So this month I am fully booked with opera and work... It is a blessing but also thoroughly exhausting. The month started out with a short 3-day trip to Barcelona with my love for his birthday. It was a blast, despite us having failed to prepare at all for it, therefore assuming the main language would be Spanish (it's Catalan), and also assuming that it would be very warm (I had to buy a coat because I was freezing!). We got back to Berlin and I jumped into a busy work schedule, compounded with a lot of music to study and prepare! 

It seems all of my nanny families booked me as much as possible for the first few weeks in April. Last week, I was at one home from 8am- 2pm, then had to pick up other kids from their Kindergarten at 3:30 and watch them until 6pm. Other nights I had night duty while the parents went out. It culminated in a cold which had terrible timing since I had my first rehearsal today for Ariadne auf Naxos. Anyone who knows anything about Richard Strauss knows this music is insanely difficult so it's hard enough to do without having congestion and sore throat! Next week, I begin staging rehearsals for L'Elisir d'Amore, by Donizetti, in which I'm singing in the chorus. I did not realize when I initially signed up just how much music the chorus has to learn! We sing in practically every scene in the first act and at least half of the scenes in the second act. We're supposed to be basically memorized already next week. I'm... not. Now that I didn't completely crash and burn with Ariadne,  I will be focusing my time on Elisir to get it ready.  The performances are in early May so I need to get with it!

Oh, but that's not all!! Also coming up in May, I will be preparing the roles of Sandman and Dew Fairy in Hänsel und Gretel with the Berlin Opera Group. I really enjoy working with this group because it focuses on preparing the role with a full cast, but without a performance. Of course, I want to perform all of these roles eventually, but it starts by learning them, working them with a coach, and singing with the rest of the cast. It's a great opportunity for me to work on building my repertoire and resume but in a more approachable method. I have already done Don Giovanni with them and Ariadne that I'm doing right now is with them as well.

After these projects, I turn my attention to preparing for my young artist program with Music Academy International (MAI) in Mezzano, Italy in July/August. I'll be singing the role of First Lady in Die Zauberflö​te, as well as some involvement in an Opera Gala and recitals they do, yet to be decided. I'm super excited as this is my first Young Artist Program and in the opera world, it's kind of like your practicum or internship- not always required, but usually is good at getting you jobs after, and certainly is impressive on your resume. That's a lot of Opera on the horizon and I couldn't be happier! 

Aside from that, I'm expecting a visit from my mom for 2 weeks in late May, my Aunt and Uncle the month of June, and Winston is starting back at his second semester of school tomorrow. I think that's about all I can process for now, but hopefully I'll post again soon! Keep making the world beautiful. <3