The Stage

Deep breathe....

June is for SM wedding, M! and my recital.

Thank you, the recital went very well overall. It went very well for me...despite the fact I forgot lyrics in my most familiar songs (must be the nerves). The feelings were all good and am I glad that I'm beginning to warm up to the stage.

We all wish there were more people in the hall when we sang, most friends said they couldn't make the date. So people, if you are thinking of launching a product or your singing career, try not to do it on the last Saturday of June ok? I give ourselves (CY, GW n SS) the credit for holding the stage together the entire evening, it was an all-girl power night.

There was a mad rush of mascara and lip sticks few minutes before we retreated to the `backstage'. The ceiling fan in the back room wasn't much help but thank god for the open door to the stage where I get my flow of air-conditioning. We had a quick group hug (sweaty armpits and all) before I took my deep breathe and went on to stage with GW to start the recital.

"My opening number explains clearly the reason we are doing this." My one-liner, provided by CY.

Art Is Calling For Me

....To sing on the stage is the one life for me
I know I'd win fame if I sang in Boheme...

I long to be a prima donna donna donna
I long to shine upon the stage
..I have the embonpoint, to become the queen of song
and my figure would look pretty as a page

That's what I'm dying for, that's what I'm sighing for
Art is calling for me

what better song to tell our story?

The first half of recital swing by quite quickly with the default art songs (one French and three German lieder) and a handful of Mozarts (from Cosi and Figaro). We ended with a well-blended and soothing duet from CY n SS, the letter scene by Countessa and Sussana. I made a mental note to myself to learn up their repertoire this year (Allerseelen is simply too beautiful to be left alone).

I opened again the second half with my left-over exam piece from Sondheim, this time surer of my lower notes and I hope I didn't hold back the expression of the sad caged bird (Johanna from Sweeny Todd). I then, for the first time, performed my favourite Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man in a style I think was under-rehearsed, it was an attempt in cross-over but it didn't quite got `crossed'. I even managed to forget lyrics but to my delight no one seem to notice any of that!!! -- were they even listening??

Then CY and I staged our cat duet, long over-due because we have love it for a long while. We are happy we did though we could do with more movement rehearsal but heck, apparently people did get amused with our meowing.

SS took her Chinese folk repertoire with ease next. Something I can work on a lot more. She later got some good reviews on her pair of Chinese folk songs. She came backstage to lead me on next with our first Broadway duet from Jekyll & Hyde. It was challenging for both of us because the song is meant to be belted out by two mean mezzos or even contraltos. SS learned to belt out her Broadway blues for this recital. Me, I learned how to stage a duet and where to keep my hands while my co-singer is singing.

CY did her Broadway solo next, another Jekyll & Hyde number. By this time I was starting to miss the stage already, everything moved very fast it started. We held hands and took the stage in an ensemble (trio) version of Offenbach's Barcarolle: Belle Nuit. We did our best blend that evening and I didn't (I insist I didn't) slaughter the low notes.

It has to be Alexis, I recognize his voice. "Encore!!! Encore!!!"

We happily brought out the encore piece and this time we were all warmed up and relieved we have done the recital, a reprise of Art Is Calling For Me was sung with much festivity in our voices and I never had so much fun on stage!

The night was still young when we finished. We took quite some snap shoots on stage with the banner hanging overhead says proudly: Divit, Divet, Diva!

The sing-song night continued at the happening 24-hour A & W in PJ. The singers loaded up on the carbo and we even asked Empress for her famous critique. There really aren't many brave souls like her left in the mighty insecure city like KL. Many singers can't face the facts after coming down the stage...I salute to people like Empress who speaks up -- always with grounds. Yes dear I will work on my cross-over singing and tone down my fierce facial expression that was meant to be somber.

We will keep the music playing and the singing going. Too bad for some of you who missed the recital, it was fun! Those who missed it with lame excuses, eat your heart out, haha.