Sometimes things really do happen for a reason!

As I previously wrote, I had a less than awesome audition with AIMS and was feeling pretty disappointed this week. Upon reflection I realized it was probably for the best and that I may not be ready for such a competitive experience yet. What I didn't realize, was maybe God had something else in mind for me!

Wednesday afternoon I received a phone call from Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, New York. Glimmerglass is one of the premier summer programs for up and coming opera singers. A few months ago, I applied for one of the administrative internships just to see what would happen. I was trying to get a head start on a summer job or internships. The call was completely unexpected, and what was more surprising was they wanted to offer me an internship! Although my top three preferred internships were filled, because my availability dates were too late, they wanted to know if I would want to be a housing intern. My duties would be very similar to what I did this previous summer as a conference assistant at WOU. I would be helping arrange housing for guest artists, faculty, conductors and the young artists. I would also be using the company car to drive around guest artists, conductors, etc., who did not have car. Needless to say, I was thrilled! What is even better is that it is a paid internship with housing included. All that I am responsible for is my plane ticket there and back. They will even pick me up at the airport. After giving it some thought, I have decided I will accept the internship. This means I will spend my summer in upstate New York, only 3 hours away from NYC and about 4 hours from Buffalo, where a lot of my mother's side of the family resides. Also, my soon to be supervisor said that I would be more than welcome to attend the open master classes as well as the productions. I told her I was a singer, and she was very understanding and seemed to appreciate that I know both sides of a production both as a performer and being behind the scenes.

I really feel that this will be a wonderful experience for me. I am looking forward to it immensely.




SMILES!

Small Stature=Cute? I don't think so...

Recently I fulfilled one of my New Year's Resolutions. I auditioned for the AIMS Graz Vocal Program. It wasn't my best performance, but I felt ok about it. However my experience with the man who auditioned me , made me reflect on something that has bothered me for a long time. The man who auditioned me treated me like I didn't know what I was doing, like I was a "cutsie" little teenager. When I entered to Auditorium he said to me, (in heavy German accent),

"Now Karen, I'm going to be writing some things down as you sing, so don't think you know that I don't want to look at you, because you are very pretty and you know if I could look at you all day long I would. You pick the first song that you would like to sing and then I will ask you to sing the next thing."

Ok, besides the obvious CREEP-factor (he is the HUSBAND, of the artistic director), if I'm auditioning for a prestigious program, I KNOW how to audition. I was appalled at the informality of it and the way he treated me. Mainly because I was extremely professional and polite to him.


This led me to think of the way I am often treated by people, mainly women. Younger, older, doesn't matter, they tend to look at me and think "oh she's so cute" and they call me things like "Honey" and "Sweetie". They treat me like I'm helpless and that they need to mother me.

NEWFLASH! Not even my own Mother treats me like that!

Just because someone is small in stature and/or youthful looking does NOT mean they are in any way, childish, childlike, cutsie, or helpless.


I AM A FULLY FUNCTIONING INDEPENDENT YOUNG WOMAN...I'm an ADULT!

And for Heaven's sake people...TREAT ME LIKE AN ADULT!

And before you start making any assumptions about me, I will be upfront in saying that I make every effort not to feed into their behaviour and I do not, (from my own perception) act "cutsie" or like the damsel in distress. And if I need help I will ask for it!

PHEW....deep breaths...