Figuring Figaro

I'm in the midst of schedule planning for this week. Our first dress rehearsal for Le Nozze di Figaro/The Marriage of Figaro happens tomorrow. Since the opera is double cast, the "X Cast" has their run tomorrow night. Tuesday is the "Y Cast's" turn. Wednesday is dark (no rehearsal), and Thursday we open. I'm just in the chorus, so it's not a lot of pressure for me, but it is a significant time commitment. We'll leave the theatre every night after 11 pm or so.

Figaro will last until Sunday. Then, on Monday, I'm premiering the new piece my composer buddy wrote for me as part of the larger composer forum. There are about 10 singers, I think, who are performing on Monday. It's a bit of a logistical challenge and not just in staying healthy. My piece requires two pianos, one of which must be prepared. (I'll post on that later.) The only times that the 2-piano rooms tend to be available are 8-9 am. Not great for a singer who's out late performing in opera the night before. On the upside, I'll be warmed up for the rest of the day.

So I just keep taking my vitamins, trying to get enough sleep, and convincing myself not to succumb to the sweet seduction of caffeine. (It's a great motivator and energy booster, but that drug makes my throat muscles tense and my throat dry out, which makes my voice feel rough and sometimes painful. Not so good. Plus I don't sleep as deeply at night with it, so it sets up this nice little vicious cycle of fatigue --- have caffeine, don't sleep as well, wake up tired, need caffeine, have caffeine, don't sleep as well...Rinse and repeat.)

It's a strange thing, trying to figure out how to stay healthy vocally in the midst of a busy schedule. In business, it's so easy to just pull a late night to finish things and then eat sugar/drink coffee to make up for it. You can work on less sleep than you think (although there's an exception for important meetings or intense mathematical work). But with singing, your entire body is your instrument, so you can't afford an "off" day physically. You have to be so much more protective of your sleep hours.

On that note, I think it's time to listen to my own words and go find my pillow.

~Hope