MEN! and other tidbits..

"All men are the same!" I have heard that statement many times, especially from women friends and family. But, having been around for some time, I know that statement isn't necessarily true.  Not all men are the same, MOST of the time.

However, in the early '60's when I sang with the Opera Guild of Greater Miami (which is now called Florida Grand Opera.. http://www.fgo.org/) I discovered a point where they did seem to be "all the same". Muhammad Ali, who I think at the time had just changed his name from Cassius Clay, was fighting.  I remember the men congregated at the back of the stage discussing whether to call him Cassius Clay or Muhammad Ali.  Not only were they discussing his name change, they had a radio tucked away in an obscure corner so that they could listen to the fight.  We were in the process of performing an OPERA!  These were the men who sang in the chorus and also the main singers. I couldn't believe it. Here we are surrounded by this magnificent music and THEY are listening to one man beat up another man?  Of course, they would have to leave the radio at specific times and go onto the stage, sing Puccini or Verdi or whoever it was that evening, and then run off and head back to the little radio asking those who weren't needed on stage, "What happened?"  And then the inevitable happened. It was time to see who had the strongest stomach muscles which were derived from extensive voice training.  In order to sing with all the energy needed, one must learn to use and exercise the muscles in the stomach, around the rib cage and abdomen.  So, they started hitting each other in the stomach. "C'mon, hit me as hard as you can, c'mon...Ahhh..Harder! Harder!" (The muscles used for singing are the same ones you will notice when you do sit ups).  So they proceeded to punch each other, discuss exactly what it was (singing wise) that they did for those muscles to be so strong.  For some reason in my young naivete I thought the men of the opera would be suave, debonair, untouched by "manly" things, (such as punching each other)..And I was so wrong.  I was kind of depressed and disappointed.  But..I got over it!!


Besides singing in the chorus I also was tapped to sing smaller roles with the stars of the Metropolitan.  They all came to Miami. And we also had another series whereby we could sing the leading roles.  I sang the role of Mimi in La Boheme. For those of you who may not find Opera your cup of tea, it is the story of love and death. Mimi falls in love with Rodolfo.  But unfortunately she has consumption and eventually at the end she succumbs and dies.  I had to sing as I was lying on a couch, dying! It wasn't easy. Then I went limp, my arm fell to the floor and I was dead.  As Rodolfo sings his "Mimi!! Mimi!!" my face was toward the audience.  I was dying (no pun intended) to OPEN my eyes and look at them.  Some were sobbing, especially the younger crowd.  I remember thinking "I'm going to open my eyes, I can't stand this," The urge to open them was so strong. I don't know why.  So I allowed myself to have the tiniest slit so that I could look.  Since I was so far away from the audience I was sure they wouldn't notice. I could see everyone on the front row and they were so engaged.  It was Neat!!

It's a beautiful Opera, by the way, if you are interested.  The music will send you to heaven!!

Rodolfo and Mimi. He has touched my hand and exclaims in his beautiful aria that my "hand is cold".  Che Gelida Manina.