When my friends and loved ones ask what I am doing now
with my life, I say that "I am living it, FULLY."
And then they ask specifically what am I doing to live such
a "full" life. I spout off the few things that
I have done this past year to challenge myself. Climbing,
running a marathon, and flying at Trapeze School. They ultimately
respond, "Wait! Go back to the part about Trapeze School".
You see, it doesn't quite fit in with the image of a professional
opera singer.
For the past seven years, I have been on the road as a
professional opera singer. Singing leading soprano roles
in major international opera houses. With all the traveling
I was doing, not to mention the pressure I was feeling from
constantly performing, I needed a break. So, I decided to
take this past year off and do some of the things that I
couldn't do while on the road. I picked up running and decided
that this was the year that I would do a marathon, the 2002
New York City Marathon. I also was introduced to rock climbing,
which has since become my obsession. Rock climbing gives
me an instantaneous physics lesson while in the grips of
my own fear in going vertical. Fear is such a powerful thing,
and I love the challenge of remaining calm through fear.
I first experienced flying while working on a show in Geneve,
Switzerland. My dancer double had the best job. She got
to fly on a harness above me, while I sang. I was so envious
of that and asked if I could have the opportunity to just
try flying. The director arranged for me to have a go at
it one afternoon. It was thrilling. Floating in midair.
Flipping forwards, backwards, and upside down. My body was
suspended in air. I felt free and exhilarated. So, you see,
trapeze school seemed to be the next logical step. When
I heard that a trapeze school was coming to town, I was
one of the first people to sign up for classes. I wanted
to fly.
I showed up for my first class of trapeze school at 9:30
a.m., not knowing what to expect. Jonathan Connant, the
director and instructor of Trapeze School of NY, broke the
ice by asking what we were all doing with our lives to be
able to come to trapeze on a weekday morning when most people
were working. We all laughed and shrugged our shoulders.
The class began. We were first taken to a static bar, where
we could try our first position, the knee hang. Well, that
was fun, but I couldn't wait to try it out 30 feet in the
air. I climbed up the ladder to the platform. I looked out
over the Hudson River with the sun glistening off the water
and a comforting breeze blowing, and saw the Statue of Liberty.
"Wow, what a view", I remember thinking. Arlie
cheerfully asked how I was doing while he hooked the rappel
ropes to my harness. Then handed me the bar. And with a
"Hep", I was off.
Off the platform into midair, holding only the bar, my
body swinging, flying. I felt like a kid again. Free. Full
of life. And listening to Paul's calls from the ground,
I let go of the bar, turned a back flip, and fell into the
net. That day, I was hooked and will forever be hooked.
I immediately signed up for more classes.
I can't wait for classes to start so I can fly again!
