New Year's Resolutions

With the intense schedule of rehearsals for the producton that I directed and some additonal work responsibilites in the 'real world,' I missed my annual resolutions. Now, half way through January, it makes me think back on the years of resolutions that were never met.

Year after year, I wrote of schedules and opera roles to be learned... and while I think I may have worked diligently, many of the goals were left unfulfilled. Yet, I suppose that a grand total of 40+ opera and operetta roles performed is nothing to sneer at. If you add a few musical theatre roles into the mix, we probably get to 50 or so. And then, there were many that were prepared and not performed (Nemorino, Romeo, Alfredo, Pinkerton, and others. Crap, quite a few now that I think of it).

During my younger years, I was often amazed when I would talk to singers around me. They rarely knew any repertoire outside of their own and often did not coach except when they had something coming up. I never approached my career or my preparation that way. Maybe it was reflective of my general love of singing. No doubt, at a certain point I tired of singing some of the standard arias (hey, how many times do you really want to coach "ll mio tesoro") but I was also lucky enough to have a soprano wife with whom I could always sing a duet or two (even if it might be in a fach heavier that I might sing in public).

There was an article in a recent edition of "Psychology Today" on the concept of grit. Well, I cannot think of too many other careers that require "grit" than opera singing (hell, classical singing). That article described "grit" as persistence and passion. If you can find it, read it. It may give you validation or it may give you some guidance (particularly if you are raising children). I think this is a topic for some further discussion.

Hey, did you celebrate "Sanctity of Life Day?" Man, I hate this administraton. It really makes me think about leaving this country!