Musical Hilarity

Throughout the past couple of weeks, stress has overtaken my life and all I've need is some relief from it all! It has been fun to find some funny things to help keep my mind off of things!

My first video is of Kimchilia Bartoli. No...that is not incorrect. Someone at a college has decided to do some parodies based on Cecelia Bartoli's performances of some pieces. And...you know what makes it better? It's a guy in drag!!! My personal favorite? "Agitata da due Venti"

My second video is also of a drag queen. Maybe it's because I just watched the premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars and drag queens are just fierce in general. I came across this video when I was working on the aria "Poveri Fiori" with Dr. Hay. She proceeded to show me this video to show how "dramatic" I could be and I couldn't stop laughing. This is so hilarious! Please enjoy Madame Vera Galupe Borszkh! (For some reason, the website will not embed the video. So here is the link.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMdO63aBIWc

One of my favorite movies of all time is The Rocky Horror Picture Show. And you may have been able to guess already (based on my love of drag at the moment) , but Sweet Transvestite never ceases to make me laugh the entire time it is playing. Everyone enjoy this fabulous song!

I absolutely LOVE Pat Benetar. She's probably one of my favorite singers of all time! I was introduced to the "literal version" of her music video Love Is A Battlefield a few months ago. Someone has dubbed over the lyrics and the result is hilarious! Enjoy!!! (P.S: There are several other videos of different songs just like this! Check them out! They are just as hilarious!

Marketing music

For a few months, I have found some videos on Youtube that crack me up every single time I see them! The videos are part of a series called "Dr. Opera." They are presented by the Lyric Opera of  Chicago to promote upcoming opera productions. Basically, there are a set of characters from different operas that come in for a psychologist appointment to talk about their problems. It is like the characters are living in our time period going to a shrink! I think it's a brilliant idea and one that people will find interestingly funny!

Something else I really enjoy is the 3 minutes or shorter previews that San Francisco Opera produces. These videos give you enough of the opera for you to have a general idea of what it's about without giving away the plot. It also allows you to be able to preview every aspect of the show before deciding to attend.

Feast of Music caught my eye by its very exciting title. I mean...a feast of music!? Who wouldn't want that? When I got to the page, I was excited about journeying through the music of New York because the website clearly stated this. It also gave a list of categories to peruse through and to find one of your liking. It was fun to discover some new music through the various categories that I wouldn't have found otherwise.

therestisnoise.com

I was so pleased to find the blog of Jennifer Rivera, who is giving an every day account of the life of an opera  singer. She describes the ups and downs of this lifestyle through hilarious blogs/vlogs. If you want to sing, this is a great place to discover how it is in the "real world." She will also keep you on the floor rolling with laughter.

Sequenza 21 is a great place to find new music. The website has reviews of new CDs from new composers and new artists. You are also available to advertise on this website should you choose to do so. There is also a composer's forum and a calendar of events by new artists that have chosen to advertise on the website.

An Unamplified Voice caught my eye because of the clever name. This blogger goes to operas every week, particularly Metropolitan Opera House productions. Each week, he gives us an account of how he interpreted each opera and gives us criticism based on the performance.

What keeps me sane (or closer to it)?

When I get stressed out, I enjoy listening to songs from pop culture. I love classical music, but sometimes, it's just nice to walk away and let loose!

I always enjoy listening to P!nk. Every song I listen to keeps me going. When I get stuck during a project, I will pop a CD of hers in and bam! Instant inspiration!

One song that will have me grabbing my microphone, AKA, my hairbrush and dancing and jumping all over my room, is Smash Mouth's I'm A Believer. For some reason, as soon as this song comes on, everything that is on my mind goes away. 

90s pop is probably the one thing that will keep me sane while I study, while I go on road trips, and while I clean. However, the Spice Girls have a special place in my heart. It's always more fun to sing with other people for their songs and of course, there are others that will join in with you if they are around. It's a win-win situation! Stress relief for you! Stress relief for them!

Anything from RENT is instant happiness to me. I love it and as much as I am not fond of singing from musicals, I love trying to play every part as I watch RENT and act everything out. In a time of stress, I just take a break, pop in the DVD, and get to some awesome singing and dancing!