Another summer, another adventure. The notion that, after high school, summers morphed into restrictive, work-filled, and un-fun times has not been the case for me. First Italy and now this—I couldn't be happier.
Greetings from Aspen, Colorado!
Actually, I'm living in Snowmass Village, which is about nine miles outside of "downtown" Aspen. I'm staying in a lovely house, sharing a room with a wonderful singer, baker, and person named Jarrod. We've been cooking, cleaning, and shopping together like a veritable married couple. The location is otherworldly; snow-tipped mountains surround, and at night walking in the starlight you wouldn't believe another person existed. Perhaps it's the lack of oxygen at this altitude that makes it feel like everyone is happy and alive, but, if you ask any local when s/he first arrived in Aspen, that person will be able to tell you the date (sometimes the day of the week) of arrival, which says something about the town. It's the mecca of slope junkies, New York CEOs, elite triathletes, thrill chasers, and everything in between.
The first few days here offered many surprises. Here are a few of the notable ones: (1) What everyone has said about high-altitude training is correct
—the first few attempts at running for me were somewhat comical. I ran about a minute off my normal pace and still felt like a bumbling elephant taking a first stab at aerobic training. However, time healed (somewhat) the pain, and now I can get through my four-mile morning run in a semi-respectable time. Accordingly, at this altitude, everyday activities burn 30% more calories, so I shouldn't feel bad. Oh well. (2) I thought that America had dealt with this issue in the Miller High Life commercials (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VGs_rERsQ4), but I'm finding that in Aspen, it's allowable to charge $17.50 for a hamburger. I guess it makes sense when a quick browse through the local house listings reveals the average home value in the area as $4.2 million, but it has been somewhat difficult to navigate for food and drink consumption. My roommate and I find that the half-hour jaunt down valley to the bustling metropolis of El Jebel saves about 30% on the grocery bill. (3) This will segue nicely into the next section of this ramble, but WOW! The caliber of musicians and performers at this program is truly humbling. With students from all over the world and 49 states (sorry New Mexico, better luck next year...), the array of cultures, back stories, and music preferences is astounding. And . . . they are all amazing. Truly.
A typical day (if there exists one here) for me at the Aspen Summer Music Festival entails waking up around 6:30 for my run; I shower, breakfast, make a bag lunch, and catch the bus to Aspen at 8:00; I arrive at the middle school for our classes at nine and either have Shakespeare, Alexander Technique, Movement, Acting, Staging, or some combination of the five—all offering extremely valuable technique and, in the case of Movement class, a damagingly difficult core workout. After class ends around noon, we have a break for lunch, which I usually spend practicing and preparing for the day's rehearsals, coachings, and lessons. The afternoons are spent doing just that, rehearsing for opera scenes, coaching repertoire, and having mind-blowing lessons. After dinner, we have more rehearsal, usually for the main-stage operas. I take the late bus back to Snowmass and fall asleep almost as soon as my head hits the pillow.
However, my first two weeks of the program have been anything but typical. I was fortunate to be cast in the first of five operas the program puts on over the summer, Candide by Leonard Bernstein. It's a brilliant show that deals with issues remarkably prevalent despite the age of its inspiration—Voltaire's satire by the same name was published in 1759. Perhaps more remarkable was the fact that from rehearsal one to opening night (tonight!) we've had a grand total of 13 rehearsals. The show is nearly three hours long. Needless to say, we had an average of about six hours of rehearsal a day on the show. I'm playing a minor role, the King of El Dorado, but I was lucky enough to be considered for the cover of Maximilian, the heady, despotic baron (type-cast??). So, I had my hands full learning the blocking and music for two different roles, whilst being involved in the ensemble in an ensemble-heavy show—it has been quite an experience. Oh, and, in the ensemble, I also play a juggler, a Bavarian army man, a pox-riddled dying man, a Viennese waltzer, an executioner, a sailor, a Spanish aficionado, another sailor, and a Venetian gondolier, all the while in a 18th-Century French clown outfit:
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| You can see me clowning around on the right side of the picture. |
As you can see from the picture, it's a pretty involved show. I feel very lucky to be a part of it and to work with some of the premier directors in current opera theatre.
I suppose that's a good enough start for now to this much anticipated blog, but I will keep everyone posted as the summer progresses.
