Dad comes to visit!

One of the great things about Europe is how easy it is to get around!  My dad was recently in Amsterdam on business, and he was able to pop up to England to visit my sister, and then pop down to Vienna to visit me!  We had a great time over the Easter week-end (despite the snow!), did some sight-seeing, and hosted an Easter brunch.  He was even able to attend our closing night performance of Fidelio.  It was Dad's first time in Vienna, and I really enjoyed getting to show him around.  Here's a picture of us in front of the Esterhazy Palace in Eisenstadt.  (Taken after our unexpected sojourn into Hungary...) 

 

Fidelio

I recently had the great pleasure of performing in the chorus of "Fidelio" at the Theater an der Wien, the very same theatre where it was premiered 199 years ago, and where Beethoven actually lived for a time.  The great Nikolaus Harnoncourt was conducting, and I was honoured to share the stage with such stars as Michael Schade, Juliane Banse and Anna Prohaska.  O, welche Lust!

Check me out at 4:44!

Jamming at the Hofburg

"Jamming" doesn't really exist in the classical music world.  So it's a thrill when I get the chance to spontaneously collaborate with complete strangers: no fear, no expectations, no pressure - just fun.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the Rudolfina-Redoute, a traditional masked ball, accompanied by a couple of fellow musician friends.  We coincidentally reserved a table in a room where there was a jazz quartet playing.  During one of their set breaks we struck up a conversation with the drummer, and he suggested that I do a song with the group.  So after consulting with the pianist, we decided on "Somewhere over the rainbow".  Here's how it turned out:

Just an observation....

Disclaimer: Generalizations and (perhaps pretentious) philosophizing to follow.

European musician: Do you speak Spanish?

Me: Not a word.

European musician:  So why are you doing this Spanish song masterclass?

Me: Because I’m curious about Spanish music and I want to learn?!?!  (Baffled, thinking to myself “Is it so strange that I want to learn about Spanish music even though I don’t speak Spanish?)

This question really caught me off-guard, as did the context of the situation: I was the only participant in this masterclass who didn’t speak Spanish.  Back home it’s totally normal for singers to intensively study repertoire in a language they don’t speak.  I think this is partly due to the fact that North American anglophones generally don’t speak other languages (study yes, but don’t speak), but also because North Americans value a broad musical education.  Do Europeans consider it inauthentic to perform song repertoire in a language they don’t speak, or are they not interested, or are they just too busy paying homage to their own country's musical legacy?  I'll let you know when I find out.

Canción Española Wien

I'm very excited to be performing in a concert of Spanish vocal music accompanied by piano and guitar, as part of the Canción Española Wien Spanish Music Festival. The concert is on Friday February 8 at 18.30 in the Anton Dermota Saal at the Konservatorium at Johannesgasse 4, 1010 Wien. Bienvenidos a todos!

Here's "Llámale con el pañuelo" from Guridi's Seis canciones castellanas, which I will be performing at the final concert.

Wave to him with your scarf, receive him with honor and pride. 
 Toss your rosette over the side of his shoulder.
 Tease him, entice him. 
 Torero, cast your cloak, fling your cape: 
 Do not let the bull seize you, do not let the bull catch you
 Young men, if you go to the bulls do not take a cape to harass them, 
 because the bulls are very brave and many Toreros
      get killed by them.

Marcellina and Susanna duke it out

Mozart at his cattiest!  Here's a clip from one of our Piano Dress Rehearsals :)

Figaro!

I am very excited to be performing in Mozart's most beloved opera "Le Nozze di Figaro" on Tuesday January 29 and Wednesday January 30 at 19.00 at the historic Schlosstheater Schönbrunn. I am playing the comic role of Marcellina, Figaro's would-be-lover, turned mother! Stage direction by Michael Temme, Musical direction by Peter Marschik, and featuring the Sinfonietta Baden. Tickets are available atwww.oeticket.com, as well as at the Abendkassa. Hope to see you there!

My first public solo performance in Vienna!

You're invited to a concert of varied lieder and arias, sung by all of the voice students of Regine Köbler. I am only singing one aria (it's a kicker though - Tchaikovsky!). There will be plenty of gorgeous music, from Bach to Beethoven, Schumann, Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, and lots more! Everyone is welcome! Please come out for an evening of free classical vocal music, sung by the up-and-coming opera stars from the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Wien! Hope to see you there!

Tuesday, November 27th at 19.00

Schlosstheater Schönbrunn

free entry

Wine Tavern jamming

Here is a link to my friend Natasha's blog post from when she stayed with me in Vienna.  Scroll down to the bottom and you'll see videos of us spontaneously jamming with the gypsy musicians in a wine tavern.  Unfortunately the camera battery dies right before my money note.....

Miss Natasha Enquist - Performer, Accordionist, Singer, Actor, Model: VIENNA, BABY!!!: My first real day in Vienna (as I got in late the night before things really began) was filled  head-to-toe with culture. It started with...

I get to perform HERE!

I am delighted to announce that I will be performing Marcellina in the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Wien's production of Mozart's classic opera "Le Nozze di Figaro" (The Marriage of Figaro) on January 29 and 30, 2013.  Performances will take place in the historic, gorgeous Schlosstheater Schönbrunn, where Haydn, Mozart and Gluck all conducted performances of their own works.  Can't wait to get my "buffo"on!