A View from the Crowd: Life in the BLO Chorus

Dana Schnitzer's third of four installments for "A View from the Crowd"

Backstage at BLO

 "It has been exciting to move into the Schubert Theatre for tech and dress rehearsals. I always forget just how fun it is feeling a production come closer and closer to opening. Of course, we now face the issue of re-spacing ourselves, and getting used to the set and wings, but so far it has been quite stress-free. The only real challenge for the chorus is the scene where we renounce Butterfly and have to BACK off the stage without looking behind us, contending with a step and a specific doorway exit!

Backstage at BLO

Listening to and watching Yunah Lee sing through the role of Butterfly the other night has inspired these thoughts: you simply can't thrive in this career unless your technique is rock solid, enabling you to move and act while simultaneously achieving a consistent, beautiful and most importantly HEALTHY tone throughout the entire opera. Opera-singer-hopefuls are quick to blame others; the business and its politics, the soprano with "more connections", the accompanist in their audition... when in reality, once you have achieved the most perfect technique, the way will be paved for you. Otherwise, you frankly have no business being up there in front of thousands of people singing lead roles. Yunah sings the entire (VERY demanding) role without fatigue or a hint of strain. She is truly an inspiration!

Unfortunately the chorus and orchestra lost a day of rehearsal to Hurricane Sandy, but we are not distressed. We are ready to put our best foot (vocal cord?) forward at the open dress rehearsal on Wednesday 10/31. The orchestra, principals and chorus sound amazing, and the behind-the-scenes folks are absolute pros. I will write my blog of final thoughts once we have closed... in the meantime, please come see the show! It is not to be missed!" - Dana Schnitzer