Yes, yes; I am still around—just not blogging very much, because my day job has been so much more demanding lately (darned day job—always interfering with my passions). This was going to be a Gratuitous Friday post but (as often happens with blog posts) it grew into so much more!
Recently, a young friend asked me to coach her for a musical theater audition; I said yes, of course I will! (I was both flattered and fascinated!) As we were working (on an aria from the Mikado—I forgot how fun that music is), I found myself not quite channeling Joyce DiDonato (I would never presume) but sharing thoughts and advice I picked up from watching JDD's master classes. I decided to do my young friend a favor and introduce her to the magic of Joyce DiDonato. So I stopped talking and gave her links to all of JDD's master classes, so she could learn directly from the Yankee Diva.
I realize that in the past few months, I’ve spent more time listening to JDD talk that listening to her sing. So, I finally acquired what just may be the vocal album of the year. Stella indeed! What an awesome album cover! But best of all is the creamy, flexible, and expressive vocalism inside. And new operatic treasures to behold (behear?) The only downside is I downloaded it instead of buying the CD, so I am probably missing out on some good liner notes, more photos, and some translations. On the other hand, with music and singing this beautiful, who needs to be distracted by reading a CD booklet?
Anyway, here's WarnerClassics' official promo video. We get Joyce talking (yay!) and Joyce singing (SIGH!)
And here is the recording session for L’Amica ancor non torna. (I love the clarinet solos, and so does JDD, you can just tell. But I think the composer missed a great opportunity for some sexy mezzo/clarinet duetting.) Is it
my imagination or is her voice getting richer, fuller, and deeper? While you're
pondering that, go get this album. Or if you already have it, go listen to
it again! Now!
After watching JDD's recent master classes, I went back to look at
what I wrote about JDD's classes last January. Gasp! I never did a blog post
about them. I was too deeply embedded in the Twitterverse at the time. SOoooo... In
case you missed them, they still are available on medici. One highlight among
many is JDD's revelatory work in the second session on Cara
sposa with countertenor Daniel Moody that brought me to
tears. Wow!!
Not
too long ago she started a newsletter called Opera Rocks, which is aimed at high school students interested in
singing and other performing arts. I hope she doesn't mind that some of her
subscribers are well beyond our teen years; for we are still eager to learn as
much as we can from her—about singing, opera, music, and life.
If you missed the live stream today of JDD's master classes at
Julliard (like I did), take note of these two tweets:
The Juilliard School@JuilliardSchool 
OK, so if it's not a master class blog, is this becoming a blog full of
gratuitous mentions of Joyce DiDonato
and Thomas Hampson? Probably. 
I caught most of TH's program (including a fine orchestral reading of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra) but I totally zoned out and missed JDD's concert. Now we all can relive (or live for the first time these two outstanding programs!
Is this
becoming a Master Class blog? Maybe. But that's not important right now. What's
important is this interview with Joyce DiDonato, in which she reflects on her
residency at Carnegie Hall as it draws to a close. From the WNYC.org website: 
Because my French comprehension is less than optimal, I listen to France Musique less frequently than British and Austrian online radio. But France Musique offers many musical gems.
