Once a week. I can do this.
Hello and welcome to Tenor Eleven Miles Away-- the Sunday at 4 a.m. edition. I just got my infant daughter back to sleep and now I ask myself (sorry about this), "Sleep, why dost thou leave me?"
At 4 a.m. a lot of thoughts go through your head. Today's thought was, why not start a list of my favorite things? I'll try to include blogs and new media, restaurants, locations, events or anything else that might be fun. It will be a pretty wide ranging list, so hang on tight!
This week's "? of the Week" is:
The Planet Money Podcast.
Boy, I love this podcast. I also love economics. Each time I listen to the podcast, I learn something new about the world. They have covered the global financial crisis, economics in Haiti and they are attempting to build a t-shirt from scratch.
Just when I thought the podcast couldn't get much better, I heard their podcast about the economic crisis in Scranton, Pennsylvania. I realized that I recognized the voice of Gordon Mann, the gentleman interviewed, who was doing the financial recovery plan and audit of the city. It turns out he was the one who interviewed me for an office/programmer position when I was an apprentice in Binghamton, New York.
At the time, he was working for a local State Senator and he was my second interviewer for a very nice job working for a local children's reading initiative. I remember him being vaguely reticent about hiring a semi-hippie opera singer, but to his credit, he looked past my quirks and hired me.
Incidentally, I'm still in touch my former boss, a dear friend. She and the Senator's office were happily surprised to hear about Gordon. As she said, "we're not really an NPR office, so thanks for the link."
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Literally Impossible?
Here I am, faced with learning the role of Nemorino in the Elixir of Love. I know the opera from my first year as an apprentice when I covered the role and now I get to take my first shot at singing it.
I started working on my "book." In the past, I have done operas and roles that were from a distinct time period or based on a historical record or perhaps based on an old romance novel (I'm looking at you Lucia di Lammermoor). There was always a wealth of leads to pursue as I mapped out my character.
Elixir seems to be a bit more of a cipher. One score says that it is set in an Italian Village and another says it is set in Basque Country. Both sources say that it is set at the end of the 18th Century.
One of the joys and challenges of the show is that, while the settings are noted, there is not much in the score's libretto that keeps the show strictly within that time period and location. I watched a couple of videos and read reviews and it seems like this show is set in all sorts of different ways.
And so I find myself at a crossroads: Do I simply try to map out my character without looking at time or place? Or do I look at the life of peasants in the Basque region at the end of the 18th Century?
Are there any tenors out there who read this blog? Have you performed the role before? What is your take? Did you do a traditional production or something avant guard?
If you have a moment, could you post your thoughts on the role below or on my Facebook page?
I started working on my "book." In the past, I have done operas and roles that were from a distinct time period or based on a historical record or perhaps based on an old romance novel (I'm looking at you Lucia di Lammermoor). There was always a wealth of leads to pursue as I mapped out my character.
Elixir seems to be a bit more of a cipher. One score says that it is set in an Italian Village and another says it is set in Basque Country. Both sources say that it is set at the end of the 18th Century.
One of the joys and challenges of the show is that, while the settings are noted, there is not much in the score's libretto that keeps the show strictly within that time period and location. I watched a couple of videos and read reviews and it seems like this show is set in all sorts of different ways.
And so I find myself at a crossroads: Do I simply try to map out my character without looking at time or place? Or do I look at the life of peasants in the Basque region at the end of the 18th Century?
Are there any tenors out there who read this blog? Have you performed the role before? What is your take? Did you do a traditional production or something avant guard?
If you have a moment, could you post your thoughts on the role below or on my Facebook page?
Monday, March 7, 2011
On Emotional Authenticity
I've started working on La Boheme. I'll be singing a concert with the last half of Act 1 and most of Act 3 this coming weekend.
La Boheme is one of the most popular operas in the world. My first opera experience was when I went to see a dress rehearsal of an Eastman School of Music production back in high school. I remember the opening of Act 3 and snow falling on the stage and the music and coming home from the show and convincing my father that I needed to see the show again. He acquiesed and took me to an evening performance.
After that, I found a VHS at the local public library with Pavarotti and Mirella Freni. I watched it quite a number of times. I loved the show but it never got me any further in studying opera. I always thought I was a Boheme fan, not an opera fan.
Fast forward to my junior year of college. I took my first Opera Workshop class and our first assignment was to sing an art song or aria while doing some sort of action. I tried to whittle a stick while singing a song from Die Schoene Muellerin. I remember being horrible at it.
After I sang my song, a colleague of mine got up and sang "Donde lieta" from Boheme. She put a bunch of her crumpled clothes a desk and opened a small duffel bag. The music started and she sang the aria and she slowly put her clothes into the bag. Just as she finished the aria, she found a framed photo at the bottom of the pile. She looked at it and delivered the last line, put the photo into the bag and zipped it up and walked away.
At that moment, I understood what power opera could have and, as I look back, it is a touchstone in my search for emotional truth as I work on my character development.
La Boheme is one of the most popular operas in the world. My first opera experience was when I went to see a dress rehearsal of an Eastman School of Music production back in high school. I remember the opening of Act 3 and snow falling on the stage and the music and coming home from the show and convincing my father that I needed to see the show again. He acquiesed and took me to an evening performance.
After that, I found a VHS at the local public library with Pavarotti and Mirella Freni. I watched it quite a number of times. I loved the show but it never got me any further in studying opera. I always thought I was a Boheme fan, not an opera fan.
Fast forward to my junior year of college. I took my first Opera Workshop class and our first assignment was to sing an art song or aria while doing some sort of action. I tried to whittle a stick while singing a song from Die Schoene Muellerin. I remember being horrible at it.
After I sang my song, a colleague of mine got up and sang "Donde lieta" from Boheme. She put a bunch of her crumpled clothes a desk and opened a small duffel bag. The music started and she sang the aria and she slowly put her clothes into the bag. Just as she finished the aria, she found a framed photo at the bottom of the pile. She looked at it and delivered the last line, put the photo into the bag and zipped it up and walked away.
At that moment, I understood what power opera could have and, as I look back, it is a touchstone in my search for emotional truth as I work on my character development.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Orff Class, Circa 1981
After landing my first gig as tenor soloist in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, my mind was flooded with memories of growing up in Rochester. While my father was technically my first music teacher and taught me to read music and play the recorder, my first music class was at Hochstein School of Music.
My parents tell me that I started Orff lessons at the age of four. Margaret Fittipaldi was my first teacher and I remember learning basic solfege and the hand signals that go along with it. I also remember a lot of time spent with other very young musicians playing on xylophones and metallaphones. (Playing? Banging madly, is a better description.)
After I grew out of those classes for small children, I joined the Hochstein Children's Choir. It was through that group that I sang my first solo on the radio and also landed my first paid recording gigs. I did a couple of radio jingles and I sometimes wonder if there is an mp3 of Milton Fargo's "Sandy the Christmas Cat" out there. Internet, don't fail us now!
My parents tell me that I started Orff lessons at the age of four. Margaret Fittipaldi was my first teacher and I remember learning basic solfege and the hand signals that go along with it. I also remember a lot of time spent with other very young musicians playing on xylophones and metallaphones. (Playing? Banging madly, is a better description.)
After I grew out of those classes for small children, I joined the Hochstein Children's Choir. It was through that group that I sang my first solo on the radio and also landed my first paid recording gigs. I did a couple of radio jingles and I sometimes wonder if there is an mp3 of Milton Fargo's "Sandy the Christmas Cat" out there. Internet, don't fail us now!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Happy New Year! (So it is February... so what?)
As 2010 draws to a close, I thought I'd share with you a family tradition (adapted here to my opera career). Every year, my wife and I do a "Top Ten" list of our favorite things. Traditionally, there is no rhyme or reason to the list, even the order is not subject to the typical laws of a top ten list. After all, what makes a small, portable video camera better than Baker's Brand Chocolate Chips? Darned if I know.
10. Bronx Opera- Again, Michael and Ben Spierman collaborate to create a truly memorable experience: bringing to life Mahler's Die Drei Pintos to the stage. I was in Musical America and the New York Times. I even got some great bootleg videos.
9. Moose- Not only are they fun animals, I had the great experience of tasting moose roast on my trip to Alaska. Delicious!
8. The Public Library System all around the United States. Nothing is more useful to a bored opera singer on tour.
7. My Team- Every opera singer has a team that helps them train. It's a little like being an Olympic athlete but with a much higher resting heart rate. In my case, I have a coach, a voice teacher and an agent. Every day I'm grateful for their support and guidance.
6. Chelsea Opera's Glory Denied- I had the chance to sing an opera by a living composer, based on a book by a living author, based on an oral history of a family. I had three degrees of separation between myself and the man I played in the opera. The piece was musically interesting and challenging and I had the opportunity to socialize with the composer and author. The Opera News review was a credit to the entire team.
5. Saturday Drive-bys to Sunset Park. My wife and I have timed it out to the last second. We can get from our apartment to Sunset Park and back. Upon our return home we have a pork bahn-mi, spicy grilled tofu skewers and a bag full of Chinese pastries.
4. Every year, we feature a seasoning. One year we discovered the joys of salt and pepper, another Sri Racha. This year's seasoning is Frank's Hot Sauce. A new favorite on our homemade poached eggs, hash and soysage.
3. Skilly Starter- from our Alaska adventure. This sourdough starter has been alive for over a hundred years. At least once a week we use it to make sourdough hotcakes for dinner.
2. Trader Joe's- About every other Sunday we hop in the car at about 7:45 a.m. We drive down Atlantic to the new Trader Joe's and wait for it to open. Shopping list in hand and we burn through the store, beating the incredible checkout line that forms by 8:30 a.m. It is a family tradition and one of the few ways to have an enjoyable shopping experience at this incredibly busy store.
1. Opera Fairbanks- Not only did I have the pleasure of travelling to our 49th State to sing Don Ottavio with incredible colleagues, but I was able to bring my family up and make a whole trip of it. We had the chance to tour, meet new friends and learn so much about the area.
10. Bronx Opera- Again, Michael and Ben Spierman collaborate to create a truly memorable experience: bringing to life Mahler's Die Drei Pintos to the stage. I was in Musical America and the New York Times. I even got some great bootleg videos.
9. Moose- Not only are they fun animals, I had the great experience of tasting moose roast on my trip to Alaska. Delicious!
8. The Public Library System all around the United States. Nothing is more useful to a bored opera singer on tour.
7. My Team- Every opera singer has a team that helps them train. It's a little like being an Olympic athlete but with a much higher resting heart rate. In my case, I have a coach, a voice teacher and an agent. Every day I'm grateful for their support and guidance.
6. Chelsea Opera's Glory Denied- I had the chance to sing an opera by a living composer, based on a book by a living author, based on an oral history of a family. I had three degrees of separation between myself and the man I played in the opera. The piece was musically interesting and challenging and I had the opportunity to socialize with the composer and author. The Opera News review was a credit to the entire team.
5. Saturday Drive-bys to Sunset Park. My wife and I have timed it out to the last second. We can get from our apartment to Sunset Park and back. Upon our return home we have a pork bahn-mi, spicy grilled tofu skewers and a bag full of Chinese pastries.
4. Every year, we feature a seasoning. One year we discovered the joys of salt and pepper, another Sri Racha. This year's seasoning is Frank's Hot Sauce. A new favorite on our homemade poached eggs, hash and soysage.
3. Skilly Starter- from our Alaska adventure. This sourdough starter has been alive for over a hundred years. At least once a week we use it to make sourdough hotcakes for dinner.
2. Trader Joe's- About every other Sunday we hop in the car at about 7:45 a.m. We drive down Atlantic to the new Trader Joe's and wait for it to open. Shopping list in hand and we burn through the store, beating the incredible checkout line that forms by 8:30 a.m. It is a family tradition and one of the few ways to have an enjoyable shopping experience at this incredibly busy store.
1. Opera Fairbanks- Not only did I have the pleasure of travelling to our 49th State to sing Don Ottavio with incredible colleagues, but I was able to bring my family up and make a whole trip of it. We had the chance to tour, meet new friends and learn so much about the area.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Glory Denied review hits at Opera News
"In the role of Younger Thompson, the ardent and striking Leubner was particularly well cast. At times his performance called to mind Hollywood portrayals of military heroes, underscoring the disparity between Jim Thompson's grim homecoming and the glamorous reception he might have had. " Abby Rosebrock, Opera News, Feb. 2010
Full article can be found here.
Full article can be found here.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Salon
This past Tuesday, I had the pleasure of participating in a donor function for my upcoming show, Glory Denied. Our producers organized a cruise for friends of the company. It left from Chelsea Piers and went down to the tip of Manhattan for a view of the Statue of Liberty, then up the East River under the bridges. We then turned around and headed home.
One of my greatest joys of being an opera singer is attending the parties. I love to get dressed up and chat with new people. I am always surprised at the interesting stories of how these guests and donors came to be opera fans. Each story is unique and, while sometimes I may forget the name, I usually remember how they learned to fall in love with opera.
This particular event was made even more special by the attendance of the composer, Tom Cipullo, and the author of the book, Glory Denied, Tom Philpott. Both shared insights into their work with the group. After that, my fellow actors and I did readings from the show.
After the presentation, I was able to enjoy a glass of wine and have some interesting conversations. Talking with Mr. Philpott, I learned a few details about Col. Thompson that helped organize some of my thoughts on the character.
I asked him how he felt about his work being turned into an opera. When he first received a letter from Mr. Cipullo asking for permission to adapt his book, Mr. Philpott thought it might be a joke. Surprising stories like this kept the conversations going both with the artists and with our guests.
I remember that my sister and I once bemoaned the death of the Salon as an evenings entertainment. There was a time where people would meet and they would spend the evening talking about art and science and would perform music for each other. As I walked home down 23rd Street, it felt good to know that I had just attended one.
One of my greatest joys of being an opera singer is attending the parties. I love to get dressed up and chat with new people. I am always surprised at the interesting stories of how these guests and donors came to be opera fans. Each story is unique and, while sometimes I may forget the name, I usually remember how they learned to fall in love with opera.
This particular event was made even more special by the attendance of the composer, Tom Cipullo, and the author of the book, Glory Denied, Tom Philpott. Both shared insights into their work with the group. After that, my fellow actors and I did readings from the show.
After the presentation, I was able to enjoy a glass of wine and have some interesting conversations. Talking with Mr. Philpott, I learned a few details about Col. Thompson that helped organize some of my thoughts on the character.
I asked him how he felt about his work being turned into an opera. When he first received a letter from Mr. Cipullo asking for permission to adapt his book, Mr. Philpott thought it might be a joke. Surprising stories like this kept the conversations going both with the artists and with our guests.
I remember that my sister and I once bemoaned the death of the Salon as an evenings entertainment. There was a time where people would meet and they would spend the evening talking about art and science and would perform music for each other. As I walked home down 23rd Street, it felt good to know that I had just attended one.
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