Memorizing French in a Hurry (or Cramming for Singers)

I have always had a strange ability to "get it together" for a performance often the week or day before I have to be on stage. When I was in graduate school, I was totally a mess at a dress rehearsal the day before the concert. I had NOT memorized the German for the recital in which I was to sing two songs. The next day, I performed perfectly and my coach laughed at me afterwards and asked; "How do you always do that?!"

The answer is perhaps I work best under pressure, but for some reason, I'm always a a tad forgetful until the day of the performance and then I can rock it out. My goal is to stop having this happen because it completely stresses me out. I got a score for the opera I'm starting rehearsals for next week about a month ago and we were asked to be off-book by next week. Needless to say, I've been cramming my brain with music...and FRENCH.

I don't know what it is with French, but it seems to be a bit slippery. I'll remember certain words and forget others. I'll forget which words elide with each other and which consonants are silent. So, I've taken to odd memorization methods.

• Read and re-read the text in rhythm over and over again: Seems okay until you look away from the music.
• Recording myself singing the lines: This helps because I sing harmony a lot. Sometimes a little humbling. I'm flat, I'm sharp, that word was wrong, etc. On the good side, I'll usually stop making the mistake once I hear myself making it.
• Write the text on a piece of paper and stare at it: Seems to work a little since my own handwriting helps with the memorization.
• Do a dramatic reading of the text followed by a dramatic reading of the English translation: Seems to help me get to where I want to go, but makes me feel silly and should only be done in private.
•  Pray - en français

I'm pretty sure I'm driving my husband crazy singing the same music over and over again, but I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel with the opera. I have a couple more scenes to study and I'll be ready to start staging. I'm very excited! It's my first french baroque opera and I'm completely stoked to be all Frenchy and do sweet frenchy trills. Charpentier is amazing and David et Jonathas is a great story.

Enjoy Patricia Petibon singing Jonathan's aria from the opera. I love, love, love Patricia Petibon. I have a huge soprano, girl-crush on her.

Gorgeous, isn't it? In the words of Rachel Zoe; "I die, OMG, I die."

Anyway, last night I was so excited to wear my new dress.

Anthropologie: Alary Dress (2011), Anthropologie Elk Camp Wedge Boots (2010?)

What are you ladies up to this weekend? I am attending a party tonight but I have to go to bed on the early side because I have to sing in the morning tomorrow. Boo!!

Where I've been hiding...

Dear readers...thanks for hanging in there while I've been not blogging. I have not forgotten about you! I have been sort of keeping up with the community but I've mainly been busy with rehearsals. I've been very heavily involved in an opera that was put on by Harvard Early Music Society. I had been cast as a fury in Cavalli's La Calisto. It's a nice opera, but being a baroque opera, it also had dance. I have a dance background, so I decided that it would be totally fun and interesting to learn some baroque dance steps! Well, I'll tell you what, it's been very challenging! I didn't think I would ever get all the steps right, but by the end of the run,  I danced some nearly perfect dances!

I had about 4 costume changes, which was insane to me. I was a dancing Nymph, a dancing Bear (yes...a bear), a singing Fury and a singing Celestial Body. Yeah...a smorgasbord of good silly times! I managed to sneak my Anthro High Prairie Belt into my Nymph Costume :)

Rehearsals were exhausting and my friend and fellow soprano (and fellow Anthro Addict) ended up on the Clover Food Lab Blog because we were so obsessed with their Rosemary Fries (how can you not be obsessed!? Hello! Rosemary Fries!!!!). When you walk in and order them, they scream; "FRY DOWN!!!", so we officially started referring to them as "Fry Down" from that point on. As you can see...I'm sporting my Blooming Lattice Cardigan :)

Between my crazy rehearsal schedule and my start up project (more news later!), there has been no time (or funds) for Anthro. I have purposely not gone onto the website to keep from lusting at what I can't have, but I think I should be able to afford some new pretties soon! Until then, I'll start posting outfits again! Glad to be back and thanks again for hanging in there!

Fermata.

Hold please!

 

Hey, ladies! So, I need to take a short absence from blogging while I straighten out some things in my schedule. Between rehearsals, work and auditions...I am swamped! So pardon my absence for a couple of weeks while I get myself back in order! Thanks for your patience :)

I will try and post the review set no. 2 soon though!

Reviews are Back! (Part One - Seperates)

Hi, everyone! I was feeling great and popped into my local Anthro today to try on lots of pretties. Fall is when the beautiful clothes roll out, so I love this time of year! I originally went in to pick up the Lemon Liftoff Blouse, (I cannot resist things with owls on them.) but I had fun trying on some other stuff too :)

Today, I'm going to review seperates (tops and a skirt).

Ruched Heather Tee? (Polka Dot Colorway?) $68
Made to Measure Tee Weston Wear $68

I can't find this top on the website, I just think it's another colorway of the Ruched Heather Tee.  (Corrected by the wonderful Patti, thank you!) Someone correct  me if I'm wrong. It's SUPER cute. I would never in my life pay $68 for a tee shirt, but the moment this goes on sale, it's mine. It's very comfy, a flattering shape and who doesn't love polka dots? It's form-fitting, stretchy TTS. CUTE.

Effortless Corduroy Skirt (Maeve) $88

A lot of ladies love this skirt, but I am not a huge fan of it. As someone who is a small frame, I'm finding the pockets to be a little bulky. I wish it didn't have the pockets, otherwise it would be something I would be excited about. The material is very soft and this color is to die for. The fit is slightly large but it looks cute from the side. I didn't like this very much for a petite person. I recommend this, but TRY IT ON FIRST. Pricepoint is a little high in my opinion for what it is. $68 yes. $88? No.

Pilcro Serif Cords $88 (This link is for another colorway)

Hey look! I tried on pants at Anthro! It's a rare occasion that I would try on pants here. Not because I don't like them, but because they usually do not fit me (too long). I happen to actually adore a nice pair of pants. I am still getting used to the idea of a tapered hem or "skinny jeans/pants" as people like to refer to them. When I was a kid in the '80s, you loved having your pants do this. In the late '90s early 2000s pants started to flare out at the bottom and I gladly got on that train and never got off. When this shape came back, I was a little disturbed. All that aside, I saw these and thought they were cute and they looked like they might fit ok. They do. I'm not totally in love with them in this color or how they look in the back. They fit relatively well (I could have taken a 24, but 25 is the smallest). They are easy to get on and soft. They were very comfy, I'm just not comfortable in these. Heck, they are sort of cute, but I don't think I can rock fitted, mustard pants. I am interested in the Stevie Cords in purple though. Pass.

Swoop & Glide Pullover Field Flower $118

Did this used to have another name? I feel like it's been around forever. Anyway, I love Wendi Reed sweaters and I love this one too! It's following the 2011 theme of "Put a bird on it and people will buy it". Other companies are really getting into birds too, especially Umbra (who I adore). This is a comfortable, slouchy cardigan. It DOES have some buttons on it, but I didn't mess with them. This is an awesome sweater, fits TTS...amazingly cute!

Sunset Sails Cardigan Lilli's Closet $118

When I saw this cardi on the website, I was all excited over it. Orange, grey, stripes. All my favorite things packed together in one sweater. I picked this up and was blown away by how soft it is. It is definitely well-made and great quality. Just one thing bugs the crap out of me...

Look how FREAKING short it is! I have the torso of a 6 year-old and this cardi is about 5" too short for me. How sad!! I was so disappointed over this...if it were longer I would have probably walked out with it. It might work with a dress. Sadly pass for now.

Breezed Needlework Top Bordeaux $78

Hm...this is weird. It's a tank top, but it's got a little bit of a lacy thingie on it. Plus, you can detach it and just wear the tank top - or the little lacy thing I guess. This seemed like a good idea and looked really cool on the hanger, but I'm not sure this really works in real life. Where would I wear this? The tank top is very casual with no embellishments. I wanted to like this, but it's weird, The fit is nice and it's TTS. The little lace bit has two bands that attach to the top. A neat idea, but not for me. Pass.

So, that's it for today! Hope they are helpful! In the next round of reviews, I will show dresses! Any special requests for next time? I might have time to stop by Anthro tomorrow too!

Of Nymphs, Fairies & Goddesses or why Early Opera is Way More Fun

As if it weren't fun enough to sing opera, it's even more fun to be a niche singer. Because all of our instruments are so different, there are some singers who do better in a niche - like me. Standard operas call for big, dramatic voices (there are some exceptions, but this is mostly true). As much as I love a good Puccini aria, I will never sing one in public. Why? I'm just not built for it. I've got a light voice and it would not sound appropriate in a role like this. Isn't this gorgeous? I mean, it's glorious and her voice is to die for. I bring this aria to an audition and I'm laughed all the way back to the Conservatory.

Written before 1800? I'm all over it! I've found that the early music people like my sound and I like the repertoire, so I decided to specialize a few years ago. And why not? Doesn't this look like fun!?!?

You HAVE to watch this one all the way through. (This is Les Indes Galants, "Les Sauvages". American Indian theme obviously. My dream role is to sing princess Zima. So fluffy and cute with a great aria in the end!) Rameau is one of my favorite French Baroque dudes and Patricia Petibon is the cutest soprano ever. (I swear she's part fairy.) Doesn't this make you want to go to an early opera right now?

Early Operas were fun!!!! They still have BALLETS, costumes were outrageously extravagant (the wigs!) and a lot of them were about gods and nymphs and stuff. This is where I get typecast usually: In my January project, I'm a fairy/fury/something little and probably is accompanied by a twinkle sound. Today I had a callback for a sort of god-like virtue who is a young boy. Pants Role. Always something cute. Do I care?! NO WAY! I LOVE these kinds of characters! Not all my gigs are fun, but staged opera gigs are where the fun is had. How often do you get to step into another character and make beautiful music? I am so grateful that I get to have this much fun in my life and call it "work" :)

Maybe I'm gushing because it's kind of fall and everything is starting up again, but I'm looking forward to a great season!

How about an outfit?

Dress: Anthro Nostalgic Asterisks Dress, Limited Cardi, J. Crew Scarf, Anthro Elk Camp Wedge Boots

Did you all enjoy our healthy shopping show on the Dereck and Kay Show last night? If you missed it, click to play the show on my sidebar! We did a two hour show JUST for you guys! Enjoy!

This Saturday Night: A Discussion on Healthy Shopping, Shopping Addiction and Keeping yourself Fashionable and in the Black!

Good Evening, Ladies! It seems everyone in the Anthro Blogging Community are all sharing the same thoughts and sentiments. Are we in trouble with our shopping habits? Did we all HAVE to have the Two-Wheeler Shirtdress even though it ran big, was a dull shade of blue and had tiny, tiny armholes (Come on ladies! I love mine, but you know it's true)? Is that $500 Leifsdottir coat really worth it? Charge or pay cash?

We are talking about it ALL this Saturday night on our live podcast, at 7:00pm EST! We'll have a special guest psychologist who will discuss compulsive shopping and how to tell if YOU or someone you know has a problem and needs help. AND we'll poke fun at ourselves at ALL the times we know we've slipped up and been idiots about shopping! We'll discuss how to stay out of the red and still look fierce!

Please join Dereck and me for a lively discussion (he likes shopping too!). We are still lining up guests so you never know who will stop by! Stay tuned!

The Dereck and Kay Show

Where am I going to hide all these bags?

Dark Days

Well, hello everyone! Here's the thing; I love Anthropologie and I like to talk about it in my blog sometimes. That makes me an "Anthro Blogger". It also makes me unable to ignore what's been going down over the last few days. If you keep up with this community, then you know what I mean. Frankly, I'm pretty sad. I'm sad that someone I had so much respect for and seemed genuine had such a dark underside. It's like lifting up a pretty rock and finding out there are TONS of maggots underneath. It was also upsetting to experience some harsh critiques of the community from other points of view. However, some valid points were made. Why so obsessed with a store? Do we shop obsessively? Do I have thousands of dollars in credit card debt? Where are our priorities?

The bottom line is that the last few days, along with being harrowing, have made us turn the lens on ourselves and our habits as well. Obsessively stalking a piece of clothing, calling multiple stores to find it, or hiring someone to find it for us...it seems a little left of center. And how are we all nice, sweet and complimentary to each other all the time? Constructive criticism can be helpful and the way we view ourselves is different than the way others view us. I always tell my voice students to bring an audio recorder with them to their lessons. The way that you hear your voice is from the inside and it sounds completely different from the outside.

I know that I have been re-thinking the way that I shop for the last few months. Frankly speaking, I live in an expensive city and don't have tons of expendable income to spend of frilly clothes.  Plus, I need Nintendo games too. And dammit, they're expensive!!

All that aside, I like this little community. It's a break from the stress of my every day life. So...here's an outfit.

Anthropologie Verdant Slipdress, Banana Republic Petites Cardigan, Payless Sandals

Last night was the first rehearsal of my choral ensemble so this is what I wore. Good thing, 'cause it was so hot!!!! The Verdant Slipdress was the one piece I have been after all summer...since June and I finally caved when I saw one in the store last week for 50% off. It's PERFECT. It's comfy, the colors are great, it's a great length for a petite. PERFECT.

Just a side note: Many of you know that Kim was on my Blog Talk Radio Show about two weeks ago. We are very saddened by the development of all of the drama involving her Personal Shopping Service. We have been discussing it and we are very sad and sorry for all of the ladies who got their money taken and we hope that Kim gets the help she so desperately needs. I have published a post about it on my show blog here and we will mention it on the air when we go live Saturday night. If you would like to participate in our discussion, you are more than welcome to do so, but I also don't want to beat a dead horse either. I know some ladies have been in touch with me and wish to talk.  Let's see how we are all feeling Saturday, shall we? Until then, wear some pretties for me, ok?