In preparation for a recital

What is a song recital?
I always imagine that I walk in a picture galery, where all the pictures are animated. You can step in and out of each picture. Like Alice in the wonderland, become grow big and small.

Which means that in order to build a recital programm, I feel like a really wealthy owner of all this precious jewels.

Each song is a mini drama. It captures the mood, the place, the characters. It satisfyies the listeners hunger for a story in a very short time. Some times less then 1 minute.

Which means that if you are one of those adults that still keep the curious, childlike mind. You will enjoy an evening of storytelling.

For the next two recitals I will sing songs in German, Italian, French, Russian and English.

I do not speak French, German and Italian( but of course, I sing in all of them easily), on top of it I am lucky to have lovely friends ( all native speakers).

Italian -Daniel ( studying cloths design and one day will be famous) German- Astride ( has also a passion for Latin- American dancing, like me)
French- Aude ( a specialist in the world of jewels and a singer)

After the language is perfected. (And I do believe that the poems are equally important to the music!) the immagination kicks in and the work begins.

I really enjoy the proccess of prepearing for a recital. Getting slowly to know the people who created the songs throu their creations. Filling my soul with endless wealth of emotions, exploring it to the depths. Getting to know myself, own passions throu the hidden meanings of the poetry and the combination with music.

It can seam unfair: the preparation is enormous and the performance of each song is very short. I took one breath.. And it's gone already... But this is why it is so exciting! It is as if while I performed the song, the time stopped. I have taken the listener with me into my picture, out of the reality, outside of the present, past or future.

Almost like being in a time machine. Pure magic!

London

I am not sure why, but yesterday I had a strong feeling to stop the running of time. I found myself in central London, bank station, near the city. People were rushing by, it was lunch time. All I wanted to do is to breath the city, talk to her, ask questions.

I walked and walked, finding new places, that I have never been. Admiring the beautiful arcitectures and the inspiring combinations of old and new.
I was looking at the people, trying to understand, how are they connected to this place. How am I connected to this place!?

It was not a sunny day, neither it was cold or grey. It was one of those days, when everything feels suspended, slow motion. When no details are important, but the big picture.
I felt that the City has it's doubts too, but it is strong and contented.
I felt that my heart is really big. It has love for st. Peterburg, where I was born, for Jerusalem, where I grew up and for London, where I am maturing , experiencing amazing things. Living my dreams and battling with myself, constantly improving, changing, exploring.

This open conversation with London did so much good to me! I am grateful and content now.