I feel like I should be keeping a journal of these two weeks here in Vancouver so I don't forget things which happen. Tomorrow I plan to go and buy a notebook since I would rather write by hand than type. And since I'm pretty sure that Stacey is the only person who checks in on this blog, I'm sure she won't mind a non bike related post (since I've been keeping track on bikejournal anyway).
So, dear Stacey, feel free to read or not, as you so choose. :-)
Today I sang the opening recit and aria to La Mort de Didon in masterclass. It felt good and I was able to be more dramatic than usual. I think that maybe the movement classes with Steven have helped that and just being in a totally non judgemental (well, as non judgemental as a group like this can be) environment has given me space to explore. What truly amazes me, though, is that in two days Ellen has opened up my sound in such a major way.
It's none of that small, held, sometimes tight mostly straight nonsense. Oh no. It's real, deep, earthy, rich and full and free. Me likey. The core of my sound is still there, but there is just so much more ˆcolorˆ. There's more height to the sound and it feels so much better. When it sits right, I actually feel the way I'm ˆsupposedˆ to use my breath. Pretty damn cool, if you ask me.
I have no idea if I will be able to maintain it once I'm gone, but I really hope I can continue to find the deeper resonance and fuller vowels she has been able to pull out of me. I have to remind myself not to overpractice for fear of losing the placement.
The rest, I suppose, I'll leave to actual writing. (You're not missing much, Stace, I promise) I still haven't adjusted to the time change and it's feeling very late.
