Ikaia-Purdy... freshly translated for your enjoyment
I SKIPPED THE THRILLING RECOLLECTION OF HOW IP SAVED THE DAY IN A PERFORMANCE OF LA FAVORITE.
The prerequisites for a tenor career were originally not advantageous to him, because IP was born in Hawaii. "There, classical music, with only three opera productions a year, has no real tradition. I accidentally came into contact with it early. One day I saw on TV the film 'The Great Caruso' with Mario Lanza and was so enthusiastic about the musical numbers that I went to the library the very next day and found the music and recordings that were hearnd in the film. So many came at me at once that it was only very superficially presented. The famous arias and meldoies I naturally took with me. Starting off I wanted to get to know everything from A to Z. But the beginning of Aida, for example, is slow and soft and I disappointedly thought 'O my God, this is boring!' While listening to La Boheme, I fell asleep once in the third act--but the contact to this music was made and more and more has my love for it grown. I also had the luck that the NYC Opera had made a guest trip to LA and San Diego and there made a side trip to Hawaii. So I was introduced to Mephistofeles and Les Contes d'Hoffmann. Actually, really learning them because I had to sing in the chorus."
However, IP was mistaken for a baritone and so sang the lower voice part. It was a situation that did not help to accelerate the tenor's career. "The first thing after moving to San Francisco, a teacher said to me that I would truly be a tenor. I wanted to try it, and there I felt no pain at the change. After the lesson, I didn't become hoarse, I then saw the correctness of this realization and rightfully became a tenor."
After that, it went stroke for stroke. A small opera company outside of San Fran gave him the opportunity to accumulate scene experience with parts like Turiddu, Alfredo Germont, Canio, Cavaradossi and Don Jose. Eventually he took part in an American competition. As one of the 12 twelve best, which he was, one would receive the possibility to study with Carlo Bergonzi in a Master class in Italy. Once he developed a taste for it, he applied for a competition in Bussetto and won first prize. "An agent from Amsterdam heard me in Bussetto and found me an engagement in Wiesbaden. I worked together in a production of Don Carlo with the conduction Ulf Shirmer. Then I established contact with Director Holdender. And once my contract in Wiesbaden was up in 1992, I made my debut at the State Opera as Alfredo in La Traviata.
THERE IS MORE, BUT IT'S about IP's opinion about the SO's youth program and the state of opera with young people.
The prerequisites for a tenor career were originally not advantageous to him, because IP was born in Hawaii. "There, classical music, with only three opera productions a year, has no real tradition. I accidentally came into contact with it early. One day I saw on TV the film 'The Great Caruso' with Mario Lanza and was so enthusiastic about the musical numbers that I went to the library the very next day and found the music and recordings that were hearnd in the film. So many came at me at once that it was only very superficially presented. The famous arias and meldoies I naturally took with me. Starting off I wanted to get to know everything from A to Z. But the beginning of Aida, for example, is slow and soft and I disappointedly thought 'O my God, this is boring!' While listening to La Boheme, I fell asleep once in the third act--but the contact to this music was made and more and more has my love for it grown. I also had the luck that the NYC Opera had made a guest trip to LA and San Diego and there made a side trip to Hawaii. So I was introduced to Mephistofeles and Les Contes d'Hoffmann. Actually, really learning them because I had to sing in the chorus."
However, IP was mistaken for a baritone and so sang the lower voice part. It was a situation that did not help to accelerate the tenor's career. "The first thing after moving to San Francisco, a teacher said to me that I would truly be a tenor. I wanted to try it, and there I felt no pain at the change. After the lesson, I didn't become hoarse, I then saw the correctness of this realization and rightfully became a tenor."
After that, it went stroke for stroke. A small opera company outside of San Fran gave him the opportunity to accumulate scene experience with parts like Turiddu, Alfredo Germont, Canio, Cavaradossi and Don Jose. Eventually he took part in an American competition. As one of the 12 twelve best, which he was, one would receive the possibility to study with Carlo Bergonzi in a Master class in Italy. Once he developed a taste for it, he applied for a competition in Bussetto and won first prize. "An agent from Amsterdam heard me in Bussetto and found me an engagement in Wiesbaden. I worked together in a production of Don Carlo with the conduction Ulf Shirmer. Then I established contact with Director Holdender. And once my contract in Wiesbaden was up in 1992, I made my debut at the State Opera as Alfredo in La Traviata.
THERE IS MORE, BUT IT'S about IP's opinion about the SO's youth program and the state of opera with young people.