Day #25

As I typed the title...I realized that I really only have 5 days left to do SOMETHING!!!  I am going to have to do some serious work on Sunday, which I now have off for the full day!  Had a TON of errands to do today, but I was a good girl and did all my chores!

DAILY VOCAL PRACTICE SESSION #19

    30 minute warm up. Repertoire reviewed Summertime and Besame Mucho also watched some youtube...can I just say that Luis Miguel is nuts LOL he oversings everything, but is amazing.  Wish I would have gone to see him in Vegas he played there so many times.

KEYBOARD SKILLS #14

     G Major and added "Why Am I Blue" (I don't know some song from my practice book...I'm not on real songs yet LOL)

VIEWING OF PROFESSIONAL OPERA #3

     So today I decided to watch Tosca since I have been working on Vissi d'arte.  First of all, Puccini leaves so much room for acting and interpretation - I still cannot wrap my brain around how composers can think of EVERYTHING from what the flute is doing here to when the soprano needs a breath...pure genius!  Before studying music, I felt as if I knew nothing about music.  Now that I have been studying music, I still know nothing about music!  This version is another from the 2009 Met season, which is available on iTunes.  Directed by Luc Bondy it stars Karita Mattila, Marcelo Alvarez, and George Gagnidze - ALL who tear up their roles, are perfectly cast, and whose voices are just divine.  There was a review on iTunes that said the set design left something to be desired.  As I have never seen another production, I didn't have anything to compare it to, but I liked it.  Everything was oversized and also was sparse (like in Eugene Onegin), and maybe he wanted something more decadent or truer to what Puccini had intended, but as the composition leaves much to be interpreted I think Puccini would have been forward thinking enough to expect that chances be taken with the set.  Personally, I have been trying to not let past ideas or concepts mold my current judgment.  I don't want to say, well I saw it done here and the set was perfect, so this set isn't good.  NO WAY!!! It is art, it is an interpretation and it serves a purpose...just go with it and find the aspects of it that you like!  Karita's performance left me in tears on several occasions; her voice is strong and beautiful and she's a great actress.  At this time she was 49 years old...the age showed a bit on her face but she is still beautiful and convincing as Tosca.  Marcelo Alvarez's voice soars and the highlight for me was E lucevan le stelle in Act III- bring on the waterworks!!  Absolutely beautiful!  Susan Graham interviewed the cast during the breaks and again, everyone was so gracious and pleasant - a true inspiration!

Yes that's me bawling my eyes out...Karita got me good!!!!

Susan Graham (left) talking to the costume designer...can't remember her name but you can tell she can design the hell out of some costumes...just look at her - totally put together!

HEALTH CONSCIOUS MEAL #25

     Tuna salad for late night snack! Need the protein to build those muscles!!

BODY CONDITIONING / FITNESS SESSION #14

     So today I was smart and remembered to bring my Heart Rate Monitor to the gym with me.  I worked out for 1:15 (excluding the socializing time BTW) and I burned 500 calories.  I think that's a pretty good amount for a little over an hour.  The sit ups and glute press especially wore me out.  At some points my heart rate was up to 160, but it's amazing how fast I can get my rate back down...tried to keep it over 120, but sometimes just had to rest.  Now I am consistently doing 6 chin ups per set instead of 5.  That's a huge difference.  

...DAILY INSPIRATION...

be realistic with your money, time, but not with your dreams!