The Golden Ticket

Now, as I prepare to leave for Portland, I don't really have to spend too much time studying Barbiere. I will have a coaching on it, as I always do, just to make sure it's in tip top shape, and that I haven't gotten lazy about any of the italian double consonants, or forgotten a piece of recit here or there. But mostly what I'm doing is learning "The Golden Ticket" because I will go directly from Portland to St Louis, and I'm not sure there will be adequate time or available coaches to work with me in Portland. Some people learn new roles all on their own in front of their pianos, but my brain needs to hear the whole picture, and to take in what the orchestra is doing while I'm singing before I feel completely confident that I know it 100%. Plus, I tend to be something of an over-preparer who always thinks I'm not prepared enough. I have had more stress dreams about arriving to rehearsals unprepared, only to arrive and have someone comment on how well I seem to know my part. I am always amazed when there is someone who doesn't seem to know the score really well, because I would be utterly mortified if that were me. So it seems my ego keeps me on task, and forces me to learn my music. Oh well, whatever it takes.

I received a DVD recording of the workshop of "The Golden Ticket" that took place in New York last year, so I am fortunate enough to be able to hear the whole score before rehearsals start even though it's a World Premiere. I'm finding it really helpful to know what the oompa loompa music sounds like because I cannot get the "Oompa Loompa doompety doo" song from the movie out of my head. I also was really excited to find this video on youtube and to hear some of the orchestrations, because it's difficult to get a good sense about a score until you've heard the way it is orchestrated. I can tell that the piano reduction on the DVD doesn't do the score justice based on listening to this clip with orchestra:



And as for my role, I will be doing a lot of screaming and pouting, which frankly, won't be a big stretch for me.

I have a friend in town this weekend from Germany who is a huge jazz aficionado, so I'm going to be going to listen to a lot of music with her this weekend. It should be good for me, since I have all these "Golden Ticket" ear-worms in my head, and when I fall asleep at night, I hear "opening chocolate bars just for the wrappers" over and over (that's what my character makes the factory workers of her father's factory do so she can obtain her golden ticket). That part is really catchy. Hopefully a nice double bass solo will convince my brain to stop repeating that phrase.

Okay, I just reread everything I've wrote, and found it really formal in style. I think it's because I've consumed two glasses of wine already tonight, and I must have been trying to overcompensate by sounding intellectual. Give it up - just let yourself sound drunk. dsjoewfjoiwshogvh;owvgsho!!!!!!! There. Much more realistic. Cheers!