‘‘But after two hours’ sleep it’s symphonic.’’ He was convinced he could hear scales among her staccato vocal activity that reach the highest possible range, or coloratura in the singing world.
With a name like hers, if not a singer she would be a movie star, he said. And when the time came, Alexandra would have trouble getting any boys past the ex-New York cop Mr. Rodriguez said. ‘‘I already have the bullet ready . . . whenever I meet the first boyfriend I’ll be cleaning my gun,’’ he joked.
After a couple of Manawatu performances, the couple will be embarking on their first international tour with Alexandra.
Listen to a short clip of "God and God Alone" from the Holiday CD "I Believe
The soprano screams of baby Rodriguez have even her American tenor father running laps around Palmerston North Hospital to soothe her. New York opera singer Daniel Rodriguez and wife Marla, the daughter of Palmerston North opera singer Kathi Craig, welcomed their first child into the world on Friday.
At 3kg, Alexandra Katherine Grace Rodriguez is already showing signs she inherited the lungs that have made her parents famous.
Mrs Rodriguez, a soprano singer herself, is recovering from a caesarean in hospital, while her husband remains on nappy duty by her side.
In a change from his international singing career, Mr Rodriguez was ‘‘definitely not five-starring it’’ by sleeping on a mattress on the floor, she said.
Despite being born with a minor cleft lip, Alexandra was feeding well and on her way to gaining the weight needed for any cosmetic surgery required, she said.
‘‘It was a bit of a shock at the time because people have this perfect baby fantasy . . . but she’s perfect. She loves when we sing together . . .but I have to concede that hearing her dad’s voice was her favorite.’’
And it did not take long for the little girl to show her bewildered parents what she was made of, in an early-morning vocal debut.
‘‘At four in the morning when you’ve been trying to feed her and trying to do anything you can, her singing is a shrill . . . it’s like daggers,’’ Mr Rodriguez said.
