Music in a prison cell

It feels like this to me, this week back home...

I'm in a prison cell this week, it has Internet, mobile phone, CD player, air-con and all that. I would be released when I'm done memorizing my music work before Chinese new year.

But this evening round dinner time I would let out on parole, or maybe I can say it's on official prison duty - am off to the home of Lady One to show proof of work done in the last two days, in my own cell.

Hahaha.

While music is libearating, in the case of a performer who hasn't done her work it can be as painful as sitting in a lone cell.

I'm drilling in my vocal parts for my second role in Magic Flute, Selected Excerpts In Concert, 2nd Lady.

The recording of 1st Lady (Khoo Mei Ling) playing on the piano for me played straight for two days in my `cell'. Mei Ling was kind to offered help at the earliest point, we had a late night after in front of her piano the same day we met officially at KLPAC for a production meet.

This is how any singer without the skill of sight-singing learn a new piece of music, memorize all vocal parts by listening, and repetition. Mei Ling played me all the vocal lines of 2nd Lady, I went home with the recording and it would be my bible until I have them all in my head, or like the back of hand.

Am rewarding myself this morning by blogging because I may now report that I have got one (of the two) quintet (a song for 5 voices) down in my head, at least 85%. The goal for the rest of the day would be to start on the second quintet.

I know it's a little too early now to indulge but I imagine my Chinese new year without stress, having done all my 2nd Lady music work before I go home to see ma n pa. I would singing my parents up the wall with those strange isolated lines of the quintet...while I help them pack ang pows and wash dishes.

Oh, and that short, and lovely duet with Papageno...I will sing it to pieces in Taiping!

Now I must get back to my work or none of that will happen, wish me luck!

I leave you with the show details of


Mozart's
Magic Flute
Selected Excerpts In Concert

with KLPac Sinfonietta

Artistic Director: Joe Hasham
Director & Executive Producer: Dato' Faridah Merican
Producer: Marge Chew
Music Director: Chong Kok-Ting
Conductor: Brian Tan

Featuring:
Peter Ong (Tamino)
Tan Sin Sim (Queen Of The Night)
Irma Lailatul Munira (Pamina)
James Long (Papageno)
John Tan (Sarastro)
Khor Mei Ling (1st Lady)
Janet Lee (2nd Lady & Papagena)
Wang DiXia (3rd Lady)

This March, KLPac will be staging the concert version of Mozart's ever popular opera, The Magic Flute. This was Mozart's last opera, first performed in Vienna in 1791 and thereafter performed to great success.

Directed by Dato' Faridah Merican and narrated by Joe Hasham, this KLPac production will feature young albeit extremely talented classical singers whose powerful voices will be accompanied by a 40-piece orchestra, KLPac Sinfonietta.

The Magic Flute aims to reach a wider audience by presenting opera in a more accessible and innovative form with the aid of visual projections. Both, opera lovers and new theatre goers, should not miss this spectacular sensory experience!

Synopsis:
The wicked Queen of the Night convinces Prince Tamino to save her beautiful daughter Pamina who was kidnapped by Sarastro. In return, she promises Pamina to the Prince. Tamino sets out to save Pamina with a bird-catcher, Papageno. Three ladies-in-waiting of the Queen give Tamino a magic flute to help protect him from danger. They give a set of magic bells to Papageno and send three children to help guide them.

Meanwhile, Papageno finds a girl rather like him. Even her name, Papagena, sounds like his!

Sarastro is not the tyrant the Queen makes him out to be. He has kidnapped Pamino to save her from her evil mother. Tamino is put through tests by Sarastro for him to prove worthy of Pamina. The Queen tries to get Pamina to kill Sarastro but fails.

On the final day of their tests, Tamino and Pamina go through the Trial by Fire & Water. As Tamino plays the Magic Flute, they emerge unharmed, saved by the power of the Magic Flute.

Venue:
Pentas 1,
The Kuala Lumpur Performing Ars Centre,
Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan
off Jalan Ipoh,
51100 Kuala Lumpur.

Dates:
22 March - 25 March 2007

22 March - 24 March @ 8.30pm
24 March - 25 March @ 3.00pm

Tickets (On Sale Soon)
RM 50, RM 40, RM 30 (students, seniors & disabled)

Box Offices:
603-4047 9000 (KLPac)
603-2094 9400 (The Actors Studio)