I arrived back in Berlin yesterday morning after a wonderful visit home for a concert at the Cosmos Club and Thanksgiving with my family. Pianist, Dr. Joy Puckett Schreier, and I delivered a fine performance at the Cosmos Club on November 19. The concert was well attended, and the space was absolutely gorgeous to sing in. Thank you, Joy, and Angela, for everything! I enjoyed Thanksgiving day immensely, lots of turkey and family fun. There's so much to be thankful for, including the fact that I'm here in Berlin doing what I'm doing. And, I'm so grateful for the opportunity to share it with you on my blog!
11/09/2008
12:14 PM
Ich liebe Berlin!
This weekend, I enjoyed some fantastic music here in Berlin. Friday night, I saw the Bennie Maupin Quartet at Quasimodo's, a very hip, established jazz club located a few blocks away from the Zoologischer Garten. The group appeared as part of the Berlin Jazz Festival 2008. I could not get enough of this fab quartet, the music transported me completely, and I even had an opportunity to speak with Bennie Maupin himself after the concert. He's, happily, very busy touring with his group right now and offered me words of encouragement on my own musical journey. Beautiful!
Today, Sunday, I attended a benefit concert for the Staatsoper at the Berlin Philharmonie. Daniel Barenboim conducted the Staatskapelle with featured guest artist, tenor, Rolando Villazón. My eyes were brimming with tears nearly the entire evening, the music was so exquisitely performed. In addition to conducting orchestral excerpts, Barenboim also played Mozart's Concerto in B Major, KV 595, deftly leading the orchestra from the piano. Villazón was in excellent voice, singing arias from Don Giovanni, Die Zauberflöte, Eugene Onegin, and Carmen, closing with a showstopping rendition of "No puede ser" from Zarzuela, La tabernera del puerto. I had seats with the most spectacular view - on the stage - raised just behind the orchestra. Ahhhh!!! What a night! What a weekend!
11/05/2008
04:22 AM
Victory!
I am bursting with pride this morning. Americans made history last night by electing the first African American, Barack Obama, president of the United States. Soon after I arrived in Berlin some five weeks ago, I stopped at an English bookstore specifically looking for Barack Obama's memoir, Dreams from my Father. The shop keeper sold me his last copy. The compelling story of Obama's life became my travel companion during the long train rides, solitary nights in hotels, and waiting at airports. I found it absolutely riveting and savored every word. The traits that leapt from the pages of that book, that I so admire in Obama, are his authenticity, earnest nature, his self-discipline, and candor. These same traits are why America and the world have fallen in love with this man. I am overjoyed that he is our next president! I only wish I could be there right now, in the states, with my family and friends to celebrate. Congratulations, President Obama!
10/31/2008
11:58 AM
On the road . . . Munich
This past week I had auditions in Munich and then Milan. Delays with the Deutsche Bahn left me a little travel weary early in the week, but did not dampen my enthusiasm. I recorded this video the night before my audition, on my cell phone, so ignore the lisp, not the best audio quality, but I think you get a sense of what being on the road is like for an aspiring opera diva! Not so glamorous!
The audition at the Prinzregententheater went well, I sang three selections, which means they liked me: Depuis le jour, Ach ich fühl’s, & Csardas. The agents sat down with me after to talk, a good sign, offered some critical feedback, but told me they really liked my singing and made sure they knew how to stay in touch with me in Berlin as well as back in the states. Overall, a very positive audition. I made a quick dash for the Marienplatz when it was over to take some pictures and grab lunch before the 6 hour train ride back to Berlin!
10/23/2008
11:32 AM
An exciting journey. . .
I'm in Europe right now, based out of Berlin, for auditions and am having quite an adventure. This is my first blog post, the latest addition to my website. I arrived here October 1 with no confirmed auditions, an address for an apartment (that was so run-down I had to find another as soon as possible), a few hundred Euros in my pocket, a lot of apprehension, but faith in myself and my dream. Since then, I've managed to schedule several agent audition appointments, carve my niche out of a small rented room in an apartment in Charlottenburg, and enjoy time between auditions to visit friends and see the historic sites that are literally all around me. The photo above was taken on a recent side trip I made to Heidelberg. I've had a few auditions already, and lots of promising feedback. Next week, I've got auditions in Munich and Milan, Vienna the week after, and then more in Berlin. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
The audition at the Prinzregententheater went well, I sang three selections, which means they liked me: Depuis le jour, Ach ich fühl’s, & Csardas. The agents sat down with me after to talk, a good sign, offered some critical feedback, but told me they really liked my singing and made sure they knew how to stay in touch with me in Berlin as well as back in the states. Overall, a very positive audition. I made a quick dash for the Marienplatz when it was over to take some pictures and grab lunch before the 6 hour train ride back to Berlin!
