Final Thoughts on HSOW

I just finished going through customs at the Halifax airport and am waiting for my flight to Chicago and then I'll fly from Chicago to Dayton.  Yesterday was a wonderful show and I'm so proud of how the trio went (and glad that it was being recorded!).

During the school year you are constantly multitasking, working on classes, working a job, AND being in an opera.  The joy of a summer program is that it is your only focus, you are just doing an opera so you can put all of your time and energy into it. 

What was wonderful about HSOW was that from the very start everything was seen as a positive learning experience.  Even though I was one of the youngest female voices at the program, I never felt unwelcome or like I wasn't as good as other people there.  There was never an ounce of caddiness or malice within the casts or between anyone in the program (that I saw).  There was also a sense that this was your show and your role, the two Antonia's were completely different, even though the blocking and costumes were the same, it was nice that the director did not have a vision for how everything had to be, you were allowed to be an artist and make your own choices.

If you asked me two weeks ago if I want to come back to HSOW, I would have said, "sure".  But now after going through the entire program and seeing the final product (which is a wonderful show), I would not hesitate to come back.  While I am looking at different programs for next year, if I ended up going back to HSOW it would be great and I would not have any regrets (plus the rep they are thinking about doing next year is pretty awesome).

The other great thing about HSOW is the price, it is by far one of the most affordable opera programs that I've come across.  While there are companies that pay you (which is awesome) sometimes you aren't ready for those companies and need more experience.  Out of all the programs I was accepted to, HSOW was the most affordable PLUS you get to spend the end of summer in Nova Scotia...which is absolutely beautiful and a LOT LOT LOT less hot than Ohio.  The other costs you have to keep in mind are flying, housing, and buying food in canadian dollars with canadian sales tax.  But in comparing prices, the difference really isn't much, and it probably is still a better deal to be here.

So between the casts, directors, costs, sets, lighting, costumes, artistry, and so much more I would recommend HSOW to anyone looking for a summer program.

Leaving this program is bittersweet, I'm excited to start rehearsals for Le Nozze di Figaro in a week, and to see my friends and family, but I will miss this.

.....this blog took less time than I thought....bleh, I'm ready to just get on my plane, I'm hungry.

Day 30: A picture of someone you miss.

I'm going to recycle a picture, because I still miss these same people!!  (But I'm guessing while I'm on the flight I'm going to start missing people @ HSOW).

Lobster!

Yesterday was basically the last day I got to explore Halifax, the big thing Tamara and I planned to do was finally got out for lobster.  There is this restaurant called Salty's which is right on the water that Maureen had recommended to us.  (picture is the view from our table)

There were two choices that we were debating, one was the full lobster, and the other was the surf and turf which was half a lobster and a steak (and potatoes, veggies, etc.) so since neither of us had ever had lobster we decided to go with the surf and turf.  OMG it was BEYOND delicious. 

The meat was like cooked perfectly and the lobster tasted so good.  It was good though that we just got the little one, because neither of us would have known how to get the meat out of a full lobster.  The entire meal was just like literally perfect.  And considering the quality of the food and service it wasn't THAT expensive.  I'd love for my parents and uncle and aunt to be able to come up here sometime.  Nothing quite like lobster that is caught in the harbour right outside.

After dinner we did a little bit of shopping, since the restaurant was on the other side of town we ended up missing The Magic Flute (sorry guys!).  So I had to get some cards for the stage director and music director.  We also went to an ice cream place called COWS which I literally couldn't eat because it was SO good and I was SO full haha.  But the COWS location on Prince Edward Island is considered the best ice cream in the world.

Next time I'm in Nova Scotia I think I'm going to try and schedule a flight or roadtrip with other people to go to Prince Edward Island (the home of Anne of Green Gables).  Its not THAT far it's mainly that I don't have access to a vehicle.  Maybe next year other people will want to band together and take a trip! I mean who doesn't want to see a bunch of touristy stuff related to this little girl...

Today is the final performance of both The Tales of Hoffmann and The Magic Flute.  It's so bittersweet, I'm excited to come back to the states and see my friends and family (and stop paying these RIDICULOUS sales taxes), but I am sad to leave the new friends that I've made and to close this wonderful show. 

Day 29: A picture of something that can always make you smile. (I'm a nerd and you'll probably have to click it to actually be able to read it).

Closing of the Port Cast

After I woke up I went to the gym, now when I got here I bought a gym pass for a month, that wasn't expensive...until you add in the 15% sales tax that's required in Halifax...so I'm now trying to get the most out of my gym pass.  So yesterday I went to the gym around 11:00am and did my usual workout and then went to a spinning class...and I feel it...in a good way.  But yea it was fun, wish that group fitness classes didn't cost extra fees at BG and Miami.

Then I basically just relaxed until I went to head over to Dalhousie to do the show.  I got there around 5:30 (so basically way too early) and just hung out with Nick, Darrell, Max, and Maureen until about 6:15 when I finally went in and began to get ready.  It really doesn't take that long to get ready, especially because I have a handy hairagami (I sound like an infomercial).  But after I did my hair and makeup I turned around and realized that part of my costume was missing because it had ripped (it got stepped on) so I had to wait a little longer to get dressed...but for the girls it almost doesn't matter when we get ready, because none of us go on until Act 1, so we have the entire hour before the show starts, plus another...20 minutes? 30?  Something like that.

So the show began and everything went pretty well, the adrenaline was a little high I think which was causing a few mistakes, but nothing terrible.  After the first 2 acts were over I went over to stage left so that I could help Sarah (Antonia's Mother for the Port Cast) put on her 15 foot train.  After we did this she realized she had left the belt in the dressing room, so I had about 2 minutes to run behind the stage (as quietly as possible...in character shoes) to grab the belt, because without it you would see all of the ties we have to use to put on the train.  But I got back in time for her to put on the belt and for us all to calm down a bit.

The whole show went really well, I think the adrenaline rush made people make mistakes they don't usually make..BUT I think that only people who know the show incredibly well would notice the mistakes, like since I've been doing the show for nearly a month, I know it pretty well (because it plays through my head...all the damn time).  All and all it was wonderful and very well received by a pretty big audience.

Today we have off, so Tamara and I are going to go and finally get lobster and then go see The Magic Flute's final port performance.  Then on Saturday is my last performance as Antonia's Mother as well as the closing night for Magic Flute.  Very bittersweet.

EDIT: THERE ARE NOW VIDEOS UP FROM LAST NIGHT'S PERFORMANCE!!! http://www.youtube.com/user/halifaxoperaworkshop
Day 28: A picture of something you are afraid of.

Cabaret Night

We had our cabaret night yesterday which was basically the highlight of the day, my days when we don't do anything are pretty much just practicing, exercising, and napping.  But I did take a picture of Canadian Peanut Butter because its SO adorable!!

I decided to walk over to practice and get ready for the cabaret night then mapquest said it was just under 2 miles to the location so I was like, "Oh no problem I can totally walk that" so I wrote down the directions and after I warmed up I decided to head over....

Okay biggest problem with Halifax is that not all the streets are labeled.  So I got about halfway there and had NO idea where I was...while I've been here I basically haven't traveled north of Spring Garden because...I didn't have to, the basilica is on spring garden, all the good shops are on spring garden, same with restaurants, and the ocean harbour is just further down the road.  Also when I realized I had no idea where I was and NO idea where my next turn was (pretty sure I missed it) I was in a shitttttttttttty neighborhood (also it was raining...greaaaaat).  So finally I walked and walked and got to Gottingen Street...and was like "Oh...well that's the street that the bar is on" and there was a staples so I went in and asked how to get to this bar and they told me it was just a few more blocks down the street on the other side AND that there was a green light outside (PERFECT! A landmark!!).  So about five minutes later I got there.

The bar was actually really nice inside, there were like little lounges everywhere and a nice little stage, and the NICEST employees.  Bunnie (Andrew) was the host for the cabaret which was a lot of fun since he kept doing costume changes and being a hilarious M.C.

I'm going to see if I remember everything people sang...it won't be in order, and I may forget some! But here's my attempt (this will be interesting):

ME singing "Va! Laisse Couler Mes Larmes"
Katy: Mozart's "Alleluia"
Kelsey: something about laying your head down
Will: something from Parade about red hills...
Carl: Pourquoi me reveiller
Andrew (as Bunnie): When You're Good to Mama
Sarah: Violin Aria
Jen: something in spanish...i think
Sharon: Lucy's Aria
Tracy: I love a piano
Tracey: Summer
Shilpa: Hotel (Poulenc)
Daniel: Oh is there not one maiden breast
Max: Shiksa Goddess
Victoria B: something in spanish (i can't keep up with the spanish...)
Victoria M: something by a canadian composer
Nina: Alto's Lament
GaRRy: something from a musical
David: something hilarious that I didn't catch the name of

I think that was it! Anyway it was a really fun little concert and we got some donations which was great!  After that there was music (but it kept skipping so it stopped being fun when the music stopped).  But we all had a good time I think :) 

I decided to cab back afterward because it was still sort of raining...and I didn't want to walk back at night and attempt to find my dorm, plus a cab was only like 8 bucks so may as well splurge.

Today is our show! Tonight I'm in the chorus but it should be so fun and exciting to get back into it.

Day 27: A picture of you and a family member.  HAHAHAHA Katie....

Spinning

I started off yesterday as usual getting some Tim Horton's and going to the gym for a little bit, I'm trying to get in really good habits while I'm here so that I go more during the year.  So that was fun and then afterward I showered.  Usually in the morning I also facebook chat with some of my friends...but facebook chat is officially the WORST thing in the world.  Seriously, it told me that no one was online ALL day, but I'm sure that was false.  Finally I messaged Chelsea and just assumed she was online and was CORRECT but it was still really slow, so we just used skype instead.

After my shower I headed over to the university to practice and have a session with the pianist for the cabaret night.  I'm singing "Va! Laisse Couler Mes Larmes" and its pretty hard to screw up that piece, and she played it really well, so we didn't really have that much to do, and I'm excited to perform it today!

Then I headed back to my dorm, my voice was feeling a little funny so I wanted to try and take it easy for a while.  So I tried to nap but didn't succeed so at 5:30 I went to a spinning class...and I am STILL feeling it.  Man I always forget how good of a workout those classes are, I'll probably start going during the school year just to make myself work harder (because it is always a little too tempting to turn the elliptical resistance down).

Basically...my days are still pretty boring haha, since we don't have rehearsal we are really on our own and I think most of us are just taking a good break, which is important, so Thursday/Saturday's shows will feel fresh.

Day 26: A picture of something that means a lot to you.

ugh these questions get too big sometimes...I'll go with literacy and family

Rain rain go away...

Yesterday after I woke up I ate breakfast and went to the gym and it wasn't raining...but by the time I showered and was about to walk over to the university to practice it was.  Then I walked over and it was just like...kind of raining.  Like enough that an umbrella is good enough.  So I went and practiced the stuff for Cherubino a little bit more, about 2 hours later I was getting a little tired so I decided to head out.  When I walked out the door it was pouring rain.  So I went and grabbed food because I wasn't about to walk through a huge storm and not eat at the end of it. 

By the time I got back to St. Mary's I was completely soaked...I'm pretty sure my shoes are still soaked too.  Umbrellas were of almost zero help....actually most people I saw on the street weren't even bothering with any umbrella. 

Basically when its raining that much...all you can do is sleep haha.

In a nutshell....yesterday was incredibly boring because I was soaked and sleepy.

Today I'll probably eat and work out soon then head over to the university because I still have lots of work to do on Cherubino and I have a practice session with the accompanist for the cabaret night on Wednesday.

Day 25: A picture of  your day. (well I'm making this yesterday seeing as I just woke up)

my lunch and dinner...most exciting part of my day.

Sunday Sunday

As I said in yesterdays blog I was rudely interrupted by a fire alarm in my building at 7:30 in the morning.  Now...I live on the 19th floor so fire alarms are beyond terrible because you have to climb down 19 flights of stairs to get outside.  Turns out that two other castmates live down the hall by this guy who was using a ricemaker and fell asleep while making it and so it starting smoking and nearly caught fire (because he ALSO has a propane mini grill in his room!!!).  So the people at St. Mary's go up there and basically just told him "Well...make sure you open the window next time honey.  Thanks"  I'm like....SERIOUSLY!! Ugh...madness I say!

Well after that I could not fall asleep so I went and showered and walked downtown to go to church at the St. Mary's Catholic Basilica which is gorgeous.  I mean....beyond beautiful and huge.  And on the way I ran into Daniel who plays Monostatos in Magic Flute so we went to church together which was nice. I'll have to go back at some point this week to take pictures of the inside...I can't even describe it.  After church he and I went to lunch at Gatsby's which is a pretty good pizza/burger place downtown, and then he ran off because it was almost call time for Flute.

Now by this time, I was tired.  While I was awake at 7:30...I wasn't REALLY awake, I slowly wake up so being rudely moved outside did not go well.  So I went back to the dorm to get a few hours of sleep before the party that evening.  Around 7:15 Tamara and I headed over to a house where 4 people in the program live.  The party was a lot of fun, a lot of people were there and having a good time, don't know if we'll have another party before I fly back, the cast party is the night I'm flying back so I won't be there for it. (Picture: Tara and I at the party, she is Pamina in The Magic Flute).

Today I don't have any for sure plans, I'm planning to go over to the university to get a bit of work done in the late morning/early afternoon.  And then basically just chill out.  Then I think Tuesday we're having a cast picnic in the park which will be nice.

Day 24: A picture of something you wish you could change.

How shy I am before I get to know people/when I'm in a large group.