Hi OperGermany readers,
Heather Phillips here, associate editor for OperGermany. Earlier this summer in June, I jumped into a production of Don Giovanni at Landestheater Coburg as Donna Anna. It was a whirlwind 48 hours, but I was able to VLOG most of my experience on my cell phone, as I wanted to give you all a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like to do an “Einspringen” in Germany. You can click on the video link below to get a look and listen into my experience. I have also typed out a list of do’s and don’ts which I hope will help prepare you, if you are ever called upon to jump-in last minute.
Toi toi toi!
Do’s
TAKE AN EARLY TRAIN: As soon as you are notified, get out of town or book your train as early as possible…that way you can leave yourself time for train delays….they happen often, and they happened to me on my way into Coburg from Dijon, France.
MAKE SURE YOU OR YOUR AGENT SCHEDULES THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WITH THE KBB BEFORE YOU ARRIVE…
- A costume fitting as soon as you arrive, so if they need to make alternations, they have time to do so
- Wig/makeup fitting
- Music rehearsal with the maestro (or what the Germans call “Verständigungsprobe“
- Stage/Set/Theatre walk-through at least an HOUR BEFORE THE TOP OF SHOW
PRIORITIZE: Make a list of the main things you need to focus on…here are some I suggest…
- Make contact with KBB upon arrival…
- Know when and where you have to be…
- Pick up your contract at the stage door or from the KBB and sign and return it…
- Make contact with the assistant director (they will be your guide through the whole experience) as well as the conductor.
- Remind yourself of the trickiest spots in the music, isolate those moments and make contact with the conductor so you do not “fall off of the rails” musically with the orchestra.
- Walk to the stage with the shoes you will be wearing for the performance, during your tech rehearsal. I was lucky in that the stage manager reminded me I would be wearing high heels during the performance, so he sent his assistant to get my heels during my 30 MINUTE STAGE REHEARSAL so I could walk the steps and climb the railings in my heels. I originally came to rehearsal in my flats.
- Enjoy Improvising: Even if you have a rehearsal or two and you get time with your colleagues before the show, you will be improvising most of the performance as far as the stage directions (the brain can only retain so much new information in a short amount of time!) Therefore, enjoy it! This was actually one of my favorite parts of the jump-in. I know the role of Donna Anna well, so I trusted my instincts and improvised with my colleagues and it was a really enjoyable experience because everything was truly IN THE MOMENT. Trust your colleagues, they will guide you around the stage as mind did.
Don’ts
DON’T ACCEPT THE CONTRACT if you don’t know the role. Jumping-in to do a fully staged opera on your feet with last minute staging rehearsals requires that you know the role cold. I had just performed it at Staatstheater Nürnberg a few months earlier that season, so the role was really fresh in my mind and throat! If you only somewhat know it, tell the theatre and your agent that you are willing to sing it from the side of the stage with the score and the ill colleague (or assistant stage director) can walk/act to the part. Only agree to do a FULLY STAGED JUMP-IN if you know the role really well.
BE A GOOD COLLEAGUE & NICE PERSON TO WORK WITH. This is a chance for a theatre to get to know you, make sure they would want to hire you back.
HAVE FUN. We are singing opera, not performing brain surgery. Take your work seriously, but enjoy the ride!
DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF: Focus on the large transitions of the music and the staging of the opera and improvise the rest. You won’t get every detail, but that is ok. Also it’s the beauty of live performance…it is supposed to be unpredictable to a certain extent. Enjoy it.
TRY TO MAKE TIME TO SEE THE CITY YOU ARE PERFORMING IN: The older I get, the more I want to make sure I really enjoy the journey and all it has to offer. Coburg is SUCH A CHARMING TOWN. I was glad I spent a few hours with friends afterwards exploring the city and enjoying a bite to eat.
As Larry mentioned in an earlier post the routine is…
- Pförner (stage door entrance)
- KBB (administrative offices)
- Costume shop(costume fitting
- Assistant Director who takes you through the video or even rehearses with you and some cast members.
- Conductor/Music Director: Then a quick rehearsal with the conductor…called a Verständigungsprobe, mostly for tempi (they’re never quite the same in every performance!) and coordinating tricky musical places.
It was a great experience and the theatre really made sure I was taken care of. It was a great way to introduce myself to this opera house, and I had a great time singing with the orchestra and other soloists. If you are prepared, these opportunities are great! Reach out to me on Instagram (@heather_soprano) if you have a further questions!
Toi toi toi!
Heather 🙂