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:
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:
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!
A little Mozart with Sir Thomas Allen
This spring I had the good fortune of participating in a Masterclass given by Sir Thomas Allen, as part of the Concours Musical International de Montréal. We worked in front of an audience for 45 minutes on one of Idamante's arias from Mozart's opera Idomeneo. As a world-renowned Mozartean, Sir Thomas Allen's stylistic sensibilities are fine-tuned to this repertoire, and he was able to give me some great tips to propel my performance and interpretation to the next level. Here is a clip of the fruit of our labours, from the masterclass itself.
"Ah, qual gelido orror....Il padre adorato"
"Ah, qual gelido orror....Il padre adorato"
Scotland the Brave
It all started as a way to get out of the Schengen Zone for 8 days. (Because of my arrival in late June, I was risking out-staying my 90 day tourist visa before my Residence Permit comes into effect on October 1). So I decided to escape to Manchester and the Peak District to visit my sister, and then hop up to Scotland to enjoy some of the Edinburgh International and Fringe Festivals. What started as an 8-day jaunt turned into a 2-week adventure of couch-surfing, spontaneity, and pilgrimages. Part of the reason for the extended stay is that I neglected to double-check the date of my flight back to Bratislava. Probably my sub-concious telling me I wasn't ready to leave yet ;) With an extra week on my hands, I had the chance to add the Isle of Arran and Glasgow to the original sights on my itinerary, which included St. Andrews, North Berwick, Stirling and Edinburgh. Thanks to the amazing couch surfing community, I didn't have to pay for accommodation the whole time I was away, and I met some amazing people and made some incredible memories! The picture of the top is the Peak District in England, and below is Haggis, Neeps and Tatties in Deanston, Scotland.
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