A Thousand Lifetimes

Sometimes, I feel like there are times in life that seem to have been a century ago...or a century away...like I've lived a thousand different lifetimes. I suppose that sounds strange, but so many things feel like I only dreamed about them, that they weren't real. Europe, college, summer, even this past week...Monday feels like it was a month ago!

It was a very full week, that is for sure! I got my Iolanthe score! :) It's a lot of music, but it'll be awesome. Tuesday, Alexa (my roommate) and I, for some absurd reason, watched 18 Kids and Counting all evening. I'm sorry, but 18 kids...and another on the way!...is way too many! It's INSANE!! Wednesday night, we attended the dress rehearsal for I pagliacci downtown for opera/music theatre workshop. Thursday evening was Melody and Rachel's (two of our SAI sisters) junior recital. Brava, girls! It was beautiful! Then, Friday, Alexa and I just had a lazy evening at home...after a crazy adventure to Target, Kroger, and Chipotle. haha! I don't think I mentioned before, but the two of us are most definitely Laverne and Shirley. Our lives are pretty ridiculous, and whenever we do something together, it is always an interesting adventure. It's hysterical in the end, though! And I am sure it highly entertaining to onlookers. Anywho, we rented My Life in Ruins (HILARIOUS!!!) and The Proposal (ADORABLE!!...even though I've seen it 4 times now! haha!), ate yummy burritos, and I worked on the nuisance called the SAI Yearbook Directory that I have to complete.

Yesterday was the annual Vocal Symposium for the voice department of the conservatory. Actually, it began Friday morning at recital hour with a wonderful lecture on words and music (this year's theme...my favorite!) by Dina Lentsner (Russian professor that lives downstairs of my flat). It varies for year-to-year, but this year it was a day-long masterclass with the brilliant Ken Griffiths. His work is mainly in collaborative piano, so piano-voice ensemble is a big deal with him. :) And then there's the words and music...ah! This is why I want to go back to Europe. I love that stuff! I realized yesterday that not only do I want to sing opera, but I see myself specializing in art song as well. I just love it! I never thought much of it before, but it is such an incredible word of repertoire...and practically endless.

I sang "Waldesgespräch" from Schumann's Eichendorff Liederkreis cycle. Wonderful piece. First off, I have to say that I have grown a sort of attachment to the story behind the piece, the legend of the Lorelai, simply because I have seen the Lorelai rock on the Rhein in Germany. Even more, as I was working on it in my 20 minutes with Ken Griffiths, my energy was heightened as we discussed how the Lorelai must be portrayed because I remembered that the afternoon I was on that Rhein River cruise in 2005, I was persuaded into singing...as we passed the Lorelai rock! Sweet! This song took on a new meaning at that moment. :)

Ken Griffiths was intense and slightly intimidating, but he was absolutely brilliant! He reminded me quite a lot of János and Roland...hard-core and critical but all in well meaning. Twenty minutes was so short. Some people did not like his criticism, but I suppose brutal opinions are often difficult to accept...doesn't, however, necessarily make them any less true, though. He was a very animated man, too. haha! So ridiculous! Perhaps, being a short-statured Australian adds to his humor.

I spoke with him for a moment at the end of the day, thanking him. He had made a joke about Hungarians singing in German, and I told him I had studied in Hungary and what he said was pretty true. haha! :)

Now, it is Sunday, and it feels like Saturday. However, it isn't, and there are classes tomorrow. Mondays. ugh. I don't care for them much...I have a voice lesson, but it is just such a long day. Attending a masterclass an hour away with Shuler Hensley (not performing this time, just watching) tomorrow evening for opera/music theatre workshop. Tickets to Young Frankenstein downtown with the same class on Wednesday. Musicale with SAI on Tuesday evening at the assisted living home down the street. LOTS of practicing to do and catch up on! And that blasted yearbook directory due!


Gratitude 123

I love the beautiful colors I see from my flat and as I walk the paths of campus! :) It's very yellow this year. So cheery!

P.S. A few pictures have been added to the previous post! :)