I can’t believe it’s over. In an instant, my last day of class is behind me. Four years of classes… The last one was so bittersweet.
I’m sitting in my bedroom, alone, after what felt like the shortest day of my life. It’s 7:16 p.m. and just 5 hours ago I was in the middle of what could be my last performance ever. I am so grateful for all of the wonderful people in my life that came to support me. My family drove 5 hours round trip AND dealt with my slightly obnoxious attitude (I’m a singer, okay- diva is my middle name). I was worried about messing up (and I totally did, by the way), but seeing all of the wonderful supportive faces of my family, friends, and coworkers silently cheering me on, made me feel so much more confident!
It’s going to be weird saying goodbye. I spent my last moments in the dingy practice rooms of the Hill Hall basement today. I sang my last notes in the intimate and charming Person Recital Hall today. I even spilled water on myself for the last time in Person Choral room today. For the last few days, I was ready to get it over with. Now that it’s over, I wish I had those moments back. I really started to hate my program towards the end of this semester. I had to force myself to practice and kept wondering if I didn’t choose the best music. Ultimately, I know I chose the best repertoire for my voice, and I’m going to miss it. My only regret is not tacking on another musical theater number (or two).
My program consisted of music by Mozart, Roger Quilter, Manuel de Falla, Charles Dumont, Edith Piaf, and Sara Bareilles. Here is an excerpt from the program notes that I wrote, with a little detail about each of the composers and the pieces I performed at my senior recital:
Mozart’s comic opera, Le Nozze di Figaro, was an instant success when it premiered in Vienna in 1786 and an even bigger hit in Prague later that same year. In the wake of this success, Mozart was commissioned to write another opera specifically for Prague. In summation, the existence of Don Giovanni can be attributed to Le Nozze di Figaro. The arias, “Voi Che Sapete” and “Non so piú cosa son” both focus on the character Cherubino and his coming of age. A young boy of about 13, Cherubino is faced with a flood of hormones and coinciding emotions. He sets his sights on the Countess, and confides in her handmaiden, Susanna, about his amorous feelings. Susanna then persuades him to sing the Countess a love song he composed, only she is unaware that she is the subject. From excited to nervous to romantic, Cherubino experiences a whirlwind of emotion and growth in these two popular arias.
Roger Quilter was a popular composer of his time, and he was especially known for his songs, of which he wrote more than one hundred. Quilter’s songs were generally settings of English poems from the Elizabethan, Romantic, and Victorian periods, but he is best known for his Shakespeare settings. The popularity of these songs is perhaps why Quilter did not often branch into other areas of music, though he dabbled in chamber and orchestral music as well. Even though “A Last Year’s Rose,” “To Daisies,” and “Amaryllis at the Fountain” are each from different sets, they dwell on common themes. Besides the evident floral theme, each poem is centered around love and loss, whether it’s the imminent end of love through death, love lost too soon, or love’s fragile promise. Most of Quilter’s work had a wistful quality, both in sound and meaning.
Manuel de Falla is considered one of the most influential Spanish musicians of the early 20th century. The pieces in Siete canciones populares Españolas were inspired by four regions of Spain: Murcia, Asturia, Aragon, and Adalusia. Originally composed for piano and voice, Siete canciones populares Españolas is now popularly performed in versions for guitar, orchestra, cello, solo piano, and more. Though it premiered in Madrid, Falla actually composed this song cycle during his time in Paris. While in Paris, Falla also met and learned from Debussy, though their styles differed. Influenced by Felipe Pedrell and Spanish nationalism, de Falla’s compositions are often inspired by the native folk and dance music of Spain. For example, the “seguidilla” is a triple-time dance form of Murcia, and the “jota” is an energetic dance from the Aragon region. “Asturiana” is a folk song of Asturia; Falla set the popular text and melody to his original accompaniment. The “nana” is an Andalusian lullaby that Falla first heard in his childhood, sung by his mother.
Charles Dumont was a French singer and composer. He wrote many of his most popular pieces in the 1960s and 70s. In 1956, he collaborated with lyricist Michel Vaucaire to write “Non, je ne regrette rien.” In 1960, Edith Piaf recorded the piece, and it became an instant hit, staying at the top of the French Singles & Airplay Reviews chart for seven straight weeks. The success of this song led to the continued partnership of Dumont and Piaf, wherein he composed over 30 songs for her, including Flonflons du Bal and Mon Dieu. Piaf and Dumont even composed and sang a piece together called Les Amants in 1962. After Piaf’s death in 1963, he continued to work with artists, write songs for television, and even wrote a piece for Barbara Streisand’s Je m’appelle Barbra called “Le Mur.”
Edith Piaf was a popular French singer and actress from early to mid 20th century. Piaf faced many hardships early in life; she was abandoned by her birth mother, was raised in a brothel by her grandmother, faced poverty and illness in her youth, and later accompanied her father as he toured as a struggling acrobat. Whilst singing in the streets of Paris, she was discovered by a cabaret owner, who gave her the nickname “la môme piaf” (little sparrow) because of her small stature (under five feet tall). It was at the cabaret that she was discovered by actor Maurice Chevalier, and her life was thrust into theatrical performance. Edith, whose full birth name was Edith Giovanna Gassion, embraced “Piaf” as her stage name. From singing in the streets to the music halls of Paris, Piaf certainly understood the ups and downs of life. She often sang about love and loss, and her connection to the pieces, as well as her expressive voice, left audiences in adoration. “Non, je ne regrette rien” and “La Vie en Rose” are two of Piaf’s best-known songs.
Sara Bareilles is a multitalented singer-songwriter, pianist, and recent Broadway composer. Best known for her pop songs “Love Song” and “King of Anything,” Bareilles has been both Grammy and Tony award nominated. Though Jessie Mueller originated the role, Bareilles recently performed the leading role in Waitress on Broadway. Based off of the 2007 movie, the 2016 musical Waitress is about an expert pie-baker named Jenna in an unhappy marriage who becomes unexpectedly pregnant. In all the twist and turns of Jenna’s life, she has her friends Becky and Dawn by her side. In this scene, Dawn, an anxious and quirky waitress, has just received a response to her online dating profile. Dawn, having never had a boyfriend before, is both nervous and excited about the prospects of her scheduled 5-minute date the following evening.
I loved the Mozart arias, and I especially feel connected to them after seeing Le Nozze di Figaro last year at the Duke Energy Center. The character Cherubino is so youthful and fun to play. The Quilter songs were simple and pretty, and I loved that they each had floral themes that felt so suited for the campus in bloom around me. I chose the Spanish songs because they have always made me feel more connected to Spain and my Spanish family; though my time there was brief, it left a permanent mark on my heart. I decided to sing the Edith Piaf songs because of not only how much I love and adore both her and these pieces, but of how I feel connected to her in a way (partly because of our short statures). La Vie en Rose is an especially emotional piece for me, and though I didn’t write this in my program, I sang it for my boyfriend, Aaron. Finally, I performed Sara Bareilles’ song from Waitress because I think Bareilles is an amazing performer, vocalist, and composer. The song “When He Sees Me” from Waitress is so underrated, but I think it’s probably one of the cutest and most relatable modern musical theater pieces, and even though it’s not sad and deep, it gives “She Used to Be Mine” a run for its money.
I am so thankful for everything I’ve learned, both as a vocalist and a person, these past four years studying music at UNC. I just hope that I can find a way to keep music in my life.
Alessandra Carlton 