Renewed Efforts.

Okay, kids. From now on, I will post AT LEAST once a week. Mostly this is due to a convenient hour and a half in my schedule that I should be using for practicing, but I inevitably use to write emails, check xkcd.com, read up on the news, and chat with friends. This block of time is also immediately following the most enjoyable and stimulating class I've had since I graduated (yes, I know it's only my second semester of grad school, shut up).

I have finally been cast in a production. It is the one-act operetta Trial by Jury by the ever-loved Gilbert & Sullivan. The most fun I've ever had in a production was in their Pirates of Penzance, so I'm hoping for similar results from this show. I remember thinking during that production, and recently upon listening to recordings of the d'Oyly Carte production, that I would love to do lots of Gilbert & Sullivan. I have no idea if there's a career niche there, as I'm fairly sure most high schools with any kind of drama program have done a Gilbert & Sullivan show. But don't you think that the adoring public will always keep these shows in circulation?

Anyway, I had completely put this final Meadows Opera Theater (hereafter referred to as MOT) production out of my mind. It's probably a good thing I did, because if I had done any research at all, I would have realized that there was only one role in this show for a female. That would have caused far more worry than I really needed. I was riding off the comment by Hank, our MOT director, that he would be "very disappointed" if I did not participate in MOT this semester. I guess now we see why.

Here are my feelings on the role.

First of all, it's short. That's somewhat disappointing, as much of the reason for me attending graduate school at all was to be in a production and find out if it's something of which I really could or would want to make a career. The only other role I've had was Mrs. Nolan in The Medium, also a very short role. I'm not exactly racking up XP here, you know? However, I do see the benefit of starting small so that I will be more prepared to tackle any larger, upcoming roles. For that, I am somewhat relieved.

Secondly, the dialogue refers to my character as being very pretty several times. Now, this isn't really a problem, I guess, but it's kind of strange for me. Before, as a mezzo, I was prepared to always play mothers and old women. Being a soprano has opened me up to roles where I can be the pretty girl. Plus it's just a weird self-esteem issue. Me? The pretty girl? Naw.

Finally, this role is important to me because it's a debut. It's my debut in MOT as something other than some girl in the back with a cute dress and fab shoes. More importantly, though, is that it's my first soprano role. I have arrived. I have now changed the title below my name on my resume from mezzo-soprano to soprano. I would say that I'm past the point of no return, but that's not true. Maybe in the future I'll return to mezzo status. Maybe I'll fulfill my dream of abandoning fach altogether and simply be, as Virginia calls it, a "Willing Female Singer." Until that time, though, I'm excited to finally feel more grounded in my fach. This will be awesome.