Thank you for such a great rehearsal on Sunday - it felt so amazing to finally run the whole show! We are really looking forward to continuing to refine and shape this beautiful story.
We wanted to update you with some notes following the run so you know what to work on over the next week and a half. We went over some of these on Sunday but we thought it would be helpful to have them written out here.
Music:
- V'la l'bon vent (VBV): phrase clipping is still a major issue!!
- VBV: pronunciation of "vent" should not be the same as "bon". The vent vowel is too dark right now and sounds like we're saying "vont"
- I Lie: it's critical that EVERYONE knows the key words in each phrase during the slow section (vs 3) and that you pace your slight crescendos, decrescendos, and stagger breathing accordingly. It's the only thing that will make that section work!!
- I Lie: Sopranos, you need to know key words for each phrase in all the verses that you sing dotted half notes. Also, keep working at lifting the pitches as you sing - particularly Es and Gs.
- Day Dawn: All parts - diction (treasure each word and be as expressive as possible)!! Also, Sop1s please review your line at mm.53-56 - there are still wrong notes happening.
- Heaven Will Rise: vowel on "rise" (anytime you say that word) needs more space. Get the key changes locked so you can hear the whole choir in your head and know exactly how your note needs to be sung to establish each new key. If you're not a pianist then use the recording. Can't emphasize that enough.
- Uraren - Fast Sections: really work at breath pacing so you doing clip phrases or lose the core in your sound as you do your stage crosses
- Uraren - Slow Section: work on pacing the crescendo in your body. This can't be accomplished by quickly singing it through or singing quietly. Find somewhere to practice where you can do this section (with movement) in time and with your full voice so your body can get used to making that crescendo happen steadily and gorgeously! This is not something that you can depend on Sundays to lock in - it's something your body has to innately know how to do.
Blocking:
- at the top of the show, everyone's eyeline should be focused up and out (at the bottom of the St Matt's balcony)
- you can react to the headlines as they are being read (see Erin's excellent notes in the previous blog post)
- please practice going from sitting to standing and vice versa with a long skirt on!
- V'la l'bon vent
- please check your cue to stand up for the first time (mm 11)
- Shila - a little bit slower getting to the front during the transition between V'la and I lie - Tenille should be the centre of focus until the end of her line
- I lie
- review/drill the slow section for choreography
- verse 4 - review the emotional journey of this verse: mm 87-90, as you're drifting back, you think you've lost him...then mm 91-102 there is a sense of hopefulness as you move forward, you see him!...mm 103-end, a sense of melancholy as you realize he is gone
- Mackenzie - say your line to the audience without moving - you can move to your spot once you've finished your line
- Tejas - cross to SL sooner so you're there for your line
- Heaven Will Rise
- Zoe/Shila need to angle yourselves more to be in line with the train (will help when we all have suitcases!)
- review/drill the choreography mm 76-100 (tip: the action changes when the chord changes)
- Zoe/Shila remember you are first off the train at mm 121 - go right away
- Uraren
- review/drill opening choreography mm 1-11 (each action starts at the beginning of the soloist's 2-bar phrase)
- review/drill the timing for the "three steps back" action (mm 18-19 & mm 57-58)
- end of the slow section - your hand comes down on mm 48, beat 1
- last measure when your hands come up - smile!!
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