Well, it's over. The final opera performance was yesterday afternoon, and it went fantastically. After putting in so many hours and so much of our life into this, it feels strange to have it be over, and so suddenly. Even though it added much stress to my life, and a lot of pressure, I wouldn't trade in my experience for the world. It is such a remarkable feeling to be up on stage singing with professional opera singers.
For those of you who don't know, my siblings and I were in an opera, Pagliacci. It's 'a play within a play', and it's a tragedy. If you want the full synopsis, I would Google it, or check it out on Wikipedia, both of which tell the story pretty well. It's been my life the past month. We had been singing the music since autumn, but at the end of December we began the staging and singing with the professionals. We had practice nearly every day, for two to three hours. And, since Pagliacci was such a short opera (only two acts), they had another one, (a one-act opera), Gianni Schicci. My brother got a solo part in that one, as Gheradino, who is a young boy. He had loads of fun doing his part of the staging and singing, and because he was in it, the rest of our family got to sit in on the rehearsals. (And he was spectacular!)It was amazing, listening to the professionals singing together. It awakened an interest in opera that I never had before. If you know what's going on, it's very enjoyable. Kind of like reading Shakespeare. If you don't really know what's going on, or if you start out by just reading it, it can get quite boring. But, if you start out by watching a Shakespeare play or listening to it dramatized, it can awaken a new interest in it, because you are seeing it the way it was meant to be seen. The beauty of opera is really unlocked when you are watching it unfold and shape before your eyes; you can really appreciate the end product.
Even though I enjoyed every minute of it, I am relieved that it is over. As much as I enjoy the theatre life and the theatre hours, I couldn't keep it up. It drains me. It will be nice to not go to bed at midnight, and actually have time for something else. My writing has fallen by the wayside this last month; not a good omen for the rest of the year. But now that I'm not singing in rehearsals three hours a day, I think I'll be able to attend to it again, as well as my knitting. I'll be able to have a life again...but I will always remember this experience. It has matured me and helped me grow in different ways; both musically and emotionally. But now, I have to go catch up on schoolwork!! :)
