Campbell Vertesi

Today we finished an... interesting unit in our Opera Characterization class - the Extreme Aria Project.  Each class member chose an aria with which they were very comfortable, and then we went down the list, setting each aria to an extreme, eurotrash worthy staging.

An example was a "Caro Nome", about a vampire victim who ends up giving herself to the vampire willingly, and dying onstage.  Or today, "O Mio Babbino Caro", about a father-daughter incest case, where the daughter spent the aria deciding whether to end it by killing herself, or her dad.  It sounds nuts, I know - but it brought up a lot of interesting issues, technically and dramatically.  We ended up spending an hour as a class working on "dying slowly, in agony, to music".  It's something you have to deal with a lot as an operatic actor!  On Monday, we took an hour to work on over-schmaltzy, "running into each other's arms" scenes.  

Somehow, you have to make this stuff compelling to an audience.  There has to be enough reality behind these extreme stagings and characterizations to keep an audience on the edge of their seats.  It's easier to work on that skill with high stakes, bizarro concepts than it is with more pedestrian ideas.  Now, I guess the trick is to apply it all to "regular" acting...

All apologies for the sudden break in postage - I had psychological business to attend to.

I did not get accepted to the CCM AD program.  The head of the opera department requested a meeting with me to tell me personally, and to explain why.  Since then, I've been to talk with my coach and some of the other students who were not accepted, in an effort to get some clarity in a complicated situation.

Paraphrased, I was told that though this is not an acceptance, it is not a rejection either.  The faculty were apparently most impressed with my audition; the department head was effusive in her praise of my second aria (Susannah) in particular. As I understand it, they want me to continue in this direction, and to re-audition for Winter Quarter.  Winter auditions are by invitation only (to my understanding), so that bodes well at least.  The department head also told me that by then, she thinks I may not even want to re-apply.  That I may find in the professional world that I am more "ready" than I think I am.

To some extent, she has a point.  I'm a smart guy: I know how to prepare a role.  I can do my own translations and dramatic preparation without a course to guide me through it.  In that sense, the AD program doesn't have a lot to offer me, and perhaps she will turn out to be right about how "ready" I am.

On the other hand, my sights are set a good deal higher than an average career in opera.  I believe that I have the potential for much more than that, and in order to achieve such an enormous ambition as mine, I do need more training.  I need to fix my German, and learn Russian. I need to learn trust for my dramatic toolkit, and dammit - I need to have a much more consistent vocal technique than I have at the moment.  Again, maybe they're right, and all I need for these things is another two semesters at CCM.  I'm not so sure about that, though.

So it's on to plan "B".  I've applied for a major artist development grant, to allow me to create my own course of intense private training.  I've plotted out eight months of private lessons, coachings, acting and dance lessons, and physical training.  I'll spend an academic year creating real art out of the roles that will be the backbone of my young career - Sarastro, Colline, Sparafucile and the like.  In short: I'll have a year of massive vocal and artistic development, with or without CCM.

Plan "C", for reference, is not nearly as enticing to me.  There is a group of students who are going to Europe in the Spring of 2008, to do an audition tour there.  Bryn and I weren't planning on moving to Europe quite so soon, but it is a serious possibility.  We'll see... 

 But no matter which plan I go with dear reader,  rest assured that regular blogging is a part of it.  Starting now, it's back to the daily post with me.  In fact, I'm setting a new goal: 2 posts per day, regularly.

The second day of auditions is over, and man do I feel relieved!  All this tension I didn't even know I had has melted off of my shoulders.  I literally feel like a new person... I've been so out of touch with the world, wrapped up in my own universe of "AGH! AD AUDITION!"... it's nice to be back.

 On the second day, we had our formal audition for the combined voice and opera faculty.  Then we waited awkwardly for a final, individual interview.

When I warmed up, I knew I was in trouble.  Things were lining up, my breath was under me, and that French piece - the one I struggled with in coachings the day before - was working just fine.   Not the best I'd sung it, but it was working perfectly well for performancee... and I wanted to show them that I could sing it.  I wanted so badly to put this new (2 weeks old at a stretch) on my audition package - but no, that would be reckless, wouldn't it?

I did it.  I had already printed up my rep sheets without this new French piece, so I went in and offered the scary aria as my opener.  My teacher was in the audience - I didn't look to see his reaction.  I just started.  It wasn't the best I'd sung it: one or two normally easy notes were distinctly woofed and flat... but I recovered quickly, and fixed them on the repeat. All the high notes lined up basically right, and shock of shocks - I sang lyrically.  Now I really have to get that acting more specific... it's kitchen table time for that aria!

They asked - as everyone always does - for my Susannah aria.  The creepy, "date rape" aria, for which I have to take off my wedding band.  I feel too creepy to keep that ring on my finger! The aria went well, and as always I felt disgusting when it was done.

At the interview, I got some very positive comments on my singing, which is a good thing.  I had the opportunity to give any last comments, and I stressed once again what a good fit I believe this program to be for me.  I walked out feeling good: I had said what I wanted to say, sung in a reasonably optimal way (i gave it a personal 9/10 in my journal) - at this point, if they decide against taking me, I'll know that it isn't for any illusions in their minds.  I don't mind if they think I am not the right fit for their AD program,  so long as they have a proper and honest idea of what stage I am at in the first place.

 So now the waiting begins.   I'm moving on to the rest of my life, setting up "plan B" for if I don't get into the AD program, starting to go to school and work again.  Back to normality!

We're partway through the first day of the AD audition at CCM.  There are only 4 of us auditioning this weekend, which is a good thing.  The fewer the better! :)

We had an interview session with the two chairs of the Opera Department, as well as 20 minute coaching sessions with each of the three coaches.  I felt good about the interview, though I rambled a bit.  The more I learn about this program, the more perfectly it seems to fit what I want to do, what I believe to be the optimal next step in my training.  It is largely self-directed,  which plays to one of my great strengths.  The coursework is acting, movement, and performance classes, along with whatever other training you want to take from the vast resources of the university.  They really want you to learn how to get out there and do your role work and get those jobs...  It is exactly what I want to be doing!

Unfortunately, my experience in the coachings wa a bit of a mixed bag. In my first session, I just couldn't get my breath under me!  I got tense, lost  a lot of tone... in short, I was not at all satisfied with my work.  My second coaching was with Tibby Plyler - quite possibly my favorite coach in all the world.  It took all of 30 seconds in her studio to get my breath moving, and we had a wonderful session.  My last coaching was also much better - a coach who I am familiar and comfortable with, who really knew how to make a big voice work in a scaled back piece like the lullaby I brought in.

In exactly one minute, I'm due for the next item: improv sessions with one of the directors.  Keep those fingers crossed!

I had a good talk with my teacher yesterday, starting to flesh out my plans for the next few years.  You see, my Master's degree is almost upon me.  Assuming I make it through all of my academics on time in the next few months, I should be graduating in May, with a shiny second degree to my name!  So, what then?

Well, there's the rub.  Many singers go directly from their Masters' into year long Young Artist Programs (a sort of apprenticeship with an opera company, where you cover lead roles, and/or sing for elementary schools, concerts etc).  The thing is, many singers are more technically secure than I am.  Recent flush of success notwithstanding, I have a long way to go before I'm in the place I want to be with my voice.  Part of it is age, but also it's just hard to train a big, heavy voice.  So I don't believe that it would be to my best advantage to go out and do a yearlong at this point.  

So what are my other options?  Well, what I really need is more training.  No, there was no sarcasm there.  I have no need for more academics - coursework has nothing to offer me in terms of artistic growth at this point.  So I'm looking at Artist Diploma programs.

 An Artist Diploma is a certificate program, like something you might take at a community college in a technical field.  The big difference is that an AD is considered a significant accomplishment on top of a bachelors' and graduate degree.  They typically give significant performance training and experience, and singers are trotted out as the prize pigs of the institution during their time there.  There are (generally) no academics to speak of.

Sounds great to me!  So I'll be applying to CCM next year for their AD program.  They say that the program is for big voices who need more time to develop, but I've seen some other big singers get put on the "waiting list" track.  That is to say, they do not get admitted the first year they apply, in the expectation that the singer will take a year off to continue training, and then re-apply the following year.  I know some very fine musicians who went through this waiting list game, but personally I don't have much interest in it.  

Since Bryn has one more year in her degree, I'll stay in Cincinnati for 07-08 regardless of whether or not I get into the AD program at CCM.  If I'm not accepted, I'll study with my teacher and with various coaches privately, to continue my development on my own dollar.  Once Bryn graduates, we're out of here.  Hopefully, we'll finally be out of the Midwest entirely!  

Months ago, I sang the Commendatore in a production of Don Giovanni at CCM (loving the bold today!).  At the time, I couldn't find any reviews for my dear readers - and recordings I'm told, are still forthcoming - but today - aha! I found one.

Jean Gelfand of the Cincinnati Enquirer wasn't crazy about the staging, but she certainly enjoyed the singing!  Highlights from the review: 

"...the singing was so good you almost forgot it was a student production"

"Corey Crider, a native of Marion, Ky., displayed a powerful voice and a suaveness of phrasing that proved to be his most seductive asset"

"Joshua Jeremiah sang wonderfully as Leporello, navigating the patter of his famous “Catalogue Aria” smoothly and with humor. "

"Deborah Selig was absolutely stunning as the peasant bride Zerlina. Her “Vedrai carino,” comforting the beaten Masetto (Joshua Moe) was winning for its genuine charm, and one of the evening’s most delightful moments."

"Bronwen Forbay performed her role of the jilted lover Donna Elvira with intensity and a beautifully controlled voice.  "

"The evening’s most virtuosic vocal display came from Todd David Patrick (Don Ottavio) in the great showpiece, “Il mio tesoro.” Patrick’s characterization was one of the evening’s shining lights."

"...the stone statue (well-sung by Campbell Vertesi) appears...  " (you can't see it from there, but I'm grinning like an idiot)

"In the pit, the orchestra was full-bodied, well-paced and rich with color under Gibson’s exacting baton."

I should include a disclaimer here that, while I'm thrilled this reviewer enjoyed our work so much, these comments are her opinion and not mine.  Comments on her review should be directed to the Cincinnati Enquirer.