I've got some exciting news. I'm learning my first opera roles in a uni
production! I'm doing Tamino in Mozart's Magic flute (the entire first act)
and Don Ottavio in the finale of Don Giovanni. I'm really excited about
doing these, and had my first rehearsal a few days ago. I was really
prepared, and felt very good for doing so- the first aria I had to sing was
the "Zum hilfe" in the introduction of the magic flute, which is a very
difficult bit of singing- In fact the entire part is very difficult and
lies in a high tessitura, but I'm really happy to have been given the chance
to do these parts.
I have a question for the list: We're performing the magic flute in german,
so there is are spoken sections, which will be performed in english. The
text in english seems very silly and a bit "tell don't show", in other
words, everything that should be left to the imagination is added into the
speech. eg. "Hello, what are you doing standing there wearing those
feathers?" and the like. It seems very silly and tacky. How can these
lines be put across effectively for a modern audience? Should I go with the
campy and silly nature of the lines, or should I do it earnestly? I have
never acted before in anything (not even school plays) so I'm not sure how
to approach operatic acting. We're also doing the whole thing in black
costumes, so there won't be a chance for silly props.
Mirko
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