[year in the life of an opera singer]
2013
Inspired by by friend Amber, I want to show the nuts and bolts of a year in the life of a working singer. Some days I’ll have warmed up, some days will be at the end of a long day of DayJob(tm) and trapeze. Sometimes I will record first thing in the morning. It’s important to me that people see the process, that singing is an every day work, not a hobby. When presented only with a finished product, people begin to believe it’s as easy as it looks.
Day 365 – Auld Lang Syne with Terran, Kinsie, and Luke, for Donovan
Day 364 – Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Iz, on the Beach in Phuket
Day 363 – Emirates Lounge lounging in Sydney
Day 362 – In Paradisum, my Sydney Opera House debut
Day 361 – train between Wellington & Auckland
Day 360 – Non ti Fidar climbing the rope at Josh’s in Wellington
Day 359 – late Christmas on rope in Wellington
Day 358 – quick Kismet before sleep
Day 357 – goofing to make the day, Wellington
Day 356 – Lakme duet recitative
Day 355 – The Time Warp
Day 354 – Leaving on a Jet Plane with Kim Chambers
Day 353 – hoping for a good flight
Day 352 – O Tannenbaum with the Yuletide Carolers, for Jim
Day 351 – I Got Plenty of Nothin’. O Tannenbaum with Yuletide Carolers, inside the muff.
Day 350 – Here Comes the Rain Again
Day 349 – last mass of the year with St. Edward’s
Day 348 – annoyed content law Happy Birthday
Day 347 – Je Veux Vivre for Guy’s birthday
Day 346 – St. Edward’s rehearsal
Day 345 – Je Veux Vivre for Gregangelo’s niece’s birthday, at the Gregangelo Museum
Day 344 – Jingle Bells (cheating, was recorded on 345)
Day 343 – Lo How a Rose
Day 342 – Jerusalem Sorge
Day 341 – Little Drummer Boy with the Yuletide Carolers
Day 340 – Il Dolce Suono for the Storm8 holiday party, with Velocity Circus. First song of the evening, Dove Sono.
Day 339 – How Do you Solve a Problem Like Maria, country
Day 338 – !! I forgot !!
Day 337 – O Holy Night on Trapeze at the Gregangelo Museum
Day 336 – sad ramblings
Day 335 – humming while highlighting
Day 334 – one tone
Day 333 – Do You See what I See
Day 332 – Thanksgiving Manna Manna
Day 331 – counting down
Day 330 – Laudamus Te feat. Gregangelo
Day 329 – tired, feat. Jasper
Day 328 – I Was Glad, St. Edward
Day 327 – late-night vocalise
Day 326 – Sleigh Bells Ring
Day 325 – Improv over techno at the opening of Nema condos, Gregangelo
Day 324 – Black Swan using Google Glass
Day 323 – Somewhere Over the Rainbow at the Gregangelo Museum, Google Glass. Take two.
Day 322 – O Mio Babbino filmed by Irene on the ferry, using Google Glass
Day 321 – De Profundis
Day 320 – Good Night Song
Day 319 – 14 Angels, feat. Jasper
Day 318 – I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas
Day 317 – Alto parts
Day 316 – Fulget
Day 315 – Weeping Song
Day 314 – Lorelei
Day 313 – some Lisa
Day 312 – Thy Hand Belinda
Day 311 – Propter Magnam
Day 310 – Non ti Fidar, Adobe Seattle garage
Day 309 – Deo Gracias in Kathleen’s guest room
Day 308 – Sinead while driving to Seattle
Day 307 – Benedica, St. Edward’s.
Day 306 – Angels we have Heard on High (Alto)
Day 305 – tone
Day 304 – warm-ups with Susan
Day 303 – Ich Habe Deine sung incorrectly
Day 302 – I Know that My Redeemer (hangs from her arms). Oriented.
Day 301 – Vignette
Day 300 – Gloria
Day 299 – Mi Tradi for Apple software engineering party
Day 298 – Happy Birthday, Janelle
Day 297 – The Publican and the Pharisee
Day 296 – Pachelbel
Day 295 – exhausted Dona Nobis
Day 294 – All on a Christmas Morning, Alto part
Day 293 – Greater Love Hath No Man, Vaughn Williams
Day 292 – fireworks at Forbes Island
Day 291 – Audition, English Der Hölle Rache and Sorry Her Lot
Day 290 – Greater Love Hath No Man, St. Edward
Day 289 – Der Hölle Rache, Pippin translation
Day 288 – When I have Sung
Day 287 – Johnny Appleseed
Day 286 – O Taste and See, St. Edward
Day 285 – Wayfaring Stranger, feat. Jasper
Day 284 – Dido & Aeneas at Forbes Island, filmed by Irene
Day 283 – English wrath
Day 282 – Waldesgespräch with sore throat
Day 281 – The Sun’ll Come Out Tomorrow
Day 280 – Queen sing-along in the car
Day 279 – Disney for llamas
Day 278 – quiet Pearl Fishers
Day 277 – Take my Heart bicycle ride on the Embarcadero
Day 276 – The whole funeral mass. Starts with Kyrie. Then responsorial psalm. Then amazing grace. Sanctus, acclamation, amen, agnus dei, Ave Maria, come to her aid, how great thou art.
Day 275 – self-defense, Amtrak station at night
Day 274 – more Bell Song
Day 273 – Queen of the Night on Rope, Gregangelo recording
Day 272 – goofing at the Mystery Spot
Day 271 – Mary had a Delicious Little Lamb
Day 270 – I’m Every Woman who forgets things
Day 269 – Total Eclipse of the Heart at Adobe Blocktoberfest party
Day 268 – readying for next day’s karaoke
Day 267 – no actual song, just bicycle repair
Day 266 – Bell Song on rope
Day 265 – Free Byrd (Teach me, O Lord)
Day 264 – !! second forgotten day !!
Day 263 – some Sound of Music in John Walker’s office
Day 262 – Merry Ferry Birthday for Irene, bonus – with more feeling.
Day 261 – lesson warm-up with Susan Gundunas
Day 260 – Castle on a Cloud
Day 259 – Think of Me
Day 258 – I will Arise, St. Edward
Day 257 – Terrible Happy Birthday for Freisinger
Day 256 – Non ti Fidar, O Misera
Day 255 – Mi Tradi (again)
Day 254 – Maybe
Day 253 – Come Away
Day 252 – Mi Tradi
Day 251 – Kittens, Rainbows interpretive dance
Day 250 – This is Fucking Awesome, Venter/Adler wedding
Day 249 – Racing with the Clock
Day 248 – Itsy Bitsy Spider, feat. Mabel
Day 247 – Home on the Range
Day 246 – I miss Luke and the Cat
Day 245 – exhausted Johnny Cash
Day 244 – so tired
Day 243 – Je Veux Vivre in the Thunderome
Day 242 – Ave Maria in the Thunderdome
Day 241 – Take me out to the Death Guild, not by me
Day 240 – O Mio Babbino for Temple donor dinner at Burning Man. Bonus – Ave Maria in the Thunderdome.
Day 239 – Rakim with Kurt in the Thunderdome at Burning Man. Bonus – Je Veux Vivre for Friends and Family. Bonus 2 – my shire of dirt. Bonus 3 – shire of dirt, Summertime.
Day 238 – L’amour for Center Camp at Burning Man
Day 237 – intro + Stille Nacht at Church Trap
Day 236 – How Can I Keep from Singing
Day 235 – Mi Chiamano Rickroll with Sparky
Day 234 – !! I must have forgotten !!
Day 233 – Strange Weather in line for Burning Man
Day 232 – Mondnacht, Schumann
Day 231 – Que Sera, Sera
Day 230 – Eripe me, St. Edward’s
Day 229 – Shire of Dirt
Day 228 – I Love you and you are Mine
Day 227 – Agnus Dei with St. Edward’s choir
Day 226 – midnight
Day 225 – Du Bist die Ruh, creek in Ashland
Day 224 – Edelweiss at Ellinor’s
Day 223 – Life is but a Dream
Day 222 – O Susanna
Day 221 – Hansel u. Gretel with actual baby
Day 220 – One Singular Sensation on the Ferry, + bonus
Day 219 – Dona Nobis
Day 218 – Feel so Different
Day 217 – midnight improv
Day 216 – more Bell Song. Yes, it takes a while to memorize a song.
Day 215 – I am the Very Model of an Opera Singer who Shouldn’t be Singing this Song
Day 214 – Kravitz on 880
Day 213 – Teapot with Dad
Day 212 – Faust chorus
Day 211 – more Bell Song
Day 210 – Prayer of Saint Francis the day Saint Margaret Mary fired me for not getting married in a church. Yes, really.
Day 209 – song for Chris Reeves
Day 208 – sight-reading my last responsorial psalm at St. Margaret Mary (though I didn’t know that at the time)
Day 207 – God Bless in the Kaiser waiting room bonus – singing in the garage to prevent attack
Day 206 – Puff, in the hospital with Dad
Day 205 – Speak Low, Kate
Day 204 – Bell Song memorization
Day 203 – Rainbow Connection at Trapeze Arts
Day 202 – Sanctus, St. Margaret Mary
Day 201 – operatic fortune telling for Velocity Circus
Day 200 – Spirit of Massachusetts
Day 199 – So Tired
Day 198 – Les Miz
Day 197 – Summertime in Seattle
Day 196 – late and quiet
Day 195 – song for Kathleen
Day 194 – When Your Heart is on Fire
Day 193 – Shenandoah
Day 192 – Bell Song Memorization
Day 191 – Learning the Bell Song
Day 190 – Part 1 Bell Song
Day 189 – Bell Song intro at Trapeze Arts
Day 188 – Sea Song Snippet
Day 187 – Something Short
Day 186 – some Lisa at the end of the day
Day 185 – Girls Chorus rep at the end of the day at Ragged Point
Day 184 – Pure Imagination at the Roman Pools
Day 183 – Hildegard von Bingen at Mission San Luis Obispo
Day 182 – O Canada with Luke
Day 181 – Johnny Rebeck
Day 180 – We Don’t Need Another Hero at our WEDDING RECEPTION
Day 179 – I’m Gettin’ Married in the Morning
Day 178 – Brian Boitano
Day 177 – DOMA Celebration
Day 176 – Caro Mio Ben
Day 175 – Je Veux Vivre
Day 174 – Maria Mater Grazie, St. Margaret Mary
Day 173 – The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor, St. Margaret Mary
Day 172 – Kodaly on the bicycle
Day 171 – opera at Rock Wall, 24 Italian Songs and Arias
Day 170 – and 5/4ths – the day I forgot
Day 169 – Danny’s Song with Gregangelo
Day 168 – Mein Hut
Day 167 – Hovel Hovel Hovel
Day 166 – Fireball and Firefly
Day 165 – Very Long Day
Day 164 – warm-ups at Rock Wall
Day 163 – Police
Day 162 – Durch Zärtlichkeit in the shower
Day 161 – Black Swan
Day 160 – I Have Longed, St. Margaret Mary, 160.1 – Alle Psallite
Day 159 – I Heard the Voice of Jesus, St. Margaret Mary
Day 158 – Ferry Carmen
Day 157 – Hard to Say Goodbye
Day 156 – opera on Embarcadero
Day 155 – Unchained
Day 154 – Take me Back
Day 153 – Show me the Way to Go Home
Day 152 – Mr. Sandman featuring Miriam
Day 151 – Great Gig in the Sky Improv
Day 150 – Itsy Bitsy Spider
Day 149 – warm-down
Day 148 – Laurelei at the Gregangelo Museum
Day 147 – America the Beautiful
Day 146 – Lascia
Day 145 – My Little Burro-cup
Day 144 – Quando for Mike’s birthday
Day 143 – road trip with Luke
Day 142 – Waldesgespräch
Day 141 – Auf Einer Burg at the Gregangelo Museum
Day 140 – Alle meine Entchen, mit Entchen
Day 139 – Exultate Jubilate
Day 138 – Our Father, Saint Margaret Mary
Day 137 – Johnny Appleseed
Day 136 – Quando me’en vo, with John Schlag on guitar. Bonus – if I fell.
Day 135 – O Mio Babbino audio work for Allegory
Day 134 – Journey at the Gregangelo Museum with inappropriate toys
Day 133 – Haichi for Alex
Day 132 – God Mounts his Throne, Saint Margaret Mary
Day 131 – Mother Dear, Pray for me, Saint Margaret Mary
Day 130 – Faust chorus
Day 129 – Caro Nome
Day 128 – Buttercup ear worm
Day 127 – Immenso, High Priestess, Aida
Day 126 – wedding song to the tune of I’m Getting Married in the Morning
Day 125 – car warm-ups
Day 124 – Panis Angelicus at Saint Margaret Mary
Day 123 – Song to the Siren
Day 122 – Jackie-O
Day 121 – bedtime song featuring Luke and Jasper
Day 120 – starlight improv at the Gregangelo Museum
Day 119 – Beatles on a bicycle
Day 118 – Laudate Dominum, Saint Margaret Mary
Day 117 – Laudate Dominum, Saint Margaret Mary
Day 116 – O Mio Babbino Caro for Pepe Ozan’s memorial
Day 115 – Nothing Compares
Day 114 – Thanks to these Lonesome
Day 113 – Nel Cor
Day 112 – The Song that Never Ends
Day 111 – Caro Mio Ben
Day 110 – Lieber Heiland, Gute Nach
Day 109 – Take my Heart
Day 108 – Piangero A1, again
Day 107 – Quando, Puccini
Day 106 – Strange Weather, Burning Opera
Day 105 – O Quam Mirabilis, von Bingen
Day 104 – All Earth Rejoice
Day 103 – Diva Dance from Fifth Element with the Fucking Fire Faeries, plus bonus Je Veux Vivre.
Day 102 – We Don’t Need Another Hero
Day 101 – Memory. Yes, really.
Day 100 – Piangero B
Day 99 – O Mio Babbino for Pepe
Day 98 – Piangero A1
Day 97 – Sanctus from Missa Brevis, Saint Margaret Mary
Day 96 – Schubert Ave Maria at a Funeral, Saint Margaret Mary. Bonus track – Love Eternal for regular mass.
Day 95 – E Strano
Day 94 – Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen
Day 93 – improv on the porch
Day 92 – Sakura from ankle hang
Day 91 – O Canada!
Day 90 – Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Day 89 – Habanera on rope, Gregangelo on piano
Day 88 – yep, still sick (warm-ups)
Day 87 – Humming Chorus, Madama Butterfly
Day 86 – warm-ups, Star General soundtrack
Day 85 – more sick warm-ups (2)
Day 84 – more sick warm-ups
Day 83 – sick warm-ups
Day 82 – Schubert’s Ave Maria for a Memorial Mass
Day 81 – bicycle Warm-Ups
Day 80 – Dead Can Dance
Day 79 – Bell Song, first part
Day 78 – Sorry Her Lot on trapeze at the Gregangelo Museum
Day 77 – Beauty and the Beast
Day 76 – “Nemo te condemnavit, munlier?” “Nemo, Domine.”
Day 75 – You are a Priest Forever (unknown composer)
Day 74 – Some Primus
Day 73 – Eripe me, and supplement
Day 72 – song for the Rust Buckette
Day 71 – Crystal Ship at the Gregangelo Museum
Day 70 – Pure Imagination
Day 69 – Stabat Mater, Pergolesi with the Saint Margaret Mary choir
Day 68 – Stabat Mater, Pergolesi
Day 67 – Buttercup’s recitative
Day 66 – Gaudete with a sore throat
Day 65 – Willow Song, Ballad of Baby Doe
Day 64 – Exultate Jubilate
Day 63 – Lascia ch’io Pianga
Day 62 – What Wondrous Love, Saint Margaret Mary Church
Day 61 – Lord Have Mercy, Saint Margaret Mary Church
Day 60 – Tonsils
Day 59 – Leonard Cohen Hallelujah
Day 58 – Video Killed the Radio Star with Jonathan
Day 57 – Coloratura warm-ups
Day 56 – Soprano part of “14 Angels” duet, Hansel u. Gretel, Humperdinck. Filmed by Gregangelo
Day 55 – Prayer of Saint Francis (ping me if you know the composer!)
Day 54 – Je Veux Vivre at the Los Angeles Edwardian Ball
Day 53 – Once Upon a Dream at Disneyland
Day 52 – first vocalization of the day, in the shower
Day 51 – Jauchzet, by request
Day 50 – I Could Have Danced, Gregangelo Museum
Day 49 – Non ti fidar in the hot tub
Day 48 – Remember O Thou Man, St. Margaret Mary Choir
Day 47 – Our Father
Day 46 – A Long Day of Talking
Day 45 – Some Weill for Valentine’s Day, in the air
Day 44 – What Wondrous Love, Ash Wednesday
Day 43 – Donna Elvira bicycling
Day 42 – Douglas Adams poem
Day 41 – Song made up while Walking Dead was on
Day 40 – Bohemian Rhapsody with friends post food poisoning
Day 39 – Ach ich fΓΌhl’s at Rock Wall Winery
Day 38 – Schubert Ave Maria for funeral, St. Margaret Mary
Day 37 – lesson warm-up with Susan Gundunas
Day 36 – 500 miles, 1000 likes
Day 35 – When I Survey, Exhausted
Day 34 – Responsorial Psalm
Day 33 – Gospel Acclamation
Day 32 – Kodaly
Day 31 – Relevant
Day 30 – Singing in the shower
Day 29 – Alive and Awake at the Ferry Building
Day 28 – Woglinde’s entrance, Rheingold, upside-down
Day 27 – Personent Hodie at St. Margaret Mary
Day 26 – O Holy Night at St. Margaret Mary
Day 25 – We Belong, Adobe Karaoke, with Mortiche
Day 24 – Fulget Amica Dies
Day 23 – Crawdad Hole
Day 22 – Happy Birthday Julie
Day 21 – Gregangelo Museum, Over the Rainbow
Day 20 – St. Edward’s Choir Mass, Gospel Acclamation
Day 19 – Edwardian Ball, Je Veux Vivre
Day 18 – Mild Vocal Test
Day 17 – St. Edward’s Choir Rehearsal, Palestrina
Day 16 – Alameda Navy Base, Du Bist die Ruh
Day 15 – Gregangelo Museum Rope Climb, Ah Chi Mi Dice Mai
Day 14 – Go Tell it on the Mountain
Day 13 – Little Bunny Foo-Foo
Day 12 – St. Margaret Mary 5:00 Saturday Mass, Laginya’s Revised Christmas Gloria
Day 11 – Geoffrey Williams’ Memorial at the War Memorial Green Room, Schubert Ave Maria
Day 10 – Webber Pie Jesu
Day 9 – Twinkle Twinkle Black Sheep
Day 8 – Stormy Weather
Day 7 – Upon the Wicked Stage
Day 6 – I am Stretched on Your Grave
Day 5 – In the Bleak Midwinter
Day 4 – Ding Dong Driving
Day 3 – Soft Kitty, Featuring Jasper
Day 2 – To Drive the Cold Winter Away
Day 1 – Fireside inception, Mondnacht
Thank you to Wikipedia for the reference material.