represented by

Micaela Haslam

"I had been learning Sequenza 111 for months, so was really looking forward to performing it at last. It's the kind of piece you have to absorb slowly over a long period of time in order to make sense of it. I hadn't actually heard Cathy Berberian's version; I'd made half-hearted attempts at finding it on iTunes etc but, with hindsight, I'm glad I didn't persevere. I had downloaded 3 other versions, most of which I didn't like at all, but they were very helpful in the creation of my own version of the piece.

I'd had a sound check in Rose Hall earlier in the week so we'd sorted out amplification etc. My partner, Will, was on this tour with us and was extremely helpful checking the sound in the various nooks and crannies of the auditorium.

In rehearsal at Rose Hall

Being first on was actually a huge relief. I think I would have self-combusted if I'd had to wait around for hours, as so many of the other players had to do. The piece actually starts off-stage so you're already muttering away by the time you reach centre-stage. I'd decided not to attempt the piece without the music, but the 3 loose pages of A3 were going to be a problem. I guess I could have had 3 stands with the whole piece spread out, but that would have created a barrier between me and the audience. In the end, I decided to throw the pages away once I'd finished with them! I think it worked really well and added to the theatricality of the piece. Sequenza 111 is a real tour-de-force of emotional outpouring, interspersed with very quiet, controlled, sustained passages. There are instructions for nearly every note, ranging from "wistful" to "desperate". The piece also contains "mouth clicks", coughs and finger clicks. There is so much information on each line of music, I decided early on to colour-code the piece so that I wouldn't waste time deciphering instructions en route. The trouble is I always cough now every time I see a bit of green highlighter on a page!

Anyway, after all that work, the piece was over in a flash (about 8 mins or so). I guess it's a bit like being an athlete in that you train for months and months, then "the gig" lasts only a few minutes and you only get one go! I committed myself to the performance and enjoyed most of it (with only the occasional flash of "what the hell am I doing?!"). I didn't really know how it had gone until I met Heather, Rachel, Mandy and Will backstage, all of whom were extremely complimentary. I was really touched that they'd come along to support me. The afternoon felt like a huge anti-climax after all that effort. Still, I had a real "pick-me-up" that evening when I was introduced to Cristina Berio (daughter of Luciano Berio and Cathy Berberian). She had been at my performance and had loved it. In her opinion, most singers "sing" the piece too much, when really it's music theatre. She thought that my version was much closer to Cathy's interpretation. What a lovely compliment - especially when I'd never even heard Cathy perform Sequenza 111. Anyway, Cristina was kind enough to give me a video of Cathy workshopping the piece and I'm really looking forward to seeing that.

I can't wait to do the piece again now!"

Micaela