Vocalist.org archive


From:  <peggyh@i...>
Date:  Fri Feb 1, 2002  6:38 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Reading glasses on stage


Susan S.wrote:
<<So my question is, how do you all feel about wearing reading glasses on stage?
Is it too un-glamorous, unprofessional, dumb, or what? Is it OK? Does it give
away one's age?

Of course, I could actually memorize the role (ACK!!) but with only 2
orchestra rehearsals and one soloist rehearsal, it's nice to have the score to
refer to for cues and orchestrations, etc. I could also photocopy the role and
blow it up a little. Or am I being silly? And if this weren't annoying enough,
I'm wondering if the issue applies more to women than men.>>

I'm a glasses wearer - bifocals. Designed to read close-up stuff, so not much
use on stage, unless I have special glasses for that distance made up.

From an audience standpoint, my problem with singers who wear glasses is you
can't see their eyes, because the light reflects off of it. So for that reason,
I recommend that if you must perform with music, you blow it up so you can read
it comfortably from a music stand set at a height that doesn't block your face
or voice. For me, that's about elbow-level (I have short arms).

And if you know the music pretty well, but it's the words you're insecure
about, you could just blow up the words, with repetitions as in the music.

Peggy

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



emusic.com