Audition, Barcelona, Masterclass…
Hi there! This week was full of surprises. I was starting my week and I decided to contact Javier Camarena, to wish him toi toi toi for his Traviata at Liceu in Barcelona, next to Nadine Sierra, and to let him know that I hoped he could finally listen to me soon. He spontaneously mentioned there would be a masterclass on Saturday and if I would come to Barcelona he would include me. This took me by surprise and immediately I checked flights and hotels and tried to organize all of it. That was on Monday, already on Tuesday had my flight ticket and hotel booked. I was lucky I could find flights and the time to go there. So, on Wednesday I had an audition for a Massenet Opera called Therese and I sang maybe one of the worst auditions in a long time. I had very small time to warm up and my voice was just not completely ready to sing Edgardo in the morning… I also sang Des Grieux and that was not so bad. But Edgardo was just not good but I was focusing on the interpretation because I new my voice was not completely awake and my body was not completely connected. Anyway excuses are useless, simply I did not sing well. But I had the big fortune they liked me enough to offer me the role, I almost consider saying no because of how I felt my audition went. I apologize to them and they understood… anyways…
That was on Wednesday and straight the next day I took a train to Berlin and flew to Barcelona, where I met Javier Camarena in the evening for dinner with another 8 people including his wife, and on Saturday (Yesterday) I had a Masterclass with him. We were 5 the ones singing for him. I sang Edgardo and we work hard on the approach to the recitativo and how to phrase the music and giving more intension to the phrases and singing together sentences that I was not putting together. We also work on the cadenza of the recitativo and working on the flow of the high notes, more as a consequence of the preceding notes and not focusing solely on the high la and b flat and later in the aria on the b natural. After a couple of attempts I was able to get one right, afterwards I attempted few more times but only one was really good. The others were not focus enough or went to a different position, or I was thinking to much. Javier was really clear that I over think the high notes too much instead of letting them be, I will work on that very much.
I really tried to understand his advice and I was really trying to make all what he was asking me to do. I think I succeeded most of the times. Of course one cannot change all of it in a short class but I took to heart his advice, and I will try to incorporate what he said more into my singing. After all I went there to get all the advice from him and really going with an open mind to what he has to say and try it, otherwise it would not make sense to me to go there and not try his tips. I was nervous about having the Masterclass but also really looking forward to get advice from one of the leading tenors in the Belcanto repertoire in the whole world. Thank you Javier, for your advice and all the points you made during the class. I recorded my lesson so I will keep listening to really get your points and advice.
I am now just back from the Liceu theatre because I saw the concert of the winners of this year’s competition Francisco Vinias and I was really glad I got to hear the very talented young singers who have for sure a nice career ahead of them. Liceu is a beautiful theatre and I am looking forward to tomorrow’s performance of Traviata with Javier Camarena and Nadine Sierra.
Being in Barcelona is great, such a nice city and full of rich history. I am staying in the Gothic Barrio and it is really nice. Of course I already visited several libraries and coffees and I got a book that is very difficult to find in the printed version called “ Voces paralelas” by G. Lauri Volpi. The great tenor and whom I really admire. I also got “La ciudad de los prodigios” by Mendoza, it seems to be a really famous book, so I am really looking forward to start reading it. I also found some nice books on singing theory.
Of course, I also have been in some very nice coffee shops, among them perhaps my favorite is the coffee shop called Nomad where they had variety of coffees and I tried both Colombian Coffees they had and they were very balanced but still funky. I am just walking around the centre of Barcelona and getting also very nice traditional food. Spanish food is also really good.
I keep doing my morning pages and reading Daily Stoic and Tolstoi, plus doing my exercises routines.
Take care and see you next week.
