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From:  peggyh@i...
peggyh@i...
Date:  Wed Aug 8, 2001  5:46 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Aria competition


Molly wrote:

>Did I also mention that among the judges, not one was a singer????

Ah, now I understand. Well, in that case, the voice has to sound halfway
decent, but presentation is really important. Think of your average
non-afficiado opera audience. When I first started going, before I knew much
about singing, I liked the opera singers best who gave me a highly effective
emotional experience. (I still like that, but only if the voice is adequate to
the role being sung and the technique is acceptable.)

So given you want to "win" and these are the judges (assuming the voice faculty
hasn't influenced a change in adjudication approach) choose arias that you can
"deliver" (and sing well, of course). (I still think that if a singer has the
voice and temperment for "Vissi d'arte", it's a great aria to choose, because
audiences just love it. )

Focus a lot of your preparation from the outset on the interpretation of the
aria. Maybe get some help on that score from a stage director with experience
staging opera. If you were in this area, I'd say take Richard Crittenden's
weekend aria preparation workshop, because that's exactly what he helps singers
with (and very effectively, based on people I've seen while and just after
they've worked with him). Maybe there's someone at your school or city who has
something similar to offer.

Peggy

---
Margaret Harrison, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
"Music for a While Shall All Your Cares Beguile"
mailto:peggyh@i...





  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
13652 Re: Aria competition agoldhammer@y...   Wed  8/8/2001   2 KB
13709 Stranded on an Island Milena Sertich Grubor   Wed  8/15/2001   3 KB
13732 Re: Stranded on an Island Fiona Chow   Thu  8/16/2001   2 KB
13734 Re: Stranded on an Island Canteclada   Thu  8/16/2001   2 KB
13735 Re: Stranded on an Island John Link   Thu  8/16/2001   2 KB
13737 Re: Stranded on an Island Jennifer   Thu  8/16/2001   2 KB
13738 Re: Stranded on an Island John Link   Thu  8/16/2001   2 KB
13754 Re: Stranded on an Island Jennifer   Fri  8/17/2001   2 KB
14137 Organizing Help!!! Milena Sertich Grubor   Mon  9/17/2001   3 KB

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