"Plump Jack" in Munich

The day after we landed in Munich to begin rehearsals on Plump Jack, we were actually granted a reprieve because the orchestra and conductor were busy with another project and couldn't also accommodate time for a sing-through of the opera. Although we were all ready to start work, I don't think one single singer complained about having a full day off in Munich. We were all so tired that most of us ended up checking in to the hotel and then just falling asleep. At the hotel, I got a much needed massage and went to bed at my very first convenience....and what a bed! With plush linens and dreamy European queen sized comfort, this housing experience is a huge departure from the times...there have been several...where I have had a mediocre bed in a mediocre hotel room and ended up sleeping on the floor because the hotel mattress was a lumpy disaster of crushed springs that left me with an aching back in the morning. We happened to be housed at a 5-star hotel with warmed bathroom floor tiles and a full spa downstairs. Not my usual accommodations, but I'm doing my best to take absolute advantage of every aspect of this wonderful hotel and this extraordinary experience. Maestro Ulf Schirmer met with us the next day and we sang through the opera very successfully the first time - very few overt mistakes - just little glitches. The next day was a complete sing through with orchestra and chorus. All of us singers just marveled over Gordon Getty's score as it came to life with full strings, winds and horns. The sound enveloped us and the opera began to take real shape over the subsequent days of rehearsals. Finally, we came to the performance night. It was so exciting to be premiering the work of an American composer in such a beautiful and historically important theatre within Munich. The Prinzregententheater (Prince Regent's Theatre) was built as a festival hall for the operas of Richard Wagner, to his specifications, and opened in 1901 with the premiere of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Because Wagner is considered holy here in Munich performing at this venue was a great honor. After we sang through the opera, the audience stood for us and demanded three  curtain calls! We were all elated to have been received so well in such a musically refined city. The recording studio Our next project was to record the opera for Pentatone Records - a project that Mr. Getty has been trying to make happen for some years now. It was absolutely thrilling to be a part of the recording process. All of these forces, a full orchestra, a full chorus and 10 singers would be come dead silent as the Maestro would say, "Band, leuft" (Band, lift). Then all instruments and vocalists would take a breath, lift their instruments and hold until downbeat. You could literally hear a pin drop. Over several days, we recorded the entire 2 hour opera in short bursts of recorded snippets.  We would sometimes repeat sections over and over until the pitches, blend and enunciation were perfect. I cannot wait to hear the final product and will be proud announce the release of the CD upon its completion. Tomorrow, we leave Munich and begin our long travel day back to the states. We'll leave early in the morning, refuel in Ireland, continue on to drop about half our singers in Newark, New Jersey before making the final 5-hour leg home to San Francisco. I'll be so happy to be home and to stay there for awhile. I am staying in San Francisco for most all of my work until after Christmas of this year. I will be one happy girl to be back on my bike and walking around our sleepy city holding my wife's hand. What an adventure the last couple of months have been - time for rest - but not without the memory of these amazing experiences swimming through my dreams.

My Next Great Adventure

Today was our last matinee of Stephen Schwartz’s Séance on a Wet Afternoon. The final show was really phenomenal. We pulled out all the stops and just gave 110% knowing that we were approaching the finish line. Stephen bowed with us one last time and we all hugged on-stage.  Although I leave New York with sadness about the ending of this adventure, another one awaits. 

The Jet

 I am writing this post from a private jet en route to Munich, Germany to sing Gordon Getty’s Plump Jack with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra. The opera will be broadcast live, recorded and performed at the Prinzregententheater on May 8.  I am on this private 727 plane because when someone offers you a ride on a private plane, you just say “YES”.  I cannot describe how amazing it has been to be allowed to partake in this luxury. Especially when I recall all the times, in an effort to save money, I packed peanut butter sandwiches to go on audition trips to New York or the times that I pulled long shifts at minimum wage jobs; desperate for every cent of overtime to help finance my travel.

Room to move

The on-board bed (complete with a seatbelt!)

The plane is spacious and allows for full movement between sitting rooms.  I was also allowed to use the full size bed to catch some much needed sleep since I was coming to the flight directly after my matinee performance. After all the times I have flown coach and crammed my legs under other people's seats, this was pure heaven.  We have been served everything from medium-rare filet, crab claws and steamed veggies to fresh tropical fruit and Peet’s Coffee (for all you San Franciscans). 

After a 6 hours of flying, we stopped in Shannon, Ireland to refuel the plane and do a little duty free shopping. I have always wanted to go to Ireland.  I’ve been in England plenty of times, but my schedule never seemed to allow for a quick side-trip. So, for one full hour, I took in all the green, heathery beauty and all the heavy brogue I could handle!

As we got back onto the plane, the staff asked me if I’d like to sit in the cockpit during take-off.  I suppose I had that “child-like” quality of wonder as I stared into the small space housing three men and three million switches. I have never experienced anything like it. The preparation was very intense as all three pilots spoke to each other in codes and checks and decided who would control what portion of the journey. Then……speed racer!!!!! 

Visiting the cockpit

I can only imagine what beauty awaits us in Munich. I have been only once, in the dead of winter, and I hear that May is a gloriously beautiful time to be in Germany. When we land, it will be just after noon and we’ll all need to catch a little more serious sleep. However, our first day is free and we don’t begin our rehearsals until late evening on the next day. There may even be time to sneak over to the Marienplatz, the heart of the city of Munich, and see some sites.

Tranquility above

What a long, yet musically rewarding, month in New York it has been.  With daily rehearsals and so many performances back to back, it has been a real treat to be pampered on this trip. I usually go searching around on internet travel sites for the very best deals and the very best ways to save. I’m glad I know how to find a bargain, but I could get used to traveling like this!

Final Dress Rehearsal: "Seance On a Wet Afternoon"

Backstage in my costume as Rita Clayton

Today was an absolutely breath-taking performance on all counts from every single member of our cast. I just want to stand on top of the tallest building and shout, "EVERYONE must take a few hours of their lives and come see this MASTERPIECE!" Stephen Schwartz has just outdone himself with artful tunes that can be whistled as you walk away, wonderful segues from section to section incorporating drama and comedic timing seamlessly. His music is informed and rich in texture. There is meaning behind each theme. I have begun to connect some thematic material and the revelation of his story-telling threads is exhilarating. The small invited audience really seemed to pick up on these same feelings. We could all tell that they were "with" us every step of the way. Lauren Flanigan is completely committed and captivating, Kim Josephson plays Lauren's torn husband with aching intensity. The children in the show are just spectacular actors and singers. Here's the beginning of a long but exciting run!

"Seance On a Wet Afternoon" Interview

Check out my "20 Questions" mini interview with New York City Opera.

Hello, New York!

New York City Opera's David H. Koch Theatre

With director, Scott Schwartz and our show poster

I arrived in New York City on March 28th and have just today taken my first real breath while walking through Central Park. On the way out of a long rehearsal, I decided to take a whimsical right turn down 65th from Lincoln Center and proceeded to walk along the winding passages to the Mall. I don't care what time of year it is or what the weather forecast says, this park is magic and a much needed reprieve after a long week of rehearsals.

Our first sing-through of the opera, Seance on a Wet Afternoon by Stephen Schwartz (composer of Wicked, Pippin and Godspell) took place the morning after I arrived in New York. All husky, dry and jet-lagged, I approached the morning with my fingers crossed.

Our tenor, Todd Wilander, and I sang through our duet having met just 7 minutes previous.  We connected immediately and it sounded as if we'd been singing together for weeks. Mr. Schwartz pumped his fist into the air after our triumph and I knew that all was well.

We have a remarkable cast for a remarkable piece of theatre and music. It is really as if every perfect fit that could happen did happen. Our director, Scott Schwartz, is intent on ultimate realism and that's just what we're striving to create...breath-taking reality.

What a gift to be involved in this project. As I take a moment, under William Shakespeare's statue in the park,  and reflect on my whirlwind week in New York City I wonder who I should thank? How long would that list be?! And, could I ever truly show my full gratitude to every person and for every step that got me here?