and correct anything that needs correcting NOW so that you won't be pained when you hear/see it on the video. :-)

I have faith you'll be fabulous and will soldier on without me.

I'll see you at my recital at 7pm in the Alys!

Memorization article

This article from The Bulletproof Musician is great. Enjoy, and use the suggestions as you prepare for various performances. See what happens!

Opera Schedule: last weeks

Folks, it can be easy to forget what we did when I won't see you for nearly two weeks. Be sure to review your blocking, as we will not have time to re-block anything. Keep it fresh by looking at it a few times. If you are behind, be sure to catch up musically, with your diction,  etc.

We discussed working as a team. The same people have come to help me bring down props each day, and many of you have fallen off the wagon. Maria and Austin are officially excused from helping me with props for three weeks: it's time for everyone else to step up. Work together, and remember that I only have two arms. Being present and asking to help is always appreciated.

Right after break, be sure to bring all costume pieces I've asked you to provide (shoes, socks/stockings, etc.). If you have trouble getting those things, I need to know now so that I can help.

Following is the schedule from now until the end of the semester. Be sure to check it daily, as it may change as we get closer to the performance and know what needs the most attention.

March 29
3:30-4 "Voi che sapete…venite, inginocchiatevi"
4-4:30 "Hm! Hm! Hm!"
4:30-5 BASTIEN scene
5-5:15 "Via resti servita"

March 31
ALL CALLED. Everyone will get props from Dr. Steele's office: carry whatever is in YOUR scene. Set pieces are backstage. Return everything except set pieces to Dr. Steele's office afterward.

PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT OR ASK DR. STEELE TO CARRY ANYTHING. It is your responsibility to be sure everything needed in your scene is there and set up where it needs to be.

Please video record each others' scenes so that you can reflect on it (due April 5 by 3:30). There will NOT be time to rehearse your scene: simply set for the scene, and run it. If you crash and burn and are unable to recover, you get ONE chance to start over. After that, Dr. Steele will keep going. The recording is not to send to me, but is rather for your use. Send me your scene observations via email.

Show order is as follows:

BASTIEN scene

FIGARO
"Cinque...dieci"

"Recitativo…Via resti servita" 

"Voi che sapete…venite, inginocchiatevi"

 "Aprite, presto aprite" (we'll skip this Thursday)

 "Signor…Crudel! Perchè finora"

DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE

"Hm! Hm! Hm!"

"Du feines Täubchen"

"Alles fühlt der Liebe"

"Bei Männern"

"Papagena, Papageno" (we'll skip this Thursday)

Friday, April 1

All called 3:30-6:30. If you have work or class conflicts, let me know NOW so I can schedule around you. Schedule TBA. 

April 5

3:30-3:45 "Papagena, Papageno"

4-4:30 "Cinque...dieci"

break

4:35-5 "Recitativo…Via resti servita" 

5-5:15  "Aprite, presto aprite"

April 7

3:30-4  "Signor…Crudel! Perchè finora"

4-4:15 "Bei Männern"

4:15-4:35 "Alles fühlt der Liebe"

break

4:40-5:15 "Du feines Täubchen"

April 12

Anything else that needs attention: TBA

April 13

1:30-3:30 dress rehearsal: you are released from choir

April 14

walk-through in class (we'll sing very little, if at all)

7:30 performance (6:30 call)

April 16

Noon off-campus performance at ScrollWorks: details coming soon

10:30 call, done around 2 (we'll need to strike costumes and props!)

April 19

No class

April 21

We'll watch the video of the performance together: all called.

Costumes on Thursday

Those of you who have not come for any costumes fittings (you know who you are, and so do I), come at 3 or stay after class on Thursday so I know what else we still need to get. If you have shoe issues, email me with your size. I would like everyone to provide their own shoes, but if you have a problem with that, I need to know.

Opera Workshop costumes today

Folks,

For those of you who are available and who do not yet have a costume, please come with me at 1pm to the Department of Theatre. We'll meet at my office at 12:55. Thanks!

For those who have not been fitted (or were only fitted for one scene), please plan to stay late today to try on some options. Thank you!

Opera rehearsals

Folks,

I have had to make many last minute changes due to medical emergencies, AMEA, ACDA, etc. While I totally understand that emergencies happen, it is not acceptable for any of you to make plans that do not allow you to be in class at any given time. Today, Michael missed an entire rehearsal which was scheduled to replace the rehearsal he missed for a very good reason last week. Thanks to Beau and Maria for stepping in to fill the time.

Out of consideration for your very busy lives and the other commitments you have, rehearsal commitments have amounted to less than an hour a week. Asking for (or planning for) more time off per week is not realistic.

There are seven rehearsal times left before the dress rehearsal, including one which several of you are planning to miss due to ACDA. To date, we have not gotten through the entire program in two rehearsal periods. Do the math: this means perhaps two more rehearsals per scene, and we haven't even staged some of them yet due to lack of preparation, illness, or family emergencies.

From now on, everyone needs to be in the building from 3:30-5:15 each class time. Only Hunter is excused at 5 on Tuesdays, and Maurice at 5 on Thursdays.

It goes without saying that everyone's music should have been rock solid weeks ago. If you're behind, fix it. It is not fair to me or to Dr. Steele to hope for extra rehearsals if this isn't up to snuff by April. He is more than swamped with recitals. It also goes without saying that any scene that is not performance ready in time will be cut from the program, with the accompanying grade consequences.

Opera rehearsal through spring break

Please NOTE SOME ORDER CHANGES TO NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE.

Here is the schedule through Spring Break. We will video record on 3/31, giving you more time to get comfortable with your blocking and be absolutely solid in terms of memorization. You will have less time to write your reflection on your scene, but it will be due later: it is now due April 5 at 3:30. That gives you the weekend to watch it and makes some observations. I'm not looking for the next great American novel: just a (full) one-page Word document, 12 font size, 1.5 spaced on what you noticed, what you'd like to improve, what bothers you, etc. Keep it objective. Don't tear yourselves or anyone else apart; just be clinical about the things that need improvement.

As always, everyone is welcome to watch other rehearsals. You can learn a great deal from watching other people work. All I ask is that you're not distracting to those working while you watch.

Be in the building throughout the rehearsal time from now on, in case we are running ahead or behind (or, God forbid, have another cancelation). As far as cancelations, unless you are bleeding out of your eyeballs, we really can't have any more no-shows. Be well, hold yourselves together, and know that every time someone misses, it affects everyone else.

If you were not present for yesterday's initial costume fitting, email me your dress/shirt/pants size, as well as shoe size (just in case). Thanks!

Tuesday, 3/8
3:30-4:15 "Via resti servita" FIGARO

break

4:20-5 "My little lambkin" FLUTE

5-5:15 "Alles fühlt der Liebe" FLUTE


Thursday, 3/10
3:30-4:25 "Hm! Hm! Hm!" FLUTE quintet

break

Tuesday, 3/15
3:30-4:30 BASTIEN scene

break

4:35-5:15 "Cinque...dieci" FIGARO scene

Thursday, 3/17
3:30-3:45 finish "Hm! Hm! Hm!" FLUTE

3:45-4 "Bei Männern" FLUTE

4-4:35 "Voi che sapete...venite" FIGARO

break


4:40-5:05 "Du feines Täubchen" FLUTE

5:05-5:15 revisit "Alles fühlt der Liebe" FLUTE 

5:15-? Finish "Cinque...dieci" FIGARO