Step 3- Buy a Book

So far, my process is not much different than any other opera singer, but it is at "step 3" that, as someone once said, things get a little weird.

Now that I have translated the show word-for word and started speaking the lines as I would a mantra, the next step is to breakdown the character and the first step of that is to write out a character road map. I love those old essay books with a marble cover. I have small but growing stack of them on my bookshelf and each one is dedicated to one or two opera roles.

I start by finding the first scene that my character is in. Taking Barber as an example, I sing the role of Count Almaviva. He arrives in the very first scene of the opera, disguised as a poor student. I then map out what happens in each scene, why exit the scene, where I’m going to, how long I’ll be gone (based on the time frame of the opera, not in real life), what I’ll be doing while off stage and what brings me back for the next scene. Many times, this information is in the text that I sing and that is sung to me.

It can sometimes be a bit of detective work, if my character is travelling somewhere or is doing something off stage that will be discussed in my second scene. I repeat this process as I go through the whole show, writing the information down in my notebook. I try to use my own words, paraphrasing so that I make the road map as personal to me as possible. I continue this process, through every entrance and exit of my character until I reach the end of the show.

An example of this is in Marriage of Figaro. While singing the role of Don Basilio at my apprenticeship, I discovered in the course of my studies that Basilio is sent to Seville at the end of the second act to find out whether Cherubino is actually there, fulfilling his position in the army. The director and I discussed whether or not Basilio should come back on stage in at the end of the third act. Just for fun, I figured out how long it would take to go from the Count's estate to Seville and back (on horseback) and threw in some extra time to actually get the info. It wouldn't have worked out to make the trip based on the length of the third act, but I could enter as if I had just come in off the road. It was a silly diversion, but it was fun to discuss the possibility. It also allowed us to stage the opening of Act 3 and how, at the curtain, the Count could send me off on my errand to Seville. Confused? That's just one piece of the plot for a secondary character. It's complete irrelevant to the plot of the show, but it is a detail that makes for some interest. It was my fervent wish that someone who was a fan and knew the show cold might realize that little detail.

The next step is to try to list out all of my character’s objectives in the show. What does my character want to get out of each scene and what tactics does my character use to achieve these goals and does my character achieve the goal?

Tactics lead to adverbs. Am I creeping quietly? Am I swaggering drunkenly? How many adverbs can I list out for those different scenes? How can I make the scene as specific as possible? How many options can I find and internalize so that I can bring a variety to rehearsals and we can settle on details?

I also list out any specific things that other characters say about me and anything that I say about other characters.

It's at this point that things get really fun. I like to figure out a bit about the history of the opera- what time period is it set in? what were the major historical events going on at that time? I also like to go to the internets and try to find pictures to print out and tape into "the book." It helps to find a portait painter from that time period and get appropriate pictures. You can also find old photos of locations in the play or paintings.

I try to do the same research for the composer and figure out what was happening in the world as the opera was being written. Was the composer political? Was this a response to some event?

After rehearsals start, I use the book as a diary, jotting down ideas from colleagues that I find appropriate and informative. On more than one occasion, those comments have come back to help me in later performances of the role. It's also a great way to reminisce about past shows.