good news!

Well readers, I have some wonderful news! I have a job--as a singer, to boot! On Friday, I received an offer from Opera for the Young, a professional opera company based out of Madison, to sing Pamina in their tour of the Magic Flute in 2008! The company does an 18 week tour of elementary schools in the upper midwest each January through May, performing scaled down versions of an opera for elementary school students. The roles are triple cast (these people obviously have some sense--performing ten shows a week for 18 weeks wold be murder on the voice), so I will only be on the road for six weeks during the four month period, as well as in Madison for a week for the rehearsal period. The pay is pretty good, they provide lodging and a per diem for food, and the people in charge seem super nice. So...I'm beyond thrilled! I have two big gigs lined up, and for a soprano, that's pretty much like knocking a grand slam out of the ballpark. I figure this is pretty much how the next few years are going to go: piecemealing together a career with gigs here and there, teaching, auditioning like crazy, and temping when necessary. I feel super motivated now to get my "package" together; I'm changing up my audition arias for fall auditions, so I've got to get cracking on those. Life is good here, and I am happy and content--there is nothing like that feeling when you finally get something that you've been working toward for so long (I may or may not have jumped up and down all over the apartment like a silly little girl.)

One week left until I am done being a nun (thank God in heaven) in the NU prodcution of Dialogues. I didn't know it was possible for them to make this an even more miserable experience for me, but they have. The costumes (ie: wimples) are constricting and itchy and hot and horrible; I have to move a bed onstage, because apparently I'm doubling as a stagehand in this opera; and the stage managers find every possible way to make sure we have little to no fun at these rehearsals. Yesterday was our sitzprobe (for those of you not familiar with the lingo--a seated rehearsal with the orchestra), or as I called it, The Day of Reckoning. The orchestra for this opera is not small -- about 60 pieces, I'd say, with a huge brass section -- and it was pretty freaking hilarious to hear these undergrads who have lead roles struggle to manuever their mousy voices over the orchestra. Three dress rehearsals and two performances left, then I can forget about this experience entirely.

And, while I'm counting things down...three weeks until I am finished with my Masters degree, four weeks until Elaine's wedding, and six weeks until Nick and I move to a new, bigger apartment. We went looking yesterday without much success, but we have a few appointments this week, and I spend pretty much all my free time perusing craigslist, so I'm certain we will find something fabulous. My requirements are pretty high but not ridiculous: hardwood floors, new(er) kitchen and bath, 2 bdrms, near public transit and fun stuff, not in the ghetto. Too much to ask? I don't think so.

These six weeks are going to fly.