Bose In-Ear Headphones
You’ve drooled over their ads in Opera News, but perhaps you’ve shied away from splurging on any of Bose’s expertly designed speakers. Why not start with an entry-level product by treating yourself or another musician to Bose’s In-Ear Headphones. These are Bose’s answer to iPod’s little white ear buds, though of course they work in other MP3 players and pretty much wherever else any normal headphones works.
How does Bose craft their product to stand out above the rest? With “contoured, soft silicone tips that rest gently in the bowls of your ears, not the ear canals.” They also feature the brand’s own “Tri-Port” headphone structure, which, in layman’s terms, makes it sound good. As an added bonus, the headphones include three different sizes of tips, so you can choose a size to avoid discomfort or having the buds fall out of your ears when you are jogging.
Available from www.bose.com for $99.95.
Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias by Richard Bouldrey
One of the most valuable books a singer can have is a catalogue pairing roles to Fachs. Oft overlooked because of its $65 price tag (for a paperback), this reference tool can come in handy any time you are trying to decide whether to accept a part or schedule an audition for an opera you don’t know well.
Look up a Fach and find suggested roles or arias. Look up an aria and find its role, opera, and composer. Look up famous singers and find their Fachs. The book is basically a series of indexes designed to help singers chose their path—from arias, to roles, to role models. Find it on www.tismusic.com.
Michel Thomas Language Learning CDs
When you think of learning language by CDs, you probably think first of Rosetta Stone, or—for old school types—Berlitz. But a lesser-known name is starting to steal their thunder. Michel Thomas’s language learning system is developing a reputation as an efficient way to actually understand what you are learning, rather than cramming vocabulary and grammar. Lessons are available in New York, L.A., or London, say you will be proficient in eight days and cost about $7,000 per person in a small group setting. For the rest of us, Italian, French, German, and Spanish CD sets are available. The 10-CD beginners’ programs are marked at $79.95, but are available on amazon.com for $50.37.
Find more information at www.michelthomas.com (that’s “Michel,” not “Michael”).
Classical Singer magazine: The perfect gift for everyone you know!
Is your subscription running out? Looking for a thoughtful gift for your teacher or coach? An insider’s view for your opera-buff buddy? An aid to help your parents understand your career path? A gift subscription to Classical Singer magazine could be just the thing for you or many of the people you interact with every day. For sparkling articles such as this one, subscribe during the month of December only at the special holiday price of $42 for a one-year subscription (or renew your current subscription for $48). Then, when you are famous and it’s time for your cover story interview, everyone you know will see it.
New York City Ballet: The Complete Workout
Singers are under a lot of pressure to be in shape, and often to be able to dance, or at least move on stage with the grace of a dancer. This workout kills two birds with one DVD, working the viewer into a sweat while reviewing dance exercises that may come in handy in your singing career. Most singers wish they knew dance but either don’t have the time for a dance class or feel too awkward or clumsy to practice alongside the petite and graceful gazelles that flock to dance studios.
Bring your workout home with you in this or another dance-based workout tape just in time for that New Year’s resolution. As an added bonus, it’s probably the only workout video you can give to a loved one without offending them. (“No, honey, I don’t think you’re fat . . . I just thought a little ballet practice might help with your career.”)
Retails at $29.98, and available on amazon.com for $24.99.
Maria Callas at Juilliard: The Masterclasses
What would you give for a coaching with one of the greatest singers of all time? A private lesson with your favorite opera star may be out of reach, but you can coach vicariously with the great Callas herself through a three-CD recording of her masterclasses at Juilliard. In addition to the arias the students sing—complete with interruptions by Callas—and her farewell speech to the students, many of the arias are juxtaposed with previous recordings of the same pieces by “La Divina” herself. Whatever your opinion on Callas and her singing, it’s almost impossible for a singer listening with open ears not to come away learning something.
This treasure is available from amazon.com for $32.98, or $52.53 if you also buy the transcriptions in a paperback, Callas at Juilliard: The Masterclasses by John Ardoin.
Now that you have visions of sugar plums dancing in your head, the next step is up to you. Circle the items you want, leave this magazine opened to this page, strategically place it where your loved one will see it, and wait for Christmas morning. Oh, and don’t forget to do some Christmas shopping yourself.
