My Schedule and Thoughts

What's new...

To make it brief, I have two more matinees and an evening performance of Carmen to go by the end of this week.  After that, I'm singing at Rising Stars concert (LOCAA) on April 7.  Near the end of April, I'm competing for the finals of the Lotte Lenya Vocal Competition in Rochester, NY (April 22), as well as the finals of the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition in West Palm Beach, FL (April 27).  Hopefully, I'll win in both.

That's about it for now.  Nothing new yet.  I'll be learning a lot of music this summer.  And by a lot, I mean A LOT!  I have to learn my "small" roles, as well as roles that I am covering.  The bigger roles that I'm covering are Pang (Turandot) and Tybalt (Romeo & Juliette).  The Priest in Dialogues... is not really a big part; besides, I am familiar with that role since I was in the opera when it was done in Santa Monica College in 1998.  One role that I am "study covering" (aka second-unofficial cover) is Herod in Salome.  I'm singing the slave (very very small part) and covering the Fourth Jew (who musically/technically has the highest notes out of all).  I'll start learning Goro (Butterfly) this summer, as well, in preparation for the 2007 production in Pittsburgh.

Anyway, that's it for now.  Check back again later... ciao!

RoRo

Opera & Personal Update

Here is a brief overview of operas that I've performed in, so far, with Lyric Opera of Chicago:

Carmen: the performance run went really well.  All shows were sold out.  My mom (Nanay) flew in for opening night and went to the opera ball with me.  Denyce Graves was great.

Manon Lescaut: I didn't really perform in it, only cover Cangelosi for the parts of Dance Master and Lamplighter.

Magic Flute: Still going on right now since last month.  Just a few more performances to go.  I was originally not cast as the First Priest; just to cover Monostatos.  But when the person covering 1st Armored Man actually did the role, his role (First Priest) was given to me.  I was happy that I became a part of the show.  Not only did I enjoy being in it, I also learned more about German dialogue... which was a LOT.

Rigoletto:  We just started rehearsals this past week.  This coming week, we start rehearsals for Rosenkavalier.  So technically, we will have Rigoletto & Rosenkavalier rehearsals, as well as a few more performances of Magic Flute in the next two weeks.

During Christmas break, Steven and I went back to California and spent time with our parents.  My dad actually went back to the Philippines.  I spent some time with my mom, kuya (tolitz), as well as David, Ross, Michael, Trish, Cole, Mona, Jesus, Lluvia, Christin, Randy, Christina (and Honey), Michael and Peter, Steven's parents (Charlie & Shirley), Darlene, Shawn and Nolan, Keven, Kim, Sydney, and my mom's friends from WFG.  During the time before Christmas, Steven and I also packed all of his stuff for pick-up and storage, for our move to a one-bedroom condo/apartment this coming July.  For a last hurrah, Mona, Lluvia, Jesus, Steven, Lisa and I saw The Producers, and later Lisa and I went out to West Hollywood for dinner and some dancing.  While in L.A., I also watched King Kong with David, and Narnia with my brother, Mona, Jesus and Lluvia.

That's it for now.  I will try to keep you updated with other stuff.

A Brief and Concise Update

Well, my partner, Steven, moved in with me here in Chicago (from California) last August and has been working in Downer's Grove for less than a month now.  My friend, Trisha, who is a law student at Duke University in Durham, NC, visited me for a few days.  I was able to get her a ticket to watch Rossini's La Cenerentola (Cinderella) at Lyric Opera of Chicago.  Unfortunately, a ticket was impossible to get for a performance of Carmen (where I played Remendado) while she was here.  She and Steven spend some time at the Art Institute of Chicago.  A couple of months ago, my cousin, Claudine Angeli, from New Jersey also visited during Market Days weekend.  She enjoyed the stay, as well, and she can't wait to visit again.  Right now, I'm covering David Cangelosi in Manon Lescaut (Dancemaster and Lamplighter), and enjoying the singing of Karita Mattila and Galouzine during rehearsals.  It has also been a great pleasure singing and performing with Denyce Graves and Andrea Rost.  Andrea's voice is amazing, and Denyce's portrayal of Carmen is the best, so far, you'll ever see performed on stage.  My suggestion?  Catch a performance of Denyce Graves as Carmen when you get a chance.  I have a couple of auditions coming up (Des Moines and Dallas Opera), so I hope I do a great audition.  Just check back again for more updates.... ciao!

NEW YORK RECITAL

Judith Raskin Memorial Recital featuring

RODELL AURE ROSEL, tenor

NOVEMBER 13, SUNDAY at 3:00PM

Stephen Wise Free Synagogue

30 W 68th St, New York, NY 10023

(between Columbus Ave & Central Park W)

Program will include works by Mozart, Schumann, Brahms, Schubert, Strauss, Beethoven, Faure and Leoncavallo, as well as Weill, Loesser, Porter, Menken and Kern

ADMISSION IS FREE

* * *

Tentative program (subject to change)

Dentro il mio petto io sento (Mozart's La finta giardiniera)

Schumann's Widmung

Brahms' Von ewige Liebe

Schubert's An die Musik and Die Forelle

Strauss' Zueignung

* Break

Beethoven's Adelaide

Faure's Sylvie, Lydia and Nell

Beppe's Aria from Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci

* Break

Lotterieagents Tango (Weill's Der Silbersee)

Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat (Loesser's Guys N Dolls)

So In Love (Kiss Me, Kate) and/or Night and Day by Porter

Be Our Guest (Menken's Beauty and the Beast)

All The Things You Are (Kern's Very Warm For May)

LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO PERFORMANCES

CARMEN (as Remendado)
September 24, Saturday at 6:00pm OPENING NIGHT GALA
September 28, Wednesday at 7:30pm
October 2, Sunday at 2:00pm MATINEE
October 6, Thursday at 7:30pm
October 10, Monday at 7:30pm
October 14, Friday at 7:30pm
October 21, Friday at 7:30pm
*2006*
March 9, Thursday at 2:00pm MATINEE
March 13, Monday at 7:30pm
March 17, Friday at 7:30pm
March 22, Wednesday at 2:00pm MATINEE
March 25, Saturday at 7:30pm

MAGIC FLUTE (as First Priest)
December 9, Friday at 7:30pm
December 12, Monday at 7:30pm
December 17, Saturday at 7:30pm
December 19, Monday at 7:30pm
*2006*
January 4, Wednesday at 2:00pm MATINEE
January 8, Sunday at 2:00pm MATINEE
January 11, Wednesday at 7:30pm
January 14, Saturday at 7:30pm
January 17, Tuesday at 7:30pm
January 20, Friday at 7:30pm

RIGOLETTO (as Borsa)
January 21, Saturday at 7:30pm
January 25, Wednesday at 7:30pm
January 28, Saturday at 7:30pm
January 31, Tuesday at 7:30pm
February 3, Friday at 7:30pm
February 6, Monday at 7:30pm
February 9, Thursday at 2:00pm MATINEE
February 12, Sunday at 2:00pm MATINEE
February 15, Wednesday at 7:30pm
February 17, Friday at 7:30pm

DER ROSENKAVALIER (as Faninal's Major Domo & Waiter)
February 4, Saturday at 7:30pm
February 7, Tuesday at 7:30pm
February 10, Friday at 7:30pm
February 13, Monday at 7:30pm
February 18, Saturday at 7:30pm
February 21, Tuesday at 7:30pm
February 26, Sunday at 2:00pm MATINEE
March 1, Wednesday at 7:30pm
March 4, Saturday at 7:30pm
March 8, Wednesday at 2:00pm MATINEE
March 11, Saturday at 7:30pm

For March performances, see schedule in CARMEN.

For more information about the operas, please go to Lyric Opera of Chicago Website.

Photos coming soon.

I will be posting some assorted pictures from different venues soon, including some from Lakme: Redux (2/2005) and West Side Story (1/2004).

Check back soon.

Don't forget to check out my website, as well, at www.rodellrosel.com.