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Monday 21 April 2014

Back from Wythenshawe, Battling With Bonnets and Meeting Scarlett!

Going Victorian at Wythenshawe Hall!
Hello every-one and what a busy Easter weekend it has been too. I'm just back from performing in Lancashire at Wythenshawe Hall for a Victorian event. It was the first time I wore my new bustle costume on stage and although the costume did everything I hoped it would do I had a few teething problems battling with the bonnet. As you can see by the photograph it made a real mess of my hair. The bonnet is held in place with a ribbon which I tie under the chin. The only snag is if you tie it too tight it makes it hard to sing and the slack means it moves backwards and forwards slightly when I'm working - hence the messy hair!
I shall have to pin it in place next time!
On the positive side the costume worked really well and by wearing a corsette rather than a corset I was still able to sing and not upset the line of the dress! Phew! For those of you who follow me will know I always like to bring a change of gown and for my second set I wore my white dress which as a costume has never let me down yet!
Wythenshawe Hall
 This was my first visit to Wythenshawe Hall thanks to Ingrid who found me on line and who very kindly invited me to stay Saturday night at her lovely home. Thank you Ingrid for your wonderful hospitality I really enjoyed our girly chats and meeting Tom the cat.
I confess I had rather hoped that I might have met a ghost or two while I was at the Hall but rather disappointingly I didn't. I'm so lucky I get to travel and perform at so many wonderful locations. I'm keeping my fingers crossed fate will see that I return there again soon. Just to fill you in about some of the history Wythenshawe Hall was built around 1540 by Robert Tatton of Chester. Some years ago I performed at Tatton Park so I know the name well and the Hall has a lovely presence to it which you can feel as soon as you walk through the door. Wythenshawe is now owned by Manchester City Council and they have their own resident soprano called Scarlett
Between shows with Soprano Scarlett
Scarlett is only 16 and has a glittering carer a head of her. In fact she reminds me so much of myself and it was a pleasure to hear her sing. Some of the ariars and languages I heard her sing on Saturday I didn't even start to tackle until my very late teens early twenties so it's no wonder Scarlett has a growing fan base. Do check out her web site and be amazed by her stunning voice, talent and exquisite beauty www.scarlettsoprano.com I was thrilled to meet her and mix her sound. I know just how hard it can be being a soprano and having the right sound can make or break you. So many engineers don't know how to mix it and I think Scarlett enjoyed going through my EV speakers and using an SM Beater microphone rather than an SM 58. The beater is design for a soprano voice and gives greater clarity on top notes and more resonance to bottom notes. During my career I 've used so many different types of speakers and microphones but these two make for a wonderful combination and really suit classical and soprano voices.
Scarlett and I at Wythenshawe Hall!
I have a feeling Scarlett's father might be making a few enquires when he next visits his local music shop. I really enjoyed meeting Scarlett and talking to her family or be it rather briefly as one is always in such a dash to get back on stage. In fact I came away feeling very inspired and thinking about cuirtin arias I had not sung or thought about in years. The down side about being a professional singer is I spend so much of my time dashing about singing songs for money I forget sometimes what it is to be creative and Scarlett has rather opened my eyes again.
This month I have 30 shows to do and tomorrow I have my last Easter Bonnet show before I start on a run of Pearly Queen shows with it being St George's Day on Wednesday. I shall be meeting up with Rachel my web-designer tomorrow and we should be switching my web-site over and going mobile by the end of this week.
That's about all my news for now apart from I will be back up in Cheshire next Saturday when I shall be playing at The Sandiway Golf Club with my "We'll Meet Again" show and "Magic of the Musicals"
Thank-you for Following, Keep Watching and Toodle Pip!

2 comments:

  1. A lovely blog, Fiona. Wythenshawe Hall is an amazing house, shame you didn't encounter Mary (the ghost) :-) I am sure you enjoyed meeting Scarlett, she is a lovely young lady. I hope I am able to get to hear you sing soon x

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  2. Thankyou Kevin I really enjoyed myself at Wythenshawe Hall and I will be returning on the 27th July when I'm booked to sing for the Halls 1940s day. I'm hoping Scarlett and I can get together to do a concert there later on this year ;-)

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