Last weekend was the birthday of a couple of my friends, and to celebrate, we headed up to Newcastle, in the North, for a weekend of sight-seeing, eating and partying. Our group was 20 strong and we traveled up via train Friday after work, filled with energy and excitement. On Friday night, a smaller group of us went out for a few drinks and some dancing while the others went of to visit other friends they had in the area. The six of us that stayed together had a riot of a time, and properly enjoyed our first night in Newcastle.
Saturday, we re-convened for brunch and then the boys took off to watch the rugby in the pub and us ladies went out to explore the town. Despite being a party destination, Newcastle is actually quite a lovely place. The Tyne river runs through the city and provides some nice areas to walk along the quay. We wandered past very old buildings just beside brand new modern ones and stopped for tea at a nice restaurant just beside the Millennium bridge. It was a great way to spend an afternoon. After our little tea, we headed back to the hotel for power naps and then to get ready for our big night out.
Now, before leaving London, I'd been given strict instructions about what one should wear when going out in Newcastle:
1. a very short skirt
2. lots of cleavage is also good
3. no nylons
4. no jacket
5. very high heels
6. big hair
Baring in mind that it's February, and the North of England is not a warm place, I assumed that instructions 3 and 4 were reserved for the summer months, and that 1 and 2 were mutually exclusive, that i was meant to choose on or the other. Since number 6 isn't really a possibility for me, I decided to disregard all advice and dress comfortably and classy, as did my other London friends. Boy did we stand out! The women in Newcastle must be super human in there ability to head outside in minus 7 degrees practically naked and not freeze. The skirts barely covered girls bums and their shoes looked like broken ankles waiting to happen. It was amazing. Luckily for us, there is strength in numbers, so a group of well dressed, jacket wearing, warm London ladies headed out to meet the boys for dinner.
We went to a great tapas restaurant, which was pack full with people having their pre-party dinner. We order loads of food to share and plenty of wine to go around and had a fantastic time, all 20 of us. At the end of the meal, one of the boys grabbed a candle and started singing Happy Birthday to our two birthday girls. We all joined in and had a good laugh. That's when the fun began. Another guy we were with pointed to our Welsh friend and said 'this time, in Welsh!' and the group was led in a Welsh rendition of the famous birthday song. Once the Welsh round was over, the Welshman pointed to our Kiwi friend and said 'this time in Maori!' and once again we all broke out in song, led by our New Zealander friend, who happened to be sat next to me...
And it was my turn next. The Kiwi looked at me and said 'this time, in Opera!'. Oh god. I hesitated for just a moment, but then decided, why not? And burst into 'Tanti Aguri' in my full operatic voice.
Apparently, no one in Newcastle has ever heard an opera singer before. Up until that point, we'd been successfully annoying our neighbouring tables, and they were trying the best to drown out our noise. When I started singing, the restaurant was at a stand still. Every table stopped eating and turned to see who was making all that racket. People at the back of the room were standing up to see where the music was coming from, and my friends were snickering with delight.
When the song finished, the room erupted with cheers. Geordie boys were whooping and everyone was just a little bit stunned. It was incredible. I've never felt cooler to be a trained opera singer then I was that night. My friends couldn't stop talking about how amazing I was and loved how much attention we all got as a result. It was a real win for me, and likely something the will take Newcastle some time to forget.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
She rocks the office
Tonight I was a rock star. Absolutely.
My company has a band. They are fairly decent and they play at all the company events. Ever since I've been with the business, people have been asking me about when I would join the band, and up until tonight, I've been dodging the question, claiming to be too busy and that the don't sing the same style as I. The real truth is that I'm a diva. I've wanted to sing, but I want to be the lead singer, I don't want to sing back up! And I want, at the very least, to be asked by the band to join, to bestow them with my superior vocal talents. What an idiot. I let my ego get in the way of my having fun and singing.
But today was my moment. One of their singers bailed last minute and I got to save the day. The band was meant to play at 8pm, and at 5:30pm they got the call that they would be a man down. I happened to be in the room, helping to set up for the party, and the band leader saw me and said: "Janel, can you sing 'I Will Survive'?" Of course I can! but I hesitated, until my boss looked at me and said "Just do it"
So I stood up and said yes, as long as I got one run-thru. We did a quick run of the piece, and I knew most of the words and that was it, I became the guest soloist for the evening. And boy was it fun! It was incredible to be up in front of all of my friends and colleagues singing a fun song and getting them all to dance. I wasn't perfect, but it was the best karaoke I've ever sung.
There will be more guest performances in the future for certain.
My company has a band. They are fairly decent and they play at all the company events. Ever since I've been with the business, people have been asking me about when I would join the band, and up until tonight, I've been dodging the question, claiming to be too busy and that the don't sing the same style as I. The real truth is that I'm a diva. I've wanted to sing, but I want to be the lead singer, I don't want to sing back up! And I want, at the very least, to be asked by the band to join, to bestow them with my superior vocal talents. What an idiot. I let my ego get in the way of my having fun and singing.
But today was my moment. One of their singers bailed last minute and I got to save the day. The band was meant to play at 8pm, and at 5:30pm they got the call that they would be a man down. I happened to be in the room, helping to set up for the party, and the band leader saw me and said: "Janel, can you sing 'I Will Survive'?" Of course I can! but I hesitated, until my boss looked at me and said "Just do it"
So I stood up and said yes, as long as I got one run-thru. We did a quick run of the piece, and I knew most of the words and that was it, I became the guest soloist for the evening. And boy was it fun! It was incredible to be up in front of all of my friends and colleagues singing a fun song and getting them all to dance. I wasn't perfect, but it was the best karaoke I've ever sung.
There will be more guest performances in the future for certain.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Masterclass
I've just come in from a night at the theatre. A powerful night. I've been to see Masterclass; a play that takes the form of one of Maria Callas' famous masterclasses in New York. Tyne Daly, of Cagney and Lacey fame, was La Divina, and it was a great piece of theatre. Watching Callas work with the young singers, as well as re-live her own glories and failures brought me to a very familiar place. Sat in the stalls, I was in her class, struggling to be perfect for the terrifying Diva in front of me.
The first 'victim' as Callas joked, reminded me of myself so much it took me off guard. There I was, fairly new to the Opera repertoire, singing something out of my reach and nervous as anything. The soprano tonight even sang a piece from La Sonnambula that I have worked on, and struggled with, for some time. Before the girl could even sing one note, Callas had stopped her because she wasn't feeling the music...
**FLASHBACK**
Me, standing in front of my musical guru in the small studio above East Broadway being chastised about not breathing my emotion through the intro and showing what I was feeling in my physicality. I remember watching her in masterclasses show more passion in a 4 bar phrase than most of the students would in an entire aria. It was inspiring, and frightening and something I definitely need to do more often.
For Callas, it was all about the emotion, the story and the art. She made personal connections to the roles she played and gave everything to the audience. When one poor student had the misfortune of saying she was not and actor, just a singer, there was an audible breath throughout the audience as we all waited for Callas' seething reply. It was a very poignant moment.
Here are some things that Callas taught me tonight:
1. The artist gives everything to their audience, not just their voice, but their every emotion
2. Be in the world of the song, and imagine all the details that are left out of the score
3. Singing is hard, it requires many sacrifices, but the journey is worth it
4. Have a look. Something that makes people remember you and helps you stand out
5. Never miss and opportunity to theatricalize
Tonight's experience at the theatre was medicine for my soul. I have been out of the music world for too long. This last year, I have had an amazing time, with many challenges as well as victories, but I have lost sight of the music. I feel strongly that this needed to happen, as I had to take care of myself in other ways, but now its time to reconnect with my heart. Singing uplifts and energizes me. I am never happier, or in more pain, than when I sing, and I can't lock that up in a cupboard, forgotten and ignored. I am not Callas, and will likely never have her renown, but I can find my own path. I just need to listen to the music.
The first 'victim' as Callas joked, reminded me of myself so much it took me off guard. There I was, fairly new to the Opera repertoire, singing something out of my reach and nervous as anything. The soprano tonight even sang a piece from La Sonnambula that I have worked on, and struggled with, for some time. Before the girl could even sing one note, Callas had stopped her because she wasn't feeling the music...
**FLASHBACK**
Me, standing in front of my musical guru in the small studio above East Broadway being chastised about not breathing my emotion through the intro and showing what I was feeling in my physicality. I remember watching her in masterclasses show more passion in a 4 bar phrase than most of the students would in an entire aria. It was inspiring, and frightening and something I definitely need to do more often.
For Callas, it was all about the emotion, the story and the art. She made personal connections to the roles she played and gave everything to the audience. When one poor student had the misfortune of saying she was not and actor, just a singer, there was an audible breath throughout the audience as we all waited for Callas' seething reply. It was a very poignant moment.
Here are some things that Callas taught me tonight:
1. The artist gives everything to their audience, not just their voice, but their every emotion
2. Be in the world of the song, and imagine all the details that are left out of the score
3. Singing is hard, it requires many sacrifices, but the journey is worth it
4. Have a look. Something that makes people remember you and helps you stand out
5. Never miss and opportunity to theatricalize
Tonight's experience at the theatre was medicine for my soul. I have been out of the music world for too long. This last year, I have had an amazing time, with many challenges as well as victories, but I have lost sight of the music. I feel strongly that this needed to happen, as I had to take care of myself in other ways, but now its time to reconnect with my heart. Singing uplifts and energizes me. I am never happier, or in more pain, than when I sing, and I can't lock that up in a cupboard, forgotten and ignored. I am not Callas, and will likely never have her renown, but I can find my own path. I just need to listen to the music.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
A year in review
It's been nearly a year since I last posted, sorry about that. I've been busy. Or lazy, depending on how you look at it. So I'm back. My challenge, is to get myself back into the habit of writing stories for anyone to read. I can't imagine that I still have followers, but if I still do: g'day mate! if not, then this is really just for me to enjoy and archive my activities.
So, 2011... a crazy year. Here are the Cole's notes, I'll get into details more slowly, but read on for the highlights.
In 2011, I got my first 'real' job. A job where I have a salary, rather than a wage or a lump sum, and where I have to show up everyday, 5 days a week. Talk about a life changing experience! Let's just say, it took me awhile to adjust to the grind. The job is with a well-known British smoothie company with a slightly unorthodox approach to business. The floors of our office are covered in AstroTurf, and there are bean bag chairs a plenty. There is a ping pong table in the middle of our break room and we dress up in power suits once a year, just for fun. I couldn't have fallen into a better job, and am I ever grateful that I did.
In 2011, I traveled. The year saw me visit Whales, where I jumped off waterfalls, Manchester, where I cheered on United for the win, Dorset, where I walked along 14km of beautiful beaches, Spain, where I learned to play checkers, Italy, where I found myself in the middle of a horse race, Switzerland, where I sang my heart out, and Canada (twice), where I became a sister-in-law and celebrated Christmas. I hope to travel even more this year, and I'm perfectly situated to do so. In the pipes already are Newcastle and Amsterdam. I will make sure to report on my travels for all to read.
In 2011, I became a German. Thanks to a small loophole in policy and a large amount of work done by my parents, I am now the proud owner of a German passport. I can now stay in London, or anywhere in Europe, for as long as I like. I celebrated my German citizenship day with bratwurst and sauerkraut at the office, along with oom-pa-pa music. It was a good day.
In 2011, I danced. I kept up the salsa that I'd started when I first moved here and also went out to a couple of clubs. I danced so hard one night, I rolled my ankle, and I'm still suffering from that accident now. Through dancing, I made some friends, even dated a couple people, and have had a lovely time. I'm sure there is more dancing to look forward to.
In 2011, I moved again. I have said goodbye to that naughty little girl and dropped myself into central London. It was definitely hard saying goodbye to my little family in Walthamstow, but now I'm in a lovely flat, walking distance from just about everything, even Hyde park. House hunting in London is arduous, and the cost of living is incredibly high. I looked at houses that didn't have floors in them yet, nor toilets that work. I looked at rooms smaller then the closet I left behind in Cochrane. The place I'm in now is up for sale, so I'll have to move again soon, and start the whole horrible house-hunting adventure again.
So there you have it; 2011 in a nutshell. It was a really good year, and I hope 2012 can be even better. Considering some of the things I'm looking forward to, I can imagine it will be great; the Olympics, a trip to Edinburgh, some opera auditions and maybe, just maybe, I'll meet a goat.
So, 2011... a crazy year. Here are the Cole's notes, I'll get into details more slowly, but read on for the highlights.
In 2011, I got my first 'real' job. A job where I have a salary, rather than a wage or a lump sum, and where I have to show up everyday, 5 days a week. Talk about a life changing experience! Let's just say, it took me awhile to adjust to the grind. The job is with a well-known British smoothie company with a slightly unorthodox approach to business. The floors of our office are covered in AstroTurf, and there are bean bag chairs a plenty. There is a ping pong table in the middle of our break room and we dress up in power suits once a year, just for fun. I couldn't have fallen into a better job, and am I ever grateful that I did.
In 2011, I traveled. The year saw me visit Whales, where I jumped off waterfalls, Manchester, where I cheered on United for the win, Dorset, where I walked along 14km of beautiful beaches, Spain, where I learned to play checkers, Italy, where I found myself in the middle of a horse race, Switzerland, where I sang my heart out, and Canada (twice), where I became a sister-in-law and celebrated Christmas. I hope to travel even more this year, and I'm perfectly situated to do so. In the pipes already are Newcastle and Amsterdam. I will make sure to report on my travels for all to read.
In 2011, I became a German. Thanks to a small loophole in policy and a large amount of work done by my parents, I am now the proud owner of a German passport. I can now stay in London, or anywhere in Europe, for as long as I like. I celebrated my German citizenship day with bratwurst and sauerkraut at the office, along with oom-pa-pa music. It was a good day.
In 2011, I danced. I kept up the salsa that I'd started when I first moved here and also went out to a couple of clubs. I danced so hard one night, I rolled my ankle, and I'm still suffering from that accident now. Through dancing, I made some friends, even dated a couple people, and have had a lovely time. I'm sure there is more dancing to look forward to.
In 2011, I moved again. I have said goodbye to that naughty little girl and dropped myself into central London. It was definitely hard saying goodbye to my little family in Walthamstow, but now I'm in a lovely flat, walking distance from just about everything, even Hyde park. House hunting in London is arduous, and the cost of living is incredibly high. I looked at houses that didn't have floors in them yet, nor toilets that work. I looked at rooms smaller then the closet I left behind in Cochrane. The place I'm in now is up for sale, so I'll have to move again soon, and start the whole horrible house-hunting adventure again.
So there you have it; 2011 in a nutshell. It was a really good year, and I hope 2012 can be even better. Considering some of the things I'm looking forward to, I can imagine it will be great; the Olympics, a trip to Edinburgh, some opera auditions and maybe, just maybe, I'll meet a goat.
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