Why did the redheaded soprano cross the road?

To get away from Larry's emcee jokes. But we love him anyway. ;-)

From this past Sunday at Villa Verone...

Moonfall (978K mp3)

This Place Is Mine (1.5M mp3)

How Glory Goes (1.4M mp3)

I won't be there this coming Sunday because I'm going to see Shrew that day -- really need to do it once before going on as understudy next weekend, and Saturday is out due to an audition. Next up for me is September 7. But don't let that stop you from enjoying great music and great Italian food, every Sunday evening through September!

Chicago Tribune Online video piece on World of Faeries

In which our Diva is briefly visible in a winged purple form

I was going to be all fancy and imbed it, but their code is a bit annoying and I don't want their commercial starting automatically on my main blog page, thanks. So I'll link to it instead.

Hoping to have pictures soon. I had spirit gum in the crevices of my ears for two days, man. And the gig paid, but not that well. I deserve good pictures!

Chopped liver

In which our Diva experiences the occupational hazard of feeling a teensy bit dissed

Well.

Nothing like doing what you think is a pretty darn respectable audition on Saturday...and then seeing what's clearly the same role reposted by the same people on Monday.

Subtle, guys. :-P

Normally I'm good at the "treat it like a performance and let it go" thing, but this makes it a bit of a challenge. Bah.

On a happier note, we were collectively on at Villa Verone last night, and I got some great comments on "How Glory Goes" in particular. I know for a fact that I do not suck. So there.

Singing for my supper

I bolluxed the recording on "My True Love" this past Sunday, which is a shame, because it was probably the best I've ever done it. Plus the new arrangement of the restaurant has reduced the background noise a lot (although there is still the occasional "Ah, they're shaking something with ice at the bar" -- gonna see if I can find a quieter corner this week). Ah, well. I did get the other two, with the usual So Not A Professional Recording caveats...

How Could I Ever Know (1.1MB mp3)
The Simple Joys of Maidenhood (1.7MB mp3)

Program for this Sunday (August 17):

• Annamarie Schutt (South Elgin)
  Once Upon a Dream (from Sleeping Beauty) - Lawrence
  
• Valerie Meachum (Elgin)
  Moonfall (from The Mystery of Edwin Drood) - Holmes
  
• Meghan Smeenge (Elgin)
  Memory (from Cats) - Webber
  
• Paula Mrazek (Cary)
  Why Can't You Behave? (from Kiss Me, Kate) - Porter
  
• Dave Carmona (Roselle)
  Canta pe' me - De Curtis
  
• Anne Dolik (Arlington Heights)
  Dank sei Dir, Herr - Ochs
  
• Laura Doherty (Roselle)
  How Could I Ever Know? (from The Secret Garden) - Simon
  
• Sofia Fuentes (Chicago)
  Batti batti o bel masetto (from Don Giovanni) - Mozart
  
• Victoria Narayan (Elgin)
  Without You (from My Fair Lady) - Loewe
  
• Larry Brook (Elgin)
  'O sole mio! - Capua
  
• Meghan Smeenge
  I Don't Know How To Love Him (from Jesus Christ Superstar) - Webber
  
• Annamarie Schutt
  Tomorrow (from Annie) - Strouse
  
• Dave Carmona
  Vesti la giubba (from I Pagliacci) - Leoncavallo
  
• Valerie Meachum
  This Place is Mine (from Phantom) - Yeston
  
• Paula Mrazek
  Habanera (from Carmen) - Bizet
  
• Sofia Fuentes
  Poor Wand'ring One (from The Pirates of Penzance) - Sullivan
  
• Laura Doherty
  Vanilla Ice Cream (from She Loves Me) - Bock
  
• Anne Dolik
  So In Love (from Kiss Me, Kate) - Porter
  
• Victoria Narayan
  Intorno all'idol mio - Cesti
  
• Valerie Meachum
  How Glory Goes (from Floyd Collins) - Guettel
  
• Sofia Fuentes
  Se tu ma'mi - Paristossi
  
• Annamarie Schutt
  You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile (from Annie) - Strouse
  
• Dave Carmona
  E lucevan le stele (from Tosca) - Puccini
  
• Larry Brook & Paula Mrazek
  People will Say We're in Love (from Oklahoma!) - Rogers

I would be remiss in my shameless plugging if I didn't draw attention to two of the young singers on this week's roster. Annamarie is nine, and won the youngest division of our voice competition in the spring, but she's probably more excited about being a finalist in the Cubs "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" contest. Way. Too. Cute.

Victoria, meanwhile, is all of seventeen and already quite the artist, and was one of the singers selected from among the Opera Institute for Young Singers participants to perform on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in July. You can even watch the performance on their website -- it's listed under July 14 at their archive.

Come on out to Villa Verone from 6-8 this Sunday to enjoy great Italian food and the voices of Elgin OPERA!

Villa Verone program for this Sunday

In which our Diva sings out, Louise!

What: Elgin OPERA and Villa Verone's Festival of Singers
When: Sundays through August, 6-8 pm
Where: Villa Verone, 13 Douglas Ave in downtown Elgin
Why: Great food and great music, what more could you want?
Pictured: Paula Mrazek rocks the "Habanera" from Carmen

Music, music, music...

• Jim Hinton (Elgin)
  Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja (From Die Zauberflöte) - Mozart
  
• Solange Sior (Elgin)
  Ebben? Ne andrò lontana (From La Wally) - Catalani
  
• Valerie Meachum (Elgin)
  My True Love (From Phantom) - Yeston
  
• Kimberly Albrecht (Barrington)
  Quando m'en vo (From La Bohème) - Puccini
  
• Anne Dolik (Arlington Heights)
  Dank sei Dir, Herr - Ochs
  
• Paula Mrazek (Cary)
  Why Can't You Behave? (From Kiss Me, Kate) - Porter
  
• Annamarie Schutt (South Elgin)
  Once Upon a Dream (From Sleeping Beauty) - Lawrence
  
• Larry Brook (Elgin) & Paula Mrazek
  People will Say We're in Love (From Oklahoma!) - Rodgers
  
• Solange Sior
  Regnava nel Silenzio From Lucia di Lammermoor) - Donizetti
  
• Jim Hinton
  Old Man River (From Show Boat) - Kern
  
• Valerie Meachum
  The Simple Joys of Maidenhood (From Camelot) - Loewe
  
• Kimberly Albrecht
  Mercè, dilette amiche (From I Vespri siciliani) - Verdi
  
• Paula Mrazek
  Habanera (From Carmen) - Bizet
  
• Anne Dolik
  So In Love (From Kiss Me, Kate) - Porter
  
• Annamarie Schutt
  My Favorite Things (From The Sound of Music) - Rodgers
  
• Marilyn Maurer (Winfield) & Paula Mrazek
  Sous le dome épais (From Lakmé) - Delibes
  
• Jim Hinton
  Bella siccome un angelo (From Don Pasquale) - Donizetti
  
• Valerie Meachum
  How Could I Ever Know? (From The Secret Garden) - Simon
  
• Solange Sior
  Caro nome (From Rigoletto) - Verdi
  
• Larry Brook & Kimberly Albrecht
  Time to Say Goodbye - Sartori