I took a walk down to the Conservatory last night to get a look around, and to make sure I would be able to find it when I actually needed to do so. (I'm forever getting lost in Europe - more on that later.) The building itself is very unassuming, and therefore (for my tastes) quite lovely. However, the primary concert hall is absolutely stunning! I suppose I should have figured on no less, being in Europe, but still - it's beautiful. I didn't get to check out what it feels like to sing in the space, as a pianist was scouring over a single passage the entire time I was in the building (sheesh...wish I had that kind of patience!). I managed to locate the competition office, as well as my assigned practice rooms for the next few days. Can't wait!
I realize that, after ranting about the Händel yesterday, I neglected to mention the rest of the program. For those interested, this is the repertoire as I performed it on the preview recital I gave in the States a few weeks ago (not all pieces are being offered for both rounds here in CH):
Fra Monte Pincio – Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
from Mignon – Ambroise Thomas (1811-1896)
Me voici dans son boudoir
from Songs about Spring – Dominick Argento (b.1927)
Spring is like a perhaps hand
in Spring comes
from Berenice – Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759)
recit: Selene, Infida!
aria: Sù, Megera, Tesifone, Aletto!
from Sechs Gesänge nach Texten von Maurice Maeterlinck – Alexander Zemlinsky (1871-1942)
Die drei Schwestern
Die Mädchen mit den verbundenen Augen
from Poëmes juifs – Darius Milhaud (1892-1974)
Chant de Nourrice
from Quattro rispetti – Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (1876-1948)
Un verde praticello senza piante
E tanto c’è pericol ch’io ti lasci
Chiisana Heya de – Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996)
Der Tod und das Mädchen – Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Zueignung – Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
I'll be the first to admit that this program is do or die - either a panel will accept that is isn't "standard rep" for the voice type, or they won't. Either way, I adore this music, so I feel that I can be most honest self while performing it.
In other news, Lugano is absolutely gorgeous! I am currently sitting by the lake, enjoying the heck out of it! Crystal blue water, surrounded by steeply rising mountains, covered to the halfway elevation point with villas and vineyards. There is open wifi along the entire coast, including the large public park where I am currently lounging. Once I remember that I need a cable to transfer my pictures from my camera to my computer, I'll be able to share the view with you.
The walk down to the lake from the hotel should take about 15 minutes. However, I have a bit of a quirky set of ideals when it comes to walking around in an unknown city - I don't like to travel on main thoroughfares. By doing this, I feel that I get a better sense of what real life is like in the city. However, there is an (apparently) inevitable side-effect of such endeavors...I *always* get lost! I don't let it worry me, since there is no way I would go on such a sojourn if I had a schedule to keep, haha. Today was no exception. I was in a windy side street, and wound up turning north, instead of south, landing me in the neighboring town! (To be fair, the towns run together, so it was tough to tell...) Eventually, I made it to the lake, where I plan to stay until time to practice tonight.
Ciao, tutti!
~AJR
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