I am so excited about so many things.
First of all, I’m studying with Connie Haas and starting to sing great “big-girl” music. I’m going to start working on some American arias including Augusta in Baby Doe, and I also want to work on some Baroque pieces. I’ve been enamored of Philipe Jaroussky lately, and it’s made me want to sing some Vivaldi arias.
And in my other singing life, Christine O’Meally, Cabaret Chanteuse, I have two gigs coming up: December 12 at Hart Park Square Retirement Community (A Christmas Gift is the working title) and Oh to be a movie star! at St. Camillus for the assisted living community. The first show has yet to be written. The second will need to be edited for time. (Cut the Titanic parody, for one.) I’m thinking Ryan and I should set up a website…. now what to call it/us?
MacDowell Club has asked me to co-ordinate an Irish themed recital for March 14 to be held at the Greendale Public Library. This is also exciting – I don’t want too much “die-dee-die-dee” music. I want to have people perform pieces that are either by Irish or Irish-derived composers or in the case of song literature, perhaps with Irish texts. I’d like to involve the Irish Fest Center/Ward Music Archives or the Irish Community Center as far as marketing. (Of course, marketing is my biggest pitfall. I have great ideas but getting them out there is another story.) I’m planning to sing several of the Barber Hermit Songs (texts by Irish monks, 11th-12th century). I’d like to have Kate Trotter sing some Yeats poetry set to music by various composers, possibly Milwaukee’s own Paula Foley Tillen. And Mary Rempalski Ohm told me about some pieces by a Minneapolis composer, who I contacted – and then asked Mary if she wanted to come down and sing them.
Nervous about approaching instrumentalists. Why? It’s that singer vs. musician mindset which is, unfortunately, all too prevalent not only among singers but among conductors and instrumentalists themselves. I need to get over it. I’m sure we can get a good program going, but I’d like it to be varied, not just all singers. Although getting Kurt Ollmann and Bill Lavonis on the program wouldn’t be a bad thing…. Hmm…..
I also want to write a program for Mother’s Day for the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center. Becky Spice always said that if I didn’t write a show about my mother, she would do it. I have some ideas, one I’m going to try out at Renate’s memorial service. I think it’s respectful. Actually, I think it’s kind of dear, and if it goes well, I’ll write about it post-memorial service. (If it’s a train wreck, I won’t.)