Still here/gloves
Embarrassingly long time since I've updated this. It's like when someone writes me a letter: the longer my natural laziness stops me replying, the more there is to tell and so the less likely I'll actually get round to it.
Anyway, I won't bother to talk about my last production (Faust) except to mention that a) my brother actually came for once, and was only slightly late, so he gets points for that; and b) it seems to have left me with a thing about wearing headscarves (costumes were sort of Breughel-like: white kerchiefs for women).
And I had a nice dress. I may be giving the impression that I like performing largely so I can dress up, which is not entirely untrue. As further evidence, I am still ridiculously pleased with the long white satin gloves I bought yesterday for my recital tomorrow (theme: A Venetian Masked Ball). I tried them on with the dress, and then had to keep the dress on for my practise (which I do as soon as I get home, to keep neighbour stress to a minimum) to 'see if it would be comfortable to sing in'. So I'm pacing around, waving my arms and making passionate faces as per usual, when suddenly I wonder if the little kids playing outside, who always heckle me ANYWAY, can see this little display and are laughing particularly loudly because of it. I did get changed after that.
I'm quite nervous and excited about the recital, which is for one of the donors of Covent Garden and thus likely to be heard by fairly well informed people. Not just me singing, fortunately, there's a baritone as well, who appears to be much more experienced and has a very swish website. The accompanist is also suitably prestigious and has won the accompanist's award for the Ferrier prize. Admittedly we are singing after supper so everyone will probably be comfortably drunk and/or asleep. That's what I hope.
Anyway, I won't bother to talk about my last production (Faust) except to mention that a) my brother actually came for once, and was only slightly late, so he gets points for that; and b) it seems to have left me with a thing about wearing headscarves (costumes were sort of Breughel-like: white kerchiefs for women).
And I had a nice dress. I may be giving the impression that I like performing largely so I can dress up, which is not entirely untrue. As further evidence, I am still ridiculously pleased with the long white satin gloves I bought yesterday for my recital tomorrow (theme: A Venetian Masked Ball). I tried them on with the dress, and then had to keep the dress on for my practise (which I do as soon as I get home, to keep neighbour stress to a minimum) to 'see if it would be comfortable to sing in'. So I'm pacing around, waving my arms and making passionate faces as per usual, when suddenly I wonder if the little kids playing outside, who always heckle me ANYWAY, can see this little display and are laughing particularly loudly because of it. I did get changed after that.
I'm quite nervous and excited about the recital, which is for one of the donors of Covent Garden and thus likely to be heard by fairly well informed people. Not just me singing, fortunately, there's a baritone as well, who appears to be much more experienced and has a very swish website. The accompanist is also suitably prestigious and has won the accompanist's award for the Ferrier prize. Admittedly we are singing after supper so everyone will probably be comfortably drunk and/or asleep. That's what I hope.