# An operatic gift to share with you



## katdad (Jan 1, 2009)

A few years ago when I was actively singing opera in a small Houston company, two terrific friends of mine were celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. Both were middleage with grown children from previous marriages and their own marriage was one of those delightful partnerships that occur between people "of age" -- right now, my girlfriend and I, clearly into that age category (ha ha) have been living together for about a year now and it's a wonderful exploration of give and take between two adults who have their own ideas about how things should work. But I digress...

The anniversary couple, Richard and Helen, had a big musical party at a local British pub. The "groom" was English, and quite a musician, playing all sorts of wind and string instruments, having played in numerous bands both here and England, folk ensembles, rock, blues, jazz, etc. His wife was an artist and part-time singer (although not of his level, she was an okay amateur and they had lots of fun together).

So the anniversary party consisted of all their friends sitting in to play and sing, some then doing solos, and a group ensemble (plenty of goof-ups and laughter, especially after numerous Guinness or Bass).

Well, my musical gift to them that evening was Mozart. A girl I knew (also a friend of the couple) was a decent pop singer who could read music -- many pop musicians can't -- and she also had a fine soprano voice. So I took the opening segment of Nozze di Figaro and her boyfriend played the piano score on guitar, and she and I sang. I was of course Figaro and she Susanna, and we sang that delightful section where Figaro is measuring the bedroom "Cinque..." and Susanna comes in with her bonnet for the wedding, ending with the romantic embrace of the two, just before Susanna tells Figaro about the Count's amorous overtures. 

I changed the libretto so that Figaro became "Ricardo" and Susanna became "Helena" but otherwise the music was right out of the score. And we sang in Italian but we passed out English translation sheets to everyone. Realize that most all the guests were musicians of some flavor.

This was such a big hit! Yes, we'd also succumbed to the beer earlier and so we muffed some of the lines and couldn't stop laughing at times enough to actually sing the notes, but it was still a fun offering and a unique anniversary present.

Have you ever done something operatic in theme, such as a masquerade party on opera characters, or a party? Just wanted to share this story and see whether you've experienced anything as much fun as this.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

What a wonderful party! Thanks for sharing.


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## katdad (Jan 1, 2009)

It was an amazing, fun party. The video was sadly lost accidentally not long after and everyone who brought cameras were too, er, lubricated to remember to use them. For our little operatic presentation, we didn't use costumes, I just used a regular Craftsman measuring tape and "Susanna" used a frilly western-style hat she'd wear when she played in a band. But no costumes or sets.

One of the most memorable birthday parties I've ever attended. Of course, there was my 50th, on the fliers for which I advertised: "Cold beer, hot blues, spicy BBQ, and indifferent women. Oh well, three outa four ain't bad"


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## katdad (Jan 1, 2009)

Those who've read my posts about opera experiences and my overall view on opera in general can see that, for me, opera is a part of my active life and not just something that we attend every couple of months.

Opera to me is real. Yes, it's stagecraft and pretend and a fiction, but it's written and produced and performed by real people, in many cases people whom I've known as friends (or romantically), sitting in the rehearsal hall, all of us wearing jeans and old shirts, heading out for TexMex later, laughing and joking, then getting serious when necessary. Opera is a real thing, performed by real people I know, making mistakes and trying not to repeat them, getting off in pairs or small groups to work out a staging or a little musical sequence, all the time creating art.

Sometimes I see an almost deadly seriousness here, as though opera were a religion (especially by some fans of one particular German composer, ha ha). And it's okay to take it serious but it's also necessary to take it with a grain of salt, it's after all a very human endeavor and prey to all the human faults and weaknesses.

For me, opera doesn't stop at the edge of the stage. It instead continues right out and into our lives. And it's not that everything I do is connected with opera. But a great deal of my life involves music and has done so since I was a kid singing in the Episcopal church choir, learning to read music and learning Haydn, Handel, Bach, Mozart (lucky, eh?). So yes, mostly classical music but also the Stones, Springsteen, ZZTop, Rodney Crowell, whomever. But if you look at my house, you'll see opera scores lying all over, most of them marked up vigorously with stage directions in the margins, notes on pronunciation, all personalized. And opera CDs and DVDs in stacks.

And for me, because opera is such an integral part of my life (even though I don't perform any more), I have a fairly laid back attitude about it, and I approach it not with reverence but as anyone might approach painting the garage or playing golf. That's because I would be getting off work in my regular job (offshore deepwater engineering consultant) and headed to the rehearsal hall, popping the CD into my car's player so I could start singing along with the music, getting in voice and practicing. Then grabbing a quick sandwich and sitting out in the nearby park, listening to the score on my phones and reading through, getting the lyrics right. Then meeting up with some colleagues, grouping up with them to go over a section, then formal rehearsals begin, our asst. conductor in charge, or stage rehearsals with the director as to where we stand, where on stage we will go (and this is all done on a totally bare stage, no sets at the time). So we rehearse 4 evenings a week, all Saturday and half Sunday, for weeks. And we drop into and out of character minute by minute. So this familiarity and everyday connection to opera creates for me a personal environment in which opera is as normal as walking the dog and not some icon to be approached with reverence.

Does that explain? Best I can do.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

Well, and it's good to learn that for those INSIDE opera it's just as engaging, if not more so, as for those (like me) who are OUTSIDE it looking in! Now that's a gesamtkunstwerk...


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## katdad (Jan 1, 2009)

It's a true passion for me and were it not for my serious heart attack in 2004 (which permanently lowered my lung capacity and stamina) and my increasing arthritis (I use a cane all the time now) I'd still be active, if no in opera at least in chorales and concert groups.

Whenever I head over to the old opera group where I performed I see old friends in the dressing room or taking tickets or whatever, and pass the time. Even when attending Houston Grand Opera I run into friends and former associates from my semi-pro "career".

Anyone who's associated with theater or stagework (whether opera, dance, acting) will tell you that the inside world is a special treat, a magnetic thrill. Being on the "inside" of things is of course similar regardless of the venue. When I worked for a newspaper I had the same insider fun. Same also with some associates I've made from my earlier years working for the US gov't in a, well, "security" career when I was living in Greenbelt Maryland near DC. But the excitement of being on the "inside" is the same.

I've encouraged other previously -- even if you're not a musician or singer, and if you love opera, try to become somehow involved in a local small company, working as a volunteer as even an usher or stagehand or whatever. It's lots of fun and you meet some fine people who will become longtime friends.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

I can't help feeling that your "insider" posts are much more electric than your normal writing - would you consider writing a libretto based on or using these experiences? I think it would be compelling.


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## katdad (Jan 1, 2009)

Librettos are a form of poetry and I'm terrible at that. I've got passion for several things, opera among them, and it tends to show when I write about my very lucky experiences.

But principally I'm a mystery novelist. Both of my books were bought by the publisher (they pay me, not the other way around, ha ha) and although I've not made it to any bigtime recognition, they've been well reviewed and have sold reasonably well. It's kind of nice, getting that royalty check every 90 days, albeit that it's sometimes small.

You often learn by doing and my 3rd novel, now in progress, is coming together nicely. The words are flowing and I will generally write 3000 words a day on average. My publisher keeps asking when the book will be finished and I keep telling them spring 2014.

Thing is, opera is a collaborative process. You need a libretto and you need the music, and the two are inseparable. Novels on the other hand are a solitary creative movement, the author plunking away on his laptop into the wee hours (as my girlfriend surely knows, and teases me about).

Also, all you've seen is my postings about opera, but I've got a background storehouse of many book and movie reviews, essays, articles, short stories, and 2 extant novels.

But regardless, I do appreciate your kind words and I'm thankful for them.


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