Campbell Vertesi

... it's cheaper than plastic surgery.  I wonder if I've used that joke here before?  Probably.  Ah well, that's basically where I am with Sarasota Opera at the moment.  We're in the process of opening our fourth show of the season right now, while we are running the other three.  Most days we have a dress rehearsal and a performance - that takes a lot of energy!  We're also rehearsing our second round of scenes to start performing in a couple of days.  Whew!

It's been a gruelling few months, I must say.  It's great though.  Opera for 8 hours a day, 6 days a week is a wonderful, intense way to geek out for a few months!  On the down side,  I'm pooped and some people are even worried about vocal damage from the demanding schedule.  On the up side, when we get a day off, the next day I can sing anything I want.  Inquisitor duet?  Sure.  Osmin scenes?  No problem.  Mephisto serenade?  Fine.  It took me awhile to get used to this - the first few times I discovered my newfound "chords of steel", I spent the entire afternoon blowing myself out on big repertoire.  Now I'm getting better, conserving my voice but still singing the big, fun stuff.  It's pretty cool though...

We've only got three weeks left here in Sarasota.  I'm already looking to my next gig - cover Ramfis (Aida) and Geronte (Manon Lescaut) at Utah Festival Opera over the summer.  This was an interesting gig to get - I didn't actually audition, since I was trying to take a year for vocal development.  But they offered such tantalizing (and useful) roles for me to learn, I couldn't resist!  Plus, I know my technique improves every time I go away to a program, so odds are I'll learn more than just music while I'm there. We shall see.  Meantime, I've picked up an Aida score and am starting to work...  more on that later, I'm sure.

Also, hopefully when I have a life again I'll be able to post more than once every few weeks!  No promises this time though.  Unfortunately, writing blogs is not the top method to become a great singer.  There are other items that have to come higher on the priority list :)  .  But I still enjoy it, so this space isn't going away anytime soon.