And Now For The Singing

First lesson of the season with AVT was yesterday. I was a little concerned as I have not practiced all summer. I sing all the time, but really not properly (connected, open, lifting the soft palette, etc). Which may have been a good thing, because I managed to really connect during the warm-up, and extended my upper range by a whole tone. Woo hoo! I think that I may even be getting more relaxed about it all. Shocking, but true. I was the cantor at church on Sept 2, and although Gordon sent me the psalm two weeks prior to the date, I did little more than give it a cursory glance (crazy rhythm? Weird words? Wicked intervals? No, all good). The first time I actually sat down and played it/sang it was . . . the day before. Without a twinge of panic. Huh. I was a bit stressed on the morning of, because I couldn't warm up in the car with Hubby and the kids in there, too. But I didn't even feel queasy before singing (a bit nervous, but not ill). Progress.

So, the pieces I am working on. Still On Mighty Pens from Haydn's The Creation, which we started at the end of the year last year. And AVT suggested that I look at something from Handel's Messiah for the Christmas performance, but that not everyone will be doing Messiah because there are not enough arias to go around. We glanced at another couple of potentials before trying out Mozart's Alleluia. We were going to do that, until I mentioned the Puccini. She asked which one, and we tried it out. This is the piece I mentioned last year and she said "one day, but not until you open your mouth more, or you'll hurt yourself". Well, guess who's working on Un Bel Di from Madama Butterfly? Yes, it's dramatic, and I thought that I didn't like dramatic, or Italian, because of Il Mio Bel Foco. And then I realized that what I really didn't like was Il Mio Bel Foco! Time to release my inner diva. Watch out, world!