High Notes & the Wagnerians

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Hi Helena! Hi Adam! And hi to all of our listeners.
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It's so good to have you here. We've got such an interesting episode for you today.
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But before we introduce our mystery guests, Helena, why don't you introduce yourself?
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Not such a mystery. My name is Helena Dix.
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I'm an Aussie opera singer. I like high notes and I like sharing them all around
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the globe and I've worked at some pretty cool opera houses in all different countries.
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I love to laugh, I love my dog a little bit more than I love my husband but
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don't tell him that and I definitely also love to cook up a storm in the kitchen.
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And my name is Adam Miller, I'm a former opera singer turned producer,
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writer and director and Helena you and I have had the great pleasure over the
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many years of working together on lots of different projects.
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And now it's this, the podcast, where we get to chat to awesome and amazing guests.
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Why don't you introduce our guests? It is my great pleasure to introduce our
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Wagnerian superstars of the international stage, Christine Gerke and Brian Mulligan.
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Christine is one of the world's leading dramatic sopranos.
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She's sung at the Met, Covent Garden and countless other opera houses across the globe.
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She's particularly renowned for her portrayals in Wagner's works,
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most notably as Brunnhilde in The Ring Cycle, as well as Strauss heroines like Elektra.
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A Richard Tucker Award winner, she's a commanding artist, a generous mentor, and so very, very funny.
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Brian is an Irish-American baritone known for Big Verdi, Wagner and Strauss
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roles, plus a lot of new music.
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He studied at Yale and Juilliard, and he works with major houses like The Met
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and San Francisco Opera.
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He's a fearless storyteller with a velvet hammer of a voice and his Dominic
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Argento album is pure chef's kiss.
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At the end of the chat, don't forget to hang around for a wrap-up from Helena and I.
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Plus adam can edit out anything by the way so okay fine yeah don't worry also
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we have a duck noise that comes up every time we swear oh right jamie and i
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had a lot of fun with so you can totally swear oh it's on it is on my friend,
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brian i like that you went there straight away there was no hey how
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is this gonna work would you like me to no i'm just gonna
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say that's great yeah that's
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it no intro needed no sorry i
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also want to tell you guys that adam was pitching question ideas
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for us to have and the title of it says here are my pitches for the starters
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for the wagner runies is what he's called the wagner i've been called worse
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yeah wagnerians felt way too stodgy and wagnerites felt like some sort of mineral.
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And so I went Wagner Rooney. And I feel like already this conversation is,
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is more Wagner Rooney than Wagnerian. I'm just going to say it. I like it. I agree.
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I agree. Also that could be a pasta. I would eat Wagner Rooney.
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Yeah, absolutely. Try new Wagner Rooney's.
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What sauce would you put on the Wagner Rooney? That's the question.
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God, it has to be complicated and full of incest. I don't know.
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I mean, What, do they sell that at the store?
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I'll be here all week. Thanks. Try the veal.
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There it is.
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Oh, God. Oh, how do we even come back from that now? Sorry.
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Sorry. I totally digressed, yeah. No, it was a beautiful digression, and that's how we roll.
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Look, I'm going to throw this question out to both you, Brian,
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and Christine. Jane, how did you first discover opera and what kind of moved
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you towards that as a career? Go get it, Brian.
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Um, geez, I'm really, let's see. It was high school. My voice dropped when I was 17.
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Same. Did you just say same?
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Yes, she did. Yeah.
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I love it. You know, just kind of got into chorus.
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And from there, my high school teacher was like, I think that you need voice
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lessons. And it just kind of went from there.
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You know, I had no idea really what I was getting into.
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If you were in chorus, did they know back then that you were loud?
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I mean, were you always loud?
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Yeah. Yeah, I was always loud.
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You know, not really fitting in.
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I think that's probably like a common trait amongst guys people who sing Wagner.
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Yeah. Just kind of the sore thumb for a really long time. And I kept getting
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put down a voice type in my chorus.
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I mean, I'm not even a Wagnerian, but it started with Soprano 1.
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I was like, hi, notes. And they're like, no, we can hear you too much.
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And then finally I was like alto 2 and I'm like, I can't sing some of these
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notes. And my choir mistress was like, correct.
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What about you, Christine? How did it start for you? Totally by accident.
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I had no intentions of singing, ever.
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I started playing the clarinet in fourth grade after I asked my father for a flute.
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But he handed me a clarinet and said, I like Artie Shaw. And I said, who?
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I'm so sorry, Artie Shaw. I now understand that you are a super god of all things.
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But man, I didn't get it when I was a kid.
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And I played all the way through high school, fell in love with music.
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I taught myself all of the woodwind instruments and then stopped at bassoon
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because I realized it wasn't on off register key and there were thumb fingerings.
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I said, no, no time for that crap.
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Yeah, that sounds too hot. It really was a lot. So I...
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Went off to college to major in music education, and I wanted to be a band teacher.
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The first week, you know what happens. All of us have to go and do our sight
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singing exams to be placed in the classes.
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And they were like, yeah, you should come and audition for the upper division
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choirs. And I was like, no.
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They said, why not? And I said, because I'm a 17-year-old music ed major playing
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the clarinet. And they said, okay.
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But it turns out I'm a lemming, and all of the people I met from Long Island,
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where I'm from, were all music theater majors, and they were all going to audition. So I went with them.
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And none of them got in, and I did. And I thought, okay.
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And then I also found out that I was not the clarinet god that I thought I was.
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And I thought, oh, I know. I know. Imagine what my life could have been.
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I mean, come on. I mean. So I just decided, oh, you know what? I'll just teach chorus.
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Didn't dawn on me that learning to play the piano would be problematic.
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I just thought I'd switch.
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And so I went home and I went to a local college.
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I ended up graduating from SUNY Stony Brook on Long Island. And I started to
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study and I did a lot of choral singing.
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I sent in after seeing on a bulletin board, you know, one of those things, join this thing.
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And it was the first workshop that Robert Shaw did at Carnegie Hall.
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And it was, there was, you could pay to sing in chorus, but you had to audition.
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So I scraped together $400 of church money. As you know, back in the day was a lot.
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So I scraped that together and I went and I did that. And he was like,
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on me like white on rice and he was on
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top of like come and be in this choir come and be in this choir
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at the time i could sing straight tone oh a
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thing and then i couldn't uh so that ended quickly because as you were talking
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about the the problem became i couldn't fit into his sleeve of the sound that's
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what he always talked about i finally had to stop because i can't imagine christine
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gerkey in a sleeve you know honestly i mean no it's it's a whole thing but um
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there's actually recordings.
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And I go back and listen to them when I was 23 years old. And I'm like, who the hell is that?
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So anyway, that I started studying in earnest.
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And, you know, when I was in college, I started auditioning for young artist programs.
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And now you've all been stuck with me for three decades. So that's cool. Very thankfully. Yeah.
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For our listeners, I'm just going to say I'm the odd person out here.
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I don't know Brian. I don't know Christine personally.
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I unfortunately know helena personally how do the three of you know each other
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right uh we're all very fancy,
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well you're vagnaroonies of course you are that's
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right uh we've all we've all been involved in various things in similar places
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i would imagine where did you and brian make christine have you guys have you
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guys actually done a lot of productions together we've done a couple of things
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together now yeah we've done a couple things actually we first met like a really
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really really long time ago, but just as friends.
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And now, of course, we're much more. Oh.
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But it was like, you know. Spicy. More than a decade before we sang together.
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What was the first gig that you guys did together then? I think it was that
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The Ring in Chicago that was canceled for COVID. Oh, wow.
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Did you actually get rehearsals going for that? We did.
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That's the worst. Yeah, we got to the stage and then it was cancelled,
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yeah. And never happened again?
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I mean, I don't know that there's money to put it back up, but if it went back
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up, certainly I would imagine Brian won't be singing the same part that he was singing the last time.
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A few changes since then, then. Yes.
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Yeah, I was the Wotan and the Rheingold, and then we were doing Gute Demmerung together.
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Christine was Brunhilde and I was Gunther, but we had a lot of fun. Wow. Amazing.
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And I know Christine, well, I can't remember the first time I met Christine,
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but it was definitely over New York way. I remember.
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I do. I remember. You want to hear what it was? I saw you do a leech and I was
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like, I want to be her friend because you were so funny on stage.
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I was like, oh my God, I love her. I mean, you sounded amazing,
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but I was like, oh, she is chewing scenery.
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She's hysterical. I love her.
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And then I was getting in the elevator at sea level and you were in there with
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your mother. That's right.
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And my mom's like, who's this? I'm like, mom, this is like Queen Christine Gerke.
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This is some crazy lady who's talking to me.
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I remember you getting out of the lift and we were like, my mom's like, who's that? And I'm.
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Mom's like well i don't bloody well i was so happy to meet you it
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was so fortunate that the doors opened and there you were i was
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like amazing the people you
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see around those hallowed halls right i have
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many of those elevator stories actually actually i think i met jamie in an elevator
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there too then and that's that's yeah look the rest is history right so it's
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that's it yeah absolutely jesse norman was in one that i was going into one
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time and i was three and the doors open and she was standing there. I was like, oh my God.
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And I tried to take a deep breath. I was in the training program and I just was like, good morning.
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And I walked in and I was standing there and I was like, oh my God,
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I'm in an elevator with Jesse Norman.
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And I finally tried to say something.
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And you know, it's like I carried a watermelon, but I looked at her.
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Excellent opening line. Exactly. Thank you for getting the reference.
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But I finally said, please forgive me. This is a rather strange thing to say,
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but your perfume is so beautiful. May I ask what it is?
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And she said, why it's Jill Saunders. And I was like, okay, thank you so much.
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And I was like, I will never afford that. Oh my God.
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And off the elevator I went, that was dumb. I carried a watermelon.
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Did you like forever replay that in your mind? Like every day?
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I love it. So stupid. I love it. I saw
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I saw her in concert in London in the jazz
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festival and I I had like a little
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balcony ticket and it was right in the days that you were just holding
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on for her you know and she actually stopped right a few numbers
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in the middle and she was so but the one thing I took from it apart from just
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getting to see her live and all the beautiful negro spirituals and everything
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that she did was the fact that she wore fluffy slippers with her dress and she
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just glided on stage and I'm like Like, that's my career goal right there.
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Like, I want to be famous enough that I can wear fluffy slippers on stage and
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get away with it. Because it was the coolest thing ever.
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Just saying. I mean, have we not worn stranger things? I was going to say.
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So, Christine and Brian, what's your A, go-to piece of clothing that you would
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wear that you have made it to the pinnacle of your industry on stage?
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And what's the piece that you've had to wear in one of your shows?
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I'm going to throw to you, Brian. Oh, well, I can tell you. Oh,
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no, I'm going to throw to you, Christine.
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Oh, too late. I started because I was rude. That's what I did.
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You started, so you'll have to finish. Jump in there. That's what I do.
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Which is why, when I jump in, they put a crocodile head on me. What?
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I have pictures of this, and you will never guess the role where I was wearing
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a crocodile head and a cape. No, I won't. Wow.
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I'm going to do it anyway. Selena.
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Super close. Super, super close. Any other guesses?
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It was country, because of course it was. Oh, okay.
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Obviously. Perfect connection. Sure. What? Well, I laughed because I went into
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the rehearsal room. And was this in Germany?
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No, it was in Italy, where all the crocodiles are, obviously.
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I don't know if it was a crocodile head or an alligator head.
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Forgive me, Florida people. I just don't know the difference.
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They're just scary to me, unless they're in a handbag.
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So I went into the rehearsal room, and I saw this thing, and I started laughing.
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And I was like, oh, my gosh, we should use this. And they're like, we are.
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I was like, quack, quack, quack.
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Um yeah there are pictures out there of me
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wearing this thing um i mean look on
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stage i am so ball gown or
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yoga pants if i can wander out
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in my you know workout clothes and do a concert with
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bare feet bare feet that's good i have
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made it that's good yep i've worked with a few singers
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who yeah if they can wear bare feet in any in
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any show in any concert they they'll jump at it i like it it's me yeah oh yeah
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brian how about you for me like it was like the ultimate win that i when i just
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kind of decided i was not gonna wear a tie yes i hate singing with a tie and
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when i was just like you know what i'm not gonna i don't and they're like oh.
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Oh, okay. So for now on, you know, I wear no ties.
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My big costume disaster was in Germany.
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Shocking. You can find the pictures.
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There's one picture on my Instagram. You can find them online.
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It was a production of Lafricaine in Frankfurt.
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And they said instead of every you know we,
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have the Africans be you know black you guys all of the Africans are going to
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be blue and you're aliens from another planet and so my I wore like a head to
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toe blue spandex thing with like veins yes it was padded.
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And my entire face was painted blue. I had like a blue mohawk.
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It took like so long to get into full makeup because my hands had to be done too.
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Yeah, it was crazy. When I did Parsifal as one of the flower maidens with E&O,
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we were alien kind of things as well.
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And we had extended arms and bags hanging off us and we had to do all the choreography the whole time.
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And when we got into the rehearsal room to start with it was so dirty and they
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were like, we want you to just like roll on the floors and I'm like,
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And it's like dust everywhere. And so the next day I thought I'd be really funny
00:16:21.965 --> 00:16:24.745
and I thought I'd bring in like a trash bag, like a garbage bag.
00:16:25.125 --> 00:16:29.905
And I wore it over like the top of my clothes and I sweat like a mofo.
00:16:29.905 --> 00:16:32.845
And I was like, okay, Helena, like you thought, I thought it was hilarious.
00:16:32.845 --> 00:16:36.465
And you could just see the choreographer looking at me like stupid cow.
00:16:36.685 --> 00:16:38.645
So she made us do all this extra.
00:16:41.045 --> 00:16:44.985
You got everybody detention. It's not my proudest moment. That's how you lost
00:16:44.985 --> 00:16:46.145
18 pounds in water weight.
00:16:48.685 --> 00:16:54.945
It was a win-win for everybody. Yeah, absolutely. Now, my funniest one has definitely been my cupcake.
00:16:55.225 --> 00:17:00.605
When I was in my first opera in Albert Herring and the kids,
00:17:00.785 --> 00:17:03.785
as Sissy and Emmy, we were cupcakes with the giant cherry heads.
00:17:04.225 --> 00:17:09.225
You were the bounce me eye, bounce me low. That's right. The little kid. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:17:09.465 --> 00:17:14.725
Yeah. So in the act with the banquet, the director wanted all the characters
00:17:14.725 --> 00:17:16.085
dressed as their favorite foods.
00:17:16.085 --> 00:17:21.365
So they had the two girls come on, the two kid girls come on as matching cupcakes
00:17:21.365 --> 00:17:29.485
and the young boy, Harry, was a jam tart and we actually performed it in a market,
00:17:29.665 --> 00:17:33.285
in a fruit and veg market, which is how he wanted it originally performed.
00:17:33.445 --> 00:17:36.405
That's how he composed it for actually performing it in a market.
00:17:36.405 --> 00:17:41.545
But problem was, because there's no way to go, we were running from,
00:17:41.545 --> 00:17:48.885
like, the stairs. There was no wings. It was aluminum roofs and, sorry, aluminum roofs.
00:17:48.985 --> 00:17:54.105
And we were, there was no pit or anything. And the two cupcakes went to go behind
00:17:54.105 --> 00:17:56.385
the fruit and vegetables on opening night and we got stuck.
00:17:56.845 --> 00:18:01.225
And the girl ahead of me, she was like, Helena, Helena, I'm stuck.
00:18:01.385 --> 00:18:04.105
And the audience could hear it. So they start to laugh because you can hear
00:18:04.105 --> 00:18:07.905
everything. At which point I had to like sumo cupcake her out,
00:18:08.085 --> 00:18:13.065
I couldn't get my arms in front of me. So I was like, hold on Georgie, hold on.
00:18:14.795 --> 00:18:18.335
And she just went pop through and then we just got up on the crates and we started
00:18:18.335 --> 00:18:22.655
singing. I was crying with laughter. It was just a thing of beauty.
00:18:23.015 --> 00:18:25.955
That still haunts me, the cupcakes, you know, still haunts me.
00:18:26.535 --> 00:18:30.775
I mean, I was trying to think in what Wagner opera could you put a cupcake out?
00:18:30.855 --> 00:18:34.455
In Germany, you could put cupcakes in any opera. Apparently in Italy too.
00:18:34.755 --> 00:18:38.855
Yeah. Yes. So, I mean, right next to the crocodile needs to eat something.
00:18:40.315 --> 00:18:43.055
Wow. so what took you
00:18:43.055 --> 00:18:46.175
guys into the kind of like if you know fast forward you you've
00:18:46.175 --> 00:18:50.015
you've had your time you've realized you're singing opera i mean
00:18:50.015 --> 00:18:53.895
what what took you both into the wagner route what was it for you brian did
00:18:53.895 --> 00:18:57.495
you take a while to kind of get there like repertoire wise or was it always
00:18:57.495 --> 00:19:06.535
something uh for me actually i think i was probably maybe 30 when i was offered my first Votan.
00:19:06.755 --> 00:19:12.655
And I remember I auditioned for a huge opera house right when one of my first auditions.
00:19:12.975 --> 00:19:17.095
And there, I was 30 years old. They offered me Barak, Indie Frau,
00:19:17.195 --> 00:19:26.215
and a shot, and my manager. And I were like, oh, well, thank you.
00:19:27.155 --> 00:19:33.695
But, you know, so I was kind of like always aware that like kind of once I committed
00:19:33.695 --> 00:19:38.115
to that path and I was known for singing this repertoire that,
00:19:38.660 --> 00:19:41.480
you're not really going to get off of that you know
00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:48.560
gotcha um and so i kind i actually like purposely like kind of delayed accepting
00:19:48.560 --> 00:19:54.200
um wagner as long as i could before like people started taking me aside and
00:19:54.200 --> 00:19:59.460
being like you sound ridiculous stop singing pamina what are you doing Stop
00:19:59.460 --> 00:20:01.060
singing from Maynard. Yeah, no.
00:20:04.380 --> 00:20:10.880
It was actually like my last bohem. And it was Christian Horne.
00:20:11.180 --> 00:20:15.720
Christian Van Horne took me a sign and was like, dude, it's over.
00:20:16.280 --> 00:20:20.600
I was like, it's over. You can never sing this again. And I was like, I know, right?
00:20:20.680 --> 00:20:26.820
And he's like, yes, stop. up um and so you know then it was like i for since
00:20:26.820 --> 00:20:27.940
then like i've just kind of,
00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:33.080
well yeah i mean this is pretty much all that i sing anymore so and do you think
00:20:33.080 --> 00:20:37.280
it's because like when you say it was obvious that you were kind of going in
00:20:37.280 --> 00:20:38.280
that direction and everything
00:20:38.700 --> 00:20:42.820
do you think it's because i mean for people that don't know out there that are
00:20:42.820 --> 00:20:46.360
listening to the podcast is it like are people just going to associate it with
00:20:46.360 --> 00:20:51.040
volume or is it a color or Or is it, what is it for you that you just know that
00:20:51.040 --> 00:20:52.520
it's time? It's blue. I think we established that.
00:20:52.780 --> 00:20:55.460
He wears pure blue. That's the color. It's blue.
00:20:57.460 --> 00:21:01.440
I'm not going to lie. That was like a, like, what am I doing with my life?
00:21:01.620 --> 00:21:06.440
Why, how did I get here singing Lafrican? I was thrilled to sing Lafrican and
00:21:06.440 --> 00:21:07.880
they like actually recorded it.
00:21:08.020 --> 00:21:10.620
And anyway, back to the Wagner.
00:21:11.840 --> 00:21:15.020
I think probably it was volume.
00:21:16.740 --> 00:21:22.140
But also, you know, like for me personally, when I started, when I would look
00:21:22.140 --> 00:21:24.880
at, like, say like, okay, today I'm going to go through, you know,
00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:29.540
Yohanam or today I'm going to go through Amfortas, when I was singing it,
00:21:29.600 --> 00:21:31.080
then I kind of started to feel like.
00:21:31.765 --> 00:21:35.445
Oh hey oh my god this is nicer i
00:21:35.445 --> 00:21:38.405
just feel uh i feel better
00:21:38.405 --> 00:21:41.225
singing it yeah like kind of you
00:21:41.225 --> 00:21:45.385
know shoehorn my voice into um you
00:21:45.385 --> 00:21:48.605
know other other repertoire that doesn't
00:21:48.605 --> 00:21:51.705
necessarily fit me you know but i would like to say for
00:21:51.705 --> 00:21:55.245
everybody uh um i
00:21:55.245 --> 00:21:58.545
i do i did kind of always feel like a sore thumb like
00:21:58.545 --> 00:22:01.865
sticking out like and i felt
00:22:01.865 --> 00:22:04.725
like probably like i needed to just get
00:22:04.725 --> 00:22:08.125
to singing the right repertoire before people
00:22:08.125 --> 00:22:11.085
would be like oh that's it that's i i understand it
00:22:11.085 --> 00:22:13.905
even today like there's still
00:22:13.905 --> 00:22:17.745
people who hear me sing wagner and i still uh
00:22:17.745 --> 00:22:20.905
stick out and i'm still not exactly like what
00:22:20.905 --> 00:22:23.965
they want or what you know i just
00:22:23.965 --> 00:22:27.245
think that unique voices um are just
00:22:27.245 --> 00:22:36.125
that you know and and like you know so i still stick out in the best way possible
00:22:36.125 --> 00:22:41.205
but in good ways yeah exactly yeah thank you what about you madame gerky oh
00:22:41.205 --> 00:22:44.025
god how long is this podcast um.
00:22:45.305 --> 00:22:47.585
Well, I want to ask a question of Brian.
00:22:48.625 --> 00:22:52.145
How old were you when you took on your first career?
00:22:52.524 --> 00:22:55.304
Big boy role you know the you know the
00:22:55.304 --> 00:22:58.264
the the roles that you thought you were going to step into
00:22:58.264 --> 00:23:01.384
when christian said enough buddy and how
00:23:01.384 --> 00:23:04.384
old were you when you did your very first spirit magic helmet stuff
00:23:04.384 --> 00:23:07.504
uh well my first on fortas i
00:23:07.504 --> 00:23:11.344
want to say i was probably maybe 38
00:23:11.344 --> 00:23:15.164
from around there yeah and kind
00:23:15.164 --> 00:23:18.664
of you know my first voton wasn't until
00:23:18.664 --> 00:23:22.344
i was like maybe 42 41 something
00:23:22.344 --> 00:23:25.344
like that and and then it just kind of yeah but
00:23:25.344 --> 00:23:28.444
you know i mean like yeah you you were remember christine remember
00:23:28.444 --> 00:23:31.444
i do but i was curious about the numbers i
00:23:31.444 --> 00:23:34.664
mean because it's interesting i i started
00:23:34.664 --> 00:23:37.844
out in a completely different way when i started singing although
00:23:37.844 --> 00:23:40.864
when i was 24 years old robert shaw called
00:23:40.864 --> 00:23:43.664
my manager at 22 when i made my carnegie hall
00:23:43.664 --> 00:23:46.544
debut and i'm sounding like i'm bragging it was really stupid actually
00:23:46.544 --> 00:23:50.344
i should have probably said no but i was too dumb to be scared and
00:23:50.344 --> 00:23:53.044
uh he called my teacher and said i want her
00:23:53.044 --> 00:23:56.944
to sing the soprano solos in the britain war equium she's a dramatic soprano
00:23:56.944 --> 00:24:02.544
and my teacher said yeah not today she ain't she will maybe she will be i mean
00:24:02.544 --> 00:24:08.404
channels are very good but you know she said as long as you understand and you
00:24:08.404 --> 00:24:11.144
do not tell her that's what she is right now, because I know you will.
00:24:11.584 --> 00:24:15.064
Then we'll make it happen. And we did make it happen.
00:24:15.244 --> 00:24:19.504
And I have been singing that piece now for, how old am I?
00:24:19.924 --> 00:24:22.324
33 years. That's ridiculous.
00:24:23.604 --> 00:24:29.904
So thank you, Ben. But when I started, I was mostly singing Mozart,
00:24:30.204 --> 00:24:32.544
Handel, all the dramatic coloratura stuff.
00:24:33.144 --> 00:24:37.984
Gluck was as heavy as I got. So for the longest time, And I stayed there But
00:24:37.984 --> 00:24:42.064
I loved singing coloratora Like super fast coloratora,
00:24:42.586 --> 00:24:49.126
When I turned 32 or so, no, look, I had already read all the books because you tell me I'm something.
00:24:49.246 --> 00:24:52.646
Of course, I'm going to find out all about it and practice stuff that I'm not
00:24:52.646 --> 00:24:54.846
supposed to sing. You know, that's what we do. Of course.
00:24:55.706 --> 00:25:00.786
Of course we do. But I was supposed to open the season.
00:25:00.946 --> 00:25:05.486
Well, I did open the season at New York City Opera, RIP, with Alcina,
00:25:05.666 --> 00:25:10.326
which should have been the most perfect fit for me. It didn't sit right.
00:25:10.726 --> 00:25:12.246
And things were weird.
00:25:12.686 --> 00:25:17.526
Pitch was weird. My support was weird. And I could not figure out what was wrong.
00:25:17.546 --> 00:25:20.166
And I worked very hard. And I thought, well, I broke it.
00:25:20.506 --> 00:25:24.046
And I didn't ever expect to have a career. And this has been cool.
00:25:24.206 --> 00:25:26.906
I'll just go get married and have babies, which is what I wanted to do.
00:25:27.206 --> 00:25:31.666
And my husband, who God bless him, he is a tone deaf construction superintendent
00:25:31.666 --> 00:25:38.266
and doesn't know anything about this business, said, I think you would miss it so much.
00:25:38.386 --> 00:25:41.826
And I think people would miss you and you're making a mistake wow so get your
00:25:41.826 --> 00:25:46.566
ass back in there and thank you husband yeah right no but i mean and it was
00:25:46.566 --> 00:25:50.186
i i owe him a great debt of gratitude don't tell him i said that i mean i'll
00:25:50.186 --> 00:25:54.686
lie if i if he hears this i'll have to say it with somebody else modified just be duck.
00:25:59.177 --> 00:26:01.897
But um i i did jump
00:26:01.897 --> 00:26:04.617
back in it and look the thing is the reason i
00:26:04.617 --> 00:26:07.457
asked about your age when you started this stuff ryan i had
00:26:07.457 --> 00:26:13.237
a great conversation with debbie pelaski who i said somebody offered me a brunhilde
00:26:13.237 --> 00:26:19.557
and i'm 34 and i can't obviously sing it now and she said something i really
00:26:19.557 --> 00:26:24.137
wish i would have heard sooner and i say this to everyone she said why are americans
00:26:24.137 --> 00:26:26.197
so obsessed with numbers.
00:26:26.417 --> 00:26:31.777
If your voice is correct for a repertoire, and your technique is solid to support
00:26:31.777 --> 00:26:33.577
it, that's what you should be singing.
00:26:33.777 --> 00:26:36.937
And if you stay too long in a repertoire that doesn't suit you,
00:26:37.157 --> 00:26:41.037
you are doing more damage than good, and you are making yourself miserable.
00:26:41.277 --> 00:26:46.817
I think we all go through that because we feel like, is it time? Is it time? Is it time?
00:26:47.017 --> 00:26:50.857
And exactly what you said, Brian, the minute you make that step, there is no going back.
00:26:51.517 --> 00:26:55.057
Now, there are worse repertoires to have a problem like that with.
00:26:56.497 --> 00:27:00.537
It's amazing music to sing, but it truly is the case.
00:27:00.777 --> 00:27:04.757
No one's going to call you up. I mean, man, I would die to sing an aliche.
00:27:04.997 --> 00:27:07.137
No one's giving me an aliche anytime soon.
00:27:07.697 --> 00:27:10.997
They said, well, Bernhilde can't sing aliche. And I said, why?
00:27:11.197 --> 00:27:13.697
Fricka can sing quickly. Ooh, double standards.
00:27:14.197 --> 00:27:18.477
Ooh, mic drop. But it really is the truth.
00:27:18.677 --> 00:27:23.197
And Brian, it's exactly as you said. So when I started in, I started in with
00:27:23.197 --> 00:27:27.817
the Jugendlich Traumatisch Things, which is a fancy way of saying baby spirit magic helmet.
00:27:28.797 --> 00:27:34.397
And I started in singing. My very first big role was Chrysotomus,
00:27:34.517 --> 00:27:35.797
so the baby sister in Elektra.
00:27:36.277 --> 00:27:42.157
And I remember going out on that stage at the end of the opera for the first
00:27:42.157 --> 00:27:47.637
time with 90-something, 110 people in the orchestra, then 10 horns playing.
00:27:48.277 --> 00:27:51.557
Standing at the front of the stage And for the first time in my life Using my
00:27:51.557 --> 00:27:58.337
entire voice Wow And I thought I'm home Oh my god What have I been doing to myself,
00:27:59.511 --> 00:28:05.151
And I knew it was right the minute I did it. And I have been immensely lucky.
00:28:06.151 --> 00:28:10.091
I was still scared to step into the super-duper Spirit and Magic Helmet stuff.
00:28:10.231 --> 00:28:13.491
And I had a bunch of Electras lined up singing Cruise Ultimis.
00:28:13.811 --> 00:28:18.931
And I laughed because the second one, they picked up the phone and called me
00:28:18.931 --> 00:28:20.911
and said, we would like you to switch roles.
00:28:21.331 --> 00:28:26.491
And I said, I would like not to switch roles. I have a contract. I am 38.
00:28:26.851 --> 00:28:29.591
I do not need to be singing the role of Electra right now. thank you
00:28:29.591 --> 00:28:33.511
very much and they said right so okay
00:28:33.511 --> 00:28:36.471
but also we would like you to no i did
00:28:36.471 --> 00:28:39.151
not the third contract they called and
00:28:39.151 --> 00:28:41.911
asked me the same thing and i did not
00:28:41.911 --> 00:28:46.831
again the fourth contract they called to offer me electra and i said i am not
00:28:46.831 --> 00:28:50.791
ready for this yet and they said right you have two choices either it's time
00:28:50.791 --> 00:28:54.511
for you to step up or you have to sit down until you feel like you're ready
00:28:54.511 --> 00:28:58.591
because we can't cast anyone with you and the thing is it goes back to exactly
00:28:58.591 --> 00:28:59.891
what you were saying, Brian,
00:29:00.351 --> 00:29:04.651
you know, when, when people hear the volume and people, and if we do it right,
00:29:04.771 --> 00:29:09.591
it's not big to us, but outside, I mean, people laugh when we ask things like,
00:29:09.711 --> 00:29:11.011
can you hear me over the orchestra?
00:29:11.411 --> 00:29:14.811
That is a genuine question. We don't think that we're making it over the orchestra
00:29:14.811 --> 00:29:20.071
because it's small in our heads, but it is a really scary thing to take that
00:29:20.071 --> 00:29:23.431
final step because what if you're wrong?
00:29:24.171 --> 00:29:27.771
And that is the end of all the other repertoire. But
00:29:27.771 --> 00:29:30.651
luckily for both of us uh it
00:29:30.651 --> 00:29:34.011
was not the wrong step and yes god
00:29:34.011 --> 00:29:37.511
it's been a freaking amazing ride absolutely so
00:29:37.511 --> 00:29:40.351
i mean obviously i i'm coming at
00:29:40.351 --> 00:29:43.591
the you know things from a slightly different angle because
00:29:43.591 --> 00:29:46.511
my my my shtick is is more the bel canto stuff
00:29:46.511 --> 00:29:49.631
and all that kind of thing so what i'm curious about
00:29:49.631 --> 00:29:52.931
is for both of you how
00:29:52.931 --> 00:29:56.111
do you start like what's your first
00:29:56.111 --> 00:29:59.151
hour alone with your brand new wagner role like
00:29:59.151 --> 00:30:02.111
you've got a new wagner role is there
00:30:02.111 --> 00:30:05.591
a process that you find that's different from from you
00:30:05.591 --> 00:30:08.691
know other stuff that you've done like you both
00:30:08.691 --> 00:30:11.971
look like you're laughing i'm curious now yeah well
00:30:11.971 --> 00:30:14.751
because yeah do you pray for the first hour
00:30:14.751 --> 00:30:17.671
or like how does it go hide it in the freezer oh no i i
00:30:17.671 --> 00:30:20.451
go hard i jump in and sing through the whole thing without
00:30:20.451 --> 00:30:23.811
any idea what the hell i'm doing because i'm so excited about it
00:30:23.811 --> 00:30:27.011
i'm like and then
00:30:27.011 --> 00:30:30.311
i realize all of the things that i'm like oh my god this is gonna be so much
00:30:30.311 --> 00:30:37.911
work right yeah yeah i like to like kind of listen through or like what play
00:30:37.911 --> 00:30:42.331
through and then like get get to like some parts where i'm like this is gonna
00:30:42.331 --> 00:30:46.711
be good yeah and then i'll just then i'll like sing that over a couple.
00:30:46.751 --> 00:30:50.691
Of times and then like think like okay okay if we can just get to this part
00:30:50.691 --> 00:30:55.091
yeah okay yeah you have to put that part down for a little bit yeah and say
00:30:55.091 --> 00:30:57.971
we're gonna get back there and that's the money you know that's like the the.
00:30:58.980 --> 00:31:10.360
Unfortunately, for when reality sets in, there's just like an immense amount of book work to do.
00:31:12.200 --> 00:31:18.860
You know, just like the language alone. Sure. I mean, it's just impossible.
00:31:19.460 --> 00:31:22.120
That through composed thing will get you. Yeah.
00:31:22.820 --> 00:31:26.340
This sentence, it's so much text.
00:31:27.380 --> 00:31:31.860
So much text. Like you can have like a sentence that goes on for four or five
00:31:31.860 --> 00:31:36.340
pages or like poor Brunhilde, like, you know, 30, you know,
00:31:36.800 --> 00:31:43.840
I mean, it's just, it's, it's just unreal how much time you have to spend figuring
00:31:43.840 --> 00:31:46.500
out what, you know, what am I singing about? Yeah.
00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:50.420
Because if you don't know what you're singing about, then how are you, why are you singing?
00:31:50.420 --> 00:31:55.200
You know, once once that's embodied, though, it is the greatest gift because
00:31:55.200 --> 00:32:00.960
you will never have a performance where it is like any other performance you've
00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:05.080
done, because there is a genuine dialogue happening for four hours.
00:32:05.320 --> 00:32:09.400
And it is also there's something amazing.
00:32:09.860 --> 00:32:13.160
Yeah. I mean, Brian, I don't know if you have felt this. I'm sure you have.
00:32:13.320 --> 00:32:15.000
We all feel it like on day one.
00:32:15.280 --> 00:32:22.320
The Wagner folks are a different breed. I mean, it is Olympic style, you know, singing.
00:32:22.660 --> 00:32:26.980
And so it is taxing on any given day.
00:32:27.280 --> 00:32:30.560
You know, there can be a page where we realize, oh my gosh, if I don't lay back
00:32:30.560 --> 00:32:32.680
here, I'm not going to make it through the end of the scene.
00:32:33.140 --> 00:32:36.780
And the funny thing that happens, it's not funny, it's amazing.
00:32:37.040 --> 00:32:41.860
I found it the first time I was doing this rep, but I see it every time I go on stage.
00:32:41.860 --> 00:32:44.940
If you feel for a moment
00:32:44.940 --> 00:32:48.100
you're struggling everyone on that stage knows
00:32:48.100 --> 00:32:52.920
it and they are like this we're right here i got you everybody's eyes are like
00:32:52.920 --> 00:32:56.600
i got you and they're cheering you on and they're they're pulling for you and
00:32:56.600 --> 00:33:01.620
my colleagues have gotten me through things that i mean i feel like the luckiest
00:33:01.620 --> 00:33:04.680
person to work with the colleagues that i've worked with present company excluded
00:33:04.680 --> 00:33:06.320
of course but you know other than that.
00:33:11.280 --> 00:33:15.240
Listen brian and i have gotten to trouble on stage and i almost pushed him into the pit last time so,
00:33:17.580 --> 00:33:26.820
yes i i yes you are hilarious i i love um so we need to hear that story one one thing though like.
00:33:30.560 --> 00:33:34.660
There's nothing better than making brian laugh on stage truly and he tries not
00:33:34.660 --> 00:33:36.300
to and i was like Oh, game on!
00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:39.080
No, I know. No, I mean...
00:33:40.138 --> 00:33:44.698
No, I mean, we had so many performances and rehearsals.
00:33:45.178 --> 00:33:48.658
We would just turn to each other and. Gone. Yeah.
00:33:51.138 --> 00:33:55.458
I just remember. This particular one. Go ahead. Chris, like that last one,
00:33:55.718 --> 00:33:59.798
like there was this thing where like a colleague didn't want her to touch a
00:33:59.798 --> 00:34:01.678
part of the set. And Christine was like.
00:34:03.318 --> 00:34:08.638
Of course you were. Yeah. Of course you were. I threatened to go sit in the
00:34:08.638 --> 00:34:10.598
seat that I was not supposed to touch. I was like.
00:34:11.558 --> 00:34:16.078
I know. But the last performance, Christine comes to me and she's like,
00:34:16.258 --> 00:34:18.318
I'm touching that. I'm getting right on it.
00:34:18.478 --> 00:34:22.598
And I was like, yeah, I had like a ring. Anyway, I will never forget.
00:34:22.798 --> 00:34:28.518
You like laid, you like slowly laid your body over the inside.
00:34:29.238 --> 00:34:34.938
I'm sorry. It was, I was, I had to turn up stage. I was laughing so hard.
00:34:34.938 --> 00:34:40.378
So she just like slow-mo laid her body over the chair yes and he and the guy
00:34:40.378 --> 00:34:44.098
who was against it like couldn't do anything he was like I kept looking at him and he was like.
00:34:49.378 --> 00:34:52.238
It was so good Christy it was great,
00:34:53.498 --> 00:34:56.198
Oh, it was the last performance. I was like, fire. Whatever.
00:34:58.558 --> 00:35:03.638
You already paid me at the intermission. It's over. I deposited the check.
00:35:03.918 --> 00:35:07.118
I mean, forget you can't do anything. Deposit it in the check.
00:35:08.078 --> 00:35:12.078
Come on, don't you? I'm like, oh, really? Click. Yeah, yeah.
00:35:12.938 --> 00:35:16.018
I swear, Christine, you and I are somehow related.
00:35:16.398 --> 00:35:21.038
I told you. I saw you on stage and I was like, I know her. I love her.
00:35:21.638 --> 00:35:24.658
When I was um in when I was in Wexford doing Christina
00:35:24.658 --> 00:35:27.978
we had a director who was very funny
00:35:27.978 --> 00:35:32.038
about he was like OCD about where all the chairs went and everything on stage
00:35:32.038 --> 00:35:36.858
and he and he said please no one move any of the sets at every break he would
00:35:36.858 --> 00:35:41.258
walk out and I would move something really slightly and then he'd come back
00:35:41.258 --> 00:35:47.178
and he'd be like no no no we can't no we can't who moved that and i'd be like.
00:35:49.278 --> 00:35:52.578
So i feel you
00:35:52.578 --> 00:35:58.218
that's when we met in wexford that's where me met that's where we met yes going
00:35:58.218 --> 00:36:03.018
back to that that question yeah yeah from from yeah brian and i were at wexford
00:36:03.018 --> 00:36:06.238
in different shows so you didn't have an opportunity to push him into the pit
00:36:06.238 --> 00:36:09.398
or to lay on a chair no no or Oh,
00:36:09.498 --> 00:36:12.278
to lay on the chair on the set? No, we didn't. Fair enough.
00:36:12.518 --> 00:36:15.138
You have to understand, I didn't mean to push him into the pit,
00:36:15.238 --> 00:36:20.538
but I did push him out of the way so I could get to the chair faster to lay my body across it. Sure.
00:36:20.798 --> 00:36:23.878
That's the excuse that we're going to put into the podcast. But we know you
00:36:23.878 --> 00:36:25.598
were trying to push him in the pit. That's fine.
00:36:27.578 --> 00:36:33.818
I just really wanted to sing his role, obviously. So, yes. You had a better outfit than me.
00:36:37.758 --> 00:36:42.178
Coming back to that idea of that the first hour picking up the score do you
00:36:42.178 --> 00:36:45.358
start with text or do you start with music what are you supposed to do,
00:36:46.718 --> 00:36:52.398
i mean i want to listen to it and like kind of get a feeling for it at first
00:36:52.398 --> 00:36:56.338
so like just to like be like okay this is what it is but then immediately then
00:36:56.338 --> 00:36:58.778
it's it's just text for me there's
00:36:58.778 --> 00:37:02.038
so much text i mean i did some strauss recently and i was just like
00:37:02.478 --> 00:37:05.618
you know, having come from Belcanto land where I just sing Ocel,
00:37:06.058 --> 00:37:09.558
Odio, and then like ornament the crap out of everything. I was just like.
00:37:09.972 --> 00:37:15.792
Oh my God, the only way I could learn it was to wrap it. Do you guys ever do that or is it just me?
00:37:16.952 --> 00:37:19.172
Have you discovered something we needed to know about?
00:37:21.632 --> 00:37:25.852
I just put a wrap beat on and I wrap it. It really helps me to memorize it.
00:37:26.312 --> 00:37:31.372
That's way better than mine. I usually go to TK Maxx or TJ Maxx and get one
00:37:31.372 --> 00:37:33.912
of those crappy blank books that has flowers.
00:37:34.112 --> 00:37:38.552
And it says like Sundays or Happy Thoughts or some nonsense for $5.
00:37:38.552 --> 00:37:42.612
And I write out the entire piece.
00:37:42.992 --> 00:37:46.712
So there's something about putting, well, but I learned this from Ben Hetner
00:37:46.712 --> 00:37:50.352
because he would walk around with little cards and he would write it.
00:37:50.452 --> 00:37:54.232
And so, you know, but I thought, let me try this pen to paper in a book.
00:37:54.392 --> 00:38:00.012
There is something about me writing the words that make it stick in my head.
00:38:00.252 --> 00:38:06.432
And then once, because music goes in three seconds for me. And I also do the same as Brian.
00:38:06.672 --> 00:38:10.472
I need to hear it first, but, I need to watch it.
00:38:10.872 --> 00:38:14.112
There is something about, even if it's not the same production,
00:38:14.652 --> 00:38:19.012
seeing movement set to the text that helps me to memorize. Oh, yeah.
00:38:19.632 --> 00:38:23.612
This is the way my brain works. But after that, I do the same.
00:38:23.732 --> 00:38:26.852
I go to the text, and then the music goes in in three seconds.
00:38:26.852 --> 00:38:31.572
Then I try to sing out of the book that I've written, including I write rests
00:38:31.572 --> 00:38:33.612
between sentences and things like that.
00:38:33.812 --> 00:38:37.192
So that's a back-end way to do it. Quack, quack.
00:38:38.112 --> 00:38:45.392
But, you know, it's been working for me. For me, like, I focus on comprehension. Overachiever.
00:38:47.052 --> 00:38:51.592
No, that's the only way that I can, like...
00:38:52.553 --> 00:38:55.253
Remember like i i i kind
00:38:55.253 --> 00:38:58.093
of i i had this when i was learning one
00:38:58.093 --> 00:39:01.533
of these gigantic things i was like you know if i really knew what
00:39:01.533 --> 00:39:04.633
i was saying i probably would remember it you
00:39:04.633 --> 00:39:07.553
know yeah but it's like when i'm there's plenty of times like where
00:39:07.553 --> 00:39:10.713
you know there's nonsense i mean where it's like yeah weird
00:39:10.713 --> 00:39:13.433
words yeah or it doesn't even it's not really
00:39:13.433 --> 00:39:18.753
consequential like what what the person's saying unfortunately i still that's
00:39:18.753 --> 00:39:23.073
really what i what i focus on is because just comprehension and like dialoguing
00:39:23.073 --> 00:39:27.553
with like my colleagues on stage but one thing actually i wanted to say uh that
00:39:27.553 --> 00:39:31.913
chris christine brought up before is like when colleagues of other.
00:39:32.513 --> 00:39:35.573
Wagnerians are like looking you in the face like i got you like we're
00:39:35.573 --> 00:39:38.433
gonna get through this you know that is kind
00:39:38.433 --> 00:39:41.433
of like the the greatest trait i think amongst
00:39:41.433 --> 00:39:45.393
people that sing wagner is a humbleness and it's
00:39:45.393 --> 00:39:48.353
because i don't care how how who
00:39:48.353 --> 00:39:51.693
you are uh in this um every single
00:39:51.693 --> 00:39:54.453
person who has sung wagner for you know any kind
00:39:54.453 --> 00:39:57.753
of period of time has been humbled and kind
00:39:57.753 --> 00:40:01.393
of realized like your own kind of um limitations
00:40:01.393 --> 00:40:07.413
honestly like uh i mean i struggled with overcoming like some vocal limitations
00:40:07.413 --> 00:40:13.833
but really for me like what was the most vexing was my mental limitations my
00:40:13.833 --> 00:40:18.613
intellectual limitations because like there are just so many times especially
00:40:18.613 --> 00:40:21.113
like during the ring cycle like where i'd be.
00:40:21.658 --> 00:40:27.778
Like listening to Brunhilde sing for 20 minutes straight or Loga or Albrecht
00:40:27.778 --> 00:40:34.078
or whoever and just be like, I have no idea what they're saying right now. I did.
00:40:34.318 --> 00:40:37.778
I kind of have like an idea of like what the plot is and what they're going to do.
00:40:37.858 --> 00:40:42.638
But like, of course, I would I was so upset with myself because like if you're
00:40:42.638 --> 00:40:48.338
in something like Bohem or Vespi Siciliani or something like you can pick up a word.
00:40:48.538 --> 00:40:51.798
Yeah. And then be like, oh, that's what we're talking about right now.
00:40:52.018 --> 00:40:56.418
But in Wagner, especially like the Ring Cycle or even Parsifal,
00:40:56.498 --> 00:40:57.818
like it's so complicated.
00:40:58.278 --> 00:41:02.538
Anyway, there's a humbleness like amongst all Wagnerians, I think,
00:41:02.598 --> 00:41:07.558
because we all kind of have understood like how difficult it is what we're trying to do.
00:41:07.778 --> 00:41:10.758
There's like kind of a real kind of community there.
00:41:10.938 --> 00:41:16.318
I rely on it now. I absolutely rely on it. But this is something that you just said. I mean, it is.
00:41:16.578 --> 00:41:20.138
First of all, that comes with repetition. And it's not, look,
00:41:20.238 --> 00:41:24.078
if your voice is suited to this repertoire, then it's suited to this repertoire.
00:41:24.218 --> 00:41:29.638
That's not the hard part. The hard part is realizing that you don't just have
00:41:29.638 --> 00:41:31.098
to memorize your own part.
00:41:31.998 --> 00:41:37.118
Listen, when I have to listen to you go on and on and on about all of the things
00:41:37.118 --> 00:41:42.798
that got you to where you are at the top of Act 2 in that huge long monologue, it is a long song.
00:41:42.798 --> 00:41:52.498
But I have to say, this girl, but I also, it is my favorite because my job then is to react.
00:41:52.998 --> 00:41:58.258
And if I know everything that you're saying, I can, I can choose my reactions
00:41:58.258 --> 00:42:01.778
based on the way you're delivering your line that day, which even though I'm
00:42:01.778 --> 00:42:03.618
not singing, it's still dialogue.
00:42:04.098 --> 00:42:06.898
That's one of the coolest things about these long stretches.
00:42:07.238 --> 00:42:10.038
It helps him color everything as well. Yeah, of course. Yeah.
00:42:10.218 --> 00:42:17.938
I mean, I. I love it. And honestly, any utterance from Brunhilde or really anybody
00:42:17.938 --> 00:42:21.418
during that monologue is like, please, energy, oh my god, yes,
00:42:21.658 --> 00:42:23.818
let me take some of yours and see if I can...
00:42:24.169 --> 00:42:26.949
Keep going on for another 15 minutes, you know? Well, again,
00:42:27.069 --> 00:42:31.369
and then there's this, you know? Yes, I know, yes. You can't see what I'm doing. I'm staring.
00:42:32.289 --> 00:42:34.629
But that's the other thing. And you talk about the humbleness.
00:42:35.109 --> 00:42:38.729
I laugh because when people who are not used to working with Wagnerians are
00:42:38.729 --> 00:42:40.469
all like, can we get you anything? Do you need this?
00:42:40.849 --> 00:42:44.689
And I was like, aw, you're cute. We're not like fussy, you know,
00:42:44.969 --> 00:42:46.989
Italian, you know, Verismo divas.
00:42:47.169 --> 00:42:50.909
All we need is a pretzel and a beer when we're done with rehearsal and we're golden.
00:42:51.589 --> 00:42:55.069
Yeah. Thank you. where's the pub well
00:42:55.069 --> 00:42:58.529
maybe we'll go during break i don't know yes exactly
00:42:58.529 --> 00:43:02.089
on my brief uh encounter into
00:43:02.089 --> 00:43:07.389
into Wagner and repertoire i did Elsa was my my kind of first staged and i love
00:43:07.389 --> 00:43:12.029
and i still love the role i think it's absolutely beautiful but i remember in
00:43:12.029 --> 00:43:16.369
the very first dress rehearsal getting to like the second interval and being
00:43:16.369 --> 00:43:21.489
like i i need a steak and a lie down now like Like, I don't know how these people do it.
00:43:21.609 --> 00:43:25.969
Like, I'm done, you know? We have a stake and a lie down, pretty much.
00:43:27.989 --> 00:43:33.649
That's what we do. What are those strategies and those tips and those tricks
00:43:33.649 --> 00:43:38.009
for you to get through these four, five-hour paces?
00:43:39.789 --> 00:43:43.029
I mean, it's kind of like a case-by-case basis. Like, I mean,
00:43:43.589 --> 00:43:47.889
everybody like, for example, like I have things like I do as a singer,
00:43:47.909 --> 00:43:52.989
like that, like I like avoid dairy, like on a day that I'm singing, but like, guess what?
00:43:54.696 --> 00:43:59.696
Christine loves dairy on a day. I actually eat dairy. I keep it in my dressing room.
00:44:01.116 --> 00:44:04.656
You know what I mean? I have it between ack. It's just, you know,
00:44:05.056 --> 00:44:06.996
you said that you remembered that.
00:44:07.236 --> 00:44:12.516
You were like, I just ate a huge ball of mozzarella and now I'm ready to sing.
00:44:13.976 --> 00:44:16.076
No, she did. Yes.
00:44:17.576 --> 00:44:21.416
Yogurt, cheese, milk. I keep milk in my, I have to tell you,
00:44:21.556 --> 00:44:23.736
okay, the Met folks are going to be mad, but I don't really even care at this point.
00:44:24.236 --> 00:44:28.596
So I would go down and, you know, they have the coffee machine in the canteen
00:44:28.596 --> 00:44:30.276
and then they have where the milk is.
00:44:30.536 --> 00:44:33.756
So I would get a coffee cup and while they weren't looking, I just fill it up
00:44:33.756 --> 00:44:37.676
with milk and bring that upstairs because there was like, you know,
00:44:37.796 --> 00:44:39.696
I'm not going to get like the thimble full of milk.
00:44:39.896 --> 00:44:44.196
I need more than that. So sorry, Met Cafeteria, but whatever.
00:44:44.336 --> 00:44:47.096
I paid for a coffee. What is it about dairy that makes you so happy?
00:44:47.356 --> 00:44:53.296
I love it. But no, honestly, I would much prefer to deal with clearing my throat
00:44:53.296 --> 00:44:54.916
than having it dry and stuck together.
00:44:55.076 --> 00:45:01.496
And I rarely have to clear it. It's kind of a delicious mozzarella e-lubricant,
00:45:01.656 --> 00:45:04.056
which is the weirdest sentence I've ever said in my life.
00:45:04.296 --> 00:45:08.716
I have so many images of Christine Gerke in a bowl of mozzarella now,
00:45:08.876 --> 00:45:11.256
like so many. I mean, who's mad?
00:45:11.696 --> 00:45:14.696
What you need to know is, don't let my last name fool you.
00:45:14.856 --> 00:45:19.696
I'm mostly Italian, so it should explain everything. there you go that's that's
00:45:19.696 --> 00:45:26.276
it i remember uh izakaya telling me that he um has peanut butter and boiled
00:45:26.276 --> 00:45:30.796
eggs there he's like go-to for wagner because and i was like peanut butter would
00:45:30.796 --> 00:45:34.676
stick to your mouth surely he's like no i wash it down afterwards but it helps with
00:45:34.990 --> 00:45:35.930
With a boiled egg.
00:45:41.010 --> 00:45:44.550
You know, whatever it is that it takes for us to do our thing,
00:45:44.910 --> 00:45:46.630
you know, but it is. Yeah.
00:45:46.910 --> 00:45:50.210
Yeah. Yeah. It does. It does give us pause.
00:45:50.510 --> 00:45:54.150
You know, there's the people who say I have four grams of pasta at 4 p.m.
00:45:54.230 --> 00:45:55.310
Before an 8 p.m. performance.
00:45:55.530 --> 00:45:57.510
I'm like, I can't be bothered. If I'm hungry, I eat a steak.
00:45:57.590 --> 00:45:59.490
Big protein in the afternoon. That's it.
00:45:59.950 --> 00:46:05.330
Beautiful. Yeah. Yeah. And, like, I always tell people, like,
00:46:05.650 --> 00:46:09.750
just bring something to your dressing room that you can eat in case of an emergency,
00:46:09.750 --> 00:46:11.710
even if it's just a rehearsal.
00:46:12.110 --> 00:46:15.050
Like, I've just seen people like, oh, yeah.
00:46:15.410 --> 00:46:21.610
I think a banana is always a safe bet. Same. I mean, there's potassium, there's a little sugar.
00:46:22.190 --> 00:46:24.690
It's just enough to give you a little kick to get through. And then you've got
00:46:24.690 --> 00:46:27.650
the skin there as well if you want to sabotage someone along the way.
00:46:27.650 --> 00:46:32.150
Or you need to get to the chair faster to lay your body across it.
00:46:34.330 --> 00:46:38.350
It's like a vehicle i love it um
00:46:38.350 --> 00:46:45.010
i love it um okay brian i'm gonna ask you a question if you were casting christine
00:46:45.010 --> 00:46:52.550
in an opera tomorrow what would it be oh god uh well i would want to do i would
00:46:52.550 --> 00:46:56.130
want to do something with her So could I be in this opera too?
00:46:56.590 --> 00:47:01.030
I mean, look, if you want. But what would it be if tomorrow you had to put something
00:47:01.030 --> 00:47:04.350
on instantly? You go, Christine, this is who she is.
00:47:04.470 --> 00:47:06.790
This is who she reminds me of. I want to do this. Let's go.
00:47:07.810 --> 00:47:13.190
Her Electra is the greatest. Yep. Every time I hear her do it,
00:47:13.250 --> 00:47:17.390
I'm just like, I know her. I know her.
00:47:17.870 --> 00:47:21.510
What about something slightly outrageous? Maybe something that she's not known for.
00:47:21.650 --> 00:47:28.910
What would you love to see her do? concept um i would i would like now that
00:47:28.910 --> 00:47:32.490
you like brought up albert herring earlier like i would love to see her lady
00:47:32.490 --> 00:47:38.970
billows like yes that's so over the top and ridiculous i mean i can see um great.
00:47:40.311 --> 00:47:43.691
When i was 20 i was
00:47:43.691 --> 00:47:47.071
23 uh and turning 24 i
00:47:47.071 --> 00:47:50.591
was 23 i just turned 23 at glimmerglass was my first apprentice
00:47:50.591 --> 00:47:53.491
program and we did the first 90 pages of
00:47:53.491 --> 00:47:56.491
albert herring and i was lady billows and i've
00:47:56.491 --> 00:47:59.391
always wanted to do it since then yeah i'm surprised you
00:47:59.391 --> 00:48:02.371
haven't actually i'm i'm actually i was asked
00:48:02.371 --> 00:48:05.051
for one but the time you didn't work out what about if you
00:48:05.051 --> 00:48:07.711
were casting brian in something christine maybe that he hasn't done
00:48:07.711 --> 00:48:10.591
before what would you like to see him do oh that he hasn't done
00:48:10.591 --> 00:48:13.251
before i i'm sorry i have to jump in with one and that
00:48:13.251 --> 00:48:16.671
i really and i also would want to do it and i would
00:48:16.671 --> 00:48:19.571
keep my pants to do frow with him oh yeah i
00:48:19.571 --> 00:48:22.471
would just it would it would make my heart the happiest in
00:48:22.471 --> 00:48:25.631
the whole world me too um me too because i
00:48:25.631 --> 00:48:30.571
mean god barack is the the nicest man in all of opera and just does not deserve
00:48:30.571 --> 00:48:35.951
the crap that is heaped upon him super sorry but the music's great yeah how
00:48:35.951 --> 00:48:45.131
outside of the box man have you ever done slatermouth's I would love.
00:48:45.929 --> 00:48:49.109
To see that kind of fun because
00:48:49.109 --> 00:48:51.909
look once we start doing this stuff there's not like you know a
00:48:51.909 --> 00:48:55.389
lot of you know give them the old razzle dazzle
00:48:55.389 --> 00:48:58.129
we don't get to razzle dazzle them exactly but it would
00:48:58.129 --> 00:49:02.669
be so much fun to see you do a role where you could just be completely insanely
00:49:02.669 --> 00:49:07.629
outrageous i'd love that yeah i don't know flader mouse at all so which role
00:49:07.629 --> 00:49:10.949
is that it's probably a little higher than you'd want to hang out but i believe
00:49:10.949 --> 00:49:16.969
in you it's fine only if you're only if you're Rosalinda, you know, at the end of the day.
00:49:17.249 --> 00:49:20.829
Oh, I think you need to be Rosalinda and I need to be Adele.
00:49:21.049 --> 00:49:24.229
So it's on. Let's cast that show. Casting sorted.
00:49:24.669 --> 00:49:31.449
Right. That's my new life's work is to produce that show. That sounds fantastic. Loud flittermouth.
00:49:32.369 --> 00:49:39.609
Loud flittermouth. That's lauter flittermouth. It has to be. Flittermouth louder.
00:49:40.569 --> 00:49:43.329
It would have to come with a warning, that's for sure. Yeah.
00:49:44.169 --> 00:49:49.689
Yes. So, guys, if someone actually gave you the ring of Nibelung,
00:49:49.789 --> 00:49:52.309
would you use it for world domination or something else?
00:49:52.709 --> 00:49:56.729
I don't know. This past year, I did my first Albaric, and I was kind of like,
00:49:57.329 --> 00:50:00.609
yeah, man, that ring would be good to have.
00:50:02.129 --> 00:50:05.489
I really kind of got a little obsessed with the ring.
00:50:05.869 --> 00:50:10.049
I mean, look, I think that – I must admit, I think it would be difficult for
00:50:10.049 --> 00:50:14.809
me not to go slightly votant on it and be like, okay, where is the list of the people?
00:50:14.829 --> 00:50:20.529
Who had the great misfortune to think that they could stab me in the back. Let's go.
00:50:21.509 --> 00:50:26.389
Check, check, check, check, and check. Karma has bitten you in the quack quack. Let's go.
00:50:26.769 --> 00:50:30.709
So, I mean, that might happen.
00:50:30.989 --> 00:50:35.309
I'd like to think that my better self would prevent it, but let's face it.
00:50:35.409 --> 00:50:38.089
I may be spiritual, but I'm petty AF. So let's go.
00:50:41.349 --> 00:50:46.869
Love it. Look, I'm going to say it's getting on a little bit here,
00:50:47.169 --> 00:50:50.869
and I'm conscious we've been going for a while, and I know Helena has an opening
00:50:50.869 --> 00:50:52.129
night tomorrow night, is that correct?
00:50:53.554 --> 00:50:56.474
Yeah, so Helena's got a happy night tomorrow night. Oh, great.
00:50:56.854 --> 00:51:00.114
So we might throw to our five rapid fire questions.
00:51:00.694 --> 00:51:04.354
Are you guys up for our regular five rapid fire questions? Let's go. Sure.
00:51:04.934 --> 00:51:08.894
Do we answer at the same time or what's the- No, we'll throw to you individually.
00:51:09.034 --> 00:51:13.294
So you might get a little advantage as we throw you because you'll have a moment
00:51:13.294 --> 00:51:14.274
longer to think about it.
00:51:15.114 --> 00:51:21.014
Okay. Brian, I'm going to kick off and I'm going to throw to you with can you juggle? No.
00:51:21.834 --> 00:51:26.154
Okay. Christine, what about you? Can you juggle? How many times in the area
00:51:26.154 --> 00:51:28.974
is considered actually juggling? One cycle and we'll pay it.
00:51:29.514 --> 00:51:31.994
Done. Yes. Hey, fantastic. There we go.
00:51:34.834 --> 00:51:39.754
Christine, have you ever busked and got money for it? I have not.
00:51:40.334 --> 00:51:44.214
I really, really felt like I should have, though. I feel like I have missed
00:51:44.214 --> 00:51:47.154
out on a whole thing. I lived in New York. There were so many subway stations.
00:51:47.554 --> 00:51:49.734
How about you, Brian? No? I see.
00:51:50.774 --> 00:51:54.614
We're dealing with classy Wagnerians, Adam. Oh, no, we're just dealing with
00:51:54.614 --> 00:51:56.654
one that didn't think of it. Otherwise, she would have.
00:51:59.234 --> 00:52:03.514
Okay, Christine, I'm going to throw to you with, if you weren't a performer,
00:52:03.794 --> 00:52:08.074
what job would you love to do? I would love to be a meteorologist.
00:52:08.454 --> 00:52:11.634
Really? I am fascinated by the weather. That's amazing.
00:52:11.954 --> 00:52:15.994
And would you want to do like the full presented on TV as well?
00:52:16.134 --> 00:52:18.894
Or are you just going to stick behind the scenes and predict clouds?
00:52:19.174 --> 00:52:22.354
Oh, my gosh. Would it be funnier than anything to see me giving you the weather?
00:52:22.554 --> 00:52:25.534
Even if I was wrong, hopefully it would be entertaining. It's now all I want.
00:52:25.534 --> 00:52:30.434
No, I love it. I want the opera with you guys together. Albert Herring of opera. That's it. Yeah.
00:52:33.014 --> 00:52:36.754
Brian, how about you? If you weren't a performer, what career would you love to do?
00:52:37.034 --> 00:52:41.214
I don't have a specific career, but I'd want to be outdoors.
00:52:41.614 --> 00:52:48.674
So I see something in forestry. I would have cute hiking boots.
00:52:49.214 --> 00:52:50.934
And short shorts, you know?
00:52:51.762 --> 00:52:56.382
Priorities. I see the outfit. And just start from there.
00:52:56.502 --> 00:52:59.862
That's right. I'm not sure what the job. I mean, hell, now I see the outfit.
00:53:01.182 --> 00:53:03.222
I will never not see the outfit now.
00:53:06.182 --> 00:53:11.622
I don't know what the position is. Actually, Brian, I'm in Adelaide at the moment.
00:53:11.842 --> 00:53:14.842
And one of the things that they have here is called the Adelaide show.
00:53:15.062 --> 00:53:18.522
And they just showed me this clip of how one of the things that people go to
00:53:18.522 --> 00:53:22.862
watch is the woodchoppers and these like big belly men like do wood chopping,
00:53:23.062 --> 00:53:24.082
which I've never seen before.
00:53:24.142 --> 00:53:27.002
So now I have that image of you in that outfit doing wood chopping.
00:53:27.342 --> 00:53:29.822
You've got a second career coming right there. Sorted.
00:53:32.122 --> 00:53:38.662
I did not bring up any wood chopping. I'm innocent of that, but yes. Okay. It was totally me.
00:53:39.022 --> 00:53:41.702
Brian, if you could perform a duet with anyone in the world,
00:53:41.882 --> 00:53:43.262
living or dead, who would it be?
00:53:44.062 --> 00:53:50.162
This is hard. Oh, I don't know. I can't. Oh God.
00:53:50.582 --> 00:53:55.582
I i feel like i'm gonna come off like flippant if like i bring up like debbie
00:53:55.582 --> 00:53:58.522
gibson or i don't know we'd pay debbie gibson.
00:54:00.982 --> 00:54:09.102
Fantastic great choice no i i um yeah no i can't answer this i'm i i i'm yeah
00:54:09.102 --> 00:54:15.622
i'm devastated yeah no this is too hard this is like an impossible yeah debbie
00:54:15.622 --> 00:54:18.202
gibson is acceptable because I'm sorry,
00:54:18.282 --> 00:54:20.542
for me, I won't even think twice.
00:54:20.882 --> 00:54:25.822
It would either be Freddie Mercury, who I think is the finest vocalist of all
00:54:25.822 --> 00:54:29.522
time in any genre. I have never heard anything like that.
00:54:29.882 --> 00:54:33.882
And I don't mean like the Caballet kind of, you know, Barcelona.
00:54:34.222 --> 00:54:38.602
I mean, I was going to say, I want in. I want in in his register.
00:54:38.962 --> 00:54:41.662
I want, you know, Brian May ripping away. I want to go.
00:54:42.522 --> 00:54:47.942
Or I am from Long Island. And I would pee my pants to get to work with Billy Joel just once.
00:54:48.462 --> 00:54:52.982
Yes. Oh, that's so good. Have you ever seen him live? I have seen him live.
00:54:53.282 --> 00:54:59.622
I have to say, at one point, my manager was chasing down his manager right after
00:54:59.622 --> 00:55:02.322
he wrote that great, is it called Fantasies and Delusions?
00:55:02.642 --> 00:55:06.022
Yeah. The album that he wrote for piano that was list-tastic.
00:55:06.262 --> 00:55:09.642
It was like the most amazing thing. He's an astounding musician.
00:55:09.962 --> 00:55:13.162
Oh, right. And I was like, okay, that's it. Game on. Obviously,
00:55:13.362 --> 00:55:14.902
he can live in between these two worlds.
00:55:15.242 --> 00:55:19.842
I'm from Long Island. I want him to write me a song cycle about Long Island
00:55:19.842 --> 00:55:24.502
that can be commissioned by some big place. And we should do it together.
00:55:24.982 --> 00:55:28.262
And they were chasing him down. And they were talking for a little while.
00:55:28.382 --> 00:55:31.462
And then it went away. And I am heartbroken forever and ever. Amen.
00:55:31.662 --> 00:55:35.582
Oh, well, let's just put that out in the universe. It can still happen. We want that to happen.
00:55:36.122 --> 00:55:39.022
Maybe it could still happen. We love that. He's still with us.
00:55:39.062 --> 00:55:43.302
He's apparently doing well. So that's good. Okay. So fifth question we have here. Amazing.
00:55:43.502 --> 00:55:48.142
And Brian, we're going to start with you. If you had to enter every room with
00:55:48.142 --> 00:55:50.762
a personal theme song for the rest of your life,
00:55:51.241 --> 00:55:52.381
What would it be?
00:55:56.241 --> 00:56:00.001
Both your faces were just a picture then, can I just say?
00:56:00.981 --> 00:56:04.281
When you say like theme song, it's hard for me not to think like,
00:56:04.581 --> 00:56:07.501
believe it or not, I'm walking on air.
00:56:09.881 --> 00:56:14.681
That would kind of be like, done. Hello, everyone. I'm here.
00:56:15.081 --> 00:56:17.961
Yeah. But there's just some like phenomenal.
00:56:18.581 --> 00:56:20.921
Actually, you know what it would be? No, this is what it would be.
00:56:21.241 --> 00:56:30.001
It'd be like that opening of the end of Zalameh where it's like, you know,
00:56:30.461 --> 00:56:33.921
that's what I would think. Right. That's an entrance. Excellent.
00:56:36.341 --> 00:56:40.501
Not very subtle is what we're saying. No, no, no, no. We're like,
00:56:40.581 --> 00:56:41.781
oh God, he's here. He's back.
00:56:42.061 --> 00:56:45.361
You keep coming in and out of rooms just for that entrance as well.
00:56:46.241 --> 00:56:47.721
I would. Yes.
00:56:49.981 --> 00:56:52.781
And christine what about you i'm trying to predict what christine's gonna
00:56:52.781 --> 00:56:56.121
say i mean there it has to be like some fabulous
00:56:56.121 --> 00:56:59.221
80s theme song right because i mean they're all ridiculous
00:56:59.221 --> 00:57:02.061
and i mean i i can't help i'm at a certain phase
00:57:02.061 --> 00:57:04.941
of my life now where i'm horrified to know that
00:57:04.941 --> 00:57:07.641
a lot of these ladies are they were younger than i was when this
00:57:07.641 --> 00:57:10.661
started but i feel like it has to be thank you
00:57:10.661 --> 00:57:14.081
for being a friend travel down
00:57:14.081 --> 00:57:19.181
the road and back again you know terrifyingly they were younger than 56 some
00:57:19.181 --> 00:57:26.821
of them so whatever game on but also my it's just 80s fabulous so good my first
00:57:26.821 --> 00:57:31.001
thought with you was one singular sensation.
00:57:33.781 --> 00:57:39.121
Girl you don't want to see me dance ever i have now i have managed to put myself
00:57:39.121 --> 00:57:43.521
in a boot trying to do a minuet in Don Carlo. Don't give me a dancing song.
00:57:44.541 --> 00:57:48.821
Okay. No dancing song. But the text was formidable for you. So, you know. I will accept.
00:57:49.741 --> 00:57:53.701
Oh, goodness. Look, thank you so much. This has been so much fun.
00:57:53.861 --> 00:57:55.421
I've loved everything about this.
00:57:55.701 --> 00:57:59.441
It's been a delight to meet both of you. Thanks so much. Hopefully we'll have
00:57:59.441 --> 00:58:02.121
you back again. Let's continue this conversation another time.
00:58:02.401 --> 00:58:04.501
Yeah. Thanks for coming to play, guys. Always.
00:58:04.901 --> 00:58:07.241
Thanks so much. Absolute pleasure to chat with you all. Thank you.
00:58:07.401 --> 00:58:09.721
Bye. Thank you. Bye. Thanks. Bye.
00:58:15.385 --> 00:58:21.465
Oh, that was so much fun. Such a, such a chaotic, but really interesting chat.
00:58:21.905 --> 00:58:24.665
Team, team Wagner Roonies for the win. Absolutely.
00:58:25.145 --> 00:58:30.785
And also for me, like just on a completely selfish level, it's really awesome
00:58:30.785 --> 00:58:33.625
to reconnect with colleagues like that from around the globe,
00:58:33.625 --> 00:58:37.225
because of course we see each other, but you know, for me, not obviously not
00:58:37.225 --> 00:58:38.245
being an American singer,
00:58:38.785 --> 00:58:42.485
it's, you know, it's, it's rare that I come across these guys and get to sing
00:58:42.485 --> 00:58:43.445
with them and hang out with them.
00:58:43.625 --> 00:58:49.605
So just having them together in a podcast was, I was looking forward to it greatly and for good reason.
00:58:49.765 --> 00:58:53.845
I've got to say, it was like meeting them at a party. This was basically like
00:58:53.845 --> 00:58:56.945
meeting someone at a dinner party and just hanging out and talking.
00:58:57.365 --> 00:59:02.385
And that's great. I really enjoyed that. And I've learned new phrases like spirit
00:59:02.385 --> 00:59:05.745
magic helmet to reference Wagner.
00:59:06.145 --> 00:59:09.865
Every time she said that, and then the one where she was like,
00:59:09.985 --> 00:59:11.845
and miniature spirit, you know, Wagner.
00:59:13.025 --> 00:59:20.045
That actually made me cry with laughter because, you know, I'm an honorary Wagnerian.
00:59:20.125 --> 00:59:22.665
I'm not, you know, not totally in the biz. I've done a little bit of it.
00:59:22.945 --> 00:59:26.585
But just hearing them talk like that and have like little slang terms and everything,
00:59:26.845 --> 00:59:28.465
really, that made me chuckle.
00:59:28.545 --> 00:59:32.845
Not quite as much as it made me chuckle when Christine talked about her kind
00:59:32.845 --> 00:59:35.585
of straight tone beginnings, you know, like singing.
00:59:35.965 --> 00:59:41.465
You know, I was like, Christine Gerke was straight tone. What? That made me chuckle.
00:59:42.104 --> 00:59:47.284
The other thing I really, really loved was Christine talking about staying too
00:59:47.284 --> 00:59:48.424
long in the wrong repertoire.
00:59:48.904 --> 00:59:53.724
That was a revelation to me because we're all told growing up going,
00:59:53.864 --> 00:59:56.764
don't get into it too quickly. Don't get into the big repertoire too early.
00:59:57.064 --> 01:00:01.064
But if that's where your voice is, then just do it. Oh my God.
01:00:01.204 --> 01:00:03.884
It was fascinating. It's such a generational thing too, Adam.
01:00:04.044 --> 01:00:08.144
You know, like, like back in my team, like Maggie Nisbet, who taught me my first
01:00:08.144 --> 01:00:11.764
teacher, you know, she sang her first jiulder in Rigoletto at 17.
01:00:12.244 --> 01:00:15.784
On a big stage. And now you would look at that and go, oh, no,
01:00:15.964 --> 01:00:17.564
this shouldn't be happening, you know, this shouldn't.
01:00:17.964 --> 01:00:21.764
But why have we done that? Like why over time have we made such,
01:00:21.924 --> 01:00:25.364
passed such judgments, as Christine and Brian both said, on the number, you know.
01:00:26.904 --> 01:00:31.544
Rather than on the voice is ready or, you know, it's time for that voice to
01:00:31.544 --> 01:00:34.724
do these things because the voices are all so different.
01:00:34.724 --> 01:00:38.464
And I do think actually quite interestingly, and I'm speaking about Australia here,
01:00:38.524 --> 01:00:42.364
so sorry to people who are not here, but one of the biggest things that I find
01:00:42.364 --> 01:00:46.364
here working with young singers is that the bigger voices are not really catered
01:00:46.364 --> 01:00:49.924
for and they get a bit lost and then they're kind of also a little bit misunderstood
01:00:49.924 --> 01:00:54.024
by the educators here in Australia because people just,
01:00:54.164 --> 01:00:56.364
they get a bit nervous about what to do with those voices.
01:00:56.544 --> 01:01:02.144
So it was just fantastic hearing two of the best voices in that repertoire in
01:01:02.144 --> 01:01:07.584
the world, and they really are, talking openly and liberally about, hey, it's okay.
01:01:07.764 --> 01:01:13.044
When you know it's time, don't hold back just because you think that the numbers
01:01:13.044 --> 01:01:15.644
are wrong. I think that's really incredible advice.
01:01:15.924 --> 01:01:19.964
We should chat to Katrina Waters sometime. She, um, is it her PhD?
01:01:20.372 --> 01:01:23.652
I think it's her PhD that she's done on women with loud voices.
01:01:23.852 --> 01:01:25.692
Wow. And it's super interesting.
01:01:25.992 --> 01:01:32.912
She's got a lot to say about that. And she's had song cycles composed for women with larger voices.
01:01:33.252 --> 01:01:36.692
And yeah, no, we should definitely get her on to chat with. I think so.
01:01:36.852 --> 01:01:42.112
And I think being someone who just recently has taken on quite a few young dramatic
01:01:42.112 --> 01:01:47.352
voices to help guide them into the next steps, I don't count myself in that
01:01:47.352 --> 01:01:48.772
category of the big Vargarine voice.
01:01:48.892 --> 01:01:54.652
That's not who I am. But certainly I've done big repertoire and I can relate to it so much.
01:01:54.752 --> 01:01:57.492
You start off and you think everyone wants you to sing Mozart.
01:01:57.712 --> 01:02:00.332
And then that's the other thing, you know, that we were talking about how,
01:02:00.532 --> 01:02:04.392
you know, the Italians would never start with Mozart in Italy if you were singing,
01:02:04.572 --> 01:02:08.592
everyone would sing Balcanto to start with because it's that old school technique.
01:02:08.592 --> 01:02:10.632
And it's just so funny with these different opinions.
01:02:10.792 --> 01:02:15.232
And as I said, over the generations, how numbers have become even more important.
01:02:15.232 --> 01:02:21.732
And I think, I might be wrong in saying this, but I think in 2025 that the FACH
01:02:21.732 --> 01:02:26.572
system, and yes, I said F-A-C-H in case anyone thinks. Yeah,
01:02:26.632 --> 01:02:28.832
we don't have to quack that one. No ducks, no ducks.
01:02:28.992 --> 01:02:33.392
I feel like it's a bit prehistoric now, which is interesting again. Interesting.
01:02:33.632 --> 01:02:37.892
Definitely specialists, definitely like Wagnerians and for me the Belcanto stuff.
01:02:37.892 --> 01:02:43.792
But still, I think that singers are expected to sing across a lot more variables
01:02:43.792 --> 01:02:47.512
now and not in such a box. It used to be that you really had to be in that box.
01:02:47.752 --> 01:02:53.652
Yeah. And I feel like Wagner singers are some of the only people left who do
01:02:53.652 --> 01:02:56.892
actually sit in a box and do that repertoire for their life,
01:02:56.972 --> 01:02:58.132
which is really interesting.
01:02:58.452 --> 01:03:03.692
Yeah, I get that. I remember someone talking about the volume at which your voice sings.
01:03:03.772 --> 01:03:08.432
Speaks, if that makes sense, so that people who have to, when their voice is
01:03:08.432 --> 01:03:14.092
naturally loud, having to pull back is really unhelpful to them as a musician
01:03:14.092 --> 01:03:15.992
and making beautiful music.
01:03:16.592 --> 01:03:21.232
Whereas, yeah, Wagnerians, their voice naturally speaks louder and therefore
01:03:21.232 --> 01:03:23.812
they're drawn to that Olympian delivery.
01:03:24.012 --> 01:03:27.832
If anyone's ever heard Richard Vigold speak, I mean, that's the prime example.
01:03:27.952 --> 01:03:29.872
Oh my God. Prime example. Richard Vigold.
01:03:30.052 --> 01:03:34.672
I still remember going, I was on tour with him and we went and saw a horror movie together.
01:03:35.092 --> 01:03:39.772
And out of nervousness during this horror movie, he would laugh.
01:03:39.912 --> 01:03:45.592
And there is nothing funnier than sitting next to a bass with the biggest bass
01:03:45.592 --> 01:03:47.192
voice you've ever heard in your life.
01:03:47.532 --> 01:03:49.132
And every time there'd be this,
01:03:49.332 --> 01:03:53.272
everything would get silent in the theater and you'd hear ha ha ha ha.
01:03:53.492 --> 01:03:58.792
And honestly, it was the best comedy I've ever been to for a horror movie. It was so good.
01:03:59.512 --> 01:04:02.592
That's it. field trip next time with Richard just to see a horror movie.
01:04:02.832 --> 01:04:04.612
God, I miss Richard. He's the best.
01:04:04.992 --> 01:04:08.552
We've got to bring him up. We've got to chat with him as well. Him and Abby.
01:04:08.852 --> 01:04:13.032
Yeah. Oh my God. Yeah. They're the best. There was so much in that episode.
01:04:13.192 --> 01:04:16.492
I just, you know, when your mind is spinning, there are so many things that
01:04:16.492 --> 01:04:20.332
were so interesting, you know, talking about the camaraderie of Wagnerians coming
01:04:20.332 --> 01:04:24.372
together because they know how hard it is and the way they look after each other.
01:04:24.512 --> 01:04:27.832
I think it's special because, you know, in the regular space,
01:04:27.912 --> 01:04:31.972
as I said, Most of us are crossing over and working in a lot more kind of,
01:04:32.152 --> 01:04:34.692
you know, it's not just Bel Canto. I'm doing, I'm doing Mozart.
01:04:34.692 --> 01:04:36.472
I'm doing Britain. I'm doing various things.
01:04:37.252 --> 01:04:38.872
Whereas I think that there's probably...
01:04:39.512 --> 01:04:42.392
That more sharing space in the Wagner world because they're
01:04:42.392 --> 01:04:45.552
seeing each other more regularly they're the same names that are getting hired
01:04:45.552 --> 01:04:48.572
yeah to go back and do that and it's like a little family
01:04:48.572 --> 01:04:51.472
that develops it's like a little club yeah no it's if
01:04:51.472 --> 01:04:54.812
it's when you work with a colleague several times you
01:04:54.812 --> 01:04:58.772
get that camaraderie don't you um for me it's a little bit like coming back
01:04:58.772 --> 01:05:03.412
to Melbourne Opera because I work with similar people in that company and and
01:05:03.412 --> 01:05:07.252
there's that lovely camaraderie that builds but I think with Wagner I do think
01:05:07.252 --> 01:05:11.432
it's the only kind of grouping per se that's left that would feel that.
01:05:11.552 --> 01:05:13.412
I'm jealous. That's something really special, actually.
01:05:13.592 --> 01:05:17.732
I also really liked Brian talking about having to get deep into the comprehension
01:05:17.732 --> 01:05:22.132
to be able to memorize it so he can have that proper dialogue on stage.
01:05:22.512 --> 01:05:25.212
As he said, otherwise you'd just stand there and look blank for a while.
01:05:25.372 --> 01:05:30.092
You just have to be- Wait, that's what I've been doing wrong all these years
01:05:30.092 --> 01:05:33.032
in all forms of opera, standing there looking blank.
01:05:33.772 --> 01:05:36.692
I mean, even when I've done German repertoire recently, not so much Wagner,
01:05:36.812 --> 01:05:40.012
but I did a Strauss spectacular with Scottish Opera and, and even that,
01:05:40.112 --> 01:05:45.352
the amount of text I was like, oh my days, but it does keep you so much more
01:05:45.352 --> 01:05:48.352
involved and present and, you know, with every single line.
01:05:48.492 --> 01:05:51.572
So it does have that effect, which, um, as they were saying,
01:05:51.712 --> 01:05:52.892
you know, it does with the Wagner
01:05:52.892 --> 01:05:55.892
as well, because there's just so much to absorb and you have to be on it.
01:05:56.052 --> 01:05:58.912
Otherwise you just get lost really. Oh yeah. Yeah.
01:05:59.372 --> 01:06:03.912
Hey, I'm conscious of the time. I recognize you, you have to run in just a couple
01:06:03.912 --> 01:06:10.292
of minutes. So I'm going to say goodbye and we'll chat to each other next week.
01:06:10.412 --> 01:06:12.852
Next week, it's just us talking together.
01:06:13.712 --> 01:06:15.632
Awesome. That's all you can want for Christmas.
01:06:18.032 --> 01:06:22.552
It's a very early Christmas present. Yeah. Well, we'll see each other next week
01:06:22.552 --> 01:06:26.332
and all of our listeners will hear us next week. Bye. Bye.