Belcanto Lecture Series Metropolitan Opera Guild

Recently we attend a series of Bel Canto lecture series, organized by The Metropolitan Opera Guild. Since it is about Bel Canto, it almost always has to start with one of the Gioachino Rossini (or Bellini, who is the subject of next week).

Here's my feed back----
First of all, what is "Bel Canto"? It literally means "Beautiful singing" in Italian. If you equate "Bel Canto" with a particular type of painting...let's say "landscape", as suppose to "Figure painting" , it should be a lot easier to understand, that while the medium may be the same, the language, the expression, the reaction might be very different. In classical singing, depending on one's capacity(or "Fach"), a singer will spend years to learn all necessary component, then will focus on studying a particular feild of singing. My fach is on the lyric & coloratura side, so I probably will not attempt Wagner...

To master Bel Canto, one must:

(this is taken straight out of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bel_canto)
* an impeccable legato production throughout the singer's (seamless) range
* the use of a light tone in the higher registers,
* an agile, flexible technique capable of despatching ornate embellishments,
* the ability to execute fast, accurate divisions,
* the avoidance of aspirates and the eschewing of a loose vibrato,
* a pleasing, well-focused timbre,
* a clean attack,
* limpid diction, and
* graceful phrasing rooted in a complete mastery of breath control.
(if you can master all of the rules above, you are my god!!)

Singing isn't like doing math, where 1+1 must equal 2. Because each different person has different instrument. We will learn from the theories and methods from the masters, however our very own instrument defines our voice. Some people find their breathing more easily in Bel Canto style (by 'breathing" I meant the natural feel), some people shows more vocal advantage in Wager. The lecture began with a general coverage of Bel Canto, then it went on to introduce Rossini as one of the best composers of Bel Canto opera. Anyone can Google him and get a much better bio of him so I won't elaborate more.

What is interesting about the first lecture was that, several clips were played for us to make comparisons.

In particular, "Bel Raggio Lusinghier" by both Dame Joan Sutherland (RIP) (fast forward to 0:50)

and Joyce Didonato (love you love you love you)

an aria from "Semiramide", last opera composed by Rossini. The comparison between Sutherland, a soprano, and Didonato, a mezzo was quite interesting. Over all, Sutherland was splendid as usual with her masterful legato, high ornamentation and amazing vocal capacity...to be continued...

My Opea Debut

My opera debut finally took its well deserved place last weekend. Now it's time to start preparing for new repertories and productions. I met so many wonderful and talented singers during the production and there's always something I can learn from
each and everyone of them. If you have a dream, don't wait for it to pass by, chase it, and chase it hard :D

Hi all, to see the complete production photos, please email me for the links!
It was a pleasure to be working with all of you, you were all wonderful & I hope to see you again soon in Hänsel und Gretel!

A Look to The flute In the Past

As a pat of the study, also having never seem The Flute live, we saw the Metropolitan Opera's abridged production on Xmas Eve. Although I was hoping to hear the diction in German, the opera was in English. It was a perfect holiday cheer, if you have young children, they will find it very entertaining. My husband and I really enjoyed the fairy tale like props and the puppet works involved in the production.
Here's a 2006 production, I think Papageno is sang by the same actor in this year's production.

Whoa! Long time no see! Now something cheerful and hilarious!


Dudley Moore a spoof on Benjamin Britten


Dean Martin and Victor Borge, it's just too darn funny!

Something isn't meant to happen at age 8

Ok, I just had say something. I came across this today. It's an obvious young and talent girl singing "Oh mio babino caro". Anyone who has vocal background would NOT have done this to their kid. Maybe to most people, this young girl processes the kind of beautiful, mature voice that almost mimics Dame Fleming. But she is no Fleming. Not that I am being overly critical, this girl is obviously well stage trained; she is confident and vocally articulate. However, when you listen to how she is singing, you will hear that she's trained to suppress her vocal muscle, in order to produce a broader, more colored voice. Everyone can do it, but it is extremely dangerous as such habit can result in permanent vocal damage. People are pushing this girl so hard on stage, that they are trying to force a "moment" on her while she is eternally NOT ready. If she continues vocalizing like this, a sad ending is almost eminent. The media is on its quest to generate younger and younger stars, targeting audience's interest in younger talent. This girl is too young and confused to understand that right now, when she does one day, it maybe too late. People shouldn't do this to someone so talented and defenseless! It hurts me to see that...Something isn't meant to happen at age 8.

Suni July Recital -Ave Maria ( Schubert )

Here's a audio clip of my most recent recital at Saunders House, Wynnewood, PA.