Today’s the day – after many weeks of rehearsal with the cast we are moving forward with bringing in the orchestra today. It’s the first time the cast and the orchestra will be together. And I can’t wait.
It’s called a sitzprobe – which I am told by Wikipedia is German in origin (the word that is) and has the Italian equivalent of prova all'italiana.
To my mind, a sitzprobe is the first rehearsal where the cast and orchestra are together … the goal being to coordinate both so as to be ready for performances.
The cast (indeed all of the production staff – the director and choreographer especially) and I, as music director, have been working … learning the songs, figuring out the dance music, getting the timing right, marking entrances, exits, and vamps … This for several weeks. The orchestra members have had their music for awhile; and I’ve been communicating with them via email or social media letting them know what the cuts and changes are along with particular notes about tempos, phrasing, etc.
Now we all come together to play through and sing the show. … no costumes, no props, no set changes, no lighting cues, no dialogue – just the music and songs. This is the time when the cast can be re-energized … after all, rehearsal after rehearsal can take its toll. Now we get a bit of an ‘umph’ as we hear everything come together. And I know that opening night isn’t too far away after the sitzprobe.
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