Here it comes: (And I am sorry if I will type sth wrong. I dont read what I type and sometime the thoughts are faster than my fingers.) Being here in this very same Forza production with the 98% same cast is awkward in a way for all of us. I have never done this before, that we travel with a production, especially almost a year later when life was going on. When I arrived I had to face all the old reflexes I put into this show such as I was so nervous before each of my big scenes. Before my first scene I kept on having doubts in my high B flat, which is nonsense to a singer who has E flat above high C. Yet this devilish thought, this poison kept on haunting me all the time. Then before my third act scene I kept on worrying about what if I cannot calm myself down after Nella guerra la pazzia... These sort of irrational devilish thoughts needed to be fixed while we did the rehearsals over here in Luxembourg. I still have a slight feeling of both poisonous thoughts, yet I overcome them 10 to 30 minutes before going on stage. So, I conquered these negative thoughts. Also, on the back wall of the set there are three words with capital letters: FORZA FORZA FORZA. Believe or not: these words - just by seeing them - help a lot. My voice was well rested, I ate a lot and a lot of healthy food throughout the day, so I was just positively excited to go on as the blind and wicked Preziosilla. When I arrived people came by and amongst all the people there were three surprises: Michaela Barth, out costume designer, Michael Thalheimer, our production director and Aviel Kahn, the Vlaamse Opera general director. It was just amazing to see them again. Especially Michael - who created this particular character for me and with that he let me live in theater world with lots of acting. The show started 7 minutes later for some reason. It was not full house. The orchestra was playing so-so, but we didnt expect too much from them. They are limited. Finally I received my call and I kept an enormous energy going inside out from me. There was an additional amazing energy going on behind me on stage. (I never know what they are doing since I play blind) all in all this was just the perfect acting and great, smart singing in my aria. When I am done with my first aria - generally speaking - I always start relaxing, since there is not too much and especially not at all difficult parts afterwards. Just concentrating on acting a lot. I cannot afford to get out of character for one fraction; I need to be believable always. Between the second act and the third act scenes I usually go to the green room and chat with a couple of colleagues and in the intermission I need to change my make up into smoky eyes, since act 3 is after the battle and I need to be mad, manipulative, evil. Showing what war does to ones mind... I saw a site shared on FB with some of the US soldiers showing before during and after the war experience. Their eyes were absolutely changed. One can tell those people burned out and all they saw was fire, killing, battle, blood that came with stress and adrenaline shock. I am using that view, that look and that mind in this act 3 change. In fact, the director told me how clear my character is and he remained in awe every time I got on stage. Because what he saw in his dreams I created in act. I am so proud of this compliment, because Michael is an internationally known theater director (he is staging Wozzeck, the play in Sweden at the moment) and it is very important for me to be acknowledged as an actress. Here came my act 3 big scene. Catherine Nagelstad - my all time favorite soprano, with whom I did Norma 9 years ago and we did magic with our voice - sat there by the FORZA FORZA FORZA wall and just to see her and talk to her a little bit calmed me down. She is an angel! She always comes to listen to my Rataplan scene. I went on and I was as wicked as I could be all the way to my exit. Last night there were quite a few animalistic sounds came out of me while I didnt need to sing. I drove everyone in the auditorium, in the pit and on stage complete nuts! Then - while I was doing these sounds for a split second I was thinking: Hm... how am I going to produce singing voice, especially the bravura coloratura with top C in it after all this noise I am giving out. But this was just a tiny thought. I couldnt stop being a mad woman and this led me into Rataplan that was just best ever in this production. (One day I will write a book about how much the singers mind must be in control and what we need to do to trick the agitation while we are totally relaxing and getting ready for the high notes.) During the duet - when I need to act that I am like a witch manipulating Carlos and Alvaro - I made a very special march that the director fell for. Yes, I was in the zone! And everybody was very happy after the show. I had a good chance to talk to Michael after the show and mentioned my production to him, because I want to share my work with all the people I know they come from the same root as I do. (These are theater directors obviously, but not just any of them: the ones who can see theater down to the core.) Happy Sunday, Everyone!
Posted on: Sun, 13 Oct 2013 11:27:42 +0000