San Francisco Opera

19. February 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Ballet, Opera, Ramble

Yesterday I received a second packet of season information from San Francisco Opera. Wow. Another brochure and everything. I wish they’d give us the option of only getting things online so we don’t waste paper and they don’t waste money. Perhaps they could even subtract a dollar or so from our ticket price. What an idea, eh?

We still haven’t renewed our tickets for the 2010 SF Opera season*. This means we’ve lost our chance in the drawing for a free season ticket. Ah well. What were the chances anyway? We do have to renew by March 15. I was hoping that, prior to that date, we would be given the opportunity to subscribe to the 2011 Ring Cycle as well, without the currently required tax deductible contribution of $460 that is added to each ticket. So far the only way we can get our season tickets to the cycle is by paying a whopping $2,000. (Yes. Really. $560 + $460 per subscription.) That simply won’t happen with our income. I do wonder if this means we lose the chance completely of seeing the Wagner operas, but one can only hand out so much money, right?

We will be renewing .. at least the 2010 season part. I’m just putting it off for a while longer, trying to get finances in order. But I will most likely not be renewing Opera News (from the Met) magazine. I’m tired of paper waste. I would happily renew if they had an option of “online subscription only” (again, a deal of even a few dollars off would be great … saving them publishing costs and paper usage). When will magazines get savvy to this? Am I just dreaming of something that will never happen? I wrote to them, suggesting it, and they said, “We can’t do that because some patrons don’t want it.” I suggested that they make online subscriptions an option, not the sole way of subscribing. I didn’t hear back. Oh well.

Speaking of opera, we have our final two Marriage of Figaro performances tonight and Sunday afternoon. Then I move on to ballet, with Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. Not quite the comedy Marriage of Figaro has been … but fantastic music, to be sure!

*SF Opera calls it the 2010-2011 season, but all the operas are in 2010, so I choose to call it what it is.

Some Nutty Glimpses

11. December 2009 · 3 comments · Categories: Ballet, English horn, Nutcracker, Oboe, Ramble

Since I was writing about Nutcracker, and Cooper joined in the conversation, mentioning the low Bs and the sliding as well, I thought I’d show some of you what we are talking about … AND the different order in which some of our music appears here in San Jose.

Let’s start with the first low D# to B (& back again) slide, which you see on the bottom staff of this page:

(And yes, I really don’t play the first three notes of the solo, as they are cut. You’ll noticed, too, that we are coming from a different part of the work … we have lots of re-ordered parts in our Nutcracker.)

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As you can see, too, I have 2 1/2 measures to get back to oboe, and even then I’m leaving out a few notes that should happen before what you see in the 2nd oboe, since it’s impossible to get them in. Here is the very next page:

More oboe2/EH parts for Nuts

Another big solo in our first act is preceded by a second oboe part that I play instead on English horn:

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But the first act really isn’t a huge deal. It’s the beginning of the second act that is the killer. Here’s the first page (and see all those repeated F#s? I always have fun playing it all in one breath … it’s just a bit of a game for me). Look at the measure prior to the crossed out first ending … more of the low B to D# and then C# back to B. Try it … it’s sort of a bit of fun, really. (I switch from regular D# to left D# as I hold the note, so I free up my right pinkie for the C#.)

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But that page is just a big blow and not a killer. Check out this next part though … on the very next page. I have an English horn solo that ends on a low B, and I have to switch from that to an oboe duet (this is from Cappricio Italien) in fewer than 8 beats. I always have to remember to have the oboe ready to go before we begin the act. If not, I’m dead.

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But wait! I’m not done yet. After playing the remaining bit of the page above (not completely in the photo), I move on to this:

Nutcracker oboe2/EH part

Yes. I switch from oboe 2 back to English horn, playing the final oboe 2 parts on English horn (thus the hand written portion on that page), and we go directly from Capriccio Italien to “Le Café” (often called the Arabian Dance). And yes, we really do repeat the oboe 1 and English horn solos toward the end.

So maybe now you’ll know what I’m talking about with my crazy whining about low Bs and funny switches and all, eh?

But I’m never bored. I can promise you that! And while I whine I’m actually okay with all of this.

I just like to whine. ;-)

A Dizzy Day

11. December 2009 · 5 comments · Categories: Ballet, Nutcracker, Ramble

So the Nuts have begun. I’ve played one rehearsal and one performance at this point. Yes, one rehearsal But trust me, I know this work! I had to skip the first rehearsal because I’m not playing the final two performances and my sub needed to get a crack at it. (Hah! get it? A “crack” at it. Man, I’m subtle. Or maybe just a NUT. Oh dear. Sorry. I’ll stop now.) Last night was opening night, and while I played fine I had a rough night. I just felt “off” … (I know, I know, many of you say it’s clear I’m always “off”!). If I played and supported in my usual way I felt a bit sick to my stomach … and today is a dizzy day.

Ever since my major health issue of last year (you can read about the start of that here) I have these. They don’t come anywhere close to how awful that particular virus was, but they remind me that I’m simply not back to “normal” … and I wonder if I ever will be. So I’m staying home, and I’m not moving around a whole heck of a lot. Such is life.

Playing the Nut isn’t like it used to be. I was talking about this to a colleague last night. We were remembering the years of stress. Our parts have some rather significant solos, and it took a number of years to not be a bit nervous about them. Now I’m not nervous at all. That doesn’t mean the solos aren’t difficult, because they do have their challenges (what was Tchaikovsky thinking with those low Bs, eh? And having to slide to them … geesh!). And it doesn’t mean I don’t take the work seriously, because I most certainly do. The day I don’t care I hope I quit. I just don’t fret or cry over things anymore, and my heart doesn’t try to pound its way out of my body as it used to. I actually enjoy trying to think of things to do with the solos. (I”m guessing no one else notices if I hold this or that note in a slightly different way, but it’s just fun and keeps me on my toes after playing various Nutcrackers for — what? — probably over 30 years now!) I do whine a bit but, truth be told, the music is actually good. The other day I switched on the radio and heard some lovely music. It actually took me a moment to realize I was hearing a selection from the Nutcracker! Go figure.

Remember When Twenty Sounded OLD?

09. December 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Ballet, Nutcracker

“I think I’m going to stay in the ballet until I’m twenty.”
-Karen Gabay’s daughter, Kalena, who makes her Nutcracker debut as a mouse this year

For those of you who don’t know, Karen has been with the ballet since forever, and I remember the very first time we saw her. (One of my male colleagues melted immediately … that smile, those eyes … well … you couldn’t resist her!) While she doesn’t really know us at all (or not me at least), we all feel as if we know her, as we’ve watched her grow up and go through life. How fun to see her daughter now!

Ballet Begone, Now To Carmen

05. April 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Ballet, Links, Opera, Ramble, Symphony

Okay … I don’t really mean to dismiss ballet in any sort of harsh way. I just thought it sounded a wee bit Shakespearean to put it that way and it was A Midsummer Night’s Dream, after all.

Yeah, trying to hard to be cute, I’m sure. So sorry! Sort of.

So we are finished with ballet and I have two days before the start of Opera San José’s Carmen rehearsals.

Even with no playing work for two whole days I’m plenty busy, what with students and all. In addition I really need to get some new reeds up and running, and I need to figure out what I’ll be playing for a Good Friday service.

And … woo hoo! … this is a week that includes a Giants game and a San Francisco Symphony concert.

:-)

Better

04. April 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Ballet, Ramble

I’m home from ballet, and I actually didn’t cough throughout the performance. Whew! I think I’m really on the mend. But Dan had this, and I seem to recall he thought he was getting better right before it got really bad. You can trust that tomorrow I’m going to take it as easy as possible before the final matinee.

Someday I really should go see a full ballet. I still don’t quite “get” it; all that story telling via miming seems so very odd. But, as Dan pointed out, I should think about an opera recitative. People don’t really communicate that way either.

Whatever. It’s probably mostly that I’m quite envious of all those fit bodies.

Maybe?

Most Unpleasant

03. April 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Ballet, Ramble

We had another ballet performance tonight. After getting to the pit and setting up I played a few notes.

Uh-oh.

My ears were plugged more than I knew. Everything felt absolutely rotten. At first I thought it was my oboe I was so unable to tell what was coming out. I had to try and forget worrying about pitch and volume and trust my instincts. NOT fun, and not always accurate. So it was a most unpleasant night of work. I honestly had no idea how loud the oboe was, or if I was in tune or not.

And then, to top it off, my cough started. You just never know when that’ll hit, right? So I’d have a tiny cough and all the sudden the PattySpasmCough—. Totally not fun.

If I could call in a sub I would. Really. But I can’t imagine calling someone in to play this show. The book isn’t put together well; the print is small and unclear. I really don’t want to put someone through reading the darn thing.

I actually did quickly go over my part to mark a few things more clearly, in case I get so sick I can’t make it to the next performance. But I know that’ll never happen.

Why is it that I have never called in sick to a performance? Really. Not ever, as far as I can remember. Most of my colleagues have. I do know no one is indispensable. I know I’m easily replaced. I know I wouldn’t be missed.

Hmmm. Maybe those are actually the reasons. Double hmmm.

I’m Tired & Feeling Poorly

31. March 2009 · 5 comments · Categories: Ballet, Ramble

We had two rehearsals today for A Midsummer Night’s Dream ballet which opens Thursday. In between I went to Cafe Trieste and had a small bowl of mushroom soup (quite yummy), and later a cookie and coffee. I needed to be alone; I’m not feeling great, I don’t want to get anyone sick, and I just needed the solitude.

Tomorrow night is our first (and only) rehearsal with dancers before opening on Thursday. We have an extra 30 minutes of rehearsal, so I know I’m going to be a zombie by Thursday. On Thursday I have more work before opening night.

It’s a very busy week, and of course I’ve managed to catch some sort of bug. I thought I was going to beat it easily, but tonight is suggesting otherwise. So tomorrow, until I teach in the afternoon, I’m going to have to take it very easy.

Oh … and a little “funny” for you. When Pam gave the A I immediately fingered an E, although I did catch myself before playing it! Having played English horn all last week, and having barely touched the oboe (although I did assist after my solos were over) my brain was still in EnglishHornLand™. (For those of you who don’t know: the EH is in the key of F, so when an A is given I have to play a fifth above to match the pitch.)

Funny, That.

30. March 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Ballet, Ramble

Yes, I’m going through withdrawal today. I’m at that “I’m sorry it’s over” state that I get to enjoy only because it’s over. Funny how that works.

Tomorrow it’s back to music, and it’s all Mendessohn this week. I’m hoping it’ll be a fun little run of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I wasn’t sure if I played it the last time, since we used to be a three oboist orchestra, with me on the English horn chair, but I see my marks in the music so there you go. Funny what I forget!

I’ll be teaching later today, and I’ll also be going through the Mendelssohn, as I do need to practice it a bit. Time to move from English horn back to oboe! Funny how different the reeds will feel after playing on the heftier EH reeds.

But now? It’s nap time. I have a sore throat and I really can’t afford to get sick. Getting sick would definitely not be funny.

Nutcracker

14. December 2008 · Comments Off · Categories: Ballet, Christmas

This afternoon was the fourth performance (sixth service) of Nutcracker. I’ve played this for so many years that counting measures of rests is entirely unnecessary. Out of habit I sometimes still do it without thinking, but mostly I am either busy swabbing an instrument when I’m not playing, or I’m looking up at the upper half of the dancers’ bodies. Do they do anything with their feet? I’m guessing not … can’t see ‘em in any case! ;-)

English horn reeds frequently last a good long time, and I was really hoping my “fave” was going to be a Nutcracker wonder. Alas, it cracked last night. I think this cold weather is hard on reeds. Or maybe I just did something stupid and cracked it. Dunno. But I have a few others that will do, and I’m working on getting others into shape. Oboe reeds are another story; I haven’t liked one I’ve used, and nothing that is in the reed case seems to have any potential for goodness. I did start some more yesterday, and I’m hoping some of them will be happy little Nutcracker reeds. We’ll see.

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