Notes for Sunday April 3 + Snow Music Video Info + Church Service Info

Hi all! Big post so here we go:

Snow Music Video Info

Date: Saturday April 2
Time: 9:00am-1:00pm
Location: Micou's Island, French Village NS
Directions: From the Peggy's Cove Rd coming from Tantallon, turn right onto Indian Point Rd (just past 'APD Motorsports'). Continue on Indian Point Rd (as you are going up the hill you will have to veer left to stay on Indian Point. Rd). At the bottom of the hill you will see water on your left - YOU'RE THERE!
Parking: There is very limited roadside parking and since there is a major cleanup scheduled for this weekend on the island, parking may be very limited. Leave some extra time in your schedule to get situated.
Driving Time: Approximately 35-40 minutes from downtown Halifax.
What To Wear: Refer to this blog post. HIGHLY advise wearing rainboots, hiking boots, or winter boots as it will likely rain the day before and you will want to have dry feet.
What to Bring:

• snacks for yourself (please be extremely conscientious of your garbage)
• guitar/uke if you have one (comment on the Facebook post for this blog post so we know who is bringing one - we don't need 15 of them!)
• thermos/mug 

Reminder to update the driving list on the Google Spreadsheet BEFORE SATURDAY.

Any questions or concerns between now and Saturday, text or call Claire at 902-223-7828.

Church Service

Date: Sunday April 3

Time: 9:00 am call, 10:30 am service, should be finished around 11:30 am

Location: Edgewood-Oxford United Church (now called Hope United), 3055 Connaught Ave. Halifax

Repertoire: Kyrie, O Vos Omnes (both from House of Bernarda Alba, no choreography) + Starborn/Birth of Unity and Remember Me (both of these scores will be posted on the Facebook group as well as links to recordings)

Parts: As per our usual 3-part divisi (or whatever Christina instructed you to sing on Sunday); Brianna is singing 1st and Nikki is singing middle

What to Wear: Nice black clothing (your own, not tunic or Xara dress), solid coloured scarf (pashmina)

Notes: We will be running the pieces as well as hymns for the service from 9-10 am. 

Sunday's Rehearsal

12:30 Stool Building

1:15 Physical Warmup

1:25 Vocal Warmup
1:35 El Grito music
1:55 El Grito & A3S3 blocking
2:35 Virita Criosa 5 music
2:50 Virita Criosa 5 & A3S4 blocking
3:40 Break & Costumes
4:00 Run
5:00 Notes 

Anyone who has a Philip's head screwdriver and can be there on Sunday at 12:30 to help assemble Ikea stools, it would be super helpful! Note that El Grito and Virita Criosa 5 must be memorized for Sunday's rehearsal. Reminder that Alto 2s are on snack! If you have costume pieces given to you by Dan for the show, please bring them on Sunday and wear them for the run!

Please note that April 10 is the OFF-BOOK DATE FOR EVERYTHING. Music, spoken text, choreography, transitions - it all must be off-book/memorized/performance ready for that date. We are just over a month away from opening and so we are ready to kick it into high gear!!!!

Rehearsal Notes - March 28

O Vos Omnes - video

Mm 1 - 18 Sitting and singing and looking at Angustias.

Mm 19 - 25 “SI (cut)” - Right hand reach toward Angustias, “DO” left hand grab right hand and “SI (milis)” bring it to your chest (right hand in a fist, left hand flat on top). The action should start when your part begins singing.

Mm 26 - 28 Hands come out as if they are floating on water just lower than boob height

Mm 29 - 31 Wring out the washcloth three times (right hand wrings forward first), your hands will get closer together as you do this action. Lots of tension in your hands.

Mm 32 - 35 Drop your left hand to your left thigh and bring your right hand to your heart. Move when you sing.

Mm 36 - 53 Sitting and singing and looking at Angustias.

54 - End Same actions as Mm 19 - 35, but now that Martirio has entered some of the focus will shift to her.

Virita Criosa 4

Mm 1 - 16 Move to new Gallery positions with purposeful energy

Mm 131 - 136 Look at one another as if you are plotting to intervene in the action.

Mm 137 - 138 Look over your downstage shoulder toward Bernarda (in the balcony)

Mm 139 - 144 Look at one another as if you are plotting to intervene in the action.

Mm 145 - 146 Look over your downstage shoulder toward Bernarda (in the balcony)

Mm 147 - 150 Watch the Servant enter and watch the movement score that occurs

Mm 151 - 154 Gallery slowly stand up starting with upstage chairs.

Mm 155 - 159 Adela enters. Lean upstage, hands on the shoulder of the person next to you, starting with people who are furthest upstage. Fade away on the last note.

 

Notes for Monday March 28

Hi everyone!

We hope you all have a wonderful long weekend! Reminder that rehearsal is MONDAY MARCH 28 from 6-9pm at St. Matthew's.

Monday March 28

6:00 Physical Warmup
6:10 Vocal Warmup
6:20 O Vos Omnes Music
6:30 O Vos Omnes Blocking
7:00 Virita Criosa 4 Music
7:15 A3S2 + Virita Criosa 4 Blocking
8:05 Break + Tickets for March 31 Fundraiser
8:20 April 3 Repertoire

Memorization Schedule

We have decided to alter the memorization schedule slightly for the next couple of weeks. For this coming Monday, you only need to have Virita Criosa 4 memorized. We are also expecting O Vos Omnes to be super solid on Monday since there was still quite a bit of memory work left after this past Sunday. El Grito has been pushed until April 3 for memorization. 

April 3 Repertoire

We will be singing Kyrie and O Vos Omnes + two other easy pieces from our library on April 3. Reminder that the church service is at Edgewood-Oxford United Church (the church where we decorated the wreaths!)

Upcoming Dates

Monday March 28, 6-9 pm Easter Monday Rehearsal

Thursday March 31, 8 pm Board Room Cafe Fundraiser

Saturday April 2, 9:30am-2pm Snow Music Video Shoot

Sunday April 3, morning, Church Service at Edgewood-Oxford United Church

Sunday April 3, 1:15-5:30 pm, Regular Xara Rehearsal

Fundraising

Tenille will have tickets for you on Monday for our Board Room Cafe fundraiser. Reminder to reserve how many spots you need by filling out this spreadsheet!

Alba Transitions & Start Pitches

Miserere - opening pitch set off stage

Bells Transition - low A pitched by altos from their final note in Miserere (four bongs); pause after first four bongs; bell cluster (D, C, A)

Kyrie - D taken from the D in the bell cluster

O Frondens Virga - carry over D from Kyrie

Virita Criosa 1 - carry over D from O Frondens Virga

La Luna Asoma - pitch whole tone up from D of the last three pieces

Virita Criosa 1 (Repeat) - pitch D down a whole tone from the Alto's last note in LLA

Las Amarillas - pitched by solo (Georgia, with tuning fork)

Cancion de jinete - pitched by solo (Nikki, with tuning fork)

Bells - Four low G# bongs (taken from Sara's last solo note in Cancion)

Virita Criosa 2 - D spread by Nikki using tuning fork at "Why did you call me?" (Amelia)

Virita Criosa 3 - D taken from VC2

Corazon de espinas - Ominous soundscape under Servant's and Poncia's last lines (begin with Altos on low E - taken from tuning fork by ?? - add A1 sliding motive ; add S2 chords; add S1 chords and disonance; add "espinas" whispers)

O Vos Omnes - pitch taken from S2 final note of Corazon

Virita Criosa 4 - lower the final S2 note in OVO by 1 semitone

El Grito - same pitch as the last note of VC4

Virita Criosa 5 - D spreads (Nikki) + rapid crescendo under BERNARDA: Behave! Behave! Quiet! If only I ad a thunderbolt between my fingers! MARTIRIO: She was with him! Look at her petticoat, full of straw!

Notes for Sunday March 20

Hi everyone!

Thanks for your great work on Sunday! It's exciting to see the show coming together, with each element getting stronger each week! We are thrilled with the pace - let's keep it up!

Here's the plan for Sunday:

1:15 By call: Angustias team and Adela team
1:45 Physical Warm Up - FULL COMPANY ARRIVES
1:55 Vocal Warm Up
2:05 A2S4 blocking
2:20 Corazon music
2:40 Corazon blocking
3:30 BREAK
3:45 Fund Raising Update
4:00 O Vos Omnes music
4:20 A3S1 & O Vos Omnes blocking
5:05 Music for April 3 Church Service

Reminder that Corazon de espinas and O Vos Omnes are to memorized for Sunday. Reminder that we are now doing O Vos Omes a semitone down. Reminder that sop 2s are on snack!

Memorization

All speaking roles should have Act 2 text memorized for Monday, March 28 and Act 3 text memorized for Sunday, April 10.

Virita Criosa 2 & 3 Choreography Guides

Here is the link to the choreography guides for VC 2 & 3!

Notes for Sunday March 13

Hi everyone,

Great work on Sunday!! We are looking forward to making more and more progress each week! :)

Note that for this week, you do not have to have any new pieces memorized. However, we expect all pieces of music/blocking that we have already worked on to be memorized and performance ready. This includes everything up to the end of Virita Criosa 3 (Act 2, Scene 4). Note that for all speaking roles, we are expecting all text/blocking for Act 1 to be memorized for Sunday.

Here's the plan:

1:15 Physical Warm up
1:25 Vocal Warm up
1:35 Music Fixes
3:15 Break
3:30 Blocking Fixes
4:30 Run
5:15 Debrief + Notes

Dan will also be present on Sunday to do costume fittings. Please review his notes on the Facebook page and bring in any requested items for him to work with on Sunday. 

Small Music Tweaks

Christina has made a couple of tweaks to some music items for The House of Bernarda Alba:

• The first two bars of Las Amarillas will be a solo - Christina will audition for this on Sunday during rehearsal
• The first two bars of Cancion de jinete will be a solo - Christina will audition for this on Sunday during rehearsal
• In order to keep the key relationships happy, we will be singing O Vos Omnes down a semi-tone (now in B minor)

Future Dates

Just a reminder that there is no rehearsal on Sunday, March 27 since it is Easter weekend. Rehearsal will be Monday, March 28 from 6-9 pm.

In addition, please make sure the April 3 church service performance at Edgewood-Oxford United is in your calendars.

Auditions

We have set an audition date for the 2016-17 season for new singers. If you know anyone who may be interested in auditioning, please get them to email us at info@xara.ca. We are auditioning for all voice parts. Auditions will be Tuesday April 12. Tenille will be sharing on social media in the coming weeks, so please make sure to share and retweet once it's out to the public! 

Rehearsal Notes March 6

End of Cancion de jinete

During the scene following Cancion de jinete :

Gallery holds relaxed watching position after Poncia says “dressed in sequins.” Shift energy inward, more interest in what is being said.

Adela: “They are forgiven everything” - Sit back

Amelia: “To be born a woman is the greatest punishment” - Look at one another

Magdalena: “Even our eyes aren’t our own” - Look down

Poncia: “They are turning the corner” - Look straight ahead

Martirio: “No, I’ve heard it other nights” - look at each other

Martirio: “Amelia” - lean forward

Virita Criosa 2 - Video

Mm 1 - 16 Angustias slowly enters (“Where is my photo of Pepe?”). Gallery stands, beginning with the people who are farthest upstage. Direct energy toward the centre of the stage.

Mm 41 - 56 Poncia, Magdalena & Adela enter. Gallery drift to three groups.  

group 1 (Stage Right) : Kallie, Carolyn, Georgia, Leah, Brianna, Rachael

group 2 (upstage centre) : Mackenzie, Paige, Grace, Sydney, Nikki, Joanna

group 3 (Stage Left) : Tenille, Jordyn, Julia, Sara, Talisa, Krystal

Mm 57 - 60 Gallery lean in toward each other, curious about what is happening.

Mm 61 - 72 Bernarda appears behind the screen. Middle group of Gallery split in the centre and join the other two groups. Bernarda choreo. Gallery’s reaction is fearful, holding on to one another.

Mm 73 - 88 Poncia enters with the photo. Bernarda hits Martirio with her stick. Every two measures, starting with measure 73 (then 75, then 77) Gallery makes one move at a time to form a blockade in front of the sisters. There will be 8 moves in total. Look at Bernarda as you move.

Remain where you are for Bernarda’s rant.

Virita Criosa 3 - Video

Mm 9 - 16 (hummed, piano) Move to formation

Mm 89 - 90 Slowly turn heads to look upstage

Mm 91 - 92 Slowly turn heads to look downstage

Mm 93 - 94 Slowly turn heads to look upstage

Mm 95 - 98 Slowly turn back to face centre

Mm 99 - Stillness

100 - 101 Slowly turn to face upstage, connect physically with the people on either side (domino effect starting with Carolyn, Grace & Jessica)

102 - Return to facing centre, drop hands

Mm 103 - 128 Repetitive movement for Altos (begins with a sympathetic feeling, but over the course of the section you lose your empathy for Bernarda) Sopranos shift movements three or four times in the section

Mm 129 - 130 All movement stop, shift gaze to look at Poncia. Keep Christina in your peripheral vision for the cut off.

Date for Music Video Shoot *Updated March 17

Hi everyone,

**UPDATED MARCH 17** Due to projected cold temperatures on Saturday March 19 we will be RESCHEDULING the Snow music video shoot to SATURDAY APRIL 2 from approximately 9:30am-2pm.

Please edit your response in the spreadsheet to let us know if you are able to make the rescheduled day. And cross your fingers and hope for a warm April 2!

Shoot will be daytime only (no evening). The dates are now in the Google Calendar.

Many further details will be forthcoming in terms of location (up to 30 minutes outside the city, TBD), clothing, makeup etc. We just want you to get these dates in your calendars now so you can book it off.

UPDATE MAR 9: Info re: **what to wear** & **makeup**

• We will be outside, so outerwear is key! If it's a cold day, coats/jackets may be needed. If it's warmer, thick sweaters/layers work! Ultimately you're going to be outside for most of the day so you need to be warm.
• The look is "cozy camping trip" - heavy focus on layers, knit sweaters, ponchos, big scarves, knit hats, boots etc
• Focus on natural, earth tone colours (brown, grey, green, blue, etc)
• Here's what on the **do not wear** list: no sporty jackets, sneakers, athletic wear, or anything with a logo
• Ultimately you should wear something that represents YOU!
• Any doubts questions, bring it in to rehearsal or send Claire a pic for confirmation (you can text me at 902-223-7828)

A couple sample images:

Makeup should be "everyday" in look - you want to look nice and polished, but nothing extreme. Basic foundation, blush, mascara, lip gloss etc.