the opera evangelist - Brooke Larimer

Practice, practice, practice.

11/22/2016

I am perpetually looking for places where I can squeeze in practice time. One way I do this is taking an hour lunch break twice a week to go around the corner to Opera America and use their beautiful practice room space. Since most weeks I only get two real hours of practice time, I always have to have a plan.

My plan today is to work on two Wolf songs and my favorite song of all time: Gustav Mahler's setting of Liebst du um Schoenheit.

Translation:

If you love for beauty, do not love me!
Love the sun with its golden hair!

If you love for youth, do not love me!
Love spring - spring is new every year!

If you love for riches, do not love me!
Love the mermaid, she has many luminous pearls.

If you love for loves sake, then love me!
Love me forever, I love you always, forever!

(from CECMusic.com)

Monday Music Listening: The most emotional moment in opera

11/21/2016

Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites is set during another time of political unrest, the French Revolution. While I am hesitant to draw a direct parallel between what is happening in our country right now, issues of class warfare, religious persecution, and populist movements were central themes during that period.

In traditional stagings, the nuns march to their death at the guillotine, but I found this particular rendering to be very effective. I'd ask you to enjoy it, but I'm not sure that's the proper verb.

Anyone else want to share a favorite emotional moment in opera?

Not a morning person

11/19/2016

The fact that I have an awesome day ahead of me does not make it any easier to peel myself out of bed in the morning. Nor does it help me string words together to make sentences.

Duruflé Dress

11/17/2016

My church gig is a little extra gigginess this week. We're singing Duruflé's Requiem as part of the church's music program. The music is great - hearkening back to gregorian chant - well, great if you like that kind of thing, I guess (I do).

If you're in the area, the concert is at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 20th at Reformed Church of Bronxville. If you aren't in the area, here's a recording:

Monday Podcast Listening

11/14/2016

In the short time that I've been writing this blog, Mondays have been for sharing what I'm listening to. Usually its music. Today its the Indie Opera Podcast, episode 31, on which we interviewed Stewart Copeland, the legendary drummer for The Police, who now composes opera.

This episode was really fun to record and hearkens back to happier times (at least for me) pre-election. Please check it out. It's really fun.

Thank you for your service...

11/11/2016

I am not from a military family. No one in my generation has served. Those in previous generations who served either by enlisting or being drafted, did not talk about their service. This is not a point of pride. It is merely my reality. Because of this, growing up, Veteran's Day felt like it belonged to other people. I felt a distant sense of gratitude for our country's founders and the many people who gave of their lives to give me the life I led, but I didn't connect with it personally.

Now, as an adult, I personally know many people who did or do serve: friends from high school, musicians who joined the military ensembles (all fiercely talented), and the family members of close friends. I feel much more connected to the many specific, daily sacrifices those who serve and those who love them make. I am humbled and honored by their service. I am proud to live in a country where people feel compelled to serve. If you or someone you love is or will be a veteran, I thank you, truly. Your service is part of what makes America a great country.

It has been hard, this week, to feel patriotic. I, like 90% of the people I know, am very disappointed in the results of the presidential election. As an artist and a progressive, I worry that our country will lose a lot of what we have gained in the past decade: health care, gay marriage, environmental protections, and all manner of other progressive policies. So today I am grateful to have a day to reflect on the many people who have devoted their lives to the service of our country. Today we honor veterans, specifically, but I am reminded that there are countless ways that we can serve. I am finding there is some hope and comfort in seeking ways to contribute to the good of our country and all its many residents. As I look for ways in which I can give of my time and resources, I hope you all will as well, no matter your political persuasion, no matter your talents, and no matter your financial resources.

These songs made me feel better about my country today, and it made me feel grateful to be an American. I hope they do the same for you.

#ThrowbackThursday

11/10/2016

(This production deserves a premiere in New York. If this is something you'd like to have happen, please contact Jim at Center for Contemporary Opera).

This photo was taken after the performance of A Death in the Family, William Mayer's opera on the novel of the same name, at the Szeged National Theatre in Szeged, Hungary.

I loved being a part of this cast, and I love what our amazing director, Robert Alfoldi, did with this production. It remains one of the most beautiful, moving, and meaningful professional experiences I've had.

I'm thinking about gratitude today. So I'm grateful for the people who got me into this production: Jim Schaeffer, Center for Contemporary Opera, Heidi Lauren Duke. I'm also grateful to the amazing friends I made, who continue to be some of my nearest and dearest.

Monday Music Listening - Election Edition

11/7/2016

This woman can SING.

Anyone who knows me, knows how I plan to vote tomorrow. I need not comment on that here. But, regardless of your political affiliation, I hope you will exercise your right to vote, if you haven't voted early or absentee already.

Vote like your life depends on it, because it just might.

A week of Rossini; best laid plans...

10/29/2016

This week saw me at TWO Rossini operas I'd never seen before, both of which I enjoyed more than I'd expected to. Apparently the lesson there is that I need to revisit Rossini's seria operas. If you are not familiar, I recommend both William Tell and Tancredi. The scores are surprisingly beautiful.

And in other news...

I am increasingly convinced that being a professional, in any field, is keeping a sense of humor when things do not turn out as planned. Sometimes weather interrupts your travel. Sometimes you get a cold and can't perform at or attend an event. Sometimes you have a family emergency. If you can roll with it, and make the best of the situation whatever it may be, you'll look mature and professional to those around you, and, for your own sake, you'll save yourself some stress and anxiety.

I'd like to thank my yoga instructor for the innovative mantra "let go" which has guided me through all sorts of surprises as late.

I blame Seth Godin.

10/26/2016

I've never had a blog before. I've never wanted a blog before.

And then I heard Seth Godin in an interview extolling the virtues of sitting down to write for the public every day, which made me reconsider both having and wanting.

Most of this blog will be about opera and opera-related things because opera pretty much consumes my life. But I won't make any promises about content. What I will promise is that I will strive to write something every day. Hopefully something worth reading, but that is for you, dear reader, to decide.

Today, I will leave you with a clip from Guillaume Tell, which I saw at the Met last night. This clip is not from the Met production, but it is of Brian Hymel, who IS in the Met production. Enjoy.