Wednesday, April 9, 2003

Woke up a little too early but knew I wouldn't go back to sleep so got up and made coffee. Spent some time on the computer waking up, and playing backgammon. I love to play a few games in the morning, hoping to win a few and get some points. I play online against real people somewhere in the world, though I rarely chat—just enjoy a few games every now and then. Had beans on toast for lunch...a truly English dish I know. Heinz Baked Beans on toast are one of the great things in the world for lunch, though it really does take a born and bred English person to appreciate them.

Went into rehearsal at 2pm and we went over what we had staged yesterday and it seemed to go well, and felt more settled with a night in between. We then went on to a new scene, which also has the longest section of dialogue in the opera. Jane, Kevin, and I talked it through with Chris, the director, first, and made a few cuts to make it easier and clearer. After a few goes through, I felt happier with the words and how I was remembering them. It's much easier to remember words in dialogue or music when you have moves to go with them. Many singers will tell you that the first time they stage something they forget the words, even though they know them well, but as soon as they have been set with movements and direction, the words come flooding back...well at least usually they do!

The trio of characters then sing a trio which is quite difficult musically and dramatically, as they are all in their own worlds and singing together but having different emotions. I think Chris had very good ideas for making this clear though, and though the afternoon was a test of concentration, we all felt a lot had been achieved. I also had a discussion about my wig and how it would be and whether I would wear a cap throughout. These things have to be decided now, as it takes a long time to make a wig, as every hair is tied in by hand. We looked at the various color swatches of real hair and it was decided that "ginger brown" would be the one, which pretty much matched my own hair color, not that I had ever thought of myself as ginger!

I left feeling tired, but the sun was shining and the drive home was nice. I sang along to the radio, and noticed a couple of strange stares at me as I waited at traffic lights.

My manager, Jenny, came round in the evening to go over a few business things. She is one of my oldest friends too, as we met on our first day at college in Manchester when we were 18. She has managed me for several years now and now lives in Seattle too with her 3 boys, to whom my husband and I are godparents. She brought her lovely dog Suki round too. She is a white Siberian husky and a really beautiful dog. Suki is also in love with my husband and cries when she sees him, doing everything she can to jump up on him. I'd love for us to have a dog but with all the travel we do it wouldn't be practical, so I have to make do with petting Suki when I can. After Jenny left, I watched the Mariners baseball, though sadly we lost, but the disappointment was tempered by a wonderful curry my husband made for dinner. I did manage to do some work while the game was on. I find it much easier to learn words when the TV is on and really find it hard to concentrate in silence. I did my school homework the same way and have always been better at doing a few things at once.

Spent a little time online and chatted to the silver cast Florestan, Paul Lyon, who arrived today from Germany. He and I worked together several years ago, and it will be nice to see him again after a long time, and with his new baby in tow.

Tomorrow is a long rehearsal day, and new parts of the opera, so an early night will be a good thing, and hopefully the work just done will cement itself over night. I often wonder if you could play a tape of a piece over and over during the night and you would just know it in the morning. Maybe I'll try it sometime, but not tonight.