Tokyo, Osaka, Dichterliebe…
Hi there! This week is crazy. I just went back to Chemnitz after the concert in Wurzburg where it was a very nice run of Dichterliebe and Tosti songs with pianist Diego Mallen. On Monday I took it really easy because I was feeling kind of getting a cold. It was also my last full day with my Akiho because on Tuesday I took a train to Frankfurt Airport and I flew from there directly to Tokyo, arriving on Wednesday evening. I slept over in Koko hotel in Ginza, and the next morning on Thursday I went to a very nice coffee, to Bongen Coffee. Later had a very nice morning toast (with Japanese sweet bean paste) at Aroma coffee, a little hidden gem at the Tokyo station endless underground streets of shops and restaurants.
Afterwards I took the Shinkansen to Nagoya, where I am staying at Utako's house, a friend of Aki and I, and she will be singing as well in the concert next week, the Brahms quartets. Utako is really friendly and I am very grateful that I can stay over at her home. During the last days I am taking it easy and just doing everything to not get sick as I am feeling weak since I flew from Germany. This is my second time in Japan during winter time, and here, the houses are very cold during winter. Every room has a different temperature, so I have to be careful and just get used to it.
We already had 3 rehearsals in total for Bhrams and my adored Dichterlirbe. Rehearsing for the first time only with a Japanese team and singing for the first time these quartets. The dynamic of the group ranging of different ages was very good and funny. Although language is a barrier, some spoke a bit of English, another Italian and one more spoke some German. So, in the end we could communicate very well although slower than usual. It has been a very special experience for me to be able to make music and try to understand these musicians. I am happy I am having the chance to do this music with them.
After last week's Dichterliebe in Germany, I feel very prepared and I am finding even more small details I can tweak. Sakichan which is my pianist for this Schumann is really musical but specially very quick she can feel the tempi and changing in emotions and character. This is very important for such song cycle where interpretation is so important. To be able to convey the text through the music is a challenge that I really enjoy pursuing.
Since I came to Japan I feel my voice, because of tiredness and fighting not getting sick, a bit hard... I think is also that, the houses here if they are warm they are really dry. They use the air conditioner for heating their houses so there is not heaters like in Germany... so very quickly the air becomes dry. Fortunately I brought with me my humidifier from Germany, a small travel size one, and with that, I turn it on during the whole evening while I sleep and I believe that has helped a lot. I am looking forward to the concert next week on 24th and I am happy we had today our GP and I am confident it will be a beautiful concert.
I continue with my daily reading of Holiday and Tolstoi, plus my exercise routine and also reading some Caruro’s book.
I hope you are well and take care. See you next week.
