Nessun Dorma

Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o, Principessa,
nella tua fredda stanza,
guardi le stelle
che tremano d'amore
e di speranza.
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,
il nome mio nessun saprà!
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò
quando la luce splenderà!
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio che ti fa mia!
(Il nome suo nessun saprà!...
e noi dovrem, ahime, morir!)
Dilegua, o notte!
Tramontate, stelle!
All'alba vincerò!
vincerò, vincerò!

-----------

Nobody shall sleep!...
Nobody shall sleep!
Even you, o Princess,
in your cold room,
watch the stars,
that tremble with love and with hope.
But my secret is hidden within me,
my name no one shall know...
No!...No!...
On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines.
And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...
Chorus: (No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.)
Vanish, o night!
Set, stars! Set, stars!
At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win!

Pavarotti's version of this aria is hauntingly beautiful. Incidentally, aria is Italian for air. Also, this weekend a friend told me that I sound pompous when I talk about words. Ever since then I've ben really self conscious about my interests and how they appear to others.

We Are Dorks

So Mathew hates it when I want to sing this duet because it's mostly Eponine with her back up singer Marius. So, he added his own lyrics. :) We are nerds, I know.

I NEED SLEEP!!!

Today Hannah came over and made lemon pepper tilapia and stuffed mushrooms. My taste-buds were pleased.

THIS JUST IN:

I made a skirt today! Like, with a sewing machine and everything. The skirt is for the madrigal dinner and some peasant shall wear it. Needless to say, I am immensely proud of myself. C'est bleu! Aussi, my costume for the madrigal dinner is GORGEOUS. It's so ornate... nothing that would show up in a Lutheran High musical. I don't know why they picked Mathew and I to be Duke and Duchess, but I'm excited... for the singing, but mostly for my gown! -- pictures soon. :)

What else - Quoi d'autre?

French is going well! I can compare things. Lauren est plus intelligente que Mathew! Regarde? (I wonder if French people say, see?) I suppose regarde = look. Je ne sais pas comment dire "see."

Today was action packed. I talked to parents and potential students about General Honors today. I love advertising Truman and the GH program! They're considering changing the name to Arete which is Greek for excellence. That would be pretty cool.

Ok.. no more rambling.. must do homework!

100th Post!

This is the 100th post of my blog, get excited!

Here is a poem for your perusal:

EXULTATION is the going
Of an inland soul to sea,—
Past the houses, past the headlands,
Into deep eternity!

Bred as we, among the mountains,
Can the sailor understand
The divine intoxication
Of the first league out from land?

-Dickinson

I love the line, Can the sailor understand... it's true. I wonder what I miss because it is routine. This is why I love hanging out with Amy! She savors life. I try to do likewise.

This semester my extracurricular activity will be homework.

so much so that asking for forgiveness seems selfish.

I have been so caught up in myself.

Ce poste ne sera en français

J'ai eu le français aujourd'hui. Il sera facile, je pense. Je parle français avec mon ami de l'Algérie sur Skype. Je doit aller à la classe!

The Blue Room

Emily is all moved in! We painted her room blue this weekend. She brought with her a fancy keyboard. Incidentally, I'm excited to hear piano music throughout the house. (Emily, here is my first request: Mendelssohn's Rondo Capriccioso) I think that's the one you played at my voice recital. Emily, it's odd to refer to you in first and third person in one paragraph. I hope she doesn't mind? Also, that Valadon painting is called "The Blue Room." Only, Emily doesn't look remotely like that, nor does she smoke. Sooooo, ya. (Read that in a Eddie Izzard voice.) Must go!

Debussy

God,

When I die, please replay my life to Claire de Lune or Arabesque in sepia tones. Make sure the melody is played by a trombone.

Thanks,
-Lauren

Tea Party

Megan's tea party was lovely. The decorations were adorable, especially the dangling painted light bulbs: very meganesque. And of course it was quite fun to discuss art with an art major. I imparted my favorite Heidegger quote: "Art is truth setting itself to work."

That is all for day.

Dear, I thought I'd drop a line.

The weather's cool, the folks are fine.
I'm in bed each night at nine.
P.S. I love you.

Yesterday we had some rain,
but all and all, I can't complain.
Was it dusty on the train?
P.S. I love you.

Write to the Browns as soon as you're able
they came around to call.
I burned a hole in the dining room table
and let me see, I guess that's all.

Nothing left to tell you, dear.
Except each day, seems like a year.
Everybody's thinking of you.
P.S. I love you.

I have a new favorite singer: Nellie McKay - she was Polly Peachum in the original revival of Threepenny. She also plays the ukulele. (Elle, aussi joue du ukulele!) Sorry, I thought the last sentence in French first. My French 120 mind wants to be bilingual! Je ne veux pas retourner au collège. Parce qu'il est difficile et stressant.

Ok, that's all.

P.S. I love you.

2009 GOTE

Here is a post from this time last year:

I'm not a big fan of New Years Resolutions. I feel like if you want something changed, you shouldn't wait till the New Year. Although, I do see how it's nice to think you're getting a fresh start. Anyway, Sarah and I were once talking about our GOTE's (an acting exercise) and I realized it would be interesting to make a GOTE for my life, instead of the character I'm playing.

So thus this is my GOTE for the New Year: (not exhaustive)

GOALS -
1. Make a show this year, (whether it be one act, mainstage, or lab show) Along with that I'd like to improve my acting...
2. Hit that Phantom of the Opera E during a voice lesson
3. Spend more time thinking about my faith and discussing it with others
4. Get an A in Chemistry
5. Get out more
6. Meet with A.T. Still people to talk about medical school

So here's what happened with my goals for 2008:

1. I didn't make a show. I actually dropped my Theatre major for PHRE. Second semester Freshman year I was not taking any theatre classes. I still love it, still audition for plays I like, (definitely going for J&H), but it was not practical for me. I just don't have the will to seriously pursue it.
2. This goal I have come relatively close to in whistle tones. However, hitting that note solidly is unrealistic for someone who only recently began to sing. I'd have to have trained since I was much younger. Nevertheless, my range has improved significantly in both directions over the past year and a sub-goal of mine was to make chamber choir, which was accomplished!
3. Check! With the help of Hebrew Scriptures class and St. Paul Lutheran church, I have made strides towards enriching my faith. Dr. Appold is a wonderful mentor. I have recently been considering seminary and getting a Th.D.
4. Check! Not without the help of Mr. Conway. :)
5. Check! Thanks to Phi Sigma Pi.
6. Check! I realized I'd rather be an academic doctor.

So 4.5/6 = 75%
---------------------------------------------

And without further adieu... Lauren's GOTE 2009

GOALS

1. See the Holy Land
2. Read The Little Prince in French (cet été)
3. Learn about Classical Music and Astrology
4. Sing an aria from La Boheme: Donde Lieta and perform it at the end of the year
5. Make Jekyll and Hyde
6. Have Senior status by Spring 2010 (so I could potentially be inducted to PBK as a Junior)

OBSTACLES:

1. Money and terrorism preventing the trip
2. I don't think French 121 teaches the subjunctive, so I'd have to learn it myself in order to read at that level
3. I don't have room in my schedule for classes in the aforementioned fields
4. My high high B flat isn't consistent
5. It is very competitive and I don't know the director at all. I am not involved in theatre anymore so he is probably not likely to cast someone outside of the department/community
6. I think I'm 12 credits away: which is a lot!

TACTICS:

1. PKP Scholarship, Cultural Loan, and the Truman Study Abroad Scholarship -- can't do much about terrorism
2. Have the English version with me and Emily on speed dial! :)
3. Pick Dr. and Mrs. McKamey's mind after church or intentionally in their offices / Go to train bridge with Amy and a good Astrology book
4. Ask Nicole if we can start out with that aria
5. Can't do much other than practice my monologue and the vocal audition sheet
6. Go to Israel for 6 credits, take two interim courses or take 12 credits this summer if Israel falls through

EXPECTATIONS:

1. A life changing travel experience. I will learn about archaeology, middle eastern politics, and the geography of a majestic area.
2. Improve my French exponentially
3. I will be able to appreciate the music I love on a new level, as well as the sky that records so much of human history
4. I'll feel like a coloratura soprano! (Trust me: I'm not!) But I can feel that way, right?
5. I think it is within my reach to be in the chorus and I miss musicals and my old theatre friends.
6. Well, PBK would be a 2010 endeavor, but having the credits would be a good start.