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Hello Friends,

Please forgive the mass e-mail! I never get around to writing Christmas cards with long newsy letters, so I thought I would make up for it by filling you on my latest adventures! I have spent the last 5 1⁄2 weeks in Europe, first introducing my grandmother to Italy, Switzerland and Germany for 12 days and then preparing for a big audition in Berlin.

First, I want to let you know how it all went with my audition in Berlin yesterday and to say thanks to those who were saying prayers for me and sending encouragement my way!

Grace of God, I sang “beautifully”; this from the French girl who sang after me and heard me frombackstage. My accompanist concurred, specifically noting the Susanna. So, I am glad that I started with my old friend Susanna! Although my nerves did creep up on me just after I concluded the recitative, (which I think made the intonation a little weird at the beginning of the aria – this happens when your breath support is being undermined by nerves!), I kept telling myself to relax and just sing! And I tried to enjoy the moment and the hall which was acoustically gracious and visually stunning! There was a “pin drop” stillness across the hall when I finished, which I thought was nice.

They asked for Norina next. I went to get a drink and then just let the personality fly! This was a relatively new aria so, when I wasn’t thinking I would forget my words, which I do even when I know the aria well, I just sang and had a good time!

The audition was coordinated by NYIOP and there were at least 25 companies from around the world who heard me. We shall see which ones will say, “Wow! We really like her! Let’s give her a job!”

Some thoughts on my German adventure in general and then some operatic drama behind the audition!

I have been in Germany for about four weeks now, preparing for this “little” audition. I have met some really great people, spent quality time with some good friends, run into some familiar faces along the way, learned a little German and enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Germany to see if it is a place where I wouldn’t mind calling home for a few years. I have been staying in Koblenz, Germany with my singer friends, Estelle Kruger and Jaco Venter, and their 9 now 10 month old daughter, Marish. Estelle has a job singing with the opera in Koblenz and Jaco has a job singing with the Mannheim National Theater about 1 1⁄2 hours away, about 15 minutes from Heidelberg. They are both AMAZING singers and I had a chance to hear both of them in their respective houses garnering the most applause of the evening for their stellar performances. I have learned a lot about singing from them! It has also been an education to see them juggle life (marriage, a child, two households, babysitters, staying in touch with family and friends, bills, laundry, car maintenance, planning a vacation) and being singers (rehearsals, performances, outside performance requests, staying healthy, preparing for the next gig and most importantly, getting SLEEP!). It certainly is an art and I am amazed at how they do it!

Jaco and Estelle are a good team when it comes to making a great meal! Estelle & Marish – and yes it really is cold enough in Koblenz Jaco is a wonderful cook! for some winter wear in the spring!

In preparation for my audition, I practiced almost everyday at the Koblenz Stadt Theater where Estelle works. I also traveled to Düsseldorf and Mannheim to work my audition repertoire with several coaches. I spent some time researching the German Opera System as well and tried to discover how I would fit into it. Germany has a classification system for voices called the “Fach System” which assists the German Opera Houses hire their singers. Depending on their season repertoire and personnel, the opera house will hire a singer from each fach who will work in that house for a year performing three to six roles a season. It is quite an elaborate system of houses, agents, impresarios and singers. I tried to determine my fach based on my vocal abilities and current repertoire. I sort of fall between two fachs: lyric coloratura and light lyric soprano. But, I was able to fit myself into the light lyric fach and hopefully market myself appropriately. Once my German is good enough, I could have the opportunity to audition for the German houses. We shall see!

Some quick highlights from my trip:

My teacher, Nina Hinson, and her husband Scott were on holiday at the beginning of the May in Freiburg, one of their favorite German cities. I met up with them there for my last lesson before the audition. They introduced me to the Domplatz, where you can enjoy a bratwurst at lunchtime in the shadow of the 500 year old cathedral. The weather was great - perfect for outdoor dining in the evening. The Spargel Karte or Asparagus Menu is very popular this time of year so we had spargel ever night.

Freiburg with Nina & Scott

At the Mannheim National Theater backstage after Jaco’s debut as Tonio in I Pagliacci
(Left to Right – Estelle, Jaco, Me, Martha & Henry Price)

Before Mom Mom left for home, she and I had the chance to see Estelle’s performance as Violetta in La Traviata in Koblenz. It was the first time I ever cried while seeing Traviata. Estelle’s Violetta was so poignant and so beautifully sung. She has made quite a name for herself in the role and is a Koblenz favorite. I have pictures of her signing autographs after a local performance with the Koblenz Bach Chor. On May 14, I joined my former Pepperdine opera director and his wife, Henry and Martha Price, for Jaco’s debut as Tonio in I Pagilacci in Mannheim. Jaco was fabulous! I hadn’t seen Hank and Martha in quite a long time. It is amazing that one has to travel to the other side of the globe to see someone who lives in the same city!

I saw them again the following week when I gave a concert and master class in Heidelberg for the Pepperdine music students who are studying abroad this summer at Moore Haus with Dr. Price. It has been 10 years since I graduated from Pepperdine and I hardly feel like a master, but it was great fun to hear the students and pass on the pearls of wisdom I have gained since I was in their shoes.

And finally, and quite appropriate that I be in Germany for this event, Deutsche Grammophon released the recording of Osvaldo Golijov’s AINADAMAR on May 9! This is my debut commercial recording and I am very excited to be a part of such a compelling and beautiful work. My friend Kristin Sampson in NY told me that it was #2 on the Classical Top Sellers list at Tower Records and I think we debuted at #8 on the Classical Billboard Charts. Fabulous! You can find the recording at your local record store, iclassics.com, download it on iTunes, etc. If you want to check out the web site, visit: www.deutschegrammophon.com/golijov-ainadamar.

Now on to the Berlin drama!!!!!

I had a lovely ride in a smoke free train to Berlin on Tuesday, May 30. I arrived into the brand new Hauptbahnhof (Central train station) that opened this passed Sunday, just in time for the 2006 World Cup. Needless to say, football (or soccer as we call it in the US) is a religion here in Germany. Thus a train station has been built in its honor! The Hauptbahnhof is more like a four story shopping mall that happens to have some trains running through it! I did some looking around and then traveled on the S-bahn, a local train, one stop to Friedrichstrasse so I could find my hotel.

I stayed at the Maritim Pro Arte, two blocks from the Komische Oper where the audition was being held. The hotel was recommended by the producing organization, and I highly recommend it if you are ever in Berlin. They were very helpful and friendly and they even have a smoke free floor and breakfast hour. (I know I keep saying smoke free like it is a big deal, but when you are in Germany, IT IS! One would think that the Germans had never heard that smoking can KILL you! And when one is not used to it, it nearly does!) So, the lovely receptionist found me a smoke free Italian restaurant for dinner and I went up to my room to unpack and get settled.

My room was lovely and I had a great view overlooking some sort of roof top garden. And looking forward to a nice relaxing evening, I unpacked my things, setting out my music and audition outfit. Then, a slight panic came over me as I realized I had left my skirt 6 hours away in Koblenz!!! AHHHH!!!!! I always love an excuse to go shopping, but this was not exactly what I had in mind. So, I asked the same wonderful receptionist about for a shopping mall and was on my way!

The nice relaxing dinner I had planned at the Italian restaurant was not relaxed at all, but the server was very helpful with information about the local shopping spots! She recommended the H&M across the street from the restaurant. So, I paid my tab and was off to H&M. They had the perfect black skirt for just 20 Euros. Thank God! However, they only had it in a size 6 and a size 16! Feeling hopeful, I tried on the 6 even though I am a 10. All I can say is thank God for spandex and girdles! After a good ironing, the skirt looked great and was a perfect compliment to my green sweater. So, I looked fabulous for my audition and no one would have ever known the behind the scenes drama that made my audition outfit possible. Can you imagine the alternative!?! That certainly would have made an impression!

After the audition I had an overnight visit in Hof, Germany with two more singer friends who are also new parents, Lisa Henningsohn and Thomas Rettensteiner, to Hanna Birgitta, who is just 5 weeks old! Lisa attended my high school as a foreign exchange student in 1988-89. Although we weren’t there at the same time, we connected a few years ago in Vienna, Austria and thus began a beautiful friendship.

Proud Papa Thomas and little Hanna Sweet dreams Hanna!

UPCOMING EVENTS!!!!!

I am off to Koblenz now for my last day in Deutschland and I am writing this e-mail as I travel by train across the beautifully lush German countryside. I feel so blessed to have had this experience and look forward to what it will bring to me both professionally and personally. I am bound for the US this Saturday where I spend a few days in Atlanta to rehearse with the Atlanta Symphony for our upcoming tour of Ainadamar in Ojai, CA June 9 and at the Ravinia Festival outside Chicago June 14. On June 15, I will travel to Chautauqua to sing Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro on July 7 and 10 with Chautauqua Opera.

My new and improved website will be up and running soon, complete with my updated calendar at www.jessicarivera.com.

I hope that you are well and enjoying la vita bella!

Thanks again for you love, prayers and support!

Blessings to you,
Jessica

P.S. Here are some of my favorite shots from my trip with my grandmother!

At our favorite pizzeria in Florence with my friend At the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
and fellow Pepperdine alumna Jeneen Metz.

The Colosseo in Rome The Spanish Steps in Rome

Mom and her McDonald’s ice cream cone in Rome! Mom Mom with Marish in Koblenz.