Step Two

I hope all of you were able to attend the preview of Il Trovatore at the Milton Rhodes Arts Center this afternoon. There was some powerful singing going on down there by chorus and principals!! I took some pictures, and as soon as I figure out how to show them to you, I promise I will.

Tonight we had Rehearsal #2, and "we" are getting better and better. I can say that because most of what I do is in a supporting role, while my compatriots have to sing and act. But I did find out tonight that I have graduated to the job of the chief gypsy "caretaker" of the somewhat crazy witch-gypsy, very important to the plot Azucena, beautifully portrayed by Shannon Magee, who joined us tonight. She was a big help to me, giving great pointers on how I should react to her character. I do love being a gypsy, with all the cool members of the gypsy band I can hang out with.

Steve rearranged some of the blocking, or placement, of everyone in the Anvil Chorus scene, giving us hints on how to reflect what is happening at any particular moment. Such precise directions are making us all (at least me) better for the whole effect. He has given us homework...to each bring back two ways we can make our roles more meaningful on the stage by our next meeting on Tuesday. That will be a big challenge for this novice!

Jamie got into the minutiae of note "values" (half vs. quarter vs. eighth) to keep the chorus on their toes. They are right there with him, knowing exactly what he's talking about, and executing what he asks. Very impressive. And so much of their discussion centers on the Italian phrases they sing, which leaves me out of the loop to some degree. But I'm picking some of it up, and vow to study the libretto (a copy of the words being sung, both in Italian and translated into English) that I found at the Forsyth County Public Library, of all places!

One of the new words I learned today is what I now wish to be called, and will sign off for now as:

La zingarella (emphasis on "zin" and "rel" with an Italian flair), explained to me by Allison Chickering, soprano phenom of UNCSA, as "Beautiful young gypsy", more or less, as opposed to the mere La zingara (emphasis on "gar" I think), which is your more ordinary gypsy, which I was until tonight.