Saturday, May 30, 2009
Whoa...
I just made the first outline for my paper. Note, this is only for the research portion of it... Let's just say it's looking a little daunting at the moment, and I'm not sure how I'm going to do it without writing a whole book. Heck, maybe I'll just write a whole book...;) It'll be off to the library for me next week. And probably every week after that. But the good news is that opportunities keep popping up for me to perform different parts of the opera, which I believe will be very beneficial.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Listening
As my "about me" says, I plan to do the journaling mentioned in the previous post on this blog. Though I've been slacking and haven't actually started the research part of my thesis yet, I have been working a bit on the music. Though I already know a substantial part of the music for this project, I've been doing lots of listening to recordings of the opera to help me pick up the rest. In listening to these recordings, I've had to reevaluate some of the pieces I've already learned. For example, I found that I've been doing Dorabella's first aria all wrong-- though the notes and rhythms are correct, my characterization is off. I've been interpreting it as far too seriously angry (yes, I know that doesn't make sense). Perhaps this stems from a general misunderstanding of the opera. I'd heard the opera before in Italian, but one of the recordings I have is in English. It's easy to call an opera comic, but until one completely understands the language, it is difficult to pick up on the funny parts. Though I realize the English is in no way a direct translation from the Italian, it is close enough to make me realize that the opera is much more outrageously funny than I knew. Part of the beauty of opera is its departure from reality, and until I heard it in English, I wasn't able to understand just how far this particular opera deviates from reality.
So, I've learned that while Dorabella may be sobbing hysterically and pleading for poison, were she presented with said poison, she wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole. She's simply an overly-dramatic teenage girl (redundant? yes). As this applies to her first aria: Rather than being sincerely distraught and wishing for death, the emotions should be ten times greater than they would be in reality.
Perhaps I should take a lesson from my 14-year-old niece in this teenage drama thing. We could trade lessons-- She does seem to want to be a singer, though she would never admit it. Afterall, her eighth-grade drama class wrote one-act plays, and she wrote herself in as an opera star (I'm giving myself credit for this, and for forcing her to listen to Carmen in the car).
Anyway, listening to the opera a few times this last week hasn't helped me so much in learning the music yet, but has really helped me with the characterization aspect of this role (which I wasn't even planning on getting to until the fall).
So, I've learned that while Dorabella may be sobbing hysterically and pleading for poison, were she presented with said poison, she wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole. She's simply an overly-dramatic teenage girl (redundant? yes). As this applies to her first aria: Rather than being sincerely distraught and wishing for death, the emotions should be ten times greater than they would be in reality.
Perhaps I should take a lesson from my 14-year-old niece in this teenage drama thing. We could trade lessons-- She does seem to want to be a singer, though she would never admit it. Afterall, her eighth-grade drama class wrote one-act plays, and she wrote herself in as an opera star (I'm giving myself credit for this, and for forcing her to listen to Carmen in the car).
Anyway, listening to the opera a few times this last week hasn't helped me so much in learning the music yet, but has really helped me with the characterization aspect of this role (which I wasn't even planning on getting to until the fall).
Thesis Proposal
A. Title
The Performer’s Creative Process: A Personal Analysis of Role Preparation
B. Abstract
My thesis will consist of the preparation of the role of Dorabella from Mozart’s opera Così fan tutte and will explore the extensive creative process necessary to prepare such a role for public performance. It will require private study of voice and acting/stagecraft with professionals in each area. My personal process will be documented with regard to the study of voice and acting techniques. In addition, the study will require intense research of the history of the opera and role, and of the stylistic conventions of the classical period. In preparing this role and defining this process, I will be taking a significant step toward my career as a professional performer.
C. Description of the Project
The thesis will include intense research of all historical aspects of Mozart’s opera, Così fan tutte, including composition and performance history, with emphasis on the character Dorabella. Alongside this research, I will prepare the entire role of Dorabella. The role consists of two solo arias, three duets, one trio, two quintets, one sextet, two group finales, and the recitative that accompanies all of these pieces. In preparing the role, I will participate in a singing practicum and an acting practicum, both centered on the particular role. The final paper will consist of the history of the opera and role, including study of the musical style and conventions of the time period. It will also include a plot synopsis and character analysis, and describe all aspects of role preparation. A substantial portion of the paper will be dedicated to a detailed description of the creative process of role preparation as I personally experience it. I also plan to include as appendices the full libretto with English translation and all pertinent parts of the journal I keep during the private sessions. After the study and paper are complete, I will present my findings in a public presentation, including performances of some of the arias and/or ensembles I will learn.
D. Previous Work
Each professional who prepares a role for stage experiences this process in a very personal way. Many books and articles have been written on the process of preparing roles, though none that I have found have focused on a specific role in detail, especially an operatic one. There is much general information to be found about vocal and acting techniques, and my project will seek to synthesize this information and present it in a role-specific manner.
E. Significance
My study of the creative process necessary to prepare the role will be significant to others in the field of performance, as they will be able to read my documentation of the process and apply it to their own work. I hope that my contribution will be made available to the public through publication in a scholarly journal or monthly publication. My findings will supplement already-available information on the process of role-preparation, as it will be a very detailed personal account of everything I experience and learn.
F. Proposed Methodology
Information presented in my thesis paper and presentation will be drawn from a mixture of previous work by historians, and original work conducted by myself over the next several months. The research cited with regard to the history of the opera and role will be found in reliable written sources, and possibly taken from interviews with experts in this area of music history.
The work I personally conduct will be in the form of one-on-one practicum with vocal and acting coaches. The singing practicum will be led by voice professor Mr. Marvin Murphree, with additional voice coaching given by Dr. Susan Smith. I also hope to work with other voice teachers in a master-class-type setting. I will meet with Mr. Murphree for weekly hour-long sessions and with Dr. Smith at various times during my study. The many different aspects of vocal technique will be confronted during these sessions. We will also work on other components of music preparation, such as applying appropriate techniques and ornamentations as called for by musical conventions of the classical period, as well as polishing Italian diction. I will keep a record of what happens during these sessions, as well as during the acting sessions, and will use this record as I attempt to define my creative process.
The acting practicum will include periodic private sessions with Dr. James Lile. During these sessions, we will study basic acting techniques. We will work on physical and spatial awareness, especially as these apply to the non-verbal communication of the stage. We will also work on emotional expression. During the fall semester, I will also be enrolled in Acting I, a writing intensive course focused on character analysis and beginning acting techniques. While I will study general acting techniques, we will also spend time on role-specific expression, movement, and characterization. To complete the acting practicum, I will also meet two to three times with Dr. Stephen Bomgardner, opera director at Drury University, to work on role- and opera-specific techniques.
I will also study the role by observing other performances, whether live or recorded. As I become more aware of the techniques applied in performing this role, I will be able to analyze these performances and apply what I learn to my own performance. I also plan to interview professional performers about the creative process they experience when getting ready to perform.
My thesis paper will consist of all of this information and what I find during my study. It will begin with the history of the opera and role. Once this groundwork is laid, the remainder of my paper will report on what I experienced as the creative process. This information will be accumulated in a journal as the voice and acting sessions are conducted. I will then review it and attempt to collate my findings to define the creative process as I experienced it. This process of preparing the role will be reported on in a substantial portion of the final thesis paper. I will attach as appendices to the final paper a full English translation of the libretto, as well as all or parts of the journal I keep during the course of the private singing and acting sessions.
My thesis presentation will outline my findings. I will cover what history is needed for attendees to understand, describe how I conducted my project, and then proceed to explain the creative process and all that is involved. To illustrate, I will explain and perform a few of the arias/ensembles that I will learn during the process, and then point out various aspects of preparation that were demonstrated. English translations of the arias/ensembles performed will be provided to aid the audience in understanding.
The Performer’s Creative Process: A Personal Analysis of Role Preparation
B. Abstract
My thesis will consist of the preparation of the role of Dorabella from Mozart’s opera Così fan tutte and will explore the extensive creative process necessary to prepare such a role for public performance. It will require private study of voice and acting/stagecraft with professionals in each area. My personal process will be documented with regard to the study of voice and acting techniques. In addition, the study will require intense research of the history of the opera and role, and of the stylistic conventions of the classical period. In preparing this role and defining this process, I will be taking a significant step toward my career as a professional performer.
C. Description of the Project
The thesis will include intense research of all historical aspects of Mozart’s opera, Così fan tutte, including composition and performance history, with emphasis on the character Dorabella. Alongside this research, I will prepare the entire role of Dorabella. The role consists of two solo arias, three duets, one trio, two quintets, one sextet, two group finales, and the recitative that accompanies all of these pieces. In preparing the role, I will participate in a singing practicum and an acting practicum, both centered on the particular role. The final paper will consist of the history of the opera and role, including study of the musical style and conventions of the time period. It will also include a plot synopsis and character analysis, and describe all aspects of role preparation. A substantial portion of the paper will be dedicated to a detailed description of the creative process of role preparation as I personally experience it. I also plan to include as appendices the full libretto with English translation and all pertinent parts of the journal I keep during the private sessions. After the study and paper are complete, I will present my findings in a public presentation, including performances of some of the arias and/or ensembles I will learn.
D. Previous Work
Each professional who prepares a role for stage experiences this process in a very personal way. Many books and articles have been written on the process of preparing roles, though none that I have found have focused on a specific role in detail, especially an operatic one. There is much general information to be found about vocal and acting techniques, and my project will seek to synthesize this information and present it in a role-specific manner.
E. Significance
My study of the creative process necessary to prepare the role will be significant to others in the field of performance, as they will be able to read my documentation of the process and apply it to their own work. I hope that my contribution will be made available to the public through publication in a scholarly journal or monthly publication. My findings will supplement already-available information on the process of role-preparation, as it will be a very detailed personal account of everything I experience and learn.
F. Proposed Methodology
Information presented in my thesis paper and presentation will be drawn from a mixture of previous work by historians, and original work conducted by myself over the next several months. The research cited with regard to the history of the opera and role will be found in reliable written sources, and possibly taken from interviews with experts in this area of music history.
The work I personally conduct will be in the form of one-on-one practicum with vocal and acting coaches. The singing practicum will be led by voice professor Mr. Marvin Murphree, with additional voice coaching given by Dr. Susan Smith. I also hope to work with other voice teachers in a master-class-type setting. I will meet with Mr. Murphree for weekly hour-long sessions and with Dr. Smith at various times during my study. The many different aspects of vocal technique will be confronted during these sessions. We will also work on other components of music preparation, such as applying appropriate techniques and ornamentations as called for by musical conventions of the classical period, as well as polishing Italian diction. I will keep a record of what happens during these sessions, as well as during the acting sessions, and will use this record as I attempt to define my creative process.
The acting practicum will include periodic private sessions with Dr. James Lile. During these sessions, we will study basic acting techniques. We will work on physical and spatial awareness, especially as these apply to the non-verbal communication of the stage. We will also work on emotional expression. During the fall semester, I will also be enrolled in Acting I, a writing intensive course focused on character analysis and beginning acting techniques. While I will study general acting techniques, we will also spend time on role-specific expression, movement, and characterization. To complete the acting practicum, I will also meet two to three times with Dr. Stephen Bomgardner, opera director at Drury University, to work on role- and opera-specific techniques.
I will also study the role by observing other performances, whether live or recorded. As I become more aware of the techniques applied in performing this role, I will be able to analyze these performances and apply what I learn to my own performance. I also plan to interview professional performers about the creative process they experience when getting ready to perform.
My thesis paper will consist of all of this information and what I find during my study. It will begin with the history of the opera and role. Once this groundwork is laid, the remainder of my paper will report on what I experienced as the creative process. This information will be accumulated in a journal as the voice and acting sessions are conducted. I will then review it and attempt to collate my findings to define the creative process as I experienced it. This process of preparing the role will be reported on in a substantial portion of the final thesis paper. I will attach as appendices to the final paper a full English translation of the libretto, as well as all or parts of the journal I keep during the course of the private singing and acting sessions.
My thesis presentation will outline my findings. I will cover what history is needed for attendees to understand, describe how I conducted my project, and then proceed to explain the creative process and all that is involved. To illustrate, I will explain and perform a few of the arias/ensembles that I will learn during the process, and then point out various aspects of preparation that were demonstrated. English translations of the arias/ensembles performed will be provided to aid the audience in understanding.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
