Season

This weekend has truly been a jump-start to audition season. For months I have been working away without any performances or public singing. Part of this was due to a new voice teacher...I had technique to busy myself with (smoothing out the voice top to bottom) and as this weekend proved, it was well worth the self imposed vocal solitude.

This afternoon I had my first public performance in almost a year. As luck would have it, two people who were at last year’s Met auditions were present this afternoon. Both of them had the same comment, “I heard you sing last fall, but this was such a surprise. You have come a long way, even from just a year ago.” Sweet music to my ears. There is nothing like external acknowledgment of hard earned improvement. I am feeling a bit more confident day by day.

It was also nice to sing through three of my arias, learning that I do have quite a bit more work I want to do on the Cenerentola. But, this is an aria that I feel will always want quite a bit of work. In fact, that is a large reason of why opera is so dear to my heart; the never ending process. It is a struggle, but a struggle worth participating in. It is a struggle with great rewards. It wouldn’t be nearly as profound or emotionally poignant if it didn’t require the work, the dedication, the passion, and the dream.