Thursday, August 30, 2018
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Bats? Butterflies?
Join us for Puccini's heartbreakingly beautiful Madama Butterfly, and for Die Fledermaus, the giddy Viennese comic confection by waltz king Johann Strauss. Fledermaus (the title might best be translated as "Going Batty!") will be sung in English, and Butterfly in Italian with English supertitles.
Madama Butterfly
Feb 16, 19, 25, March 2 & 5 at 7:30 pm
Also Feb 27 at 2 pm.
Die Fledermaus
Feb 18, 23, 26, March 4 at 7:30 pm.
Also Feb 20 & March 6 at 2 pm.
All performances at Bickford Centre Theatre, 777 Bloor St. West, Toronto, ON M6G 1L5 (Christie subway station)
Click here for map
Tickets: Adults: $25 / Students and seniors: $15 (tickets are good for any of the performances - you can pick your date at any time after purchasing!)
Order tickets: directly from Miriam (416-477-7461 / www.MiriamTikotin.com / contact@MiriamTikotin.com) or 416-978-8849 or www.uofttix.ca
Additional info: www.toronto-opera.com
My inspiration for this performance (Fledermaus) comes from the wonderful cast and from this incredible recording / DVD, with amazing singers-actors. This recording made me a hug fan of the wonderful Carlos Kleiber
Johann Strauss: Die Fledermaus
To get a good taste of this glorious music of Johann Strauss and of Kleiber - you can watch Die Fledermaus Overture on youtube. Guaranteed to uplift your soul and bring sunshine into your darkest days!
Interesting that he (Strauss) chose to put ensemble music only in the overtures and not arias. There are not many arias, but it makes sense... The ensemble music moves the plot along and is reponsible for all the mood changes: fake melodramatic farewell, party, zest, mischief, glorious waltz music and more...
Fledermaus cast:
Rosalinda: Jacqueline McIntyre (Feb 20, 23, March 4) / Tetyana Shkymba (Feb 18, Feb 26, March 6)
Adele: Angela DiSerio (Feb 18, Feb 23, March 6) / Miriam Tikotin (Feb 20, Feb 26, March 4)
Eisenstein: Jay Lambie
Alfred: William Parker
Dr. Blind: William Parker
Dr. Falke: Beatrice Carpino
Frank: Gerald Hannon (Feb 18, Feb 26, March 6) / Giovanni Minardi (Feb 20, Feb 23, March 4)
Sally: Kathleen McBride (Feb 18, Feb 26, March 6) / Lynne Shuttleworth (Feb 20, Feb 23, March 4)
Frosch: David Roche
Orlofsky: Elizabeth McLeod (Feb 18, Feb 26, March 6) / Renee Sekula (Feb 20, Feb 23, March 4)
Chorus: Don Ballanger, Larry Blas, Alicia I. Bulwik, Elaine Chak, Silvia Croci, Angela Di Serio, Sergio Emer, Carol Fox, Carrie Gray, Gerald Hannon, Susan Hyttenrauch, Heather Jamieson, Youngran Jo, Karen Johnston, Maria Lee, Vivien Mann, James Matthews, Kathleen McBride, Jacqueline McIntyre, Elizabeth McLeod, Soonhae Park, William Parker, Peter Price, Jennifer Rasor, William Redelmeier, Robert Rimsay, M.Renée Sekula, Tetyana Shkymba, Lynne Shuttleworth, Ana Smiljanic, Henry Tang, Sandra Tang, Miriam Tikotin, Tiffany Tobias, Elsie Wawrzkiewicz, Kathy Wert, Sybil Wilkinson, Monika Zagorska, Patriziya Zlateva
Director: Beatrice Carpino
Conductor: Adolfo De Santis
Pianist: Rina KimHyewon
Rehearsal Pianist: Rina KimHyewon
Stage Manager: Kelsey Rae
Assistant Stage Managers: Christie Kidd
Make-up Artist: Beatrice Carpino
Lighting Design: Chris Humphrey
Stage Crew: Robert Balogh, Gabriel Graziano
Set Design: Giuseppe Macina
Butterfly cast:
Cio-Cio San (Butterfly): Carrie Gray (Feb 25, March 2, March 5) / Jennifer Rasor (Feb 16, 19, 27)
Suzuki: Elizabeth McLeod
Pinkerton: Jay Lambie
Sharpless: Gerald Hannon
Goro: William Parker
Prince Yamadori: Giovanni Minardi
Bonze: Robert Maxwell
Imperial Commissioner: Giovanni Minardi
Kate Pinkerton: Kathleen McBride (Feb 19, Feb 27, March 2) / Lynne Shuttleworth (Feb 16, Feb 25, Mar 5)
Trouble: Alexzander Stinson
Chorus: Don Ballanger, Larry Blas, Alicia I. Bulwik, Elaine Chak, Silvia Croci, Angela Di Serio, Sergio Emer, Carrie Gray, Bradley Hoover, Susan Hyttenrauch, Karen Johnston, Maria Lee, James Matthews, Rob Maxwell, Kathleen McBride, Jacqueline McIntyre, Soonhae Park, Peter Price, Jennifer Rasor, William Redelmeier, Robert Rimsay, M.Renée Sekula, Tetyana Shkymba, Ana Smiljanic, Henry Tang, Sandra Tang, Miriam Tikotin, Elsie Wawrzkiewicz, Kathy Wert, Monika Zagorska, Patriziya Zlateva
Director: Giuseppe Macina
Conductor: Adolfo De Santis
Pianist: Rina KimHyewon
Rehearsal Pianist: Rina KimHyewon
Stage Manager: Kelsey Rae
Assistant Stage Managers: Christie Kidd
Supertitles: Gerald Hannon
Make-up Artist: Beatrice Carpino
Lighting Design: Chris Humphrey
Lighting Board: Chris Lea
Stage Crew: Robert Balogh, Gabriel Graziano
Set Design: Giuseppe Macina
Supertitles Operator: Barbara Thomson
Sunday, September 26, 2010
French Recital - Saturday October 2nd 2010, 6 PM
- Miriam Tikotin, Soprano
- Ester Landreville, Piano
Works by Machaut, Hahn, Gounod, Chausson, Fauré, Debussy, Satie, Monnot (Piaf) and more.
Saturday, October 2nd 2010, 6 PM
$8 advance; $14 door
Bloor Street United Church
300 Bloor St. West, Toronto
(between St. George and Spadina Subway Stations)
Click here for detailed programme, full texts and translations. You can print or purchase programme at the concert to cover printing costs (limited number of programmes will be available).
Contact to order your tickets in advance.
Click here to view the event on Facebook.
Among ticket buyers an exclusive hand-made piece of Silver Ponds jewellery by Y. Stern will be drawn!
(when joining our mailing list)
Sponsored by Y. Stern Jewelry & Judaica Designer:
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The Voice Capabilities
The human voice has such a wide range of capabilities. Some say that if a person can mimic the sounds of all animals - they can sing ANYTHING (I have the cow, sheep and fish more or less under control, so I'm on my way!).
I'd like to share with you a few examples of singers and composers who extended the conservative definition of vocal production.
First - the lovely Cathy Berberian who composed and performed Stripsody.
If you can't view the video, click here.
(and thanks to Rony Weiser who sang it recently and reminded me of this wonderful singer!)
There are other interesting interpretations, for example view Diana Gamet; she also explains nicely about the piece before singing it.
The range and variety of sounds produced by Yma Sumac:
If you can't view the video, click here.
Another interesting piece that shows her exceptional vocal range and colors (but not so many "special effects" of the voice) can be found here. I wonder what would have happened had she became a classical singer - which fach category would she fall into...
An interesting study has been done by composer Michael Edward Edgerton. I wouldn't try those effects without close guidance of someone who knows what they are doing, as I think some of the vocal effects could be imitated in a way that may cause vocal damage. The composer assured me that:
"...this piece is the result of very focused training - so the parts that have the loud aggressive tones are produced through high air flow with a very relaxed glottis. So, in this case, there is no damage being done to the system. If the singer starts to apply excessive tension, then problems will begin to appear..."
If you can't view the video, click here.
Overtone singing, sometimes called "throat singing" is a method when a singer sings quite low in his/her range, usually on one pitch, and then a very high whistle-like unrelated melody is created simultaneously. At first I did not believe it is possible, until I heard the breath and how both "voices" stopped at the exact same moment. Click here to view a video demonstrating the different techniques of overtone singing (nose, upper jaw, chest, etc.)
It is easier to hear the overtones in the following video:
If you can't view the video, click here.
Here is an explanation on how to "throat sing". I didn't really try it, but if you are curious - you can try. I do not know if it harms the vocal chords or not - so proceed with caution!
Screaming?
I don't like it. At all. And even though I would not encourage anyone to go and scream - it would not be right to not include that kind of possibility of voice production in this post. I do find Melissa Cross interesting. She's a vocal instructor who specializes in teaching "screaming". And maybe, just maybe, this could be done without damage. I like her because of her energy and passion, because her own voice sounds clear and healthy (at least when she speaks), because they say about her that she "screams" softly, which probably means less or no damage. I am not too impressed with many of her students' vocal production, but they may have been worse before they came to her...
If you can't view the video, click here.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Vibration, Resonance and Bi-Noises by Lamperti
From Vocal Wisdom:
Maxims of Giovanni Battista Lamperti
Vibration, Resonance and Bi-Noises
Always remember that what "goes on" above the throat are illusions no matter how real they may feel and sound.
At the same time, observe that these illusions of the senses of touch and hearing are the only proofs that the throat is functioning normally and efficiently.
The more evident the sensation of resonance in the cavities of head and mouth, the better the "placement" of voice.
The more ringing the sound of vibration in the bones of head and mouth, the better the production of tone.
Both resonance and vibration must finally "take possession" of the cavities and bones of head, mouth (and in low tones the chest) and be permanently resident there.
Many times the bi-noises of the voice are inevitable.
Those caused by phlegm, emphasis, emotional effects, declamatory exclamations, aspirated emission, exaggerated pronunciation, etc., should not prevent the vibration and resonance of the voice from filling head and mouth and in low tones the chest.
Bi-noises do not "carry" and are unnoticed by an audience, if the succeeding resonance is rich and the following vibration ringing.
Vibration and resonance can cover a multitude of noises.
If preparing to sing does not straighten you up like a soldier, some essential part of your anatomy is not taking part.
While objectivity predominates, this feeling begins at the feet.
When subjectivity rules it commences in the head.
Giovanni Battista Lamperti was an Italian singing teacher and son of the singing teacher Francesco Lamperti. Free scores by Giovanni Battista Lamperti can be found in the International Music Score Library Project or you can purchase them online here.
Singing in Company
Watch this hilarious video of what NOT to do when singing in company (or solo). Unfortunately it is so true...
If you can't view the video, click here.
This ensemble, I Fagiolini, is a great inspiration for me (I saw them live). Not because of their musicality and technique (which are great) but for their inventive and creative ability. There are many ensembles who can sing this music, each with their own interpretation, but they go a step further and aim to create an experience which goes beyond music. They find innovative ways to make their music more meaningful using different means of arts and technology; for example drama or sound engineering. Yes, they can be viewed as plain gimmicks, but I think those "gimmicks" allow the audience to view the old pieces in a new light which is more relevant to their current life.
Purists may claim that those "gimmicks" are there to "cover up" for an inability to pass the message of the composer (and poet) in a more abstract way. Others may say that some pieces have been performed so many times that one has to pour new meaning into them or they will forever be compared to that one perfect recording done in 1954 by X. What do you think is the role of the performer (other than get attention, dress nicely and have notorious temper tantrums)? Comments are welcome!
Back to School (back to flu and colds!)
So, we're back to school.
And we're back to flu and cold season.
And with it we become frustrated, scared, and very very annoyed.
These are tips based on my own experience and I have no training whatsoever in this field. So if you follow this advice and do damage to yourself - do not even attempt to sue me. You will face a dreadful bad luck (unless of course you forward a lot of chain letters including this newsletter to everyone on your mailing list and do a hula hoop dance in the rain for 23 seconds while wearing an orange hat).
Always use good judgment and check with your doctor or certified herbalist or reliable sources before you decide to take or not take any medication or action or herb or natural remedies. Bla bla bla...
Click here to read the best advise for singers that I found so far written by Dr. Francoise P. Chagnon, FRCS. It was written on 1997, things may have changed since then. Some of the information is not very comforting, but it is the truth.
Some information about colds and other vocal health issues is available here. I love licorice and it works wonderful for me - but it doesn't work for everyone and may not be healthy for you.
If you are a natural-remedies freak - you may like the blog Superior Vocal Health written by David Aaron Katz, singer, nutritional consultant, Herbalist and Reiki practitioner.
Take care and remember to cherish the days that you are vocally healthy - and practice :-)
Would love to hear what works for you (and what doesn't) - you're welcome to leave comments!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Students' Concert / Open Lesson
Next student concert / open lesson: Saturday, April 3rd - location and exact hour to be determined. Fee: $20. To register, click here.
Sorry about the picture, got carried away by the influence of Django Bates and The Shaggs...
Spring (already?!)
Well, it's March, and the weather's good. Yes, they all say it will be cold again, but let's enjoy it while it last (and let me imagine that it's the beginning of Spring!). This is the season to celebrate the rebirth of nature with romantic Lieder about the trees, and a mélodie involving poetic (=incomprehensible) text about the birds.
Sch (r) shh br (t)
A couple of a weeks ago we had a musical evening / party: Philosophy with Schubert/Sherbet and I had the pleasure of adding more shhh bb rr and t, by singing Schubert's songs to texts by Schober and by Schubart. While I was never too impressed with Schober, I did become intrigued with Schubart, a poet and composer who seems to have had a very colourful personality (and a big mouth). Then, the following day, in one of those great "coincidences" of life, I just came across this beautifully inspiring quote of his, who summarized the introduction of Max Spicker to Franz Abt's Practical Singing Tutor, Op. 474:
...and will close our preface with Schubart's glorious tribute to song: "Song is indisputably the first Article in the whole art of music, the axis around which revolves all that is called melody, modulation and harmony. All instruments are mere imitations of the singing voice. Song sits as a king upon his throne, while round about all the instruments bow as vassals. The human voice is in the nature of things the primitive tone, all other voices in the world being but a distant echo of this divine first voice. The human throat is the first, purest, and most admirable instrument of Creation!"
Just don't mention it to the pianist...
If you can't view the video, click here.
"Die Forelle" (score and additional information available here)
Text: Schubart
Music: Schubert
Piano: Julius Drake
Voice: Ian Bostridge
Free score of Practical Singing Tutor, Op. 474 by Franz Abt (what kind of a name is Abt anyhow?) is available in the International Music Score Library Project, where you can read the rest of the introduction (quite inspiring and informative) and get more ideas for healthy vocal exercises, or purchase it online here.
Would love to hear what works for you or what doesn't. Please leave your comments below!
Django Bates (Interval Song)
Continuing with colourful characters to suit the beautiful spring: while thinking and searching for creative ways to learn intervals I came across this Interval Song by Django Bates from his CD You Live And Learn... (Apparently)
If you can't view the video, click here.
I love it. Yes, it is very annoying, but at the same time so catchy and so much fun. And yes, if you like it - it means you're a music nerd. But you're in good company, because so is Django Bates, who reminds me a bit of the 21st century version of John Cage ("I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones." ~John Cage). Get inspired by Django Bates Quotes, by his biography on his website by Django Bates's Music
And to balance the previous quote by Schubart:
"Being a musician is incompatible with self-importance because it is surreal in itself. Selling vibrations in the air. What's more surreal than that?" ~Django Bates.
Free ear training tools for are available here.
Expanding the Definition of Music
Going another step further... Listen, if you can, to this song: Who Are Parents by The Shaggs. OK, this is not an example of good vocal technique, but... Is this art? Just because it is original and creative? Is this music or is it not? What IS music? You can vote in this online poll.
If you can't view the video, click here.
Some quotes - may help you shape your opinion:
- "Music, even in situations of the greatest horror, should never be painful to the ear but should flatter and charm it, and thereby always remain music." ~Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- "When music fails to agree to the ear, to soothe the ear and the heart and the senses, then it has missed the point." ~Maria Callas
- "The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason." ~John Cage (then again, many people consider him more an inventor than composer/musician)
- "If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all." ~John Cage
- "At Bloomington, Indiana, I was invited to listen to music written in quarter tones for four harps and voices. I had to go out to be sick." ~Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
- Shostakovich: "What do you think of Puccini?"
Britten: "I think his operas are dreadful."
Shostakovich: "No, Ben, you are wrong. He wrote marvellous operas, but dreadful music." - "Wagner has lovely moments but awful quarters of an hour." ~Gioacchino Rossini
- "I have been told that Wagner's music is better than it sounds." ~Mark Twain
- "Not until the turn of the century did the outlines of the new world discovered in Tristan begin to take shape. Music reacted to it as a human body to an injected serum, which it at first strives to exclude as a poison, and only afterwards learns to accept as necessary and even wholesome." ~Paul Hindemith
- "The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul." ~Johann Sebastian Bach
- (About Bach) "Too much counterpoint; what is worse, Protestant counterpoint." ~Thomas Beecham
- Composers should write tunes that chauffeurs and errand boys can whistle. ~Thomas Beecham
- Movie music is noise... even more painful than my sciatica. ~Thomas Beecham
- Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and leaves the memory with difficulty. Magical music never leaves the memory. ~Thomas Beecham
- "My idea is that there is music in the air, music all around us; the world is full of it, and you simply take as much as you require." ~Edward Elgar
- "Music rots when it gets too far from the dance. Poetry atrophies when it gets too far from music." ~Ezra Pound
- "The Irish gave the bagpipes to the Scots as a joke, but the Scots haven't got the joke yet." ~Oliver Herford
- "Most people use music as a couch; they want to be pillowed on it, relaxed and consoled for the stress of daily living. But serious music was never meant to be soporific." ~Aaron Copland
Tickle of Tone or "Voice Placing" by Lamperti
From Vocal Wisdom:
Maxims of Giovanni Battista Lamperti
Tickle of Tone
If the sensations (tickle) of the resonance against the mucuous membrane of nose, pharynx and mouth disappear, the mutual relation between voice and breath are broken.
These sensations must last from syllable to syllable, word to word and even phrase to phrase.
In fact, they seem to be ever present.
This is "voice placing."
If they predominate in the back part of the mouth and throat, hold the "cupped" hand over nose and mouth and feel the "tickle" on the palm of the hand as well as at bridge of nose, and in roof of mouth. This intensifies "singing in the mask."
The voice is an illusion of the two senses, touch and hearing.
Tickle of tonal vibrations and sensations of muscular energies unite only when emotion controls.
When these illusions and energies are continuous and intense, you are a great artist.
The ear is true only through team-word of thought and imagination.
Objective study is by thought through imagination to emotion.
Subjective control reverses this, when emotion arouses imagination which uses thought.
Until there is "consanguinity" in consonants, you cannot sing.
Until there is relationship between vowels, you cannot sing.
Until the mathematical accordance of two or more tones obtains, you are singing falsely.
Pure tone is a "magic carpet" that lifts us and carries us through the realm of sound.
The throat does not furnish the power of the voice, it only decides the pitch and quality of the tone.
The diaphragm does not furnish the energy to sing, it only controls the use of the same.
Throat and diaphragm are inseparable in their action, and silent or singing are always functioning - never relaxed, nor ever rigid.
Imagination cannot pilot a shaky, leaky, lop-sided voice.
The voice must "find itself" ere the subconscious powers take possession and guide.
Emotion without a floating tone, wrecks the voice.
Only a full rigged voice can exist on the sea of sound.
Giovanni Battista Lamperti was an Italian singing teacher and son of the singing teacher Francesco Lamperti. Free scores by Giovanni Battista Lamperti can be found in the International Music Score Library Project or you can purchase them online here.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Open Lesson / Students' Concert
We will finally have a students' concert / open lesson / master-class on Saturday, February 6th 2010, 5 PM at Bloor Street United Church located between St. George and Spadina Subway Stations. I recommend registering - you REALLY only learn to sing when you perform in front of others, and it will not be too formal, more like an open lesson.
Naturally we will try to focus on love themes, but not only, besides, how much music is there not related to love?
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy 2010!
Wishing you a year filled with wonderful music!
View a short fun greeting (apologies if you have seen it already...)
An ice sculpture of a harp and two violins glistens in the winter sunshine at the Jasper Park Lodge, Jasper National Park, Canadian Rockies, Alberta, Canada
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Anatomy of the Neck Video
If you can't view the video, click here.
View this beautiful video to get an idea how complex the neck & larynx area is; and appreciate better how all those muscles, ligaments, bones and cartilages have to work in perfect correlation to produce a beautiful sound... And that is still not enough... involved are also the pharynx, mouth, chest, facial muscles and abdominal muscles... Knowing your body better will result in more awareness, more respect to your body and your "instrument" and hopefully - understand better how to create those subtle movements and subtle changes that tune your instrument until you are able to achieve your ideal sound and its many colors.
The Pentatonic Scale or The Power of Bobby McFerrin
View the full "Notes & Neurons: In Search of the Common Chorus" video
The major pentatonic scale is: Do-Re-Mi-Sol-La-Do (C-D-E-G-A-C), and does not include Fa(F) and Ti/Si(B) (no semi tones in this scale!). That is why many folk songs and nursery rhymes throughout the globe are based on the pentatonic scale - easier to sing! You can also create a pentatonic scale by playing only the "black" keys on the piano. If you check the Kodály pages, you will notice that Kodály teaches first the pentatonic scale and only at the end introduces Fa(F) and Ti/Si(B).
And now, about the video... Bobby McFerrin is not only a wonderful musician and entertainer, but also an educator. Let's try to incorporate his magic into our self teaching and our performances / auditions:
- Begin with something basic that you / the audience are comfortable with and familiar with.
- Repeat. Another easy warmup / song.
- Then go to the next step - take time to introduce the new concept / more difficult range / more difficult exercise / deeper music
- Once you start rolling - go on (third note).
- Do everything you do with fun, charm and humour (splitting his legs). Introduce a funny song, funny gesture. If you have a bad day - don't be frustrated; if you forget the words - don't panic. Laugh at yourself and apologize - but stay focused.
- Don't dwell on the joke - move right on now that the audience is "yours" - more is coming up!
- Going down the minor third (the fourth note he introduced) is not trivial - so he leads the audience. Could be analogical to working on the passaggio area. Carefully!
- Then just play. Improvise. Use what you know + make up your own exercises - what works on your voice. Make new ornaments to your pieces (when stylistically accepted). I wouldn't recommend improvising during a performance, unless you're Ella Fitzgerald, but prepare some new ornaments for your next performance...
- Always end a performance when they want more and don't overwork the voice when practicing - always end your practice when you still feel fresh and energetic!
- Give credit to others (the audience, pianist, conductor, other singers etc...), love yourself and your voice just enough but not too much - you won't leave space for others to love you ;-)
And many more things... Please share if you can "pin down" what else makes his performance so good!
Get Inspired by the Bel Canto Giants
These are bits and pieces about bel canto, vocal technique and other stuff discussed by conductor and vocal coach (and Sutherland's husband) Richard Bonynge with the best Bel Canto singers of the 20th century: Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland & Marilyn Horne. It's beautiful to watch how those wonderful musicians treat their instruments with such respect and continue to master their craft; demonstrate the exercises they use for vocalizing and in a way - they seem like very sweet students. Very very talented and hard working students, but still working on the same ol' problems...
If you can't view the video, click here.
If you can't view the video, click here.