Day 1 in NYC

Hello from NYC!!! I've not even been here for 24 hours and I'm already having a blast. Stephanie has this application on her computer called photo booth and it lets you take all these crazy distorted pictures so here is Stephanie and Alicia and I having too much fun. Some of them are a bit frightening. You'll see what I mean.

Quick shots

So happy!

Sunshine

Ha, ha, ha!

I am NOT ugly...I'm...special

Fish face


Time to go on a diet

My head is shrinking!

Alicia and I giving the CRAZY eye

I got it...I got it...

Luisa Fernanda

Hello family and friends! Sorry it's been so long since I've posted this semester has been crazy. I am taking 11 graduate credits, trying to prepare for auditions and on top of that I have been learning two roles for this semesters opera. After the initial auditions for the opera I was cast as the character Mariana. However, shortly after the auditions one of the Luisas got mono and so they asked me to cover (understudy) the role in the event that she was not able to sing because the other Luisa would not be able to cover performances as she would be out of town. I was happy to do it but didn't realize how much work it would be since both roles are rather large. This is not your run of the mill opera it is more like a musical in Spanish because there is spoken dialogue as well. Fortunately for me I speak Spanish! I worked really hard for almost five weeks but Melissa's health improved quickly so I was certain I wouldn't have the opportunity to perform. BUT about two weeks ago the assistant director pulled me aside and asked me if I'd like the opportunity to perform Luisa and I of course said yes! I guess she had spoken with the Opera director and told him she felt I deserved a chance to perform since I had worked so hard and memorized both roles. He agreed and said it would be fine if I would be willing to drop the role of Mariana and just focus on Luisa. I was happy to do so since I really felt like I connected with the role of Luisa better than Mariana. Since there are six performances each of us will be doing two shows. I will perform this Sunday, November 18th at 2:00 pm and closing night Saturday, December 1st at 7:30 pm. I wish that you all lived closer so you could come to the show but since you are not I have posted pictures from the piano dress rehearsal below. Thank you to all for your support all these years. I wouldn't have been able to get this far with out your faith and encouragement. Love you!

Luisa and Don Floro (father)

Vidal (rich land owner in love with Luisa), Mariana (friend & mother figure), & Luisa

Luisa seeing her boyfriend (Javier) with another woman, Carolina (the duchess)

Mariana, Luisa & Don Floro

Luisa & Don Floro

The Duchess Carolina being as rude as ever!

Watching the Duchess enter

Giving the duchess a verbal lashing

Luisa throwing herself inbetween the mob and Javier

Javier several months later after being exiled in Portugal coming to beg for Luisa's forgiveness



After Luisa send him away

Vidal (now her fiancee) discovers her weeping

Mariana sing Javier enter the party to once again ask for forgiveness

Almost done!

As many of you know I began the last year of my masters degree at ASU this fall. We're only half way through the semester and its been a whirlwind of activity! The things that have kept me the most busy are opera rehearsal and preparing for auditions. The opera we are doing this semester is called, Luisa Fernanda. It is by a Spanish composer named Moreno Torroba. The music is beautiful! I am playing the role of Mariana, who is the funny, sassy, busy body of the town. I have also been asked to cover (or understudy) the role of Luisa Fernanda. One of the Luisas contracted mono and they were unsure whether she'd be able to sing so learning two roles has kept me very busy. It looks like she is feeling much better and will be able to sing the role but it will be a great thing to put on my resume.

I have also been preparing for young artist auditions as well. Young artist programs are apprentice programs associated with large opera companies. Young singers are invited based on talent to participate in these training programs to help further their careers and give them experience in professional settings. If chosen they usually cover all expenses and give you a weekly living stipend which is great! Getting paid to sing is what every singer hopes for. It is however, very competitive as each program takes only 4-12 singers every year depending on how large of a company they are. There are WAY more singers than positions as you can imagine. You are required to prepare and offer five arias in at least four different languages, French, German, Italian and English and if you are invited for an audition you chose one and then they choose one. Intense no! Some of the companies require a preliminary CD to determine if you should be granted a live audition. I just finished making my CD last week and I think for the most part it turned out pretty good. Some programs run during the summer and some during the school year calendar. I have applied to some of both. Here are the places I'm looking at: Des Moines Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, Utah Opera, New Jersey Opera, Virginia Opera, Ashlawn Music Festival (NC), Chautaqua Opera (upstate NY) and Pine Mountain Music Festival (Houston, MI). That's a lot I know but you have to cast your net wide in this business! :o) ANYWAY...I have attached the arias below in the event you are interested in listening. This process has made me realize that I still have A LOT of work to do but I guess you have to start somewhere. :o)

Crazy fun at Wal-Mart

Last weekend after my birthday party I needed to go to Wal-Mart to get some things for a Sunday dinner I was hosting the next day. My friends Melissa and Colte came along for the ride. It was of course really late and so we were all in a weird mood and Melissa got this crazy idea for me to dress up in the ugliest outfit she could find (she was the photographer). Why I was willing to go along with it, I don't know but it was pretty funny.

The hot outfit

My friend Colte right before I attempt to use my signature move to "hit on him". ;o)

Here I go with "The Bend...

...and Snap!"

Ha, ha, ha! Ok...I know! We're dorks...what performers will do for a laugh. I tell ya!

My Birthday Bash

Brandi proud of herself for lighting all 29 (yes, 29) candles on my cake.

Me waiting to blow out the cake.

Steady!

Woah! That is a lot of candles!

What a beautiful cake! Way to go Adele!

Make a wish! It was a great party. :o) Thanks everyone!

Sandiegopalooza!

This trip was a blast! There were so many people and we had so much fun. Especially Sunday night when we played Rook for five hours estraight. That bunch sure knew how to crack me up. And I don't know about you but I hate wrinkled clothes and so I brought a little secret along to solve the problem. Well my friend Karlie and I thought that it was so funny that we were both thought to bring travel size Downey Wrinkle Release we took some demonstration pictures.

I'm going to have to charge Downey to use this one :o)

It works!

Ah...The beach!

Karlie & Me

What a view!

My friend Karlie & I at Solona beach

My BFF Stephanie Zundel and I (Love ya girl!)

My Singing Telegram

My friend Derek who played Chuck in Footloose this summer sent me this singing telegram for my birthday. It made me laugh SO hard. Friends are awesome.