The end of another week.........how time flies, especially when things are approaching fast and time seems short ! I had an excellent lesson with the fully reformed young J who had worked like a small and enthusiastic Trojan since last week and redeemed himself fully, and in his own words had moved from 'the relegation place' ! He was a changed young man and I told him how pleased I was ! Keep it up J !
I had a number of my teens this evening who are working hard at their small roles in The Gondoliers, and we made great progress in working out some moves for them. I forget that for a couple it is the first time they have had a named role ! My expectations are high and I drive them relentlessly to achieve their full potential, but sometimes I need to give them planned and deliberate moves linked with the lyrics so they never have that feeling of not knowing what to do with their arms and legs !
Yesterday M worked with real intelligence and remembered all the tiniest of hand moves and suddenly her role of Fiametta came to life, and she made it jump off the page and 'sparkle' with the musical reds and greens of the Italian flag ! She grew a good six inches in confidence and character. Today I did the same with S who is playing Vittoria, and we have made her the foot stamping petulant one of the trio of small but very 'girly' roles who have lots to do in the big opening sequence. S pointed her finger and stamped her foot with all the effectiveness and knowledge of a fast growing teenager, and by the time we finished her lesson I felt she had found Vittoria and was relishing the character !
I finished my evening with N, who has more recently joined the cast and is making herself felt in rehearsals by using her beautiful and powerful voice in the highest moments of the chorus, and there are some VERY high ( in terms of notes!) choruses ! Sullivan must have thought it needed to be the light version of the romantic Italian Opera - there are bars and phrases which could pass for early Verdi or late Donizetti ! Grovelling apologies to any true fans of the Italian school, but if ones listens closely faint strains of 'L'elisir d'amore' can be heard weaving through the Finale of Act 1........
Mea maxima culpa......
The first rumblings of the diva - soon to be witnessed in The Gondoliers !
In this 2014 concert photograph we can see Fiametta, Vittoria, Guilia, Tessa, Gianetta and Casilda !
Small singers grow into BIG singers.......
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