"Goodbye Puccini, hello my old friend, Mozart" or "Bloom where you are planted"

In my voice lesson on Wednesday Jayne looked at me as she was leaning against the wall and said "Karen, I think you are a coloratura." My response: "...really?" I suppose in the back of my mind I always thought that it was a possibility. I can sing extremely high and I love doing quick runs...but I suppose I don't want to give up my dream of being Mimi in La Boheme. But, as Jayne pointed out, I have those qualities as well as my struggle with lower notes. Typical coloratura. But, as Jayne said, I'm also a soubrette which means I can do all the fun, flirty roles as well. So, I suppose that isn't too bad. I just look at all the coloraturas I know from school and such and I just don't see myself in that category. Though, as I have learned, my voice is still growing and changing, but I think that Jayne is right with where I am going. What does this mean? That's right, no Puccini and lots of Mozart. And, while I do enjoy singing Mozart, after a while I get a little bored after the sixth or seventh or hundredth piece I have sung by him. When I was talking with Evan about this, I tried to describe how I felt about it. My best metaphor went like this:

Singing songs that I love but are out of my Fach, like some Puccini or Brahms that I have done, are like a dress or pair of really cute pants that almost fit, but not quite. But, it is so cute that you buy it and wear it and you wish that it was slightly altered to be perfect. When I sang Adele, a coloratura role, and most Mozart pieces, it felt like a favorite pair of perfect jeans or that perfect skirt you wear all the time. It always fits perfectly and you feel comfortable and you love it...but you wear it all the time and you want something different and exciting.

I will strive to find literature to fit my voice and perhaps I should just do pieces that are perfect for me and not slightly imperfect and see what happens this semester. I just love so much that I shouldn't do and it makes me a little sad. Though, as one of my co-workers said the other day "It is a gift, isn't it? Not many people can do that." I will give into what I am and try to make it fabulous. And, like all the musical theater I love, I will look at pieces I love, but not touch and slide back into my favorite pair of perfect jeans, Mozart.