In the ever evolving opera world, we have seen our industry go through many phases. Opera has certainly come a long way from "park and bark," and has expanded the demands on singers in order to make opera more believable to the masses. We not only have to be flawless singers and technicians, we are now being subjected to Hollywood hotness standards, and we are expected to be fierce actors as well. Now don't get me wrong, as a lifetime overachiever, I love the challenge of these demands on modern day singers. We know how to sing (or can learn to with the right teacher), we can get personal trainers and stylists to help with our appearance.....but what about this acting thing? In an industry where we need so much control all the time, it can be very hard to be able to let go and really enjoy our character; to find the motivation behind our dialogue.
Recently I began working with the Metropolis Opera Project, a Manhattan based company run by Zach James (of the Addam's Family on broadway). The company specializes in world premieres that they commission based upon relevant works of theater. The most recent project they are premiering is an opera called One Hot Kitchen. This is based upon a play by David Caudle (also the librettist) and is composed by Kristin Hevner Wyatt and Daniel Wyatt. The opera is pushing the boundaries in a new genre called Opera Electronica (think club beats meet opera). Most of the cast signed on not really knowing anything about the piece, the musical style, etc....we just knew the production team and cast seemed to be pretty great and anticipated it being a work that really had something to say.
I showed up to my first day of rehearsal at the space with coffee in hand. We had gotten some of our music in advance (although the piece, a world premiere, was still being composed and going through changes). I had printed out the most recent edition of the score and had it all organized like a good little tenor. I had worked on my music, I had read the libretto....I was ready for an informed musical rehearsal! I introduce myself to the director (Norm Johnson), chat with Zach for a minute, and then the other singer showed up....he plays my boyfriend in the show. I quickly came to realize that they had no intention of working any music that day....those rehearsals were separate.....we were there for an acting rehearsal....no music.....no scores.....we were going to be treating the piece that day as though it were a play. We sat down and read through the scene a few times. Norm asked us questions about our relationship, things that didn't even come up in the scene....but things you would know about one another and your relationship....he was helping us pack in the emotions....create the world behind the scenes.
At first I was a little apprehensive; it had been years since I had just ACTED....wasn't thinking about my voice....the coloratura....the high notes. I was just thinking about the character involved. The music would come later, and when it did, we had all these levels we were exploring. By the end of that first rehearsal, we had our scripts down; we knew the 5 beat changes in that scene and had to get through them....aside from that, we were instructed to improv through the scene. Again, at first, it was a little uncomfortable not knowing what we were supposed to be saying. Quickly though, it became liberating....there were no right or wrong answers....there were only possibilities to explore. Sometimes when running the scene it built more than other times....we moved in different patterns....sometimes we stood still most of the scene....we were having fun on stage....allowing ourselves to be pawns of the craft. As we gear up for our tech week, we are so thankful to have had those initial rehearsals where we could let our guards down and explore our characters.
As singers, I think sometimes we identify as just that; we lose our sense of freedom to play....to really dive deeply into these characters (many of which are REALLY fascinating characters, and not just gorgeous or haunting melodies). One thing that I think the public has trouble relating to in opera is the hesitance of the singers to "play" on stage; to really be in the moment and make bold but calculated choices. Think of some of the best actors of all time (Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, etc); would they sit back and play it safe on stage?
I understand that we have so much to think about, and especially to make sure we are not doing anything that will harm our voices....to me that comes without having to say it. But look at the singers who are deemed as some of the most exciting or lauded; Maria Callas, Anna Netrebko, Renee Fleming, Natalie Dessay, Jonas Kaufmann - these singers really look deeper than just the text and the vocal line....they become the characters on stage, and will not necessarily even perform a role the same way twice. They have studied these roles so deeply and really thought of the characters as people....they have analyzed different choices that could be made in different circumstances and really flushed out a persona for the character....they are no longer just characters, they are real living and breathing people.
As we, the next generation of opera stars hone our craft, I urge us to not just get stuck in the music. View the music as additional fuel that may teach you more about your character, that may give you clues as to who they are. Play on stage (when given permission from the director!!), and really make these characters your own. No one wants to see the same Carmen or Lucia or Violetta or Don Jose 50 times. People go to the theater for the excitement of it all....they go to see their favorite shows over and over again to see different interpretations of the same text and music. Push those boundaries, explore with your cast mates, and most importantly allow yourself to be as vulnerable as you can be on stage. Know your music so well that you can sit back and rely on your instincts as an actor to push the drama even further.
I know how smart my performer friends are. I have seen them in action, on stage, in rehearsals. I think the more we are aware of our characters and the more time we allow ourselves to dive without caution into a scene and a character, the more payoff we will see in the end. I mean, let's be serious....why play it safe? We're obviously not in this industry for the steady paycheck and benefits....
Now the next time you are in rehearsal and might be afraid of making a choice....think to yourself....Maria Callas could do it....can I?
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Objectivity
Somewhere in the last year or so I really feel like I have gained an incredible amount of focus and drive in my life. Maybe it's all the "Real Housewives" that I watch, or the big city forcing me to sh*t or get off the pot, but I feel like I am beginning to be the best me that I can be. Life is what you make of it. It isn't always going to be as perfect as you imagine it could be, and recognizing this as a variable in life has been my key to success.
All my life I have been a positive person....very upbeat, always looked for the good in things and people. In kindergarten, my teacher told my mom that I "Never had a rainy day." Enter moving to New York City. This city can eat people alive. You can feel lonely, people can seem arrogant and as though they don't care....everything can seem dirty and old. Slowly over about 18 months I let this view jade my perspective and the way I viewed situations. I wasn't living my life...I was stuck in a rut. Don't get me wrong...I was having successful lessons, singing well, had a solid job with benefits....I was doing alright....but I had become complacent. Anybody who knows me knows that complacency is, in my opinion, one of the worst things that a person can encounter.
About 8 months ago a friend and mentor said to me, "You know you're going to be eaten alive by this city if you keep up with this." He was referring to my perspective on life....I was slowly becoming jaded by the big city. I called my mother (thanks mom!) and had my usual venting session. She suggested that maybe I should read a book....something to help clear my mind. I'm not a huge reader, but I knew it was time to make a change.
For some reason, the first book that popped into my mind was "A Place of Yes" by Bethenny Frankel. Maybe it was all the Real Housewives and other Bravo shows that I was watching at the time, but I did a little light research about the premise of the book, and it seemed almost tailor made for me. The book, in short, is about taking control of your life. This is something that has always been peripherally aware to me, and something I agreed with, so I bought the book (actually, mom bought it for me - thanks again Mom!).
I got to reading the book, and within the first few pages I knew I was going to love it. I think the exact line that sold me was when Bethenny said something along the lines of, "Believe me when I say this book is not about being an optimist all the time....there are going to be days when you wake up and want to punch the first person you see, and I'm not going to take that satisfaction away from you." I thought to myself....this girl is onto something. I continued reading, and found myself agreeing with everything she was saying, and LEARNING from her. The book is written as a semi-autobiography; She is teaching lessons on life while telling you stories about her life, and how they relate to her lessons.
Throughout the book, I started to make conscious changes in my perspective on situations, in my perception of things going on around me. One key thing that I learned from this book is that life is not always going to be perfect; why are you going to let that imperfection take over your life? Take the good that you can from it, and leave the negative behind you. This reminded me of a few sayings I had heard previously, but didn't really take to heart at the time...I wasn't old enough to really understand their magnitude. They were sayings my dad lived his life by, and sayings that I now life my life by. The two main sayings were: "Life is a card game; it's not the cards you are dealt, but how you play them that wins the game." And also, "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Both of these are really saying the same thing Bethenny is saying in her book; life isn't always perfect, but no one's is....this doesn't mean you should be frustrated or feel as though you can't live your dreams. Dreams are what you make of them....YOU make them happen no matter what "cards" life gives you!
At this time, I was starting to feel very motivated....I could change the path of my life....If I will it to happen and I work my ass off to get there, it actually can happen. This book really has changed my life. It forced me, first and foremost, to think long and hard about what I want to accomplish in life, both big and small. Once you know what you want to accomplish, the "game of life" becomes MUCH easier. Everything that I do now is motivated by a burning desire to achieve the greatness that I am destined for.
As a singer, I can't afford days off from singing. This means I MUST get enough sleep every night. I can't afford to really go out that often (tires me out, and is EXPENSIVE - money I could be using for lessons and coachings). A day that I'm not practicing is a day that 100 other tenors just like me ARE singing, and perfecting their craft. My body is also very important to me....when I feel good, physically, I am much more productive. I work out now, I go running, I do yoga a LOT; all of these things ultimately will help me feel better about myself, and when I feel good about myself I am more motivated to practice....when I practice more, I perfect my craft more, and the more I perfect my craft, the deeper I can dive into it the next time I work.
Life, in my opinion, is all about objectivity. When you recognize and think of things objectively, life gets much easier. All the cloudiness goes away....is what you are doing in some way getting you to what you want to do in your life?
This is a major subject, and only something that I have begun to explore. It has completely changed my outlook, and my subsequent success in life. It began with small, slow changes, and very CONSCIOUS changes. It was not easy at first, and believe my when I say I had to consciously change these outlooks and perceptions. But after a while I started to realize that people were responding to these changes....both people I know, and people I didn't know. It seemed that people were starting to be drawn to me, rather than me feeling as though I was chasing the crowd. This has opened many doors for me already in a short time, and I am more focused and excited for my life now than ever.
I'm not saying that my life is perfect. It's not by any stretch. But I have learned to love my life....to love my path and my progress as a singer and in life in general. I have slowly begun the process of refining my life, my aspirations, my goals; I know what I want, and I know I should not have to settle for anything else. I have a renewed faith in my worth on this earth, and I am destined for great things.
Life is all about what you make of it. You can sit back, be sad about things, get derailed from your visions....but where is that going to get you? If you believe in yourself....recognize your worth....recognize the good things, learn what you can from them, and leave the bad behind you, you just might be able to achieve the "impossible." Does this mean that life is going to be easy along the way? I hope not. The challenge of life now excites me and drives me more than ever. In a business where our body is our instrument....something so personal and easy to get down on ourselves about, I think a lot of singers can learn something from this. Instead of viewing a blown audition as another failed opportunity, view it as a learning experience of knowing more about yourself a a performer in a time of stress. View your life as a "9-5." Take charge of everything in your life, every little detail, and who knows how long it will take, but I firmly believe that your dreams will come true. Just remember, objectivity is the key. You are what you make of yourself. If life gives you a tough hand of cards, just think how much more people will be impressed when you make it to the top.
Now, would anyone care to join me?
You can find Bethenny Frankel's book, A Place of Yes, here:
http://www.amazon.com/Place-Yes-Rules-Getting-Everything/dp/1439186901
Happy reading!
All my life I have been a positive person....very upbeat, always looked for the good in things and people. In kindergarten, my teacher told my mom that I "Never had a rainy day." Enter moving to New York City. This city can eat people alive. You can feel lonely, people can seem arrogant and as though they don't care....everything can seem dirty and old. Slowly over about 18 months I let this view jade my perspective and the way I viewed situations. I wasn't living my life...I was stuck in a rut. Don't get me wrong...I was having successful lessons, singing well, had a solid job with benefits....I was doing alright....but I had become complacent. Anybody who knows me knows that complacency is, in my opinion, one of the worst things that a person can encounter.
About 8 months ago a friend and mentor said to me, "You know you're going to be eaten alive by this city if you keep up with this." He was referring to my perspective on life....I was slowly becoming jaded by the big city. I called my mother (thanks mom!) and had my usual venting session. She suggested that maybe I should read a book....something to help clear my mind. I'm not a huge reader, but I knew it was time to make a change.
For some reason, the first book that popped into my mind was "A Place of Yes" by Bethenny Frankel. Maybe it was all the Real Housewives and other Bravo shows that I was watching at the time, but I did a little light research about the premise of the book, and it seemed almost tailor made for me. The book, in short, is about taking control of your life. This is something that has always been peripherally aware to me, and something I agreed with, so I bought the book (actually, mom bought it for me - thanks again Mom!).
I got to reading the book, and within the first few pages I knew I was going to love it. I think the exact line that sold me was when Bethenny said something along the lines of, "Believe me when I say this book is not about being an optimist all the time....there are going to be days when you wake up and want to punch the first person you see, and I'm not going to take that satisfaction away from you." I thought to myself....this girl is onto something. I continued reading, and found myself agreeing with everything she was saying, and LEARNING from her. The book is written as a semi-autobiography; She is teaching lessons on life while telling you stories about her life, and how they relate to her lessons.
Throughout the book, I started to make conscious changes in my perspective on situations, in my perception of things going on around me. One key thing that I learned from this book is that life is not always going to be perfect; why are you going to let that imperfection take over your life? Take the good that you can from it, and leave the negative behind you. This reminded me of a few sayings I had heard previously, but didn't really take to heart at the time...I wasn't old enough to really understand their magnitude. They were sayings my dad lived his life by, and sayings that I now life my life by. The two main sayings were: "Life is a card game; it's not the cards you are dealt, but how you play them that wins the game." And also, "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Both of these are really saying the same thing Bethenny is saying in her book; life isn't always perfect, but no one's is....this doesn't mean you should be frustrated or feel as though you can't live your dreams. Dreams are what you make of them....YOU make them happen no matter what "cards" life gives you!
At this time, I was starting to feel very motivated....I could change the path of my life....If I will it to happen and I work my ass off to get there, it actually can happen. This book really has changed my life. It forced me, first and foremost, to think long and hard about what I want to accomplish in life, both big and small. Once you know what you want to accomplish, the "game of life" becomes MUCH easier. Everything that I do now is motivated by a burning desire to achieve the greatness that I am destined for.
As a singer, I can't afford days off from singing. This means I MUST get enough sleep every night. I can't afford to really go out that often (tires me out, and is EXPENSIVE - money I could be using for lessons and coachings). A day that I'm not practicing is a day that 100 other tenors just like me ARE singing, and perfecting their craft. My body is also very important to me....when I feel good, physically, I am much more productive. I work out now, I go running, I do yoga a LOT; all of these things ultimately will help me feel better about myself, and when I feel good about myself I am more motivated to practice....when I practice more, I perfect my craft more, and the more I perfect my craft, the deeper I can dive into it the next time I work.
Life, in my opinion, is all about objectivity. When you recognize and think of things objectively, life gets much easier. All the cloudiness goes away....is what you are doing in some way getting you to what you want to do in your life?
This is a major subject, and only something that I have begun to explore. It has completely changed my outlook, and my subsequent success in life. It began with small, slow changes, and very CONSCIOUS changes. It was not easy at first, and believe my when I say I had to consciously change these outlooks and perceptions. But after a while I started to realize that people were responding to these changes....both people I know, and people I didn't know. It seemed that people were starting to be drawn to me, rather than me feeling as though I was chasing the crowd. This has opened many doors for me already in a short time, and I am more focused and excited for my life now than ever.
I'm not saying that my life is perfect. It's not by any stretch. But I have learned to love my life....to love my path and my progress as a singer and in life in general. I have slowly begun the process of refining my life, my aspirations, my goals; I know what I want, and I know I should not have to settle for anything else. I have a renewed faith in my worth on this earth, and I am destined for great things.
Life is all about what you make of it. You can sit back, be sad about things, get derailed from your visions....but where is that going to get you? If you believe in yourself....recognize your worth....recognize the good things, learn what you can from them, and leave the bad behind you, you just might be able to achieve the "impossible." Does this mean that life is going to be easy along the way? I hope not. The challenge of life now excites me and drives me more than ever. In a business where our body is our instrument....something so personal and easy to get down on ourselves about, I think a lot of singers can learn something from this. Instead of viewing a blown audition as another failed opportunity, view it as a learning experience of knowing more about yourself a a performer in a time of stress. View your life as a "9-5." Take charge of everything in your life, every little detail, and who knows how long it will take, but I firmly believe that your dreams will come true. Just remember, objectivity is the key. You are what you make of yourself. If life gives you a tough hand of cards, just think how much more people will be impressed when you make it to the top.
Now, would anyone care to join me?
You can find Bethenny Frankel's book, A Place of Yes, here:
http://www.amazon.com/Place-Yes-Rules-Getting-Everything/dp/1439186901
Happy reading!
Friday, September 30, 2011
POPera vs. Opera
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....
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....
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/
Sunday, August 28, 2011
The choice is yours
Being an opera singer in training can be really tough sometimes. Due to the nature of the business and the physical development aspect, it is a career that involves extreme amounts of patience. We are taught from a very young age to have patience. Listen, but not listen too much. Enjoy the music, but focus on your technique. Have patience, have patience, have patience.
As someone who has a low level of patience (I've gotten MUCH better!!), this is very difficult. The older you get and the more you listen and study, the more you know what your body SHOULD be doing, vocally. You hear tenors or sopranos in their 30's and 40's, in their prime years, and you want your high notes to sound JUST LIKE THEIRS. But they don't. And they shouldn't; they have years of patience and vocal development ahead of you. Again, it is the nature of the business.....it is a given. You can't expect perfection at the age of 25; it really just is not possible.
As you approach your upper 20's though, things do start really coming together. For men, their voices are starting to settle (womens voices, as we all know, mature much sooner than their male counterparts). We all feel like we are coming into our own as artists and starting to really feel what a solid technique is...something you can count on to be there (or get you out of a tough passage!). You start getting glimpses of what the business is like. You start seriously coaching, going on auditions, continuing lessons, meeting conductors, doing masterclasses, getting cast in some productions; you start to feel like a "real" opera singer (we can address that title at another time). You meet other singers your age, maybe through the business, maybe not. You start talking to them about who they study with, who they coach with, what they're doing next summer....and you start to doubt what you're doing. "Am I putting myself out there enough? Should I have auditioned for that?? Are they BETTER than me???"
This is something that has always bothered me, and has always affected me. At this age, you start seeing other singers "succeed" and it makes you doubt yourself. It makes you feel like you are behind everyone else and that you need to play catch-up.
As mentioned in a previous post, I am a firm believer in the words that my dad lived his life by: "Stay Focused." Why would you let the path that someone else is taking derail you and your success? We are all different. We are different people with different voice types, different up-bringings, different vocal cords, different educations. We are different in every way. Even people in the same fach are all different, and that's what makes us unique individuals.
As artists, we all have something different and special to say; that's why we're in this business, isn't it? We're obviously not in it for the money...or the stable paychecks. We are in it because we, as individuals, want to put our stamp on whatever it is we are doing at the time (whether it be a concert of arias, a particular role, or even directing a show).
If we spend too much time focused on others, how is that serving our ultimate purpose and path? I'm not referring to listening to other singers....there is an EXTREME amount you can learn from listening to other singers (both your colleagues and professionals). I am talking about focusing on what everyone else is DOING. Are they going to Aspen or Santa Fe next summer? Are they singing this role with this little start-up company?? Obsessing over what everyone else is doing, in my opinion, makes you lose track of yourself.
I had a moment of realization a few years ago during a "ringer" gig at a church in DC over Easter weekend. The paid quartet was talking after rehearsal about our backgrounds, who we studied with.....the same old, same old. It turned out the mezzo and the soprano had actually gone to the same undergrad together years prior. They got to talking about various other singers they knew from school and what they were doing now. The mezzo made a few comments about another soprano who appeared to be this soprano's "main competition" at the time. She asked the question about competing for a certain role, or why she had not. This soprano looked at her and said, "If I spent all of my time thinking about what she was singing or auditioning for, when would I have had time to practice for MYSELF?"
This really hit home for me, and at that time I realized that we do, to a certain extent, have to be in this for ourselves. Of course we are all supportive of one another (even through all the auditions and competing for roles). At the end of the day, even when you sing the same rep as someone else, you have different things to say in the same arias. We are all different artists.
This brings to mind a story I heard from a friend about a year ago. Apparently my friend had a very close friend who happened to be invited to a party on the Upper West Side in, I believe, one of the Trump buildings. The host of this party had purchased two apartments in this building in order to build a small concert hall. For this private party, the host wanted an "aria-off" where the two singers would sing arias, back to back, several of them exactly the same. The two singers were......Renee Fleming and Anna Netrebko. Some people were SHOCKED to hear this. Arguably opera's two most loved sopranos on the same stage in the same night singing the same or similar rep!! Quel surprise!!! After initially being REALLY jealous that I was not there, it made me appreciate them both as artists even more. They both very easily could have said they would not do that. However, they were able to probably laugh about it; they, I'm sure, knew that their interpretations would be totally different, that they each had their own statement to make on any given aria.
What I guess I'm trying to say is, we are all different. Everyone has their own path! Some people may achieve international success before they are 30, and some people may not until they are 50. It should not matter when you achieve that success, and you can't let what feel as a late start get you down. Everyone has their own path and their own time. It may not be when you want it to be, but if you really stay focused on your own progress and path, I firmly believe that it will happen for you. You may not be the next Netrebko or Pavarotti, but then again, you probably wouldn't want to be. You should want to be YOU, and no one else. Be true to yourself as a person, as an artist, as a singer. Be open and vulnerable on stage, but fiercely focused off. You can't always expect perfection from yourself (I believe even Fleming says she aims for about 92% perfection on stage at any given time). Be happy for your friends and enjoy success together with one another, but don't let anyone else distract you from achieving what you want.
After all, would you rather be upset that someone is going to Santa Fe, or have a fierce high C for the next audition? The choice is yours.
As someone who has a low level of patience (I've gotten MUCH better!!), this is very difficult. The older you get and the more you listen and study, the more you know what your body SHOULD be doing, vocally. You hear tenors or sopranos in their 30's and 40's, in their prime years, and you want your high notes to sound JUST LIKE THEIRS. But they don't. And they shouldn't; they have years of patience and vocal development ahead of you. Again, it is the nature of the business.....it is a given. You can't expect perfection at the age of 25; it really just is not possible.
As you approach your upper 20's though, things do start really coming together. For men, their voices are starting to settle (womens voices, as we all know, mature much sooner than their male counterparts). We all feel like we are coming into our own as artists and starting to really feel what a solid technique is...something you can count on to be there (or get you out of a tough passage!). You start getting glimpses of what the business is like. You start seriously coaching, going on auditions, continuing lessons, meeting conductors, doing masterclasses, getting cast in some productions; you start to feel like a "real" opera singer (we can address that title at another time). You meet other singers your age, maybe through the business, maybe not. You start talking to them about who they study with, who they coach with, what they're doing next summer....and you start to doubt what you're doing. "Am I putting myself out there enough? Should I have auditioned for that?? Are they BETTER than me???"
This is something that has always bothered me, and has always affected me. At this age, you start seeing other singers "succeed" and it makes you doubt yourself. It makes you feel like you are behind everyone else and that you need to play catch-up.
As mentioned in a previous post, I am a firm believer in the words that my dad lived his life by: "Stay Focused." Why would you let the path that someone else is taking derail you and your success? We are all different. We are different people with different voice types, different up-bringings, different vocal cords, different educations. We are different in every way. Even people in the same fach are all different, and that's what makes us unique individuals.
As artists, we all have something different and special to say; that's why we're in this business, isn't it? We're obviously not in it for the money...or the stable paychecks. We are in it because we, as individuals, want to put our stamp on whatever it is we are doing at the time (whether it be a concert of arias, a particular role, or even directing a show).
If we spend too much time focused on others, how is that serving our ultimate purpose and path? I'm not referring to listening to other singers....there is an EXTREME amount you can learn from listening to other singers (both your colleagues and professionals). I am talking about focusing on what everyone else is DOING. Are they going to Aspen or Santa Fe next summer? Are they singing this role with this little start-up company?? Obsessing over what everyone else is doing, in my opinion, makes you lose track of yourself.
I had a moment of realization a few years ago during a "ringer" gig at a church in DC over Easter weekend. The paid quartet was talking after rehearsal about our backgrounds, who we studied with.....the same old, same old. It turned out the mezzo and the soprano had actually gone to the same undergrad together years prior. They got to talking about various other singers they knew from school and what they were doing now. The mezzo made a few comments about another soprano who appeared to be this soprano's "main competition" at the time. She asked the question about competing for a certain role, or why she had not. This soprano looked at her and said, "If I spent all of my time thinking about what she was singing or auditioning for, when would I have had time to practice for MYSELF?"
This really hit home for me, and at that time I realized that we do, to a certain extent, have to be in this for ourselves. Of course we are all supportive of one another (even through all the auditions and competing for roles). At the end of the day, even when you sing the same rep as someone else, you have different things to say in the same arias. We are all different artists.
This brings to mind a story I heard from a friend about a year ago. Apparently my friend had a very close friend who happened to be invited to a party on the Upper West Side in, I believe, one of the Trump buildings. The host of this party had purchased two apartments in this building in order to build a small concert hall. For this private party, the host wanted an "aria-off" where the two singers would sing arias, back to back, several of them exactly the same. The two singers were......Renee Fleming and Anna Netrebko. Some people were SHOCKED to hear this. Arguably opera's two most loved sopranos on the same stage in the same night singing the same or similar rep!! Quel surprise!!! After initially being REALLY jealous that I was not there, it made me appreciate them both as artists even more. They both very easily could have said they would not do that. However, they were able to probably laugh about it; they, I'm sure, knew that their interpretations would be totally different, that they each had their own statement to make on any given aria.
What I guess I'm trying to say is, we are all different. Everyone has their own path! Some people may achieve international success before they are 30, and some people may not until they are 50. It should not matter when you achieve that success, and you can't let what feel as a late start get you down. Everyone has their own path and their own time. It may not be when you want it to be, but if you really stay focused on your own progress and path, I firmly believe that it will happen for you. You may not be the next Netrebko or Pavarotti, but then again, you probably wouldn't want to be. You should want to be YOU, and no one else. Be true to yourself as a person, as an artist, as a singer. Be open and vulnerable on stage, but fiercely focused off. You can't always expect perfection from yourself (I believe even Fleming says she aims for about 92% perfection on stage at any given time). Be happy for your friends and enjoy success together with one another, but don't let anyone else distract you from achieving what you want.
After all, would you rather be upset that someone is going to Santa Fe, or have a fierce high C for the next audition? The choice is yours.
Friday, August 26, 2011
How many sopranos does it take to....
OK, so I realize that title may be a little misleading. How many of you came here to see a list of tacky soprano jokes?! Sorry, but you won't find that here; I hope this post doesn't disappoint!
I "listen" religiously. There are very few times when I don't have opera running through my head, humming while doing work, and I even workout listening to opera. I am an opera NERD....and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am a self-proclaimed soprano fanatic. I LOVE the soprano voice. Something about the bloom and ease of production really soothes me and invigorates me at the same time. Of course I have my list of favorites, current and old; sopranos I think for the most part can do no wrong, especially when singing the rep that they are known for.
I die for Fleming in most things. I understand that she is not for everyone, but something about her artistry and the color of her voice really speak to me. Her singing German and French rep in particular, in my opinion, are pretty unparalleled today. She's not afraid to make musical and artistic choices that are ALWAYS purposeful and informed; she is a student of her craft and I have the utmost respect for her. Her Rosenkavalier (the trio in particular) and most of the role of Thais, I think, are two things that could have been written for her voice (she agrees about Thais).
Renee Fleming in the final trio from Der Rosenkavalier: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgJrbPiauZ4&feature=related
Diana Damrau. WOW. What a technique! Not only is Ms. Damrau one of the most charming women I have ever met, but she is FEARLESS on stage. She inhabits her characters, and has the solid technique to back it up and serve her purposes as she sees fit. One can watch her as the innocent and tortured Gilda, as the coquettish Rosina, and then a terrifying Queen of the Night, all which she executes brilliantly. I am very excited to see where her voice goes in the next few years. You can hear more body creeping in with every performance, and I can't wait to hear maybe a Countess, or even a Violetta (She is, according to her, contracted in the next few years singing the latter). While I do prefer her singing German rep (her Sophie is spot on every time), she has a voice that excites me, day in and day out.
Damrau as the Queen of the Night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXOYcd6KZ0E
Anna Netrebko has a voice that is unlike anything you've ever heard before. You really cannot appreciate the voice until you hear it live....the size of the instrument just cannot translate to recordings....something gets lost. While there are definitely things that I do not like her singing, her Mimi is probably the most beautiful current Mimi I have heard....and I have heard a lot! The color of the voice is so dark that I really love it in her native Russian repertoire as well. She is disarmingly charming, an inhabiting actress, and her Poison aria at the Met is probably something that will go down in history.
Anna Netrebko's Poison aria: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhCm2PHxHaM
There are few people in the opera industry today that I would consider a better, more inventive actress than Natalie Dessay. I will always buy a ticket to see a production that she is in to see her interpretation of the character on that particular night. Coming from the background of a french actress and then to singing, Dessay always attacks roles from the perspective of the character; everything that she does on stage serves the better cause of the drama. She is particularly known currently for her Lucia, her Marie, her rapid fire coloratura and extreme high notes of 10 years ago.
Natalie Dessay as the MAD Lucia at the Met: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYQrXw5YUEs
Maria Callas can do, virtually, no wrong for me. She does not have a conventionally beautiful voice, but that's one of the things I love most about her. Her performances were raw and vulnerable. They were inconsistent because she put so much of herself into everything that she did. She lived on the edge on stage....she took risks.....she had her ups and downs.....she DEFINED opera in the 1950's, and the media LOVED her for it. A lot of people don't like her voice, but I feel for it. Something about the voice speaks to me, particularly in her verismo roles (her Tosca wrecks my life every time). Having never had the pleasure of hearing her live, and knowing that very few video clips exist of her in her prime really kills me. Talking with people who did see her live say that you can't appreciate Callas until you saw her on stage. She could do anything or nothing and take absolute command of the stage. She didn't just inhabit her roles, she WAS them in every sense of the word, which you can hear in every one of her recordings that she made.
Maria Callas singing "La Mamma Morta": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXzeEfH6PTk
So, you ask, why is a tenor so in love with sopranos? He's gone on for quite a while now about sopranos, and never even once has mentioned a tenor that he loves or listens to. Don't let this fool you into thinking that I never listen to tenors....I do, quite a bit actually. However, the reason that I love sopranos so much is that I am able to get lost in the music. Listening to the soprano voice keeps that passion fresh in my mind and body every day.
I am a tenor. I think like a tenor. I understand (and am still learning!!) what goes into making the tenor sound. When I listen to tenors, I listen to their technique; I can't just sit back and enjoy the sound. I am constantly critiquing or marveling at the sound they may be making, but ultimately I am pulled out of the drama of the piece, out of the music.
What I love about opera is that it does transcend reality and reaches into the depths of my soul. It makes me feel something that I have never felt anywhere else in my entire life so far. It's so hard to explain, but I am so blessed to have found my undying passion so early on in life. I love watching a production, or listening, and being absolutely transfixed on the music and the drama. I love losing myself in the passion of a passionate and heart-wrenching performance.
This is why I love sopranos so much. I don't think about their technique. While a lot of what they are doing right or wrong is similar to that of a tenor, the sound is so jarringly different that I don't get lost in their technique....I don't analyze every little note that is sung. I sit back and can actually get lost in the beauty of the tone and subsequently in the diva-infused drama of the performance. Sopranos allow me to connect to the art form which has proven one of the more meaningful aspects of my life.
I do listen all the time. I am an opera nerd, and I am proud of that. Does everyone have to listen as much as I do? Absolutely not. Does everyone have to like sopranos, and specifically the ones that I do? I hope not! As artists we are always learning and evolving. I encourage EVERYONE to listen more. Listen to what you like. Listen to what you DON'T like! Listen to opera, jazz, musical theatre, tribal music, folk music....the list goes on. I encourage, especially young singers, to listen to a lot of opera so that you can hear what you like and don't like as far as singers, musical style, dramatic affectation of the voice, etc. You can learn SO MUCH from just listening to other singers, current and of the past.
Listening has not just provided me with undying joy, but it has provided me with an education. It may not be the curriculum-ridden education of an academic institution, but it has provided me with a wealth of knowledge and understanding about the voice that I would consider invaluable. You don't have to let it take over your life (like I sometimes do!!!), but every informed singer should be just that.....informed; making choices because you WANT to make them and because you have a purpose behind making them. Start by listening to your favorite singer on youtube. I recommend youtube because then you can see the "related" videos on the side....it's a great way to get lost in the music and find yourself two hours later with that much more exposure to different interpretations and performances. After all, we are artists....we are here to put OUR stamp on the music, or play, or whatever it is that we are doing. How else would you ever expect to learn what you like and don't like without exposing yourself to the interpretations of others?
I am by no means saying copy what Callas did here, copy what Fleming did here; that's not the point. The point is to educate yourself and become the artist that you can be. Why else be doing what you're doing?? Listen. Inform yourself. Listen to your voice part and others. Listen for different reasons, and to get different things out of it. I listen to tenors to learn. I listen to sopranos to feel undying vulnerable emotion.
Now how many sopranos does it take to fill up my ipod? There will never be a limit.....
I "listen" religiously. There are very few times when I don't have opera running through my head, humming while doing work, and I even workout listening to opera. I am an opera NERD....and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am a self-proclaimed soprano fanatic. I LOVE the soprano voice. Something about the bloom and ease of production really soothes me and invigorates me at the same time. Of course I have my list of favorites, current and old; sopranos I think for the most part can do no wrong, especially when singing the rep that they are known for.
I die for Fleming in most things. I understand that she is not for everyone, but something about her artistry and the color of her voice really speak to me. Her singing German and French rep in particular, in my opinion, are pretty unparalleled today. She's not afraid to make musical and artistic choices that are ALWAYS purposeful and informed; she is a student of her craft and I have the utmost respect for her. Her Rosenkavalier (the trio in particular) and most of the role of Thais, I think, are two things that could have been written for her voice (she agrees about Thais).
Renee Fleming in the final trio from Der Rosenkavalier: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgJrbPiauZ4&feature=related
Diana Damrau. WOW. What a technique! Not only is Ms. Damrau one of the most charming women I have ever met, but she is FEARLESS on stage. She inhabits her characters, and has the solid technique to back it up and serve her purposes as she sees fit. One can watch her as the innocent and tortured Gilda, as the coquettish Rosina, and then a terrifying Queen of the Night, all which she executes brilliantly. I am very excited to see where her voice goes in the next few years. You can hear more body creeping in with every performance, and I can't wait to hear maybe a Countess, or even a Violetta (She is, according to her, contracted in the next few years singing the latter). While I do prefer her singing German rep (her Sophie is spot on every time), she has a voice that excites me, day in and day out.
Damrau as the Queen of the Night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXOYcd6KZ0E
Anna Netrebko has a voice that is unlike anything you've ever heard before. You really cannot appreciate the voice until you hear it live....the size of the instrument just cannot translate to recordings....something gets lost. While there are definitely things that I do not like her singing, her Mimi is probably the most beautiful current Mimi I have heard....and I have heard a lot! The color of the voice is so dark that I really love it in her native Russian repertoire as well. She is disarmingly charming, an inhabiting actress, and her Poison aria at the Met is probably something that will go down in history.
Anna Netrebko's Poison aria: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhCm2PHxHaM
There are few people in the opera industry today that I would consider a better, more inventive actress than Natalie Dessay. I will always buy a ticket to see a production that she is in to see her interpretation of the character on that particular night. Coming from the background of a french actress and then to singing, Dessay always attacks roles from the perspective of the character; everything that she does on stage serves the better cause of the drama. She is particularly known currently for her Lucia, her Marie, her rapid fire coloratura and extreme high notes of 10 years ago.
Natalie Dessay as the MAD Lucia at the Met: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYQrXw5YUEs
Maria Callas can do, virtually, no wrong for me. She does not have a conventionally beautiful voice, but that's one of the things I love most about her. Her performances were raw and vulnerable. They were inconsistent because she put so much of herself into everything that she did. She lived on the edge on stage....she took risks.....she had her ups and downs.....she DEFINED opera in the 1950's, and the media LOVED her for it. A lot of people don't like her voice, but I feel for it. Something about the voice speaks to me, particularly in her verismo roles (her Tosca wrecks my life every time). Having never had the pleasure of hearing her live, and knowing that very few video clips exist of her in her prime really kills me. Talking with people who did see her live say that you can't appreciate Callas until you saw her on stage. She could do anything or nothing and take absolute command of the stage. She didn't just inhabit her roles, she WAS them in every sense of the word, which you can hear in every one of her recordings that she made.
Maria Callas singing "La Mamma Morta": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXzeEfH6PTk
So, you ask, why is a tenor so in love with sopranos? He's gone on for quite a while now about sopranos, and never even once has mentioned a tenor that he loves or listens to. Don't let this fool you into thinking that I never listen to tenors....I do, quite a bit actually. However, the reason that I love sopranos so much is that I am able to get lost in the music. Listening to the soprano voice keeps that passion fresh in my mind and body every day.
I am a tenor. I think like a tenor. I understand (and am still learning!!) what goes into making the tenor sound. When I listen to tenors, I listen to their technique; I can't just sit back and enjoy the sound. I am constantly critiquing or marveling at the sound they may be making, but ultimately I am pulled out of the drama of the piece, out of the music.
What I love about opera is that it does transcend reality and reaches into the depths of my soul. It makes me feel something that I have never felt anywhere else in my entire life so far. It's so hard to explain, but I am so blessed to have found my undying passion so early on in life. I love watching a production, or listening, and being absolutely transfixed on the music and the drama. I love losing myself in the passion of a passionate and heart-wrenching performance.
This is why I love sopranos so much. I don't think about their technique. While a lot of what they are doing right or wrong is similar to that of a tenor, the sound is so jarringly different that I don't get lost in their technique....I don't analyze every little note that is sung. I sit back and can actually get lost in the beauty of the tone and subsequently in the diva-infused drama of the performance. Sopranos allow me to connect to the art form which has proven one of the more meaningful aspects of my life.
I do listen all the time. I am an opera nerd, and I am proud of that. Does everyone have to listen as much as I do? Absolutely not. Does everyone have to like sopranos, and specifically the ones that I do? I hope not! As artists we are always learning and evolving. I encourage EVERYONE to listen more. Listen to what you like. Listen to what you DON'T like! Listen to opera, jazz, musical theatre, tribal music, folk music....the list goes on. I encourage, especially young singers, to listen to a lot of opera so that you can hear what you like and don't like as far as singers, musical style, dramatic affectation of the voice, etc. You can learn SO MUCH from just listening to other singers, current and of the past.
Listening has not just provided me with undying joy, but it has provided me with an education. It may not be the curriculum-ridden education of an academic institution, but it has provided me with a wealth of knowledge and understanding about the voice that I would consider invaluable. You don't have to let it take over your life (like I sometimes do!!!), but every informed singer should be just that.....informed; making choices because you WANT to make them and because you have a purpose behind making them. Start by listening to your favorite singer on youtube. I recommend youtube because then you can see the "related" videos on the side....it's a great way to get lost in the music and find yourself two hours later with that much more exposure to different interpretations and performances. After all, we are artists....we are here to put OUR stamp on the music, or play, or whatever it is that we are doing. How else would you ever expect to learn what you like and don't like without exposing yourself to the interpretations of others?
I am by no means saying copy what Callas did here, copy what Fleming did here; that's not the point. The point is to educate yourself and become the artist that you can be. Why else be doing what you're doing?? Listen. Inform yourself. Listen to your voice part and others. Listen for different reasons, and to get different things out of it. I listen to tenors to learn. I listen to sopranos to feel undying vulnerable emotion.
Now how many sopranos does it take to fill up my ipod? There will never be a limit.....
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Put down the proverbial cheeseburger....
As an opera singer, one gets VERY familiar with non-singers saying to them, "You sing opera?? I thought you had to be FAT to sing opera," and, "You don't look like an opera singer." At this point, we singers kindly remind them that they are associating with a stereotype, then we dive into deeper explanations of different rep and different voice types, different fachs and the acceptable weight ranges for each of them.....all while the questioner is extremely overwhelmed and has NO idea what we are talking about. But this brings up a very relevant question in the opera industry now: When is fat TOO fat, and at what point do we become obsessed with our weight?
As someone who has always struggled with their weight, and someone who has also changed their entire body from about 8 years ago (for the better!!), I tend to be on the slightly more obsessive side (....comments from the peanut gallery anyone??). I have taken quite a strong stance toward the "new" opera, where Hollywood good looks are as important as a fierce voice, solid technique, the acting ability of a true ACTOR, not just a singer who can emote. In my opinion, in a world that is obsessed with filming everything in "HD," we must not let ourselves become irrelevant. Do I think then that we should sacrifice our vocal ability and technique in order to be thinner, ABSOLUTELY not; I firmly believe that beauty of the voice and technique, as an opera singer, should be our first concern. Once you have achieved that, or at least get on your feet, then we can start adding layers into the mix.
But this brings about the question mentioned above. It is pretty widely recognized that the face of opera has changed in the past few years. There are ALWAYS very strong debates about this, the Live in HD phenomenon, and operas now being directed for the camera rather than for the stage, rendering some productions brilliantly filmed but quite lackluster in the house....but that's a WHOLE other posting. Here we are talking about weight.
There are certain singers (I don't want to mention any names) who I would consider in particular to have "set the bar" for the ability to look like a super model and still have a great voice. When these singers really started busting onto the scene, everyone around them had to "stay relevant" and drop the extra padding they were carrying in their Brunhilde costume....For a while we saw it affecting their voices, and to a certain extent, it really still is. A lot of people said at the time that singers were caring too much about their appearances, that singers couldn't be thin, that we weren't focusing on our voices and were neglecting them, etc. That very well may be true. Also, as someone who has lost a significant amount of weight, I can attest that it is VERY much easier to sing, even 5-10 lbs heavier; you have to be much more conscious, at least initially, of how you are breathing and making sure that you are really lowering your support entirely when you do start to trim down.
In 2011 now, it seems the younger generations of singers have really latched onto this ideal, that we must be Hollywood hot. It's no longer acceptable to play a woman dying of consumption and still weigh 350 lbs....the audiences today are simply smarter than that. I think the younger singers are better off in a sense (IF they find one of the rare teachers today who can really teach a fierce technique); they are growing up in this industry already maintaining their weights, working on the voices, etc. I believe it has been a little harder for the current "A-listers" to adapt, because they already had established identities as singers and performers (with their weight, image, voice etc). We are actually now seeing a few singers in particular, some of whom STARTED the skinny trend actually putting on quite a bit of weight. Does this mean they're not singing well? Absolutely not....they are singing quite well indeed. Personally I find it hard to believe that they would allow themselves to get that way, especially in an industry where people are looking at you all the time, more and more every season, but who am I to say.....
We now come to the topic of becoming obsessed with your weight. I have a tendency toward this one more than my haagen-dazs crazed counterparts. At what point are we, probably particularly my generation, too focused on our weight?
This is a really interesting question, and one that I'm sure a lot of psychologists would love to get their hands on....I'll take a brief stab at it. I can see the surface levels, and then levels that dive a bit deeper....I don't want to try and solve any life problems here, but simply open up a line of ideas that may make people, simply, more aware of this.
On the surface, sure, who DOESN'T want to be thinner? Everyone wants to be "skinny popular" of course. As with everything, moderation is key; it comes down to basic health that we should not be starving ourselves (and to lose weight, that is actually QUITE the opposite of what we should be doing), however this is hard to tell some people. My generation is full of over-achievers, people who need stimulation at all times (why do you think I have seen quite a few amazing cities in Europe, but have never personally been west of Dallas!). Our generation wants more, they want it bigger better and more glamorous, NOW PLEASE, without having to do the work for it. As we have gotten "older," our parents have taught us to work hard for what we want, to strive for greatness, to know you can achieve whatever you want as long as you "stay focused." They have also taught us the value of a dollar, how to clean our rooms and take care of the expensive things they may buy us. All of this has shaped our work ethic, who we are as people, and has ultimately made us these super human over-achieving creatures that don't know when to stop....we can get obsessive.
As singers who are already nervous enough at all times about what someone is going to critique us about (our breath support, our portamento in that phrase, did the portamento then mess up the line of the piece....or the dreaded..."I just don't hear you in this role"). These, for the most part, are all subjective (save the breath support!!); they are all a matter of opinion, and you can sing the same line the same way for 6 different people and I guarantee half will love it and half will hate it and tell you to do it another way. As singers, we deal with so much uncertainty with all of these things and more; when is my next contract, how much are they paying me? is that enough to live off of and save until my NEXT contract which is when and paying me how much....and then on top of that you have to learn these new roles and have lessons on them and coach the Hell out of them to get them ready. There are so many variables in this industry it's no wonder young singers have become obsessed with their weight. Weight is one variable that they CAN control. No matter what someone says, a scale doesn't lie. Your waistband does not lie! I think young singers have latched onto this (and rightfully so to a certain extent) and they have RUN with it, metaphorically and....well....literally it would seem. It gives them a sense of groundedness in an otherwise uncertain industry; something they know they can feel good about.
We must make sure that we do not let this weight debate begin to run our lives. It is always important to be AWARE of these things which will make us more well rounded performers. Chances are, they will also make us feel better about ourselves which will ultimately make us more comfortable on stage, subsequently sing better, etc. We must be careful to not let ourselves sway too much either way....just like no one wants to see a fat Ariadne in a little black dress, no one wants to see a waif of a Brunhilde, who really looks more like a Cherubino at best.
With our bodies as our instruments, we should strive to be HEALTHY. We don't need to be a size 0 in order for the general public to find us attractive (or a casting director), but at the same time, we should not be complacent in allowing ourselves to eat a donut in between every entrance backstage and then wonder why our costumes are feeling a little tighter...all while eating another donut. In this age of the "HD," we should all look to find the happy medium; that which makes you feel like the best you. You should love yourself and have confidence in yourself while still being able to focus on that voice and technique. We should want to look our best, but SOUND our best....after all, we're singers, not models, right?
While I don't support starving yourself through every fad diet, I certainly promote healthy eating, active exercise habits, and monitoring our weights to be appropriately believable in whatever roles we may be singing or preparing. Don't you?
Now why don't you put down that cheeseburger and pick up a Greek yogurt instead.....
As someone who has always struggled with their weight, and someone who has also changed their entire body from about 8 years ago (for the better!!), I tend to be on the slightly more obsessive side (....comments from the peanut gallery anyone??). I have taken quite a strong stance toward the "new" opera, where Hollywood good looks are as important as a fierce voice, solid technique, the acting ability of a true ACTOR, not just a singer who can emote. In my opinion, in a world that is obsessed with filming everything in "HD," we must not let ourselves become irrelevant. Do I think then that we should sacrifice our vocal ability and technique in order to be thinner, ABSOLUTELY not; I firmly believe that beauty of the voice and technique, as an opera singer, should be our first concern. Once you have achieved that, or at least get on your feet, then we can start adding layers into the mix.
But this brings about the question mentioned above. It is pretty widely recognized that the face of opera has changed in the past few years. There are ALWAYS very strong debates about this, the Live in HD phenomenon, and operas now being directed for the camera rather than for the stage, rendering some productions brilliantly filmed but quite lackluster in the house....but that's a WHOLE other posting. Here we are talking about weight.
There are certain singers (I don't want to mention any names) who I would consider in particular to have "set the bar" for the ability to look like a super model and still have a great voice. When these singers really started busting onto the scene, everyone around them had to "stay relevant" and drop the extra padding they were carrying in their Brunhilde costume....For a while we saw it affecting their voices, and to a certain extent, it really still is. A lot of people said at the time that singers were caring too much about their appearances, that singers couldn't be thin, that we weren't focusing on our voices and were neglecting them, etc. That very well may be true. Also, as someone who has lost a significant amount of weight, I can attest that it is VERY much easier to sing, even 5-10 lbs heavier; you have to be much more conscious, at least initially, of how you are breathing and making sure that you are really lowering your support entirely when you do start to trim down.
In 2011 now, it seems the younger generations of singers have really latched onto this ideal, that we must be Hollywood hot. It's no longer acceptable to play a woman dying of consumption and still weigh 350 lbs....the audiences today are simply smarter than that. I think the younger singers are better off in a sense (IF they find one of the rare teachers today who can really teach a fierce technique); they are growing up in this industry already maintaining their weights, working on the voices, etc. I believe it has been a little harder for the current "A-listers" to adapt, because they already had established identities as singers and performers (with their weight, image, voice etc). We are actually now seeing a few singers in particular, some of whom STARTED the skinny trend actually putting on quite a bit of weight. Does this mean they're not singing well? Absolutely not....they are singing quite well indeed. Personally I find it hard to believe that they would allow themselves to get that way, especially in an industry where people are looking at you all the time, more and more every season, but who am I to say.....
We now come to the topic of becoming obsessed with your weight. I have a tendency toward this one more than my haagen-dazs crazed counterparts. At what point are we, probably particularly my generation, too focused on our weight?
This is a really interesting question, and one that I'm sure a lot of psychologists would love to get their hands on....I'll take a brief stab at it. I can see the surface levels, and then levels that dive a bit deeper....I don't want to try and solve any life problems here, but simply open up a line of ideas that may make people, simply, more aware of this.
On the surface, sure, who DOESN'T want to be thinner? Everyone wants to be "skinny popular" of course. As with everything, moderation is key; it comes down to basic health that we should not be starving ourselves (and to lose weight, that is actually QUITE the opposite of what we should be doing), however this is hard to tell some people. My generation is full of over-achievers, people who need stimulation at all times (why do you think I have seen quite a few amazing cities in Europe, but have never personally been west of Dallas!). Our generation wants more, they want it bigger better and more glamorous, NOW PLEASE, without having to do the work for it. As we have gotten "older," our parents have taught us to work hard for what we want, to strive for greatness, to know you can achieve whatever you want as long as you "stay focused." They have also taught us the value of a dollar, how to clean our rooms and take care of the expensive things they may buy us. All of this has shaped our work ethic, who we are as people, and has ultimately made us these super human over-achieving creatures that don't know when to stop....we can get obsessive.
As singers who are already nervous enough at all times about what someone is going to critique us about (our breath support, our portamento in that phrase, did the portamento then mess up the line of the piece....or the dreaded..."I just don't hear you in this role"). These, for the most part, are all subjective (save the breath support!!); they are all a matter of opinion, and you can sing the same line the same way for 6 different people and I guarantee half will love it and half will hate it and tell you to do it another way. As singers, we deal with so much uncertainty with all of these things and more; when is my next contract, how much are they paying me? is that enough to live off of and save until my NEXT contract which is when and paying me how much....and then on top of that you have to learn these new roles and have lessons on them and coach the Hell out of them to get them ready. There are so many variables in this industry it's no wonder young singers have become obsessed with their weight. Weight is one variable that they CAN control. No matter what someone says, a scale doesn't lie. Your waistband does not lie! I think young singers have latched onto this (and rightfully so to a certain extent) and they have RUN with it, metaphorically and....well....literally it would seem. It gives them a sense of groundedness in an otherwise uncertain industry; something they know they can feel good about.
We must make sure that we do not let this weight debate begin to run our lives. It is always important to be AWARE of these things which will make us more well rounded performers. Chances are, they will also make us feel better about ourselves which will ultimately make us more comfortable on stage, subsequently sing better, etc. We must be careful to not let ourselves sway too much either way....just like no one wants to see a fat Ariadne in a little black dress, no one wants to see a waif of a Brunhilde, who really looks more like a Cherubino at best.
With our bodies as our instruments, we should strive to be HEALTHY. We don't need to be a size 0 in order for the general public to find us attractive (or a casting director), but at the same time, we should not be complacent in allowing ourselves to eat a donut in between every entrance backstage and then wonder why our costumes are feeling a little tighter...all while eating another donut. In this age of the "HD," we should all look to find the happy medium; that which makes you feel like the best you. You should love yourself and have confidence in yourself while still being able to focus on that voice and technique. We should want to look our best, but SOUND our best....after all, we're singers, not models, right?
While I don't support starving yourself through every fad diet, I certainly promote healthy eating, active exercise habits, and monitoring our weights to be appropriately believable in whatever roles we may be singing or preparing. Don't you?
Now why don't you put down that cheeseburger and pick up a Greek yogurt instead.....
Thursday, August 18, 2011
work work work, then.....more work?
After a recent turn in events in taking on more responsibility at the office, I sit here and think to myself....how does one find the balance between their proverbial "9-5" and the career they passionately pursue outside of "the office"?
A lot of people, especially when they are young, seem to get caught up "trying to make money" so they can support themselves while trying to pursue another career (singing, acting, starting a business, etc). The difficult balance to find is that balance that allows you to keep the job that provides you financial stability, while still allowing yourself ample time to dedicate to the other career...all while not allowing either to upset the other.
This is TOUGH! I don't know that anybody has the answer, and I don't think there is any even remotely textbook answer for this. For me, it has taken almost two years at the same job, and a LOT of faith in myself! It has not always been easy, and I still have my days...trust me.
A lot of it has come to me recently. I am not one with a lot of patience...ask my mother....she will most likely say that is the UNDERSTATEMENT of the century! (I know, mom). Having found my teacher, Michael Paul, has really made me tighten my act. Everything in my life, in every aspect, has to be there to ultimately help me achieve my greater goal. Work may not always be my favorite (who ALWAYS loves work???), but who cares. I could complain about the fact that I'm not bringing in millions a year in singing contracts, OR, I could recognize that I am not in the place in my life where I would ever expect that kind of success. I also had to recognize that right now is the time in my career (singing!) that I need to be investing in voice lessons, coachings, etc; this is the time to lay the groundwork for a long and fruitful career, not the time to get greedy.....that can come later!!!
Having a steady job (that allows me to use my knowledge base and has TONS of other perks) allows me the means to live in a nice apartment with a great roommate, take care of our amazing dog, and support myself (MOSTLY) to live comfortably while still taking lessons, coaching, etc. It takes the mindset of looking for the GOOD in things; not focusing on the negative and allowing it to take you over, knock you down, make you lose FOCUS. You must always keep your eye on the prize.
As my dad always said: "There are two words that you should always live your life by: STAY FOCUSED." I laughed at the time and really didn't understand how true what he said was. You can achieve absolutely ANYTHING by staying focused. It doesn't just take simply FOCUS, but also allowing yourself to feel and KNOW that you deserve this success and can achieve it. For more on this topic, I absolutely recommend "A Place of Yes" by Bethenny Frankel.
Simply feeling entitled to success will never get you anywhere. It takes FOCUS, DRIVE, and the humility to fall down, know when you don't know everything, but have the will to learn and move forward. Understand that you don't have to identify with your "9-5" exclusively, but also respect it for enabling you to achieve the success you have or want to have! Keep your life balanced and simple. Keep your eye on the prize, enjoy life at every chance you get. As a singer, we don't really have the option to play hard, but at the end of the day, are you looking to have a great night out, or have a great high C? Maybe when you know the answer to that question, you can evaluate your drive and focus.
Enjoy your work, but don't get lost in it. See it for what it is, and pour your entire soul into your art and passion when you are on your own time. You can achieve anything that you want to achieve, as long as you STAY FOCUSED.
Time for my bow yet?
A lot of people, especially when they are young, seem to get caught up "trying to make money" so they can support themselves while trying to pursue another career (singing, acting, starting a business, etc). The difficult balance to find is that balance that allows you to keep the job that provides you financial stability, while still allowing yourself ample time to dedicate to the other career...all while not allowing either to upset the other.
This is TOUGH! I don't know that anybody has the answer, and I don't think there is any even remotely textbook answer for this. For me, it has taken almost two years at the same job, and a LOT of faith in myself! It has not always been easy, and I still have my days...trust me.
A lot of it has come to me recently. I am not one with a lot of patience...ask my mother....she will most likely say that is the UNDERSTATEMENT of the century! (I know, mom). Having found my teacher, Michael Paul, has really made me tighten my act. Everything in my life, in every aspect, has to be there to ultimately help me achieve my greater goal. Work may not always be my favorite (who ALWAYS loves work???), but who cares. I could complain about the fact that I'm not bringing in millions a year in singing contracts, OR, I could recognize that I am not in the place in my life where I would ever expect that kind of success. I also had to recognize that right now is the time in my career (singing!) that I need to be investing in voice lessons, coachings, etc; this is the time to lay the groundwork for a long and fruitful career, not the time to get greedy.....that can come later!!!
Having a steady job (that allows me to use my knowledge base and has TONS of other perks) allows me the means to live in a nice apartment with a great roommate, take care of our amazing dog, and support myself (MOSTLY) to live comfortably while still taking lessons, coaching, etc. It takes the mindset of looking for the GOOD in things; not focusing on the negative and allowing it to take you over, knock you down, make you lose FOCUS. You must always keep your eye on the prize.
As my dad always said: "There are two words that you should always live your life by: STAY FOCUSED." I laughed at the time and really didn't understand how true what he said was. You can achieve absolutely ANYTHING by staying focused. It doesn't just take simply FOCUS, but also allowing yourself to feel and KNOW that you deserve this success and can achieve it. For more on this topic, I absolutely recommend "A Place of Yes" by Bethenny Frankel.
Simply feeling entitled to success will never get you anywhere. It takes FOCUS, DRIVE, and the humility to fall down, know when you don't know everything, but have the will to learn and move forward. Understand that you don't have to identify with your "9-5" exclusively, but also respect it for enabling you to achieve the success you have or want to have! Keep your life balanced and simple. Keep your eye on the prize, enjoy life at every chance you get. As a singer, we don't really have the option to play hard, but at the end of the day, are you looking to have a great night out, or have a great high C? Maybe when you know the answer to that question, you can evaluate your drive and focus.
Enjoy your work, but don't get lost in it. See it for what it is, and pour your entire soul into your art and passion when you are on your own time. You can achieve anything that you want to achieve, as long as you STAY FOCUSED.
Time for my bow yet?
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
and the curtain rises.....
In an effort to make my identity as a singer more pronounced, I figured I'd give this whole blog thing a shot....why not. And what better way to do it than by making it about my experiences as a singer? Don't worry everyone, this will NOT be an "I love Renee Fleming" blog.....although she more than likely will make occasional appearances in the postings. I'm not really sure what route this is going to go in. Maybe no one but my family will read it, and maybe it will be a way for them to follow my journey even when I am halfway around the world. All I do know is that I want it to be able to include anything and everything that may be relevant to singing. I don't want to be limited or restrained when it comes to what I can post. I don't want to keep rambling, so....3.....2.....1......and the overture begins.....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)