Have you ever done research for a project? Well, I am currently trying to school myself on what great performing looks like. Alanis Morisette is an incredible performer. She totally blew me away recently at her arena tour in London. It was really interesting to study how she presents her songs in front of such a big crowd. She doesn't need fact costumes, or a group of backing dancers, or a big production show. It was just her and her band on stage rocking out. But yet, I didn't feel short changed at all. She was amazing. She had everyone up and singing along with her. She uses the full stage. 

The lessons that I learned from watching this concert are:

1) Walk around. Be physically present in the full stage. She would often run to one side of the stage and sing to the crowd on that side for a while before running across the stage and doing the same thing to the opposite side.

2) Get down on your knees. Obviously choose your moments wisely, but use lots of levels. At one point she spun around in circles on the spot until she got so dizzy that she ended up lying on the floor. It was a very high energy performance!

3) Bounce off the other musicians in the band. Interact with them. Often she would face a guitarist on the stage with her and they would have a moment together just rocking out together. They looked like they really got into he music during these moments and were really enjoying performing together. It was really nice to watch.

4) Have fabulous hair. Especially in a big arena like the O2. I couldn't make out her face from where I was sat, but her big blonde hair was visible and a great marker for me when watching.

5) Interact with the crowd. Get them clapping along too. Use hand gestures and speak to them directly. There is no 4th wall here. Get the audience involved.

6) Swarovski crystals for everything. She had these sparkly trousers and an oversized baseball or American Football top on. A very American Indie grunge look, and totally on brand for her. But then when she later was given a guitar to play, it had sparkles all over it and matched her trousers completely. It totally completed the look and I loved it.

7) The right songs, chosen well and sung gloriously will send the audience home singing. As I left the stadium, other audience members were still singing loudly to "Ironic" and "You oughtta know" as they marched to the nearest tube station. The gig experience for them was continuing on their journey home. Choose songs the crowd can sing along to.

This was the production that we were just about to open in 2020 when everything was shut down due to the pandemic. It feels somehow defiant to have resurrected it 2 years on. I still have to pinch myself that we are again able to sing and dance with full chorus, ballet and orchestra - and even better, in front of a full house audience. No more social distancing, and no more having to sing whilst wearing a mouth covering, and the concert is not being live-streamed because the audience are not attending via their computer screens!

The music is a collection of some of the best chorus music by Wagner and Verdi, as well as some orchestral music. The team of dancers often highlight the silence in-between pieces through dancing only to the rhythm of their breath. I can't explain the dancing, but it is an impassioned contemporary choreography style that evokes emotion to the watching audience.

I am enjoying being a part of this production immensely. I am proud of this work. It is very poignant in the current political climate that we find ourselves in. Although mostly the same direction from Alain Patel as two years ago, everything takes on new meaning with the significance of the conflict in Ukraine currently, and the challenges and sadness during the pandemic.

I was also thrilled to be asked not only to sing in the chorus, but also to cover the soprano solo in Verdi's Requiem "Libera me".

More information and photos (nl) : https://operaballet.be/nl/programma/2021-2022/choeurs-2022
More information (en): ​https://operaballet.be/en/programme/2021-2022/choeurs-2022

 I am writing this blog post to capture a moment in time. A sort of diary so that hopefully I never forget (once things go back to normal again) how things were at one time. How things changed, and evolved into whatever they are going to become...

It is January 2021. The world is not as we know it. There is a pandemic going on. It has been going on since March 2020. That is 10 months without a live concert. For someone who would normally be performing several times a week, that is a very weird thing to experience. I have been on "standby" the whole year. Ready to go back to work. Maybe by next week, next month, by Christmas everything will go back to normal. But that never happened. When you are poised in one moment of time, waiting to go back to work, you can not commit yourself to any new projects (personal or professional) because you are never fully free and able to switch off.

And yet, amidst all this madness, during a severely restrictive lockdown in Belgium (whilst things are even stricter in the UK currently), Opera Ballet Vlaanderen were able to safely put together a physically distanced concert and live stream it.
There was hand sanitiser everywhere. They even gave each of us a bottle of the stuff so that any germs on our hands could be killed regularly. The orchestra were only permitted into the backstage areas of the opera house. The choir were only allowed into the audience areas of the opera house. This helped to space us out and prevent to many people in one area. We were all allocated specific seats that had been measured, for the choir at least 3 meters apart from the next person. We were given specific face masks that had been designed for singers, so that they would hold their shape when we inhaled. The masks were to catch any water droplets that might be emitted from our mouths while performing. You have to assume that anyone could be infected and shelter all individuals from each other.
We had designated "covid safety officers" who's entire purpose was to monitor that everyone was at all times at least 1.5m away from each other, and correctly following all the new rules. Safety first. You can see from the stills in this blog post, that these measures were in force. This was not our usual concert layout.

There was no audience in the room. It is not permitted. Unless it is your job and you are being paid, you were not allowed to even enter the building. Instead for a small fee of 10 euros, you could buy a ticket to the concert and watch it from the comfort of your own home. This meant that the choir had to clap after each piece, and even clap after their own singing. It is very strange to perform a piece of music and to be greeted by silence afterwards. Very strange.

Despite all this, we triumphed in putting together the first concert of 2021. We hope for many more, and pray that one day we will laugh when we think back to this time; the lessons we learned, and the gratitude for those lessons.

​Concept and choreography: Kyle Abraham
Music: Gioachino Rossini - "Assisa a' piè d'un salice" from Otello
Arrangement and harp: Arielle Valibouse
Soprano: Jennifer Coleman
Dance: Claudio Cangialosi, Mikio Kato, Ruka Nakagawa, Lateef Williams

This has to be my creative highlight for 2020. I thoroughly enjoyed singing the solo in this video for Opera Ballet Vlaanderen. Such a gorgeous and melancholic piece of Rossini music. This collaboration was so wonderful to be apart of after being unable to collaborate at all since March. This was a total dream team to work with. Bravi Tutti! I am one proud soprano.

It was fun to be back at work after 6 months away. What can I say, only that I feel incredibly privileged to have the job that I do. That I had the chance to sing with the choir and orchestra at OBV in Gent Opera House during the corona crisis in 2020. Very few performers will have had any opportunities this year, which made me savour this small project even more. It was strange having to adapt to all the safety measures, but I did feel very safe while working. The orchestra were spread out from each other on the theatre stage, while us chorus members were sat in the stalls 3-5 meters apart from the next nearest colleague. We also had to sing with face masks on, which, I doubt I will ever get used to.

Repertoire:
 Franz Joseph Haydn: "Sie raises herauf, die Sonne" from Die Jahreszeiten
 Henry Purcell: "When I am laid in earth" & With drooping winds "from Dido and Aeneas
 Giacomo Puccini: "Zoemkoor" from Madama Butterfly
 Claudio Monteverdi: opening bars from Orfeo (only for parade orchestra: adaptation by Steven Prengels)

The idea of the project was to record a backing track that can be used later for live musicians to be able to perform along to for the parade performances planned for October. These performances will be open air, and moving through the streets in Antwerp and Gent. So it would be very easy for the live musicians to lose contact with each other in these circumstances, but with the recordings, it will make it easier for the performers, and also for the audience to hear a pre-mixed balance of audio.

https://operaballet.be/en/programme/2020-2021/comfort-parade

POSTPONED DUE TO THE CORONA PANDEMIC

I actually started this blog post on the 23rd March 2020. But I never got round to finishing it, because well, things just kept on changing. It's interesting how this year every week there seemed to be a whole new set of rules to follow. 

So you may have heard about this global Pandemic thingy that's been going on this year, something to do with a virus called Covid-19. Well, it has right royally ruined the arts, music, performances and sport - as well as basically everything (apart from Amazon, they seem to be doing well). Anyway, this year I was supposed to be busy in the chorus at Opera Vlaanderen. We were one week away from the public dress rehearsal and opening night of our next production 'Choeur 2020'; a fusion of the best chorus anthems by Wagner and Verdi. Until one night at 10:30pm on the 11th March, when we received an email instructing us not to go back in to work in the morning. At the time I just thought that it would be for one week, then maybe a month, but it continues, and it's currently been over 6 months already...

Do I think that the Arts are going to change forever because of Covid-19? Yes and No.

Yes, I think we will have to start making adjustments to our way of life as a whole. Hopefully people will have better personal hygiene now, hand sanitiser will be more readily available, and face masks will become a much more normal everyday accessory in everyday life. I can't imagine people wanting to wear masks all the time when the laws and restrictions are lifted. We may adopt a more Asian cultural approach to covering our face; in that if people are feeling unwell, out of respect to others, it may become standard practice to cover your mouth and nose when out in public. It also may mean that some people choose to stay at home if they are feeling unwell, when previously they may have continued about their daily lives.

However, the main point I want to make is that NO, I don't think the arts are going to change forever. Performers are hungrier than ever to perform after months and months of quiet time, and audiences are thirsty to be entertained. Nothing beats the thrill of live performance. They can film 'Hamilton' the musical and put it onto Disney+ for people to watch on their TV's at home, but it will be nothing like the experience of going to see the show live in London or New York, when, hopefully it returns.
There has been plenty of sad news about shows and theatres that have prematurely had to close for financial reasons due to covid. I was very shocked and saddened when I learned that The Phantom of the Opera would be ending as we know it. But then I read on their website, that they have just signed a new 50-year lease on the theatre, and that they will come back with new sets, costumes, direction and a new life for the show. Maybe it will be even better once it returns. Maybe somehow, Covid will shake up the industry, and have given creatives some time to re-coupe and replan their next creative projects, or (in the case of Phantom) their past projects too.

I am deeply saddened and concerned for my colleagues and fellow creatives. Financially, 2020 has taken a huge burden on people I know. Many of my opera singing friends across the world have had to abandon their regular performing contracts completely and find new ways to earn a living. But that's ok. When the world is ready, they will still have all the skills that they had before (plus some new ones), and they can go back to their past creative lives should they want to. Some performers may not return to the arts after this. But, if that is the case, then maybe 2020 just provided them with the necessary thinking time to reflect on their lives, values and make new decisions. Like a catalyst.

Good luck to everyone right now. I hope that you can find the courage to stay strong. I wish you good health and I can't wait to see you all creating and performing in the near future. I will sing again, and I will be in an audience many many more times - I'm sure of it. Opera will be returning at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen. They have assured us many times of their plans to start putting on productions again in 2021. I am fortunate to have such a thoughtful and supportive company in these challenging times. We are adapting, but the show must go on! This is not the end of the Arts.

See you soon in a theatre or opera house,

​Jennifer x

This is one of the most spectacular productions I have ever been a part of. Visually there is so much going on on stage. The set rotates to show 2 sides, the first is a medieval colourful village based on the waterside buildings in Gent. The second is Gent's Gravensteen (castle) with a huge baby eating monster emerging out of it. Then we have some truly extraordinary costumes. My costume is a full length one shouldered dress with an exadurated shoulder and sleeve. On the front is a painted Picasso-esque face in green, blue and lilac. And then the hair and makeup - underneath a huge black beehive wig with fringe, my face is painted completely white with deep green eyebrows and lips and a curved line down my cheek connecting them. Every single person on stage is completely different. The costume and makeup department have really excelled themselves in this visual explosion of colour. 

https://operaballet.be/en/programme/2019-2020/der-schmied-von-gent

Here is the first sneak peak of one of the songs from the new album I recorded with Operose. I can't wait for the full album to be released. I really feel that the band has come a long way since our first album. We've just had our first reviews come in of the pre-release that we sent out, and the first one to come back is simply incredible!

http://getreadytorock.me.uk/blog/2020/01/album-review-serpentyne-operose/?fbclid=IwAR0T60IbNtjiK5Xqlep3jhYxeowtXWmi8vR7a9dnZk5Ys9YJOHsa9SZgBfk

and

https://metalplanetmusic.com/2020/01/album-review-operose-into-the-starlight/?fbclid=IwAR0sDp2SGLPKeQkg4eBBnUdPBloP-l3w5fBVFeWDkB2edxbGNz8dgHPGzVg

A short quote from a much longer review of the album:

"all huge vocals from Coleman float deliriously". [...] You don’t need to like opera to enjoy this release, although it would certainly be a bonus, all you need to have is an appreciation of some incredible and groundbreaking music that will beguile, intrigue and thrill you. Music to get lost in." 
​Review by Paul Monkhouse for MPM

Well here it is... It's taken me a long time to write this blog post. It's been over a month now since we last performed on VTM's Belgium's got Talent for the Semi-final. I finally feel like I might be able to attempt to put into words what an incredible experience it was.

It's important to begin by stating that we were both absolutely petrified about speaking Flemish on national television. After living in Belgium for such a short amount of time, neither of us feel confident in our speaking abilities yet. So for us, our biggest challenge was being able to hold meaningful and articulate conversation in a language that we had a very limited ability in. Reisha and I had created a list of all of the possible questions that we thought might come up and prepared answers in advance to each and every single one of them. We then translated this all into Dutch using good 'ole trusty Google Translate. And then once we had a rough guide for what to say, we ran these by some of our Flemish speaking colleagues so that they could help us with pronunciation tips,  vocabulary and grammar. Prepare, prepare, prepare. We didn't want to humiliate ourselves on National television. I was far more nervous about the speaking and interview part than I was about the actual singing.

With regards to the Semi-final, we have had lots of feedback to say "why did you pick that song?", "Why did you pick those dresses?" and "How did you make the decisions?". The truth is that we didn't really make any decisions for ourselves at all. The TV producers chose this song after we performed a selection of 9 songs to them. This was the one they said that they thought was best for us. Then a stylist asked for our dress sizes. We didn't have any idea what we would wear until we turned up on the day, and these were our only option. I'm not sure I would ever choose a dress with a cape attached for myself to wear normally (to quote The incredibles movie "NO CAPES!"), but it was quite fun swooshing around on stage wearing it.
We also didn't have a say in the choreography (yes we were choreographed to stand still). Every single look into or away from a camera lens was choreographed. Our smile to each other at the end of the introduction was choreographed. Even our hug with each other after we finished singing was choreographed. Ever bar had a purpose and we had set musical queues to remember. 

It was my first time singing with an in ear playback system. This was kind of like singing to a live recording of yourself in some bluetooth earphones. It felt weird. I wasn't used to it. Especially because I am used to only hearing my own voice in my own head - but this time I could also hear Reisha's voice in there too. We got to sing it through three times in rehearsals. I'm not sure I quite got used to it by the time of the performance, but it was a lot less distracting.

Then when the moment to sing finally came, it was over so quickly. I'm pretty sure that I had an out of body experience. All I remember of it (and this is the part that I hope stays with me forever), is looking out into the audience as the introduction started playing, and seeing 40 of our friends and family dancing around and waving homemade flags and banners at us that they had made. That made me smile. It made me feel so loved. 

So yes, I really enjoyed my time singing on Belgium's got Talent, but the most important part was how supported I felt by my friends, family and colleagues. And how supported I felt sharing the stage and singing with one of my best friends - she is so funny and talented and she inspires me to do great things. So thank you to everyone who came to the studio to support us live in the audience. Thank you to our families who travelled all the way from England to Belgium to be there. Thank you to everyone who watched at home and enjoyed our performance. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for us. And thank you to Reisha for being an amazing friend.

​J x

P.S. You can see from some of the stills that I have attached to this blog a couple of the outfits that we wore on the programme, including the aforementioned cape dresses. We chose the other two outfits and brought them ourselves. We feel that these reflect who we are much more authentically than what we were made to sing in.

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