Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wild at Hart
Once again it has been ages since I last updated you on my performance life. The slow season still has me firmly in its maw and I have been fighting to get out. Instead of posting so much fluff here just to fill up the space, I decided to just relinquish posts until something happened. Now it has!
Recently, some of the alumni members of the Craig Hart voice studio put on an opera gala unlike those normally seen in New England. An (almost) entirely male cast sang operatic selections from a few of the powerhouse composers, Wagner, Puccini and Verdi. Myself, I went way out of my league and sang the "Di quella pira" from Verdi's Il Trovatore.
We had decided that if we were going to do a recital it should consist of stuff that we "shouldn't be singing till we are 50". In my opinion you shouldn't make a career out of singing Verdi and Puccini when you are 25, you should just do it for fun. It won't hurt you* (unless you are singing incorrectly which then singing anything from Mozart to Wagner will cause damage). So there, I said it. If you want to sing stuff that is fun, do it. Don't let people say you shouldn't be singing that stuff, have fun just don't over do it. Sing a Puccini aria every so often and push yourself, you might just be surprised at what comes out!
Back to the recital, everyone was amazing. The first half was all arias and the second half consisted of duets, trios and the opening scene from Boheme. We packed out the hall and blew everyone away. Like I said, I doubt many people have been to an (almost) entirely male, strictly sweet opera recital. I may be bias, but when you hear a female opera singer it is almost always good and when you hear a male opera singer it is almost always mediocre. However, when you hear an amazing female singer she sounds great and when you hear an amazing male singer he melts your face with awesome high notes. We may not be in that upper echelon of opera singers yet but I can guarantee that some faces were melted. Feel free to take a look at the program and decide for yourself.
- Gregory -
* Please note I am not a doctor nor a master vocal pedagogue, singing a high C can hurt you if you are not prepared for it even if you think you sing correctly.
Recently, some of the alumni members of the Craig Hart voice studio put on an opera gala unlike those normally seen in New England. An (almost) entirely male cast sang operatic selections from a few of the powerhouse composers, Wagner, Puccini and Verdi. Myself, I went way out of my league and sang the "Di quella pira" from Verdi's Il Trovatore.
We had decided that if we were going to do a recital it should consist of stuff that we "shouldn't be singing till we are 50". In my opinion you shouldn't make a career out of singing Verdi and Puccini when you are 25, you should just do it for fun. It won't hurt you* (unless you are singing incorrectly which then singing anything from Mozart to Wagner will cause damage). So there, I said it. If you want to sing stuff that is fun, do it. Don't let people say you shouldn't be singing that stuff, have fun just don't over do it. Sing a Puccini aria every so often and push yourself, you might just be surprised at what comes out!
Back to the recital, everyone was amazing. The first half was all arias and the second half consisted of duets, trios and the opening scene from Boheme. We packed out the hall and blew everyone away. Like I said, I doubt many people have been to an (almost) entirely male, strictly sweet opera recital. I may be bias, but when you hear a female opera singer it is almost always good and when you hear a male opera singer it is almost always mediocre. However, when you hear an amazing female singer she sounds great and when you hear an amazing male singer he melts your face with awesome high notes. We may not be in that upper echelon of opera singers yet but I can guarantee that some faces were melted. Feel free to take a look at the program and decide for yourself.
- Gregory -
* Please note I am not a doctor nor a master vocal pedagogue, singing a high C can hurt you if you are not prepared for it even if you think you sing correctly.
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