The final days...

Melissa and I were able to take Friday to rest & find the last bit of energy for the final concert after long days of Master Classes and concerts.

(Here we are working with a wonderful soprano, Mari)

We performed very well and really enjoyed the Eugene O'Neill Theater at Friday nights concert. We have decided after performing this music all week...that we probably will not sing this recital again for quite SOME TIME!!!!

Saturday we were finally free to explore. For $92 we toured a coffee plantation, hiked up to Poas volcano, saw craters, wild animals, had breakfast and lunch, were driven all around in a nice tour bus and met so many wonderful people. (Above right, you see Mr. Toucan...what a marvelous creature)

We flew back to US and arrive in Orlando 40 minutes early, to have to wait 2 hours to get our bags (after passing through 2 separate customs lines and having to go BACK through security ugh!)

All in all...wonderful experience, back to the grind...Boheme is in 2 weeks!!!

Abrazos y Pura Vida!

Thursday it is!

Yesterday, another long day...no time to write. So sorry.

So, Wednesday began with our first late morning, we had breakfast at 10:15am :)

Then off we went to the Eugene O'Neill Theater..I ran around the stage (literally) while Melissa warmed up on the piano. I warmed up with stretches and situps and a few lip trills...trying to give my poor voice a break!

We then left for the city of San Ramon de Alajuela for our last master class, this time we only worked with one singer. here name was Mari. She was only 20 years old, but very talented, also have Tico and half Japanese.

After the class, we were escorted to the dance studio where they had set up hot tea and biscuits for us, tre lovely. We changed and got ready for our concert.

Lovely lovely space, we performed in an art gallery. We also met lots of other singers of all ages and nationalities.

THURSDAY

This morning began with a cross-cultural talk with about 20 students who all wanted to know what our food was like in the USA and where we went to school etc... About 30 minutes into the talk some of them started pulling out their cell phones and texting...typical teenagers. Melissa and I made them laugh and then left for our final rehearsal before tonights concert.

Tonight was AMAZING>>>what an experience. We sang the full recital in the National Theater (opera house). We were part of a program called "Afternoon recitals at 5pm". It is a new series they are trying out and WE were the first of the season. Very well attended and a very attentive audience. I am learning that a solo voice recital with piano is unusual for costa rica, however, they seemed to like it.

We are SOOOOooo dead tired. Tomorrow we have the day off until the final recital at night. We are excited and anxious to get to Saturday. (Saturday we are going to see a Volcano and many other things).

Will write more tomorrow and post more pictures!

Ciao for now!

2 days...more like 36 hours straight!!

(After first recital, Tuesday night, with Don Jorge Acevedo)

So,

Our first real day (Monday) went something like this:

5:30am-Buses and horns blowing

6am-Trains going by outside

6:15am-wide awake

7:30am-shower

8:30am-Breakfast

9:30-11:30-Meetings at Cultural Center

11:30-12:30-Recital Run Thru (which included physically moving the piano 3 times to find the right spot so we could both hear our selves..)

12:30-1:00-Lunch

TRAVEL TIME

2-4pm Master Class @ Univ. of Costa Rica

Here we worked with 3 singers, I had to teach most of the time...

TRAVEL

6-8pm Master Class #2 (This is VERY unusual to teach 2 master classes in one day and by this point Melissa and I are DEAD tired. As we still have not recovered from the trip here, nor have we slept much at all)

9:00pm-Dinner

10:30pm wind down..

11pm-Sleep?

The students really tried to apply our suggestions and were for the most part very successful. What made us exhausted (me especially) was the extreme differences as to where the students were vocally and how prepared they were for the classes. Most of the time, I ended up teaching the music to them. I am sure most of them had never sung in a master class and really didn't know what to expect. However, for me...I had to teach almost completely in Spanish...which, as Melissa says, is using a different part of my brain..which is ALSO exhausting.

There were a few gems of students...one tenor in particular that was just stunning.

(TUESDAY)

HONK HONK HONK>..what was that...you want me to wake up AGAIN at 5:30am with the buses and WHAT? the bed is so hard that I can't stand up....WHAT????

Well, Rodrigo took care of the bed problem...they swapped mine out for a very "smooshy mooshy" lovely one...going to try it out tonight...fingers crossed.

Today was a better day, still no sleep...but we had a chance meeting with one of Costa Rica's most important composers, EDDIE MORA http://eddiemora.com/es/index.php

VERY exciting meeting...possible future opportunities...more to come soon ;)

We were then off to Santa Ana...where I had worked all last summer and again in November. Gave a 2 hour master class, met with many of my costa rican musician friends...and gave a recital with Melissa.

(when we arrived, we found out the grand piano had an accident and lost one of the front legs. they had it propped up and 8 men later, the piano was moved and put in place for the recital. (Note Photo above, lovely poster created for the tour)

After dinner..back to hotel...2 advil pm's later...still not asleep...it is now 1:30am...

humpf!

Another master class and recital tomorrow...this time it is earlier in the day...might be forced to drink a few glasses of wine with dinner tomorrow to FORCE myself to go to bed.

More news to come tomorrow...wish us luck :)

EARLY MORNING

Well...I tried to sleep in and catch up on lack of sleep these past weeks...I did okay. However the buses started moving down the street, honking and screeching their brakes at 5am...

I am actually feeling pretty good this morning. It is foggy and rainy outside (which is strange, because we are not supposed to be in the rainy season right now).

My only complaint is the bed...it is VERY firm. I have found another use for it though. Since the floors are tile, I was able to do my push-ups and sit-ups using it as a surface (not joking, that is truly how firm it is).

Anyhow...LONG day ahead...more posts tonight!

Pura Vida!

Costa Rica Claims me Again!!

We made it...the flight was pleasent, bags were waiting for us when we got through customs and our host and personal driver, Rodrigo Duran, was waiting for us when we stepped out of the airport.

Why am I back again, 3rd time in less than a year?...

WELL....(and before I tell you why...yes, that is me at Steak and Shake before we got on the plane for Costa Rica).

Back to my story....

Through a student proposal at FSU, my packet was chosen for the Promising Artists of the 21st Century Recital Tour in Costa Rica. So I have returned for a 9 day quasi ambassordship with my friend and colleague and SUPERB pianist Melissa Loehnig.

I did not think I would have returned again so soon, as I was also here in November for the Santa Ana Baroque Festival.

Anyhow! Here I am and I am thrilled to be back. This program focuses on bringing in artists from the USA to work with costa rican students and give recitals throughout the week.

Our day tomorrow starts at 8am and will end at 10pm. We start with a wonderful breakfast here at our bed-and-breakfast hotel and then off to a rehersal at the theater than 2 master classes, 2 hours each. I am excited to here the voices and work with the students. We will work with college students at the University of Costa Rica first and then to a small opera company to work with some of their singers.

Melissa is getting upset with me as I keep threatning (joking of course) to leave her stranded in the streets of San Jose...as she doesn't speak Spanish. I am going to have to pull a prank on her at SOME point, or I just wouldn't be me :) HA!!!

Well.. need to get some rest...more tomorrow, along with pictures.

Ciao for now!

One more post left...

Well, here we are, it is 12:30am...we just got back from dress rehearsal #2, for the Costa Rican cast. Things were a little smoother and then bumpy in other parts. Everything will be great for the performance on Saturday night.

I ordered a carrot cake today for the cast, they have been a joy. It has been wonderful to see everyone pull together to make it all happen. We have no stage-mangers, no props manager, no costume assistants and no set changers. I am told this is normal in Costa Rica. Amazingly, we all just chip in and things get done. I think I will probably have zero tolerance in future productions if one of my colleagues isn't ready for the entrance...there is really no excuse to not be at the correct side of the stage before your entrance!!!

Tomorrow we have the small recital for and American school here called Marion Baker. In between the time we have to go to the main bank and pay our "exit tax", so we can leave the country. I also need to pack all my bags, since we need to move out on Saturday morning, since the girl who normally rents here returns then.

Then it will be on to performance night and I leave on Sunday morning back to the USA!!

Dress Rehearsal Domani!

It has been a busy past few days. Saturday was a full run-thru with the orchestra, Sunday we had free, but used our time to practice and catch up on much needed sleep. Monday was another run-thru with Cast B, just to iron out any problem spots. Tonight was our Vandelprobe (sing and walk your staging with orchestra). There are still some little problem spots, but with two dress rehearsals, everything should be perfect for opening night Saturday.

I have started trying to pack and organize my things, as Sunday morning is quickly approaching.

I have really enjoyed working with my colleagues, they are a wonderful group.

Here is to a successful dress rehearsal. It will be my only one in the theater, first time in makeup and costume.

TOI TOI a TUTTI!