One thing that will probably never cease to irritate me is when I tell someone that I am an opera singer, they respond with, "OOH i LOVE Josh Groban!!" Not allowing my shock to show, I kindly inform the person I'm speaking with that Josh Groban, while a very talented singer, is not a classically trained opera singer. He is what I would more consider a POPera singer. Urban Dictionary defines "Popera" as: "A merging of the musical terms and styles of "pop", or popular music, and opera. A genre that has been created for Josh Groban; A classical-crossover sound." Josh Groban is not the only artist involved in this genre. Other artists include: Sarah Brightman, Susan Boyle, Charlotte Church, Katherine Jenkins, and I would even consider Andrea Bocelli to be among these ranks (although he has more opera chops for sure).
There's something about training to be an opera singer that is very satisfying. There's an extreme amount of pride that goes into the amount of training opera singers undergo. Years of voice lessons, coachings, learning the musculature involved in being able to project, unamplified, over a full orchestra in a theater that could seat up to around 4,000 people! Singing opera is like the marathon running of the performing arts. That is not to say that other mediums of performing arts are any lesser, but there is so much discipline put into training and patience needed to be a legitimate opera singer.
I will not lie, there were many years when I was very offended that people did not know the difference between popera and opera. I did, in the past, view popera as a "lesser" genre. I was an absolute opera purist, and felt as though singing legit opera was superior to almost any other form of singing. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE jazz, musical theatre, some sensible Lady Gaga....but I felt that opera was best.
Living in New York, we get spoiled with the absolutely overwhelming amount of culture surrounding us at all times. The highlights of social calendars among the wealthy elite typically revolve around opening nights: The Met Opera, Avery Fisher Hall, broadway shows and plays, and the list goes on and on. Manhattanites love opera, or at least view it with the utmost respect. Living in New York, it is easy to lose sight of how "relevant" the arts, and opera in particular are in the "real world." Until I lived here (and really until recently), I never realized that there could be any value in the popera genre....why would someone want a "watered down version of a truly meaningful art form." Until recently I didn't realize just how arrogant I was being....
As I've mentioned before, a lot of people view opera as a dying art form. Again, I completely disagree; if people are even talking about it, then it must have some sort of relevance, right? But in reality, all this talk of opera as an irrelevant dying art form has made me think....how can we let the masses see the beauty of opera? Now I know a lot of you are going to say, "Oh COME ON," but hear me out in my next thoughts....please. We all remember a lovely little album that came out in June 2010 entitled "Dark Hope." It was the first time, really in history, that a major superstar in the opera world had released a "legitimate" pop album. Now this is what I would consider reverse popera. Basically, Renee Fleming (love her!), released an album of indie rock covers where she actually altered her classical vocal technique to sing more authentically like a pop singer....in this case the result was oddly reminiscent of Cher (does that mean Cher could have been a FIERCE opera singer???). This album came out to mixed reviews - it was a huge gamble on Fleming's part. Indie Rockers hated it....opera purists hated it. Who was this album appealing to?
Those of you who know me know that I am an undying Renee Fleming fan. It's not just her gorgeously warm soprano, her sense of musical style, her amazing diction...Fleming is, and always will be a student of her craft. She is also a fearless business woman who is wildly intelligent. She has made her career hand-picking roles to sing, holding off on certain things until the timing was just right. She has said herself that she is EXTREMELY weary of relinquishing any and all control in her life, especially when it comes to her voice and her technique. Everything in her career had made a natural progression as far as roles, fame, and business choices. But then there was Dark Hope. Why on Earth would arguably the greatest living operatic soprano release an album like this? What on EARTH could she be thinking??
A lot of people laughed the album off. They made snide comments about how she was just doing it as a means of laughing at the music industry...."I'm Renee Fleming....I can do whatever I want!" But my instincts were completely to the contrary. There had to be a reason. A possible idea dawned on me one day at work. I don't know if this is the exact reason, but in my mind, everything started to make sense. Renee is, as previously stated, wildly intelligent. I'm sure she is aware that opera may not be as publicly popular as it once was. An album like this generated an enormous amount of publicity - I think I saw coverage and mention of this CD in practically every newspaper and news brief on TV that I came across. People may have disagreed with it on many levels, but it got people talking. It put another iron in the fire of the opera industry. The more I thought about it, the more I tried understanding what the bigger picture of this album was, the more I began to think of things differently as far as opera, popera, and even "reverse popera."
In an art form that is so unbelievably specified, one that most people can't understand, what if this album is able to get even one more person interested in opera? Sure they're not going to listen to the album and immediately run out to see the nearest Ring Cycle, but maybe they'll go to a broadway show, maybe even branch out to a La Boheme or a Carmen....pretty soon, you might have a convert on your hand.
The more I've thought about this, the more I have actually begun to appreciate it. The more people are exposed to even what some people might consider amateurish popera, the more these audiences will know some operatic sounds, melodies, etc. Who am I to pass judgment on someone like Josh Groban or Sarah Brightman? For so long I thought I was SO cultured and enlightened....why? Just because I sing opera? In a time when opera is "dying," why would we pass up any opportunity to spread the awareness and appreciation of it?
So here I am now. A few years older...several years more mature....I am beginning to see the bigger picture, not just in opera but in life. While I may not be rushing to my itunes to download all the popera I can find, I definitely have a new-found appreciation for it, and even a deep respect for it. It's NOT opera, but it's not necessarily trying to be opera. It is it's own beautiful genre of music that has its own very legitimate place in this world. If you had asked me 5 years ago what I thought of Josh Groban, you probably wouldn't have wanted to hear the answer....but now? I say rock on with your bad self.
Now the ironic thing is....who ever would have thought that the very genre that we thought was "cheapening" our blessed art form could possibly be just the very thing that saves it....
Friday, September 30, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
The Art of Taking Risks (or not)
Working in an environment where you deal with a lot of “opera queens” on a daily basis, it is not uncommon to have a customer requesting a recording with certain singers. Even more frequently, when you ask the customer if they have a particular singer in mind, they answer, “someone who can actually sing.” They are referring typically to “golden age” singers like Bergonzi, Bjorling, Callas, Tebaldi, etc. Over the years, this has made me wonder, what exactly do people prefer from singers of the past versus the singers of today?
I personally refuse to believe that the quality of voices does not exist anymore as a lot of people suggest (although I do agree that most of those older singers were far more exciting to listen to). I think a lot of it has to do with the training and technique (or lack-there-of) in singers today; also, unfortunately, priorities have changed. People seem more concerned with being hot and 23 rather than being able to sing…(no comment). I think one major fundamental difference is that a lot of singers today are afraid of taking risks on stage which seems to me to be one component of excitement missing…So much pressure is being put on streamlining this art form as far as financial safety and longevity that we are possibly beginning to see a decline in the “artistry” happening in the...well...art.
We are in a recession. People are much more conscientious of how they are spending their money which means less money is being given to the arts (this topic was briefly covered in “Life in HD”). Less money for the arts (and opera specifically in this case) means that people don’t want to put themselves out there; they don’t want to put money into something that they are not sure is going to mean a financial return. Now I’m sure you’re sitting there thinking, why is he babbling on and on about finances and money as far as risk taking….I thought he was trying to talk about opera and risk taking?? Have patience! We’re getting there.
The problem gets more specific from the general financial woes of the world. While people are worried about taking financial risks, artists are trying to turn themselves more into brands and businesses. Almost gone are the days of opera singers only singing for the rush they get on stage; singers are thinking more broadly, in an effort to try and stay relevant with today’s fast paced society. Singers are on facebook, they are on twitter, they have books, press tours, talk show appearances, and much more. I wonder, in an effort to “stay relevant,” are singers today losing focus on one of the fundamental principles of what opera is: DRAMA?
Everyone today is nice. I love nice, and I have the utmost respect for it, but let’s consider. Everyone wants to be politically correct; no one wants to ruffle feathers because no one wants to lose funding or business or royalties checks. This is great and fine as long as artistic integrity and performance is not sacrificed. This is fine as long as the over-the-top diva drama is not watered down to make everything rosy. Are artists today allowing their amiable dispositions to take away from the reckless risks that their more volatile predecessors took?
In a time when everything is about the visual…best costumes…the skinniest performers…the most lavish sets…the best actors…the best skin…are we losing focus on the music and the drama of the theatre? I hear a lot of complaints from people that they think recordings today, and solo albums, are all boring. The voices “are pretty” but where’s “the drama?”
When you listen to Callas, you HEAR the drama. You don’t have to see her to feel how invested she is in act two of Tosca. You can hear the tears and the pain in her voice. You feel how torn she is between saving Mario and not giving in to Scarpia. You can hear this without even knowing what she is singing about. There is a recklessness in her approach that I feel is mostly absent today. Callas was not concerned with being nice. She was a diva with a capital D! I'm not encouraging this behavior from singers today, but is it possible that her not being as worried about offending people or coming off rudely allowed her to be more reckless on stage? She is not alone in that approach…even singers from just 20 years ago…singers of the past, from my perception, seemed more deeply willing and able to be inconsistent on stage. Callas wasn't always good, but that can be very exciting....you never know what you are going to get; it keeps you on your toes. It keeps the audience engaged and wanting to hear more.
It’s such a difficult balance, also, to be able to “let go” and take those risks. We do have our voices and beauty of tone to worry about. There are phrases thrown up into the stratosphere. There is staging to remember, a conductor to watch and an orchestra to work with (not to mention a non-native language to sing in). There is so much already on our plates that it seems like an impossible task to not think about those and “take a risk.” But opera is about excitement, drama, control. There is an unbelievable rush involved in being able to juggle all of these things at once, and sing unamplified over an orchestra of up to around 100 pieces.
That is one thing I love about Natalie Dessay. A lot of people hate her. A lot of people think she is a terrible singer. I think she is vastly enthralling to watch. She had a different training than most singers today, which may be some of her key to success. Natalie was trained as an actress first, and then came to singing…she approaches everything as an ACTRESS….everything to her is a work of theatre, not just notes on a page. Every high note she sings may not be perfect (who is perfect though??), but you can always expect to see a character portrayed differently than you probably ever have. Her characters are always inventive (see her Marie in Fille du Regiment as a PERFECT example), and almost always keep you guessing...her performances are always exciting and full of unabashed risk.
A lot can be learned from Natalie Dessay, but even more so from singers of the past. Opera is such an exciting art form, and only gets better the more you dive deeply into it. Why limit ourselves to just “singing pretty?” Why not allow ourselves the complete artistic freedom that we are entitled to as artists? We should not worry about offending people, or turning people off. Theatre and Opera is not something that is for everyone…it is so subjective, and that is the beauty of it. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure! I urge my fellow singers (myself included!) to take even more time when learning roles or arias. Be inventive…take those risks which we may be afraid to take. Use these new-found risks as an opportunity for self-growth and discovering even more comfort levels (or not) that you did not know about.
In a coaching I had last summer in Italy, I was being urged by the conductor to take more risks in a particular piece I was working on. I think it was Ideale by Tosti, so not exactly a life-changing piece in the big scheme of things. Here I was, thinking I was singing beautifully (which I may have been), but I wasn’t internalizing the piece, especially the second time through. When prodded by the conductor to push my limits even more, I made the comment (tongue in cheek) that I was not Callas. He laughed, and proposed the question… “Did Callas take liberties and risks because she was famous, or did she get famous because she took those risks?” I’ll let you be the judge…
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The Beauty of ME time...
We all do it, and I think sometimes I'm more guilty than most. I love being busy, but I don't know when to say no! I work full-time, I treat my singing like a second full-time job, I have a dog to take care of, a social calendar to keep up with, and the list goes on and on.....it can be exhausting! My mother has always told me to slow down; to enjoy life. My parents always taught me to keep my life simple; that is when your mind is at its clearest, and when you are able to focus on what is really important in your life. This has always been in the back of my mind, but for some reason I've always had trouble bringing this practice to fruition.
I grew up in a house with 2 brothers and a sister. Everyone was involved in after-school and extra-curricular activities. In a sense, we were all absolute over-achievers; Piano lessons, wrestling practice, soccer practice, ballet classes and cheerleading practice for my sister, church choir, school choir, youth group....you name it, we were probably involved. As I got older, I was able to juggle more and more things on top of school, and this continued to blossom into college. In college, I couldn't just take 15 credits and do the opera....I was taking 21 or 22 credits, doing the opera, being a member of a student run "Ambassadors" organization for my university, teaching voice lessons (up to 10 students a week!), and starting/ running an organization of my own (The JMU Opera Guild); needless to say I didn't have much free time....but the free time I had was spent socializing with my friends. My room would get messy, laundry would pile up, I might stop an extra time or two a week at on-campus dining for dinner instead of cooking at home. Yet somehow, I still got through it, and with pretty flying colors.
When I moved to NYC just over two years ago, I was a very small fish in an absolutely enormous pond. This is to be expected, of course! In a way it was refreshing, and has certainly given me the time to sit back and evaluate my priorities in life. Sometime in the last year (maybe it's moving 3 times in MANHATTAN all during the heat of the summer within that year) I feel as though I have really grown up. I no longer feel the need to hold on to every little thing that comes into my life. I have gotten very good at purging unnecessary clutter from my life and home; I really appreciate the value of a fewer number of really fine things than a bunch of junk that stresses you out! I have worked tirelessly at decorating my apartment (THANKS ERICA!!!) to a style that soothes me when I am home. I have begun to live the "simple" life that my parents always talked about. Through this simplicity in my life, I have been really able to start to tap into ME time.
I didn't really understand this concept at all until last summer. I had been abroad before (Germany, Czech Republic, etc), but I had never been to Italy. I went to a summer program run by my teacher on the absolutely STUNNING island of Ischia off the Amalfi Coast of Italy near Naples and Capri. This program focused mainly on voice lessons, coachings and masterclasses, with concerts thrown in. The beauty of this program is the location. Stepping off the boat onto the island of Ischia is stepping back to a simpler time. People enjoy time with their friends and family! They take their time and really enjoy their meals (pizza Epomeo, YUM), they spend countless hours on the beach tanning their perfect bodies, they go to the island's thermal spas (yes, natural heated pools by the heat of the volcano!). My trip to Ischia was the first time in my life that I had ever been able to completely 100% relax and enjoy myself (when I wasn't singing).
I came back, got back to work, and everyone that I encountered (co-workers, friends, family) ALL noticed how chilled out I was. I had not a worry in the world, trusting that everything would get done eventually, that I didn't understand why everyone was so stressed out. I had experienced the beauty and simplicity of me time. Of course in no time at all I got sucked back into working, into the fast pace of the city and the social obligations...but I remembered every once-in-a-while that feeling of total relaxation that I experienced in Italy; how could I get that back??
I went to Italy again this summer. I could not wait!! I got off the plane and boat, got out of the taxi to our villa, and I was in relaxation mode again. This year I was decidedly more focused on my singing, but I really tried to take it even easier on my down time than I had last summer. Of course, all good things come to an end, and it was back to NYC (after the WORST flight home through Naples....I think I still have nightmares about that airport....). I got back to the city, and fell into the same routine I had last year, but probably even more quickly. How do I get that sense of relaxation back?? As someone who uses their body as their instrument, it is SO paramount to be well rested at all times....
Somehow in the last few weeks I have gotten busier than I think I have ever been in my entire life....possibly combined all together. One would think my productivity would decrease in this case, but let's reconsider. Call me a grandfather at my almost 26 years of age, but I have noticed that my priorities in life are beginning to change. I no longer feel the undying need to maintain my "social calendar." Spending money on things like eating out and drinks now seems irresponsible to me. When lessons and coachings cost so much, and are so valuable to a singer, why would you spend $100 or more on eating out (conservatively) a week, especially when you are young and trying to budget every last penny! I have found myself instinctively staying in on the weekends, renting movies, going over music, recording, etc....all these things that will ultimately help get me to what I want to do in life.
I owe this all to "me" time. For the first time in my life, I am putting ME first, and let me tell you, it feels GREAT! After reading Bethenny Frankel's "A Place of Yes" a few months ago, it has become so clear to me how focused I should be and WANT to be. Don't get me wrong, you shouldn't let your life pass you by....where's the fun in that? But I urge everyone to make sure that they are taking the time from their extremely busy schedules to focus on themselves. For you, is it getting a massage? Reading a book in the park? Watching a movie at home? Going to the gym or yoga in the East Village?
ME time is different for everyone, as it should be....get out there and find what really relaxes you. You'll be surprised to find how foreign it feels to really just take the time out of your day and relax (at least it was for me). Friends will always be there....there will always be additional social engagements in the future....the world around you can wait....but your sanity cannot! I have learned over the past year that you cannot expect yourself to operate at your optimum until you are really investing the time in yourself to be a happy, centered you. I have found happiness and centering through yoga, running along the Hudson, finding even 15 minutes to lay in the sun during the summer, listening to the music I love (which is only Renee about 70% of the time....), and the list goes on and on. I still keep myself more than busy, and I have lists of things I do that go on and on. The difference now is that these activities are no longer "extra-curricular." These activities are not to put on a resume or a grad-school application; these activities are for me, and only me.
I hope this doesn't come off as selfish at all, but if it does, who cares? It's your life, and at the end of the day you are in charge of your own destiny and happiness....
In the words of James Oppenheim,"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet."
Now go out there and focus on yourself! Namaste, everyone.....Namaste.
I grew up in a house with 2 brothers and a sister. Everyone was involved in after-school and extra-curricular activities. In a sense, we were all absolute over-achievers; Piano lessons, wrestling practice, soccer practice, ballet classes and cheerleading practice for my sister, church choir, school choir, youth group....you name it, we were probably involved. As I got older, I was able to juggle more and more things on top of school, and this continued to blossom into college. In college, I couldn't just take 15 credits and do the opera....I was taking 21 or 22 credits, doing the opera, being a member of a student run "Ambassadors" organization for my university, teaching voice lessons (up to 10 students a week!), and starting/ running an organization of my own (The JMU Opera Guild); needless to say I didn't have much free time....but the free time I had was spent socializing with my friends. My room would get messy, laundry would pile up, I might stop an extra time or two a week at on-campus dining for dinner instead of cooking at home. Yet somehow, I still got through it, and with pretty flying colors.
When I moved to NYC just over two years ago, I was a very small fish in an absolutely enormous pond. This is to be expected, of course! In a way it was refreshing, and has certainly given me the time to sit back and evaluate my priorities in life. Sometime in the last year (maybe it's moving 3 times in MANHATTAN all during the heat of the summer within that year) I feel as though I have really grown up. I no longer feel the need to hold on to every little thing that comes into my life. I have gotten very good at purging unnecessary clutter from my life and home; I really appreciate the value of a fewer number of really fine things than a bunch of junk that stresses you out! I have worked tirelessly at decorating my apartment (THANKS ERICA!!!) to a style that soothes me when I am home. I have begun to live the "simple" life that my parents always talked about. Through this simplicity in my life, I have been really able to start to tap into ME time.
I didn't really understand this concept at all until last summer. I had been abroad before (Germany, Czech Republic, etc), but I had never been to Italy. I went to a summer program run by my teacher on the absolutely STUNNING island of Ischia off the Amalfi Coast of Italy near Naples and Capri. This program focused mainly on voice lessons, coachings and masterclasses, with concerts thrown in. The beauty of this program is the location. Stepping off the boat onto the island of Ischia is stepping back to a simpler time. People enjoy time with their friends and family! They take their time and really enjoy their meals (pizza Epomeo, YUM), they spend countless hours on the beach tanning their perfect bodies, they go to the island's thermal spas (yes, natural heated pools by the heat of the volcano!). My trip to Ischia was the first time in my life that I had ever been able to completely 100% relax and enjoy myself (when I wasn't singing).
Just a casual view from the top of Mount Epomeo on the island of Ischia taken with fellow tenors in the summer of 2011....no big deal....
I came back, got back to work, and everyone that I encountered (co-workers, friends, family) ALL noticed how chilled out I was. I had not a worry in the world, trusting that everything would get done eventually, that I didn't understand why everyone was so stressed out. I had experienced the beauty and simplicity of me time. Of course in no time at all I got sucked back into working, into the fast pace of the city and the social obligations...but I remembered every once-in-a-while that feeling of total relaxation that I experienced in Italy; how could I get that back??
I went to Italy again this summer. I could not wait!! I got off the plane and boat, got out of the taxi to our villa, and I was in relaxation mode again. This year I was decidedly more focused on my singing, but I really tried to take it even easier on my down time than I had last summer. Of course, all good things come to an end, and it was back to NYC (after the WORST flight home through Naples....I think I still have nightmares about that airport....). I got back to the city, and fell into the same routine I had last year, but probably even more quickly. How do I get that sense of relaxation back?? As someone who uses their body as their instrument, it is SO paramount to be well rested at all times....
Somehow in the last few weeks I have gotten busier than I think I have ever been in my entire life....possibly combined all together. One would think my productivity would decrease in this case, but let's reconsider. Call me a grandfather at my almost 26 years of age, but I have noticed that my priorities in life are beginning to change. I no longer feel the undying need to maintain my "social calendar." Spending money on things like eating out and drinks now seems irresponsible to me. When lessons and coachings cost so much, and are so valuable to a singer, why would you spend $100 or more on eating out (conservatively) a week, especially when you are young and trying to budget every last penny! I have found myself instinctively staying in on the weekends, renting movies, going over music, recording, etc....all these things that will ultimately help get me to what I want to do in life.
I owe this all to "me" time. For the first time in my life, I am putting ME first, and let me tell you, it feels GREAT! After reading Bethenny Frankel's "A Place of Yes" a few months ago, it has become so clear to me how focused I should be and WANT to be. Don't get me wrong, you shouldn't let your life pass you by....where's the fun in that? But I urge everyone to make sure that they are taking the time from their extremely busy schedules to focus on themselves. For you, is it getting a massage? Reading a book in the park? Watching a movie at home? Going to the gym or yoga in the East Village?
ME time is different for everyone, as it should be....get out there and find what really relaxes you. You'll be surprised to find how foreign it feels to really just take the time out of your day and relax (at least it was for me). Friends will always be there....there will always be additional social engagements in the future....the world around you can wait....but your sanity cannot! I have learned over the past year that you cannot expect yourself to operate at your optimum until you are really investing the time in yourself to be a happy, centered you. I have found happiness and centering through yoga, running along the Hudson, finding even 15 minutes to lay in the sun during the summer, listening to the music I love (which is only Renee about 70% of the time....), and the list goes on and on. I still keep myself more than busy, and I have lists of things I do that go on and on. The difference now is that these activities are no longer "extra-curricular." These activities are not to put on a resume or a grad-school application; these activities are for me, and only me.
I hope this doesn't come off as selfish at all, but if it does, who cares? It's your life, and at the end of the day you are in charge of your own destiny and happiness....
In the words of James Oppenheim,"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet."
Now go out there and focus on yourself! Namaste, everyone.....Namaste.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
"Life" in HD
After seeing a lot of the Met's "Live in HD" series rebroadcast on the front of the opera house this week, I got to thinking....How do I feel about this "HD phenomenon" and how is it affecting the opera industry today? A lot of people boldly make the statement that opera is a dying art form....I whole-heartedly disagree, but that is not what we are examining today. I do recognize that much of the general public has never even seen an opera before, but are all of these HD broadcasts really doing all the justice that they are intended to?
For those of you not familiar with the Live in HD series (from the Met in particular), it is a series of live broadcasts from the Met (usually about 8 operas a season) that are shown in movie theatres all around the world. They feature Hollywood style "front row" camera work, backstage interviews with the stars and production teams, subtitles across the bottom of the screen, and much more....all for the reasonable price of about $20. The series started a few years back (I think 2006 was the first season), and has only continued to grow in popularity since then. These broadcasts frequently sell out pretty quickly, especially in more built-up areas. La Scala and Covent Garden also have similar broadcasts, although I believe they are somewhat less frequent.
As a singer myself, I absolutely support anything that helps increase the awareness and popularity of my art form. I strongly believe that through exposure, people will begin to appreciate what draws so many people to opera throughout their lifetime. In this vain, I am in total support of the HD phenomenon. My own mother goes to all the broadcasts down in Virginia. It has become another way for us to connect, as she wants to understand better what I am doing with my life (and hope to achieve ultimately). It has brought me so much joy seeing my mother go from never having seen an opera before, to now having seen Wagner, Strauss, Puccini, Verdi, Donizetti, Bellini, Massanet.....and the list goes on and on. She even has her favorite singers, can tell when people aren't singing well or even when they are singing rep that isn't well suited for them. All of this I attribute to the Live in HD series....she would not have had the consistent exposure and explanations otherwise. But what about the other opera houses that aren't the Met, Covent Garden, or La Scala? What about the little start-up companies barely getting by, but still doing very worthwhile work on stage and off?
A lot of these companies have closed in the past few years. Small programs, smaller opera houses, in this economy just simply can't make ends meet. We see it happen year after year, and it really is a problem that needs more attention than it has been getting. These smaller companies survive on the ticket sales and donations of its patrons to keep creating art year after year. Is the relatively new trend of seeing the opera at the movie theatre forcing these smaller companies to close their doors??
The American ideal is always "the bigger the better"...."get more bang for your buck"! That's what this HD phenomenon is capitalizing on....but I think it is absolutely necessary. In a way, I feel as though the opera industry absolutely does need to capitalize on the glamour and larger than life aspects of opera in order to peak the interest of a society that is so focused on those things. If we really are trying to expand our audiences for the long haul, we do need to hook our audiences, and learn how to keep them coming back performance after performance, season after season.
We have seen the "unthinkable" happen with New York City Opera most recently. While they are still afloat as a company, they have had to finally vacate their former home at the Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center due to financial shortcomings (their home for over the past 30 years). We have seen it coming for a few years now, so I can't say that we are terribly surprised. While this is a very recent and public example on a large scale, there have been countless smaller companies that operate on very small budgets that have closed down. Is this because of the HD?
Having gone to a few higher profile galas over the past few years, rubbing elbows with some more of the social "elite," I have had a chance to speak to not only the general public about this, but also some donors about this topic. One example that comes to mind in particular: I had a wealthy couple from DC tell me that they were so enamored with the Live in HD series at the Met that they actually pulled their money from their local opera house and started giving more to the Met. I was horrified by this. I did not feel it was my place to tell them how to spend their hard-earned money, but I don't think they really had thought of the repercussions of their action on that smaller company.
Now please don't think that I am, in any way, trying to paint the Met in a bad light. They are doing really fantastic things here. As I mentioned earlier, we are not just seeing broadcast after broadcast of standard repertoire, but pushing the limits of our audiences by introducing them to Strauss, Wagner, Massanet, etc. The Met is also filming a lot of operas that have never before been filmed, creating a visual legacy of a very important time in the life of opera. And lastly, they are creating a business return for themselves by releasing some of these titles onto DVD for sale, which all goes back into their production budgets. They are not animals, they are simply using their strengths to their advantage while also spreading opera to the masses.
Do I blame these "A" houses for the closing of smaller companies? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Do I think that they should stop filming their operas and broadcasting them around the world? Again, absolutely not. In a sense, I blame the audiences. Granted, not everyone who goes to these broadcasts understands how much all opera houses rely on the sales of tickets and of donations to keep their heads above water. Having said that, there are a lot of people who do, and who seem to turn a blind eye to this issue.
I urge the public to use these HD broadcasts for what I believe their intention was. Use these broadcasts to explore opera and fall in love with it. Push your limits and go explore the HD broadcasts to see operas you might not have seen otherwise. Find what you like and don't like, and then branch out again. Go online and find your local (or nearest) opera house. Buy a ticket or two to go see an opera there. While they may not operate on a $250 million a year budget, I guarantee they are still making very worthwhile art. While everyone likes going to La Scala or the Met and experiencing something on a majorly grand and over-the-top scale, there is something to be said for witnessing a truly committed performance by a little-known or unknown singer who is giving their all on stage in front of an audience of only 500 people or less.
In my opinion, I think we have seen an increase in interest in opera in the past few years. Much like the topic of this next generation of singers (in a previous post), I think that we will see a slow trickle-down effect in the years to come. I think that people are being initially enamored with the grandeur of opera, but with time some of them will certainly begin to see the beauty in much smaller-scale local performances. After all, we're all here to experience art, no matter how big or small. Life doesn't always have to be experienced under the "big top," right?
The schedule for the Live in HD series at the Met 11-12 season: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/liveinhd/LiveinHD.aspx?source=hptab
The Met Opera Shop (to find DVDs of some of these performances): http://www.metoperashop.org/
The Met Player (think streaming live netflix for opera): http://www.metoperafamily.org/met_player/
For those of you not familiar with the Live in HD series (from the Met in particular), it is a series of live broadcasts from the Met (usually about 8 operas a season) that are shown in movie theatres all around the world. They feature Hollywood style "front row" camera work, backstage interviews with the stars and production teams, subtitles across the bottom of the screen, and much more....all for the reasonable price of about $20. The series started a few years back (I think 2006 was the first season), and has only continued to grow in popularity since then. These broadcasts frequently sell out pretty quickly, especially in more built-up areas. La Scala and Covent Garden also have similar broadcasts, although I believe they are somewhat less frequent.
As a singer myself, I absolutely support anything that helps increase the awareness and popularity of my art form. I strongly believe that through exposure, people will begin to appreciate what draws so many people to opera throughout their lifetime. In this vain, I am in total support of the HD phenomenon. My own mother goes to all the broadcasts down in Virginia. It has become another way for us to connect, as she wants to understand better what I am doing with my life (and hope to achieve ultimately). It has brought me so much joy seeing my mother go from never having seen an opera before, to now having seen Wagner, Strauss, Puccini, Verdi, Donizetti, Bellini, Massanet.....and the list goes on and on. She even has her favorite singers, can tell when people aren't singing well or even when they are singing rep that isn't well suited for them. All of this I attribute to the Live in HD series....she would not have had the consistent exposure and explanations otherwise. But what about the other opera houses that aren't the Met, Covent Garden, or La Scala? What about the little start-up companies barely getting by, but still doing very worthwhile work on stage and off?
A lot of these companies have closed in the past few years. Small programs, smaller opera houses, in this economy just simply can't make ends meet. We see it happen year after year, and it really is a problem that needs more attention than it has been getting. These smaller companies survive on the ticket sales and donations of its patrons to keep creating art year after year. Is the relatively new trend of seeing the opera at the movie theatre forcing these smaller companies to close their doors??
The American ideal is always "the bigger the better"...."get more bang for your buck"! That's what this HD phenomenon is capitalizing on....but I think it is absolutely necessary. In a way, I feel as though the opera industry absolutely does need to capitalize on the glamour and larger than life aspects of opera in order to peak the interest of a society that is so focused on those things. If we really are trying to expand our audiences for the long haul, we do need to hook our audiences, and learn how to keep them coming back performance after performance, season after season.
We have seen the "unthinkable" happen with New York City Opera most recently. While they are still afloat as a company, they have had to finally vacate their former home at the Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center due to financial shortcomings (their home for over the past 30 years). We have seen it coming for a few years now, so I can't say that we are terribly surprised. While this is a very recent and public example on a large scale, there have been countless smaller companies that operate on very small budgets that have closed down. Is this because of the HD?
Having gone to a few higher profile galas over the past few years, rubbing elbows with some more of the social "elite," I have had a chance to speak to not only the general public about this, but also some donors about this topic. One example that comes to mind in particular: I had a wealthy couple from DC tell me that they were so enamored with the Live in HD series at the Met that they actually pulled their money from their local opera house and started giving more to the Met. I was horrified by this. I did not feel it was my place to tell them how to spend their hard-earned money, but I don't think they really had thought of the repercussions of their action on that smaller company.
Now please don't think that I am, in any way, trying to paint the Met in a bad light. They are doing really fantastic things here. As I mentioned earlier, we are not just seeing broadcast after broadcast of standard repertoire, but pushing the limits of our audiences by introducing them to Strauss, Wagner, Massanet, etc. The Met is also filming a lot of operas that have never before been filmed, creating a visual legacy of a very important time in the life of opera. And lastly, they are creating a business return for themselves by releasing some of these titles onto DVD for sale, which all goes back into their production budgets. They are not animals, they are simply using their strengths to their advantage while also spreading opera to the masses.
Do I blame these "A" houses for the closing of smaller companies? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Do I think that they should stop filming their operas and broadcasting them around the world? Again, absolutely not. In a sense, I blame the audiences. Granted, not everyone who goes to these broadcasts understands how much all opera houses rely on the sales of tickets and of donations to keep their heads above water. Having said that, there are a lot of people who do, and who seem to turn a blind eye to this issue.
I urge the public to use these HD broadcasts for what I believe their intention was. Use these broadcasts to explore opera and fall in love with it. Push your limits and go explore the HD broadcasts to see operas you might not have seen otherwise. Find what you like and don't like, and then branch out again. Go online and find your local (or nearest) opera house. Buy a ticket or two to go see an opera there. While they may not operate on a $250 million a year budget, I guarantee they are still making very worthwhile art. While everyone likes going to La Scala or the Met and experiencing something on a majorly grand and over-the-top scale, there is something to be said for witnessing a truly committed performance by a little-known or unknown singer who is giving their all on stage in front of an audience of only 500 people or less.
In my opinion, I think we have seen an increase in interest in opera in the past few years. Much like the topic of this next generation of singers (in a previous post), I think that we will see a slow trickle-down effect in the years to come. I think that people are being initially enamored with the grandeur of opera, but with time some of them will certainly begin to see the beauty in much smaller-scale local performances. After all, we're all here to experience art, no matter how big or small. Life doesn't always have to be experienced under the "big top," right?
The schedule for the Live in HD series at the Met 11-12 season: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/liveinhd/LiveinHD.aspx?source=hptab
The Met Opera Shop (to find DVDs of some of these performances): http://www.metoperashop.org/
The Met Player (think streaming live netflix for opera): http://www.metoperafamily.org/met_player/
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