Tuesday, April 15, 2003

Got up early as the rehearsal at 10am is a music rehearsal of act 2 and although I'm not really going to warm up, I need to be up a while before I sing. Often I don't warm up much at all, but warm up through the rehearsal, or through the role if it's a performance. I think it's important to do just enough but not too much! It's definitely an oatmeal breakfast day, so I make that and get ready.

Today is Richard Margison's first day. He is singing Florestan and is a good friend as we have worked together many times and it is always a pleasure to sing with him. He called to find out the way to the rehearsal so I arranged to pick him up and take him. We arrived in good time and he met everyone and we got to work singing through act 2. Everything went well and felt good. The second act of Fidelio for Leonora is quite different from the first, as it lies much higher in the voice, but it felt comfortable and Jerry Schwarz seemed very pleased with everyone.

After this rehearsal I had a head wrap done so that a wig could be made to my measurements. This is done by putting my hair in pin curls then putting a stocking cap over that, which is really just like a tight hair net. Then layers of saran wrap are put around my head completely covering it, then scotch tape is put over that to secure the shape and make it more durable. Then the wig mistress draws around my hairline with a magic marker and the job is done. It is not one of the most glamorous parts of the job, but well worth it as wigs made to measure are so much better than one not made for your head.

I was then able to come home for a couple of hours as we had finished early, so I did some errands and chatted with my husband. I went back for the afternoon rehearsal which was to stage the beginning of act 2. This is quite complicated as there is dialogue to fit in with music then a scene with a lot of action to fit in with a duet for Rocco and Leonora, but after a couple of runs through it seemed to fit together well. We ran the scene a few times and each time it felt more settled and less hectic, which was good.

I came home and my husband and I decided to go out for dinner and had very good italian food and a glass of wine, which is unusual for me when I am working, but helped me relax. I often find during rehearsals, that it is difficult to get words and music out of my head and I am constantly thinking of some aspect of the opera. This doesn't help relaxation and nor sleep, so it's important for me to clear my mind at times and do something completely different, like a game of backgammon, or reading.

After dinner I did some work while the Mariners happily won, then watched some mindless TV which certainly helps me wind down. Another early start tomorrow so another early night tonight.