We had a brilliant day today, the new singers this week are so different from last week, yet just as keen, dedicated and fun loving. We had some great opera yesterday, and a number of the singers who previously did not readily attempt languages other than English, sang a variety of Italian arias ! Progress and bravery combined!
We had a beautiful Va'doro Pupille, the delicious seduction aria from Julius Caeser by Handel. The lady concerned had not realised just how sensuous this particular aria is, and when it was explained she sparked with Handelian electricity! An equally scintillating Juliette's Waltz Song was forthcoming from my close friend J. She worked so hard as we 'bigged' up this already hefty romantic aria, so it turned into the size of piece which would satisfy an audience in one of the larger opera houses in Europe ! All she needed was permission to let go and release the sound and it pinned us to our seats.
A moving Lascia ch'io Pianga kept us within the glorious Handel melodic moments, and a heartfelt Cesar Franck prayer made for a delightfully peaceful and telling session. E sings with her whole self, and always finds the true and deep meaning in all she performs.
There was an amazing Porgia Amor from Figaro. It was breathtaking, uninhibited and so deeply committed L brought herself to despairing tears by the final 'O mi rendi il mio tesoro, O mi Lascia al men morir'. The moment of silence as the final moments died away in the accompaniment was quite thrilling, both for the listener and, I think, the singer.
Today it was Art Song day, and what a plethora of music. Possibly the bravest performance of the day was my own K. she has been so afraid of the technical difficulties of Grieg's 'Solveig's Song', that I trembled for her almost more than she did! After using her body in a more physical way, ie running up and down the room, and letting all dance a mock Norwegian folk dance, she finally allowed her body to do what it wanted to do naturally and suddenly her voice soared out and the final octave leap was as easy as falling off a musical log! Good woman, K, you really moved forward today!
Have travelled far, and secrets tell;
Cold the moon that gleams thine eyes,
Yet beneath her further skies
Rests for thee, a paradise.
I have plucked a flower in proof,
Frail, in earthly light, forsooth:
See, invisible it lies
In this palm: now veil thine eyes:
Quaff its fragrancies!
Would indeed my throat had skill
To breathe thee music, faint and still --
Music learned in dreaming deep
In those lands, from Echo's lip....
'Twould lull thy soul to sleep.
How beautiful is that. The words have such music, even without the black dots!
More next time.........
Note the underlined lyric. My favourite sentence. Ah......
Posted with Blogsy
No comments:
Post a Comment