The Treasure Chest

Last weekend we had our first concert. We have to arrive 2:30 hours early to have time to get dressed, made up, vocal exercises, sound checks with the orchestra. There is excitement in the air.. our first night out.. how will people like it.. will they like it? will they hate it, fall asleep!

Putting on makeup is quite an ordeal. It's fun though, like playing when your a kid.. You cannot believe the amount of makeup you have to wear. A beige foundation, a deep muddy clay color for cheek-hollows, upper side of brows, sides of the nose, under your chin and jaw..and a bit on the indentation in your chin..
then yellow ochre on both sides of all that. White lines around your eyes, black lines around the black lines.. White foundation.. funnily called "Clown's Sperm" (I wonder how many people will be visiting this blog because they googled those 2 words together. :-) ) You put this white and very thick and sticky base along your nose, the center of your brow, top of you cheeks and tip of chin. Now a brown pencil line on your brows, around your nostrils and around your lips. Fill in the mouth with lipstick quite far inside so it isn't lighter when you open your mouth to sing..and you've almost completed your makeup. When that's done you hold your breath while someone pumps translucent powder from a small rubber pear and vapourizes your entire face. A coat of mascara and you are finally and truly "made up". Actually these are the way the peasants put on their makeup.. the citizens had a cooler palette and darker black around their eyes etc.,

The 3 scenes just flew by.. the audience loved it and when it was over we received a spontaneous standing ovation. Lots of WOO!!! etc., which always make you feel really great.

We did it all over yesterday and I have to say, someone we made more errors than the week before ..but the crowd was even more enthusiastic.. you tend to feed from that.. and it become even better. Some parts were so funny.. there is a place where we are going to make a magic potion.. and we need the someone's tooth.. so when the magician takes the tooth.. he exaggerates.. and even put his foot on the J.F.'s belly to pull it out.. he pulled so hard, J.F. fell down.. but that made it really extremely funny.. i don't know if the crowd thought it was on purpose or not.. but it was quite funny.

Next weekend.. I have 2 concerts .. both out of town. We are all crammed up in a school bus.. but it's fun.. everyone laughs and jokes around.. and usually on the way back.. there is lots of singing. We usually go to the restaurant to decompress.. but it'll be so late when we get back.. we will go directly home and hit the pillow.. cause Saturday it starts all over again.

This weekend I was talking with jinx about writing a song.. and he was giving me ideas.. and was saying how about something about 'winter rain'.. using it as a metaphor for life etc., I thought that was a great idea and sat down to try and write something for it.. but I just kept getting deviated and instead wrote a poem. I tried to pull the winter rain theme into it.. but it was like it didn't want to go there.. so I let it go where it wanted and it created a wonderful pretty story.

I showed it to Jinx, and asked me to record it and he would put it to music. I sent him the recording and he composed the most beautiful and haunting music to accompany it.. it just transforms the poem into a mystical and wonderful story. I'm putting the text here.. but wish I could put the recording with the music as it truly makes it magical. Thank you Jinx! :-) I showed it to Kitten and she told me it gave her goosebumps... and said I must put it on my blog to share with all of you.

so here it is:



I hope you like it


The Treasure box

A maiden through the garden ran
to hide her broken heart;
she ripped it from her aching chest
the pain so strong,
she could not rest
and underneath the rosewood tree
she bent down on one knee.
With trembling hands
she held it close;
one last time, did she,
then put it in a treasure box
and threw away the key.
the winds at once began to stir
whilst she read her magic spell;
the sky drew dark
and then her tears
like silent diamonds fell.
"My heart within this treasure box
safekeep for me, shall thee,
until my true love will be found
you shall not set it free"
for only he with true of heart
can find both box and key.
and with these words.. descended a chill,
embraced her to the bone
it blew through her
and through the box
and turned her into stone.
For many years she knelt there still
beneath the rosewood tree,
in her hands the treasure box,
awaiting it's destiny.
until one day
per chance arrived
a traveller from afar,
he walked a thousand
miles at least
to find the gate ajar
it was a scene
like in a dream
from many a year gone by,
that set him on his journey,
one he just could not deny
it pulled him here
from far away;
the stars were his guide
to this very garden
to find his future bride.
And there beneath the rosewood tree
a beautiful statue on one knee
and in her hands, an offering
a treasure box as he had seen
so many times
whilst he was dreaming,
and in the sky
something gleaming.
a bird swooped down
from the rosewood tree
and in his beak a golden key.
He looked upon the statue's face
his heart, it swelled
to see such grace
and by her beauty,
he was taken aback
and with his fingers,
her lips he traced
then in the lock the key he placed.
In dreams he knew just what to do
to break the solemn spell
"your heart within this treasure box
safe kept from all, lest me
I am your true love from afar
I've come to set you free."
the winds at once began to stir
the box it slowy opened
he placed her heart upon her chest
and soon it beat within her breast
and then the stone to flesh did turn
Her eyes they opened and looked at his
and she saw the love within
she knew he was her destiny
for he had found both box and key
and then she looked upon his face
and on his lips a kiss did place.

If you would like the recorded version with Jinx's amazing musical background,(complete with swelling violins and cellos)
follow this link to Jinx's Blog While you are there, take a look around, he is not only a talented musician, he is an incredible artist!