Break a Leg!

Heidi's debut in The Marriage of Figaro, is soon to arrive.  The Arbor Opera company is a non-profit organization.  They had many fundraising events leading up to the opening night on June 13th.  I went to two of the events held yesterday.  

One was in a beautiful home of one of the company's patrons.  The huge windows overlooked a lush garden with a pond of bright colored coy among the water lilies.  Some of the cast in The Marriage of Figaro presented arias and scenes from the upcoming opera.    

Man Behind the Scenes

Proud stage director of Arbor Opera, Shawn McDonald

Carl Frank as Count Almaviva

Heidi with Cast Member, Page Lucky(Barbarina)
Watching Performances

Kate  Wakefield and Nick Davis in Character as Cherubino and Figaro

Another event was held at the beautiful Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor.  They showcased young talent from the Emerging Artists Opera Workshops.  It was hard to take pictures I was so mesmerized by the acting and voices coming from these young people.  Most of the cast from Figaro were there to support these young performers. 

Heidi's opening night is on Thursday, June 13th.  She will also perform on Saturday, June 15th.  Heidi plays the character, "Cherubino". 

http://www.arboropera.com/education/la-boheme-synopsis/

I think of Heidi as my little baby.  I'm sure I always will.  It will take make my heart stop when she comes on the Lydia Mendelssohn stage and begins to sing.  I never remember how truly beautiful her voice is, how gracious and talented she is in character.  It's not something a mother can prepare for, it makes me cry and smile at the same time.  

The little girl who wanted to join karate before she was six.  The girl who fearlessly stacked full Pepsi cans in front of her and jumped back when they became too high and came crashing down.  The little girl who kicked Grandpa's newly finished sailboat when he took us all out to his garage to show us his pride and joy.  The little two year old girl in a blue velvet dress and shiny black shoes, who stood on the stage at the local Musicale in St. Ignace, folded her arms in front of her and refused to sing one note to audience of more than two hundred.  The young lady who gave her valedictorian speech, on graduation night, about the wind blowing in her hair behind her as she experienced life ahead.

Figaro opens on her sister, Elizabeth's, birthday.  The same day her sister will be immersed in final exams, at Irvine in California.  She'll be thinking about her little sister up on stage in Ann Arbor.  Maybe she'll be thinking about Heidi as the little girl she use to dress up in fancy clothes and dance with on the coffee table in the living room.  Or, maybe she'll be thinking about her as the little girl who once called her "Lizard-breath" instead of "Elizabeth".  

Her father, Harry, would be hovering, pacing and have trouble sleeping, until the production was over.  I'm certain, if any voice can be heard above the clouds and make the angels stop singing and listen, it will be Heidi's.  Harry has first choice on seating.  He will be smiling.  He may even have to wipe away some sweet tears of joy.

Saying, "Good Luck" in opera is BAD LUCK!  There are other things that can be said:

"Toi, Toi, Toi!"

"Break a leg!"

"Hatsloche un broche!"

"In bocca al lupo!"

If I could pronounce the last one, correctly, in Italian, I'd say it to Heidi on opening night.  (It means, "in the mouth of the wolf")  I'm pretty sure she'd be ready with, "crepe il Lupo" (which means, "may the wolf die.")

Heidi with other Cherubino character,  Kate Wakefield

Cast Members in "Figaro"