Last night was the first orchestra dress rehearsal, the first night where the opera was run exactly as it will be run on opening night. That is, we sang full voice in costumes, makeup and wigs, on the stage with the sets, with the orchestra in the pit. There were a few stops and starts due to some technical difficulties, but overall it was the closest we've been, to what the performance will actually be like. Of course, this was extremely valuable for all involved, because everyone needs a chance to use such rehearsals to become comfortable with how it will be when we actually run the performances. At the same time, it is valuable for a singer to have such a rehearsal, because we singers constantly make choices on a stage, both vocal and dramatic, and it is important during the rehearsal process, to step back, try to gauge what we did and decide whether or not any changes need to be made for the next time.

In the dramatic area, this is easier for us, because the stage director and assistant director are there to watch what we do in rehearsals, and give us feedback afterward. Our stage director in this production is Christopher Alexander, and he is extremely helpful in his feedback. Our assistant stage director in this production, Joachim Schamberger, is also extremely helpful and supportive.

However, in the vocal side of what we do, we singers, who usually are singing in cities far from the advisors who know our voices best (i.e., wives, husbands, partners, teachers and/or vocal coaches) do not have them present during the rehearsals or performances, to hear what we are doing and to give their feedback to us. Therefore, we must learn to rely on our own sensations and judgement, to decide whether we pushed our voices too hard in a rehearsal or performance, or could have given more vocally in a particular place, etc. So last night's orchestra rehearsal was very valuable for me, as I came away deciding that I worked too hard vocally, as I was getting accustomed to the size of the stage, which seems larger than the room where we rehearsed, as well as the space of the auditorium, etc.

I did receive some other helpful feedback from other staff members. The musical staff (Joseph Lawson, our Assistant Conductor as well as Susanna Lemberskaya, our Principal Coach/Accompanist) have brought to my attention that I have been singing the wrong note at the end of one of my vocal lines in the "Prologue", pushing my voice a bit too much so that a high G tends to "flare" upward to the high-A-flat. Because high notes come very easily for me, this can sometimes happen when I try to show a little too much heroicism! Musically, it is a tricky place where nothing is happening in the orchestra except a solo timpani beat! So their feedback is helpful to a singer when the singer cannot hear from the perspective of someone sitting in the theatre. In addition, Cynthia Savage, who is the Costume Designer of these gorgeous costumes from Seattle Opera, came to me to tell me that my leggings were falling down off my legs, and the material was getting bundled up around my ankles! This was easily fixed by the wonderful costume crew, who took the elastic bands that hold up the leggings, and shortened them so that they were tighter on my legs, in order to keep the leggings (or tights), "tight" above my knees! They joked with me, that if the elastic bands become any tighter, it might cut off the circulation to my legs, and Bacchus, the god of Wine will come tumbling down! Stand by to see if that happens!

Tonight is the final dress rehearsal, with an invited audience. This will be our final opportunity to learn what we can, before we take this to the public for the Opening Night performance on Saturday night!