Monday I woke up early and went and got tickets to "La Traviata" with Jordyn. On the way there we where on the subway with an older woman and a dog. I kept to myself and had my purse on my lap. When we got off to switch trains, she switched to the same one and a young businessman in a suit helped her into it. It turns out she was blind and used the dog to be a seeing eye dog. This struck me to realize that our assumptions of a person is not always what it really is and that some people in NYC are very kind.
We got our tickets then headed to the Public Theatre for a tour. This was very cool to see all the sets and hear the perspectives of the people who make it happen! The tour came to an abrupt stop when the fire alarm went off. We then went to the Paul Taylor Dance Company show. This was amazing and it struck me to see the underlying meanings and subject matter in the dance.
We then had an interview with Laila Robins who taught us a lot about acting. Some things that stuck out to me where to find out what you like and why you like it, how much preparation there is to do before a performance, finding a pattern that you can rely on and within tat have freedom (passion married with structure), and having and outside in approach to acting by finding things that are different than you in the character, and then feeding it through your personality.
Jordyn and I then headed off to the Julliard Book Store where I got some music I couldn't find anywhere else. We then went to the MET for my first opera at the MET! I was so excited! We had lower level standing room seats and the view was great! Diana Damrau was amazing! It was just breath taking to hear her voice resonate through the house. It was the red dress production, which I had previously seen on TV. I thought it was strange when I saw it on TV and liked it done traditionally. Seeing it live at the MET changed my view completely. This production, in my opinion, was amazing. The simplicity allowed us to focus on the performers and I thought the stylistic choices where wonderful. When Placido Domingo entered the stage everyone applauded. The production took my breath away.
On Tuesday, we had a meeting with Ken Benson who is an artist manager and consultant. He taught me a lot about auditioning, finding an agent, when the right time is to find an agent, and getting feedback.
We then had an interview with Rob Kleinendorst who was a dancer in the Paul Taylor Dance Company performance we saw. From Rob I learned a lot about artistic choices and life as a performer. One thing that struck me was how he spent basically the whole day preparing for the dance so he can do it, and then stretching after so that he stays healthy.
We then went to New Jersey to see New York Voices. This was interesting because it was a jazz group, and I really haven't seen much jazz like that. It was interesting to hear other forms of art and the different ways people express the human experience through sound.
Today I woke up early to go to the Today Show with Laura and Kayla. We couldn't stay long because we had interviews to get to, but we did get to see it! I thought it was interesting how elaborate the set was outside!
I then went with Jordyn and Andy to look at some apartments, and explored the area to get a feel it. We then went out to lunch with David Sytkowski and talked to him about being a vocal coach and living in NYC. After that Jordyn and I went to his apartment and had a coaching. I learned so much in that coaching including thinking more vertical in order to have a top down approach, speaking the recitative and then singing it like it's spoken, and making sure I'm taking a breath for the highest note of the phrase not just the first note.
We then headed to the MET to see "Otello" This was such an amazing show, and was so well done. The set was very elaborate and large, the chorus was phenomenal, and the leads where breath taking. After, we got a picture with Abigail Wright who is in the MET chorus. We will be meeting with her tomorrow for an interview!
I am learning so many things about NYC. I have realized that sometimes things do not go as planned here and you have to be very adaptive. I have also learned that people will generally help you if you ask for help. A couple of performance things that I have heard multiple times is that the goal is to express your love for what you do and not to be perfect and that you have to be your own light.
Loving NYC!
Kelly
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