Entertainment

“E lucevan le stelle” – Tosca

| Chris

Happy to have finished my first run of a Tosca production as Mario Cavaradossi. What a thrilling role to sing and I am grateful for the opportunity. Here is the final aria from yesterday’s performance recorded on the phone of an audience member. (Translation below)

(from a live performance on Dec. 10, 2017)

Translation:

The stars were shining, And the earth was scented.

The gate of the garden creaked And a footstep grazed the sand…

Fragrant, she entered And fell into my arms.

Oh, sweet kisses and languorous caresses,

While feverishly I stripped the beautiful form of its veils!

Forever, my dream of love has vanished.

That moment has fled, and I die in desperation. And I die in desperation!

And I never before loved life so much, Loved life so much!

The Tales of Hoffmann

| Chris

Hoffmann - Kleinzach aria
Singing the middle section of the Kleinzach aria.

One more performance this Saturday with Repertory Opera Company as Hoffmann in Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffman! I have loved singing this role … the music is stunning.

Vittorio Grigolo Master Class

| Chris

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I am excited to have been selected to sing in a Master Class by internationally famous tenor, Vittorio Grigolo, next week! (through Angels Vocal Art in Pasadena)

Since I will be singing the role of Hoffmann, in Offenbach’s “The Tales of Hoffmann”, for Repertory Opera Company this June AND since Vittorio Grigolo is singing Hoffmann for Los Angeles Opera’s current production … I am looking forward to getting coached on the Kleinzach aria by a star currently doing the role!

Here’s a recording of Mssr. Grigolo performing the aria:

Recital for Maestro Peter Mark’s Master Class Series

| Chris

unnamedI have greatly enjoyed being a part of Peter Mark’s Master Class series this winter. There have been new and difficult lessons … but that is always the case when honing one’s skills and advancing. You fall down and get back up, moving ever onward.

As a result I feel like my technique is finally approaching a level that I would call “beautiful singing” … the kind of singing that is nuanced and luxurious. We are our own worse critics, so it is exciting to me to actually feel that way. Now, of course, it is time to get that embodied so it becomes completely natural.

Fortunately I have the perfect opera lined up to help me along that path toward technical embodiment … Offenbach’s “The Tales of Hoffmann” in June!

For now, my focus is on this weekend. We will be singing in front of a panel featuring music professionals from Los Angeles Opera, San Diego Opera, Long Beach Opera, KUSC and more. I will be singing “Donna non vidi mai” from Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut”.

 

Three new operas coming up …

| Chris

I am excited to announce that I have three new roles to prepare for January through June:

  • First is Don Ottavio, from Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”.don-giovannijpg-0d6ebd6b54fac462
  • Second will be Nemorino in a concert version of Donizetti’s “Lelisir d’amore”.elixir
  • Lastly, I will be taking on the title role of Hoffmann in Offenbach’s “Les contes d’Hoffmann”.4h8dd9tpmntvamotokdedgfntyu

LOTS of music to begin memorizing as these are all new roles for me. Grateful to be singing and making money for it!

CA-W

Barber of Seville – Pacific Opera Project

| Chris

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Looking forward to performing a secondary role with Pacific Opera Project in their upcoming production of Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville”.

After a busy summer of singing Don Jose in Bizet’s masterpiece “Carmen”, filling in as a last minute Alfredo Germont for a company in need of a tenor for Verdi’s “La Traviata” and then taking part in a wonderful series of master classes in Beverly Hills with Maestro Peter Mark … Christopher is very much looking forward to the fun and hilarity that has been every POP production he has been involved in.

If you want to laugh all night long at what will be an amazing cast while hearing beautiful music and talented singers … you can buy your tickets here: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=pop

CA-W

High C for for Daughter of the Regiment aria

| Chris

I have been taking part in a series of master classes in Beverly Hills with Maestro Peter Mark and had a significant vocal breakthrough this past weekend.

Of course, such breakthroughs are also a result of the work I’ve done with teachers and coaches on a regular basis … it all adds up to whatever metaphor or instructive device it is that has you “get” something. So along those lines I also acknowledge the many hours spent working with Maestro William Vendice, Renee Sousa and Timothy Leon (all of whom I work with regularly).

Anyhow, I just began working on “Ah! mes amis, quel jour de fête!“, from La fille du régiment by Donizetti. For those who don’t know, this is the famous aria for tenor featuring nine high C’s.

I have always had a high C … but these recent breakthroughs have made it so that I feel comfortable sustaining it for however long I feel like. Which is profoundly an amazingly satisfying … I always wondered how Pavarotti used to do that!

This is the final high C:

Verdi’s La Traviata – Laguna Hills and Dana Point

| Chris

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If you are looking for something to do in Southern Orange County this weekend come see La Traviata! I will be singing Alfredo on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.

I signed on last week after one of their tenors dropped out. In under a week I managed to get the demanding but oh-so-rewarding role off book (despite a nasty throat virus that completely stole my voice for most of that time!).

As you can tell … it has been a week full of drama! But what sweeter drama is there than the sumptuously beautiful music of Verdi’s La Traviata?! I will be living the Brindisi on Sunday night, that’s for sure!