University of Tennessee Opera Theatre
Carroll Freeman, Director
Kevin Class, Music Director
Musical Notes: Orchestra Dress
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Another very productive run-through. There was tremendous improvement in both shows between Wednesday’s and Thursday’s rehearsals. Please do not overwork today, but take just a few minutes to look over these notes, and to look carefully through your scores to remind yourselves of anything you may not be completely comfortable with. I appreciate your effort very much, and hope you are looking forward to taking the stage this weekend. It does promise to be a very fine production and I’m proud of everyone involved.
A few notes:
GIANNI SCHICCHI:
Maestro G: Excellent job singing Zita’s vocal cues! Neither you nor I are singers, so I was only helping you for the sake of volume. While we all hope, pray and expect Leah’s voice to be in shape this weekend, you’ve stepped into a very harsh reality that sometimes comes with conducting opera. Once in the pit, the only person who can sing these missing vocal cues is you. IF it becomes necessary on the weekend, do not worry about making it pretty. No one expects the conductor to be a singer. I was told at a major opera house once, “Just scream it if you need to, but make sure not only the stage can hear you, but also the stage manager who is calling the show.” We don’t want to hear screaming, of course, but just be prepared to be audible if that becomes necessary to keep people on track. You obviously have a very good idea of where it is necessary to provide the missing text. Congratulations on that!
TUTTI: #2 Don’t overaspirate the t’s on “tutta la vita mia” – it’s getting a little splatty!
Betto/Rin: #3 Missed Lo/Che dicono a Signa (thank Nella for saving it!)
Rin: #3 Early on “Giaaa?...”
Betto: 1 before #5: need to hear the –f on “fornajo” (sounds like “ornajo”)
TUTTI: before #10: not ready for “Dove sia/No! non c’e!” - Rinuccio: excellent save at top of “Salvati”
Maestro G: to answer your question better: the translation is really “ah! My uncle loved me so much”, following Zita’s “sia pure la versiera” = you can marry whoever you chose…EVEN IF SHE’S THE DEVIL.” So, likely the col canto exists to allow Zita, in her time, to deliver this line with a bit of deliberate venom; but Rinuccio’s “Ah!” is clearly an excited reaction to the part he chose to hear (that she would permit him to marry Lauretta).
Simone: #13 Don’t rush “Povero Buoso!” - is the rhythm pulling you in early here? It’s the same as the off-beat stresses of the beginning.
“godi, godi!” - can you open these –o’s more? The sound is seems to be going back too far and this is one moment where you need to be aware of how your vowel choices blend with the orchestra (horns). Just keep sufficient length, and height in them but don’t close them.
Ciesca/Gherardo: 3 before #14: You are always late on “I mulini di Signa!” please look at this.
Zita/Ciesca/Nella: #19 I don’t think you were all singing the same words. Look this over.
Maestri: 22 after #20: Might it be possible to bring out the “bacchette di tamburo” in these bars (as well as 4 before #53)? It’s an important part of the text painting that is presently inaudible. [ie: Fate schioccar la lingua col palato! = Smack your tongue against your palate!]
Maestro G: after 24 and after 25: IF it becomes necessary to help with the vocal cuing, Zita’s lines “tu sei il piu vecchio” and “di Gianni Schicchi…” are absolutely imperative in order to keep the singers on track. (just a heads-up on that!).
Maestri: going into #36: Schicchi is almost singing “ma c’e l’eredita!” as if they are quarter-notes in the new tempo. So probably can take it right off of “-di-ta”.
Also, same thing at “Vecchia tacagna!” after “Brava la vecchia!”
Maestri: #39: While it’s good to relax tempo every so lightly for Rinuccio, this line also becomes very difficult if it slows TOO much. He’s getting through it very well without having to pull back too much. It’s mostly at the 4/4 “una trovata, unrimedio..” that he needs a little broadening.
Maestri: #46: Could we relax the overall tempo of Spinellocio’s scene just a bit? The doctor is old and doesn’t move too quickly and some of the very colorful diction gets lost if the tempo has any edge to it.
Dr. Spin.: after #46: put a glottal between “ha” and “a” so we hear these really distinctly (I promise I won’t take points off in Diction class for breaking all the rules I told you to break). By the way, this is one of my favorite lines/moments in all of opera so, to quote Daniel Tosh, “don’t $%*! this up!” Likewise, let’s make this line pop even more by exaggerating the double-s [bene’fis:sssssssjo]
Also, remember to CLOSE everything [vowels, I mean]
Dr. Spin: after #47: more space for –tt in “tutto”
More length on –ll in “della”
(really exaggerate these things)
G.S.: #49: make your turn quicker in order to catch the cue from the Maestro “si corre dal notaio”
Maestri: #50: can we relax the tempo just a little bit at Piu calmo and at #51? G.S. needs to use the color of the language a bit more and some of that is getting lost.
Betto: after #60: “Gianni, se tu mi lasci questa casa…”: Can I buy a pitch please? This isn’t Sprechstimme!! At least try to sing something in the ball park!
Z/C/N: #61: I know there is SO much to keep track of with this dressing trio, but you were getting very behind the orchestra here.
Notaio: #70: you don’t need a cue here, just listen to the music and come in in tempo.
Latin: again, keep all –o’s open
Notaio: #73: missed entrance. MAESTRO: can you give a cue to this?
G.S.: #75: words: “che e la migliore mula di Toscana”. I think this has happened more than once so just review it.
Maestri: #75 - #76: is it possible that the stringendo could be a bit more at “Come? Come? Come? And the a tempo which immediately follows not quite so slow? The reason being that the poco meno which follows that is very slow and really encouraging the singers to rush. It also makes “Ah! Furfante, furante…” difficult to motivate.
TUTTI: #82: the offstage singing is VERY behind (almost a half-bar). Can you get into position of the monitor more quickly? Try also to anticipate the beat a bit more at that point. Does this need to be coordinated by having the available maestro, or anyone, back stage to conduct?
VILLAGE SINGER:
Candace: pp. 24-25 Getting behind the beat starting with voiced “N-----“. But you are making excellent recoveries.
Candace: p. 29: One measure late on “What’s this? What is this letter?”
Candace: p. 31: you are adding one beat to the ¾ measure on “glorious art of muSIC…” (holding the F too long).
Pollard: p. 56: Just review the pitches (F# in particular)
Wilson: p. 85: got a full beat behind starting around “and then I’ll board up that window”. Excellent save by Candace.
Candace: pp. 90-91: Got one beat ahead somewhere around “you nor your mother...and I’m not going to live…”. Remained ahead until the end of the section.
Choir: pp. 94-97: Offstage choir is inaudible. You’ll need to really sing out here. Same beautiful color you have in piano, but just turn up the volume significantly.
Candace: p. 99: Jumped Nancy’s line “I’m telling you, she won’t see anyone”
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