David et Jonathas closed a few weeks ago at BAM. It was a wonderful production, and I am thankful for the opportunity to have worked with such great singers, a great production team, and an amazing orchestra. I am asking all of my friends and patrons to consider a donation to American Opera Theater. In a recession (yes, friends, this is a recession), arts organizations are the first to loose their foot-hold. I wouldn't ask anyone to do something of this nature that I wouldn't be willing to do myself.
I have never before performed in a contemporary opera production. I have stage directed a few scenes and one opera. I have seen a ton of productions, considering that my mother and godfather have collaborated all throughout my life writing operas together (most significantly Frida). As a matter of fact, the first opera I was ever taken to when I was 6 years old, was an opera written that year. I've also experienced more contemporary music recitals/concerts than I can count. I especially remember the avant garde bass clarinet/squeeky toy/pots-n-pans recital I was witness to when I was about 6 or 7 years old. My husband, a multi-percussionist, thrives on contemporary music so it's all around our daily life. Even my best friend is a great composer. My godfather just sent me a complete set of ee cummings poems for voice and marimba written last month. Hell, my voice teacher at Peabody is THE contemporary music interpreter of choice, Phyllis Bryn-Julson! I've also performed a number of contemporary pieces on recitals -- everything from Stravinksy's 12-tone exercise, "The Owl and the Pussycat" to Gitta Steiner's totally a-tonal songs for vibes and voice. (And how the audience of my colleagues of singers grinned, giggled and squirmed at the point in the Stravinsky piece when I sang, "Oh pussy, pussy, my love! What a beautiful pussy you are!")
But, I have spent the vast majority of my performing career (as small as it may be) doing pretty much exclusively early music. And I've never actually been in an opera written post 1945. I guess I just didn't really have any outlet for contemporary music beyond recital. And I don't particularly like doing recital, only because I prefer the freedom and combined artistic elements of the operatic stage. The work I've been involved with previously was rather stylized, which is great fun, in and of itself, and works well for retooling early opera.
But next year, around inauguration time, I'll be back in DC with American Opera Theater in Phillip Glass' Hydrogen Jukebox. As of yet, I haven't had the opportunity to work in the dramatic context of stark realism, although I've always wanted to portray a dark, complicated, real person... the anti-ingenue? My only fear is that my lack of experience in that vein would leave me as "good" as the "actors" you see on soap operas. (Don't get me started on the incredible deficit voice majors face in their educational careers when it comes to acting...) I'm not sure how Tim Nelson will stage the Glass, but I've heard rumors that AOT is bringing in a choreographer, which would absolutely THRILL me since I've been dying to combine real dance elements into my operatic performances. It was one thing to use acrobatics for Acis & Galatea, but the notion of postmodern opera coupled with postmodern staging and dance really gets my adrenaline going. I can't help but let my mind wander to Meredith Monk's 'impermanence' or my valuable exposure to Fred Curchak as a youth, and hope for the chance to push my body, focus my mind, and free the voice.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Saturday, May 3, 2008
For The Record:
For the record, I do like opera. Actually I love opera. But loving something doesn't mean you love all aspects of it. Because I love opera so much, I see its flaws and whole-heartedly aspire for its betterment. I'm like a critical mother-in-law to opera... What I don't like is stagnant, goof-ball opera which is all too often comprised of operatic park-and-bark and the occasional "Tenor Claw." And also for the record, I'm not a founding member of American Opera Theater, as a recent Washington Post article seems to suggest. I wasn't there at the beginning, and although I'm now part of the repertory company, I wasn't part of the original vision.
Admittedly, there are easy mistakes to make within an hour-and-a-half interview. Which is why the old KISS principle is one to stick by.
It's a fine article, actually, but it did teach me more than just a few things about what to say and what not to say to a journalist or member of the press.
First of all, I wasn't very KISS-ish. You can think you're being incredibly concise and clear about the subject at hand, but with just one off-handed comment which interests the writer for whatever reason, you can be left out-to-dry wishing you could clarify. Yes, I wanted to drum up interest for this production. The writer obviously understood this and had the same goal. But, in the end I'm quoted saying I don't really like opera much. Sure, it conveys that the opera at hand ain't yo' mamma's opera, but it could kind of make potential opera directors more reluctant to hire me for their more "traditional" operas. ("I don't want some bitchy little Barbarina in my Marriage of Figaro...") Second of all I wanted to, of course, represent myself well. I can't say if I did that. I think I came off a little bullish, which in the moment of our first rehearsal and the first kiss-for-stage with my co-lead and I, I needed to be pretty assertive. You can't be shy, nor afraid of getting into the other person's physical space at a time like that. I was consciously pushing past my co-lead's comfort zone to make our connection on stage seem more real. Reading the article, my jaw dropped while vaguely remembering my "chompers" comment. YO VEY!
In the end, it's better to be talked about than not, so THANKS! :)
On a side note, if you (the three of you who read this) happen to be in DC or NYC and care to see the opera, check the Georgetown Performing Arts website or the Brooklyn Academy of Music website for ticket info.
Admittedly, there are easy mistakes to make within an hour-and-a-half interview. Which is why the old KISS principle is one to stick by.
It's a fine article, actually, but it did teach me more than just a few things about what to say and what not to say to a journalist or member of the press.
First of all, I wasn't very KISS-ish. You can think you're being incredibly concise and clear about the subject at hand, but with just one off-handed comment which interests the writer for whatever reason, you can be left out-to-dry wishing you could clarify. Yes, I wanted to drum up interest for this production. The writer obviously understood this and had the same goal. But, in the end I'm quoted saying I don't really like opera much. Sure, it conveys that the opera at hand ain't yo' mamma's opera, but it could kind of make potential opera directors more reluctant to hire me for their more "traditional" operas. ("I don't want some bitchy little Barbarina in my Marriage of Figaro...") Second of all I wanted to, of course, represent myself well. I can't say if I did that. I think I came off a little bullish, which in the moment of our first rehearsal and the first kiss-for-stage with my co-lead and I, I needed to be pretty assertive. You can't be shy, nor afraid of getting into the other person's physical space at a time like that. I was consciously pushing past my co-lead's comfort zone to make our connection on stage seem more real. Reading the article, my jaw dropped while vaguely remembering my "chompers" comment. YO VEY!
In the end, it's better to be talked about than not, so THANKS! :)
On a side note, if you (the three of you who read this) happen to be in DC or NYC and care to see the opera, check the Georgetown Performing Arts website or the Brooklyn Academy of Music website for ticket info.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Dying... for a living.
I recently heard a cool song in a recital at Peabody (I'm back visiting) by William Bolcom entitled "The Actor" which describes one who dies... for a living.
I'm currently doing the former, not so much the latter: I'm in preparation of the role of Jonathan (Saul's son from the Old Testament) who dies in the last act of the opera "David et Jonathas" by Charpentier. Too bad I can't do it for a living.
If I could count on that role as a kind of life time commitment, just like a coloratura soprano can count on 20 years or more of potential performance of Lucia (ya know, from Lammermoor), I would be a very happy singer. This music is GLORIOUS -- hit tune after hit tune. But, considering the performance in Washington, DC next week will be the first professional mounting in our modern era, I doubt I will perform it much in my lifetime.
Why can't I just be like everyone else and be a Susanna, Zerlina or a Lucia and count on reprisals? Why do I have to like... LOVE the outlying genres and therefore have little to no chance of repeat?
I'm not really complaining. In fact, being into early music and contemporary music means always discovering something new. You can know Handel and Bach as a singer, but go a little deeper and you'll find Telemann and Buxtehude. You can know Monteverdi and Cavalli, but what about Strozzi? Know some Rameau? Then have a look at Jacquet de la Guerre.
And then there's contemporary music -- same kind of deal. Dig into 20th century, but keep your ear to the ground because there's a whole new century that's expressing itself.
This isn't really much of a blog. I'm forehead deep in rehearsals for David et Jonathas, but I thought I'd still try and keep up with this blog thing. If you happen to live in Washington DC or in the NYC area and are interested in seeing a once-in-a-life-time opera by Charpentier, please refer to the below:
MARC-ANTOINE CHARPENTIER
DAVID ET JONATHAS
May 2nd - 3rd 8pm, May 4th 5pm
Gonda Theater – Georgetown Universty
Corner of O Street and 37th Street
Washington, DC
General Admission: $30
Senior Admission: $25
Student Admission: $15
For tickets of more information please call (202) 687 ARTS or at http://performingarts.georgetown.edu.
May 9th and 10th 7:30pm
Brooklyn Academy of Music
New York, New Yok
General Admission: $45
Senior Admission: $35
Student Admission: $25
For tickets of more information call (718) 636 4100 or at www.bam.org
I'm currently doing the former, not so much the latter: I'm in preparation of the role of Jonathan (Saul's son from the Old Testament) who dies in the last act of the opera "David et Jonathas" by Charpentier. Too bad I can't do it for a living.
If I could count on that role as a kind of life time commitment, just like a coloratura soprano can count on 20 years or more of potential performance of Lucia (ya know, from Lammermoor), I would be a very happy singer. This music is GLORIOUS -- hit tune after hit tune. But, considering the performance in Washington, DC next week will be the first professional mounting in our modern era, I doubt I will perform it much in my lifetime.
Why can't I just be like everyone else and be a Susanna, Zerlina or a Lucia and count on reprisals? Why do I have to like... LOVE the outlying genres and therefore have little to no chance of repeat?
I'm not really complaining. In fact, being into early music and contemporary music means always discovering something new. You can know Handel and Bach as a singer, but go a little deeper and you'll find Telemann and Buxtehude. You can know Monteverdi and Cavalli, but what about Strozzi? Know some Rameau? Then have a look at Jacquet de la Guerre.
And then there's contemporary music -- same kind of deal. Dig into 20th century, but keep your ear to the ground because there's a whole new century that's expressing itself.
This isn't really much of a blog. I'm forehead deep in rehearsals for David et Jonathas, but I thought I'd still try and keep up with this blog thing. If you happen to live in Washington DC or in the NYC area and are interested in seeing a once-in-a-life-time opera by Charpentier, please refer to the below:
MARC-ANTOINE CHARPENTIER
DAVID ET JONATHAS
May 2nd - 3rd 8pm, May 4th 5pm
Gonda Theater – Georgetown Universty
Corner of O Street and 37th Street
Washington, DC
General Admission: $30
Senior Admission: $25
Student Admission: $15
For tickets of more information please call (202) 687 ARTS or at http://performingarts.georgetown.edu.
May 9th and 10th 7:30pm
Brooklyn Academy of Music
New York, New Yok
General Admission: $45
Senior Admission: $35
Student Admission: $25
For tickets of more information call (718) 636 4100 or at www.bam.org
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Crossing Over - Musical Theater
I've been researching what it would take to get into some crossover work. During the holidays I saw a community theater musical; a kind of modern day passion play at the Ivoryton Playhouse in CT, with 2 ringers in the lead roles. The whole time I kept thinking, "I could do that..." The female lead, the 'Mary' character, was a good ingenue. Pretty, sweet smile, very pretty soprano-y voice, training at SF Conservatory I think... It couldn't have been the most rewarding of roles since the music was hokey and the community cast members were all over the board theatrically. But, I can imagine it's a start for her. And in a way, I envied her.
I know the grass always seems greener on the other side, but between getting paid peanuts to sing all the time, or getting paid peanuts to sing sometimes, and then work a day job the rest of the time, when you're currently doing the latter, the former sounds pretty enticing, albeit romantic.
I have a pal, Iris McQuillan-Grace, who is a great actor. She has been instigating some of my interest in musical theater recently. Her question to me one evening at a bar was, "Is it that you're in love with just opera, or you just want to be on stage performing?" To genuinely find that answer, I felt I should explore a wider range of performance opportunities. I can draw on my initial career of musical theater as starting reference: When I was 6, I was cast in my first musical, The King and I. Then shows like Annie and Carousel followed and I learned how to take direction from a director, learned more about projection, the rules behind the stage, actors etiquette, etc. I got into operatic/classical singing once I started taking voice lessons around age 13. My reasoning for sticking with the Mozart lieder and Faure Melodie was that if one could sing classical music, one could sing Broadway -- not vice versa. That's mostly true.
I had my first voice lesson last night with a musical theater oriented voice teacher. I took a Kurt Weil song to her, "My Ship." My approach to the song was, from a classically trained perspective, to be less formal with the diction, feeling free to "chew" a bit more, and to feel freer to use my chest voice, rather than a mix around middle C. She said I did pretty well, but we could free up the chest voice even more in the future. Her valuable advice to me: "In opera, the voice informs the character, more or less, while in musical theater, the character informs the voice. At least, that could be your approach so you don't mix the two styles up."
It hadn't really been my concern that I might mix the styles together. They feel so different to me even without any previous theatrical guidance. And even in opera, I tend to let the character inform the voice, which may make me a little different from most classical singers. Maybe that's how I was fairly successful at fooling more than a few people into thinking that I was actually a boy 2 years ago in Cavalli's La Didone in D.C. I've always had an urge to use many more vocal colors in opera, even singing Barbarina's lines when she's quoting the Count's own words in Le nozze di Figaro an octave below what's written, thereby using the chest voice to imitate a man's. I didn't know if I was allowed to do it or not, but after trying it out in rehearsal, the director was pleased. Soprano Patricia Petibon, who sometimes over does it, really achieves some amazing vocal range of color in her recordings -- like vocal fireworks!
On a side note, maybe that is also why I tend to enjoy the outlying operatic styles more rather than bel canto opera. It seems early and contemporary music allows the singer to infuse more character into the role than bel canto/Romantic operas.
So, along with a freer vocal interpretation in musical theater, the freer, seemingly riskier theatrical approach is more than a little intimidating. How do you approach the line "perhaps I'm bad, or wild or mad!" in the song Much More? How does one loose the inhibition that isn't necessarily addressed in opera? You're closer to the audience in Musical Theater -- less artifice to hide behind. As difficult as it is to get recitative learned and memorized, it seems 10 times more difficult to get a monologue down. We're confronted with dialogue and monologue every day in real life. We know what does and doesn't sound real in an instant. Any laymen can see a soap opera on t.v. and know that half the cast on the show are really bad. But, how often do we hear someone sing the specials on the menu at lunch, or sing the new vacation policies in the office? Never. Bad acting in the form of recitative is easier to stomach because it's so far from our daily experiences. Opera is grander and can be painted with a large brush, often void of the little details like half smirks and raised eyebrows (the exception, or near exception, I would say, would be Teresa Stratas).
On a practical level, what does all this mean? It means acting lessons, unfortunately for my pocket book. It also means subscribing to the audition announcement websites for the NYC area. Moving closer to the city will help. And it means continuing with voice lessons with two different teachers, for now. Yikes! The musical theater world feels 100 times more competitive than the operatic world, so I imagine this will take some time.
I know the grass always seems greener on the other side, but between getting paid peanuts to sing all the time, or getting paid peanuts to sing sometimes, and then work a day job the rest of the time, when you're currently doing the latter, the former sounds pretty enticing, albeit romantic.
I have a pal, Iris McQuillan-Grace, who is a great actor. She has been instigating some of my interest in musical theater recently. Her question to me one evening at a bar was, "Is it that you're in love with just opera, or you just want to be on stage performing?" To genuinely find that answer, I felt I should explore a wider range of performance opportunities. I can draw on my initial career of musical theater as starting reference: When I was 6, I was cast in my first musical, The King and I. Then shows like Annie and Carousel followed and I learned how to take direction from a director, learned more about projection, the rules behind the stage, actors etiquette, etc. I got into operatic/classical singing once I started taking voice lessons around age 13. My reasoning for sticking with the Mozart lieder and Faure Melodie was that if one could sing classical music, one could sing Broadway -- not vice versa. That's mostly true.
I had my first voice lesson last night with a musical theater oriented voice teacher. I took a Kurt Weil song to her, "My Ship." My approach to the song was, from a classically trained perspective, to be less formal with the diction, feeling free to "chew" a bit more, and to feel freer to use my chest voice, rather than a mix around middle C. She said I did pretty well, but we could free up the chest voice even more in the future. Her valuable advice to me: "In opera, the voice informs the character, more or less, while in musical theater, the character informs the voice. At least, that could be your approach so you don't mix the two styles up."
It hadn't really been my concern that I might mix the styles together. They feel so different to me even without any previous theatrical guidance. And even in opera, I tend to let the character inform the voice, which may make me a little different from most classical singers. Maybe that's how I was fairly successful at fooling more than a few people into thinking that I was actually a boy 2 years ago in Cavalli's La Didone in D.C. I've always had an urge to use many more vocal colors in opera, even singing Barbarina's lines when she's quoting the Count's own words in Le nozze di Figaro an octave below what's written, thereby using the chest voice to imitate a man's. I didn't know if I was allowed to do it or not, but after trying it out in rehearsal, the director was pleased. Soprano Patricia Petibon, who sometimes over does it, really achieves some amazing vocal range of color in her recordings -- like vocal fireworks!
On a side note, maybe that is also why I tend to enjoy the outlying operatic styles more rather than bel canto opera. It seems early and contemporary music allows the singer to infuse more character into the role than bel canto/Romantic operas.
So, along with a freer vocal interpretation in musical theater, the freer, seemingly riskier theatrical approach is more than a little intimidating. How do you approach the line "perhaps I'm bad, or wild or mad!" in the song Much More? How does one loose the inhibition that isn't necessarily addressed in opera? You're closer to the audience in Musical Theater -- less artifice to hide behind. As difficult as it is to get recitative learned and memorized, it seems 10 times more difficult to get a monologue down. We're confronted with dialogue and monologue every day in real life. We know what does and doesn't sound real in an instant. Any laymen can see a soap opera on t.v. and know that half the cast on the show are really bad. But, how often do we hear someone sing the specials on the menu at lunch, or sing the new vacation policies in the office? Never. Bad acting in the form of recitative is easier to stomach because it's so far from our daily experiences. Opera is grander and can be painted with a large brush, often void of the little details like half smirks and raised eyebrows (the exception, or near exception, I would say, would be Teresa Stratas).
On a practical level, what does all this mean? It means acting lessons, unfortunately for my pocket book. It also means subscribing to the audition announcement websites for the NYC area. Moving closer to the city will help. And it means continuing with voice lessons with two different teachers, for now. Yikes! The musical theater world feels 100 times more competitive than the operatic world, so I imagine this will take some time.
Monday, December 3, 2007
You're Only As Good As How You Treat The Little People
You're only as good as how you treat the little people. That generally applies to most if not all professions in life. The ubiquitous stories of now top-level execs who worked their way up the ladder from bus boy/mail room clerk/stock person/etc with class and professionalism seem to exemplify why one should never take for granted the role underlings have. Only the smallest fraction of us singers go from Bachelor's of Music Degree to MET Finalist. Most of us have to work our way, networking and taking low or no paying roles with small regional chamber opera or operetta companies.
But most of us all have to start somewhere -- anywhere, to get much needed stage experience after we've left the cradle of school. Of course there are year-round and summer-long apprenticeships out there. That's great experience if it works with your life style. But, the occasional Christmas-eve service, the occasional local opera company looking for a small chorus, opera run-outs, etc, can also be viable ways to get your foot in the door to work with really great people.
What I care to talk about in this blog is how a singer starting out with a seemingly unglamorous, unattractive role with an opera company that leaves much to be desired, can make the most of it without burning bridges as he/she goes.
Remember that most of the time, you're not the only one there who feels he/she deserves more or better than what they're given. If you're a perfect Susanna, but you're given Barbarina, treat your role as if it's as important and deserves as much effort from yourself as Susanna. There are probably other singers/directors/conductors/accompanists around you who feel the same way about their position in different ways. The director probably want to direct for a bigger company with a bigger production budget, while the accompanist is working on creating a new orchestra. They're all probably working their way up as well, so your good attitude will get you further than you think. Treat everyone at "Jo Schmo Opera Co" with all the professionalism and respect you'd give to anyone at the NYC Opera. Some of the same people you work with now are some of the same people you will work with again for years to come. If you act like a prick with "Jo Schmo Opera Co" the people who you work with there remember that for the rest of your career. And some of those people may be involved in hiring next time, and for a different opera company.
Young stage directors and young music directors are just that -- young stage directors and young music directors. Things that are young eventually turn old. If you look around at top notch opera companies in the US, most stage directors are quite seasoned, and well... old. It would be very short-sighted to assume that the current roster of directors in the US will remain the same for the next 10-15 years. Some will retire, some will shift to Conservatory/University positions, and some will just disappear. The young directors you may be working with now as a "favor" or for an honorarium at "Jo Schmo Opera Co" are some of the same people who will be hired by bigger opera companies with deeper pockets in bigger cities in a few years. The professionalism you display now is the first and most important impression you can give to these young directors. You can piss them off by not showing up by deadline memorized and by being late continually (and not apologizing!), or you can be on time, have your music memorized by the deadline and be preferred to take that one-in-a-lifetime operatic role at "Even Better Opera Co" in a few years.
So, maybe you've made it to "Even Better Opera Co" and you've been given the role of Lucia. You're not a "little person" anymore, but more of a mid-grade working professional. Fine. Yet again, how you treat the little people in your cast -- say, the opera chorus, can have an effect on your future success as well! These people are quiet observers and, boy, they do talk. And just as the young directors age, they do too. One of them may be your ambitious young tenor co-star one day soon -- you never know! The next step after "Even Better Opera Co," if you play your cards right, could be "The Best Damn Opera Co..."
My main point is that nothing in our industry is static. People get better, more experienced, go to and leave different companies, and often times alter their career paths. The nerdy girl who you went to college with, who may have been the least talented singer in your class, may also be a very savvy business person and within 10 years will be production manager for LA Opera. If you're ever auditioning for LA Opera, you'll wonder if you were very nice to her or not. At least, you'll hope you were nice!
But most of us all have to start somewhere -- anywhere, to get much needed stage experience after we've left the cradle of school. Of course there are year-round and summer-long apprenticeships out there. That's great experience if it works with your life style. But, the occasional Christmas-eve service, the occasional local opera company looking for a small chorus, opera run-outs, etc, can also be viable ways to get your foot in the door to work with really great people.
What I care to talk about in this blog is how a singer starting out with a seemingly unglamorous, unattractive role with an opera company that leaves much to be desired, can make the most of it without burning bridges as he/she goes.
Remember that most of the time, you're not the only one there who feels he/she deserves more or better than what they're given. If you're a perfect Susanna, but you're given Barbarina, treat your role as if it's as important and deserves as much effort from yourself as Susanna. There are probably other singers/directors/conductors/accompanists around you who feel the same way about their position in different ways. The director probably want to direct for a bigger company with a bigger production budget, while the accompanist is working on creating a new orchestra. They're all probably working their way up as well, so your good attitude will get you further than you think. Treat everyone at "Jo Schmo Opera Co" with all the professionalism and respect you'd give to anyone at the NYC Opera. Some of the same people you work with now are some of the same people you will work with again for years to come. If you act like a prick with "Jo Schmo Opera Co" the people who you work with there remember that for the rest of your career. And some of those people may be involved in hiring next time, and for a different opera company.
Young stage directors and young music directors are just that -- young stage directors and young music directors. Things that are young eventually turn old. If you look around at top notch opera companies in the US, most stage directors are quite seasoned, and well... old. It would be very short-sighted to assume that the current roster of directors in the US will remain the same for the next 10-15 years. Some will retire, some will shift to Conservatory/University positions, and some will just disappear. The young directors you may be working with now as a "favor" or for an honorarium at "Jo Schmo Opera Co" are some of the same people who will be hired by bigger opera companies with deeper pockets in bigger cities in a few years. The professionalism you display now is the first and most important impression you can give to these young directors. You can piss them off by not showing up by deadline memorized and by being late continually (and not apologizing!), or you can be on time, have your music memorized by the deadline and be preferred to take that one-in-a-lifetime operatic role at "Even Better Opera Co" in a few years.
So, maybe you've made it to "Even Better Opera Co" and you've been given the role of Lucia. You're not a "little person" anymore, but more of a mid-grade working professional. Fine. Yet again, how you treat the little people in your cast -- say, the opera chorus, can have an effect on your future success as well! These people are quiet observers and, boy, they do talk. And just as the young directors age, they do too. One of them may be your ambitious young tenor co-star one day soon -- you never know! The next step after "Even Better Opera Co," if you play your cards right, could be "The Best Damn Opera Co..."
My main point is that nothing in our industry is static. People get better, more experienced, go to and leave different companies, and often times alter their career paths. The nerdy girl who you went to college with, who may have been the least talented singer in your class, may also be a very savvy business person and within 10 years will be production manager for LA Opera. If you're ever auditioning for LA Opera, you'll wonder if you were very nice to her or not. At least, you'll hope you were nice!
Friday, November 2, 2007
The Art of Packet Submission
Sorry for the blog-silence for the last month (if there is anyone at all reading this blog... heh). I just got back from a vacation and my wedding ceremony. Whew!
I've gathered advice over the last few years from many different sources on how to best represent yourself when you're not present. Basically, I'm referring to one's press packet or submitted audition materials: resume, bio, headshot, reviews, recommendation letters, recording, repertoire list, even a website. When you're not there to audition in person, you don't have available your bubbling, friendly personality or well-dressed self to convey who you are. You only have a bunch of papers which sum up your experience and a recording of yourself. The way you present yourself with these materials, especially when you're not there to audition live, can create an adjudicators first and sometimes only impression of you. Who they understand you to be from what you give them will get you in the door, or not. So you want that impression to be one of organization, clarity of focus, intellect, some level of sophistication and accurate self-knowledge. You want to seem that you know what you're good at, you know how to best represent yourself, and you want to seem well prepared and organized. One of the main concerns it seems organizers/presenters have after hearing a beautiful voice is if they will be easy to work with. "Easy to work with" means a pleasant personality, learns music in a timely manner, can take criticism, can take direction musically and on stage and then remembers it. One way you can represent yourself as easy to work with is by sending well thought-out press kit or audition packet.
Where to start? David Gordon (Carmel Bach Festival) has a lot of really wonderful experience to draw from (just 15 years of reviewing thousands of audition materials). The advice section of his website gives potential auditioners some specific advice to his program, but excellent advice to follow with pretty much any audition packet.
To add to Mr. Gordon's advice, I would suggest creating a heading which goes at the top of all of your printed materials. Here is a screenshot of a made up heading that can be created in a Microsoft Word document.
This screenshot of a heading, which is comprised of a name, address, phone number, voice type, email address and website, would go at the top of your resume, bio, repertoire list, and reviews list (note that it does not include height or weight). You can do this by going into Word, then insert table, and select 2 by 2. Stretch it out to fit the page, then enter in your details and change the font and size accordingly. Make sure the same heading appears on all your printed documents. You can do this by copying and pasting.
Also, be sure to include your name, voice type, email and phone number on your recording and headshot, unless they specify to leave that info off. But please don't get a Sharpie Marker and just write your info directly on the CD or on the back of your headshot. Buy some address labels and print your name and info and attach one on the back of all of your headshots. Also, invest in customizable CD/DVD labels. Neato is a good, user friendly brand which allows you to design a label using a very easy program, and print on your very own printer. This also allows you to include more legible information like track numbers, titles and composers (and even crediting the instrumentalists accompanying you!!), in addition to your contact information.
The point of putting your name and info on every thing is because if any part of your packet gets separated, they can still contact you, or put your materials back together. And if they like you enough to contact you, you want to be contactable, don't you??!?
It goes without saying, but make sure to have a professional proof your resume for accuracy and spelling errors. Also, check that you are presenting yourself on paper as accurately as possible. Make sure your fach matches to what roles, operas and opera excerpts you have performed or studied. If you're a young, high soprano, including roles like Mozart's Susanna may not be appropriate. But, if you're a "baritenor" and your voice hasn't yet settled into an easy classification, represent that versatility but do so carefully. Don't go to extremes of the two fachs you may be straddling. Instead, represent that middle ground where someone can see how you're playing it safe, yet still not sure. In other words, don't confuse 'em! Proof all of this with a few professionals; masterclasses and private lessons and coachings are good times to do this.
Another tip I can offer is to use nice "cotton paper" or "fine business paper" just like normal people use when they apply for office jobs for your printed materials. It shows you care and shows a level of sophistication. It's like wearing your best Hugo Boss suit and a Paul Smith tie if you were there in real life. Also, pay attention to little details and print everything with the watermark facing correctly (as in, not upside down).
Something else to consider is paper clipping, rather than stapling your materials together. You don't know how they arrange everyone's packets when they come in, and your submission will look better if it hasn't been torn apart because you chose to staple everything together in a way that they don't want.
Be sure to consider putting your materials in the same order as listed by the company. If they say they would like a resume, bio, headshot, recommendation letter and anything else, then paper clip your materials in that exact same order. If you include the heading on all your materials, then they'll know who you are and what voice type no matter what is on top. With that said, if an audition fee is required, make sure the check or money order is on top.
Let's say your packet is all printed, everything is labeled and you're ready to send everything. Here are some questions to ask yourself: Did I check the CD recording to make sure it plays on at least 2 different CD players? Am I sending my packet close to the deadline? If so, should I spend a little more and track it, or send it FedEx to make sure it gets there on time? Is the envelope padded enough so that the CD won't become damaged en route? Have I included everything that is required?
Tis the season to start submitting audition packets. I hope some of the above information proves helpful and you are sucessful in the first impression by proxy!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The Art of Auditioning
There really is an art to auditioning. With more talent than jobs out there ("a pretty voice is a dime-a-dozen"), refining every aspect to the process of getting a role on the operatic stage is becoming more and more important. Sure, luck can play a big role in getting that big break, but eliminating certain sure-fire "audition don'ts" can make the difference. Beverly Sills admitted that she auditioned in vain for New York City Opera so many times she became exasperated, explaining they had already heard all of her soprano audition repertoire, so she might as well sing the mezzo-soprano repertoire. She finally gave them the "personality" they wanted by letting her hair down and wearing a low-cut dress. As we all know, she ultimately became General Director of the City Opera after serving as prima donna on stage for a number of years.
I had the honor of sitting in on a round of auditions for a small opera company in NYC recently. I have been in on musical theater auditions many times before, but opera auditions are different. By sitting in on this audition, I was able to gain some much needed perspective on the art of auditioning for a classical singer. What to do and what not to do became all too clear by the 10th auditionee.
Remembering what everyone sounded like is an impossible feat -- at least in this blogger's mind. I retained a few stand-outs whose voices I could call upon in my memory, but only in small snippets. For the most part, much of the lasting impressions the singers made on me came from their dress, how they dealt with the accompanist, general air about them, and some of the information I could glean from their resumes.
~Less is More~
Dress.
As as an opera-singing actor (which, by the way, is the best description of many emerging opera stars), there is a fine line between looking like an attractive blank slate waiting for direction and having "personality." Both can be achieved, but one can also fail at both. For instance, animal print, in general, is never a good idea on either sexes. Gobs of makeup, on either sex, is also not a good idea. Animal print and lavish makeup says that you already have a certain idea of yourself, and it doesn't lend itself to a general feeling of ease and it lacks a certain amount of versatility. It's like you're hiding behind something that is bigger than you. Think like a business person: your commodity is you, and you want to look as easy to work with as possible and 100% on top of your game. Being on top of your game also means staying on top of what's generally fashionable, but not the cutting-edge of fashion. Know what looks good on you.
What does all this really mean? It means keep it simple, but not too simple. Steer clear of wearing all black, or all red. Know what you look good in. If you're short, wear something sophisticated that elongates your body. If you're tall, wear something that doesn't make you look lanky. If you're fat, wear something that gives you a waist, or some shape. If you're flat-chested, wear something that shows off your neck. If you have curly, long red hair, brush it out and show it off. If you have a face full of freckles, don't hide it with foundation. If you have great eyes, pull your hair back. The focus should be you and what's good about you, not your 3 carat diamond earrings or your new leopard-print wrap dress. You don't have to be an expert in fashion, just know what looks good on you. In short, wear the packaging; don't let the packaging wear you.
Resumes.
I prefer not to know age, weight, hair color, eye color, mother's maiden name or your first dog's name. Those are unimportant facts, usually seen on musical theater resumes. I do, however, prefer to know where you went to school, what degrees you received, what roles in what shows you have performed, summer programs you attended, private voice teachers, special talents applicable to the stage, and even something unique or silly about you. By unique, I do not mean that you like to cook or you have 2 kids and a wife. Unique is graduating Summa Cum Laude, experience as a sign language interpreter, training in certain circus arts, previous employment as a pantyhose-crotch-sewer, etc.
Double check your resume with professionals. Make sure everything is spelled correctly, umlauts and accent aigus are all where they should be. Also, make sure someone can spend 10-20 seconds looking at your resume and can tell what important things you have done. TAKE OUT anything you did in HIGH SCHOOL. It does not matter after high school what you did while you were in high school. I don't care if you performed the complete role of Susanna in a staged performance of Le Nozze. (There are some amazing schools that do that, by the way.)
Aria choices.
Please, for the love of God, leave your 15 min aria in the practice room. It's better to avoid the potential embarrassment of being halted mid-aria by a perturbed artistic director. It really only takes about 3 min to get a good enough understanding of someones voice. But, if you have to bring that 20 min Act II finale death scene lament, then don't sing it first. Let them ask you for it later.
~More is Less~
Assumptions.
If you fail to bring your audition repertoire list with you ("bad dog!"), please do not assume everyone in the room is an operatic expert. There could be a stage director who is legendary in the straight theater world, but who is just getting acquainted with opera. The accompanist could be a last min fill-in from the local orchestra. You never know. Yes, you don't want to seem like a know-it-all, but you should announce as much of the full title of what you have to offer as possible. Saying, "The Doll Song" isn't necessarily enough. "The Doll Song from Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffman" is enough, though. Saying, "I have a French and an Italian aria" is really not enough. Be as thorough as possible, yet still concise.
~More is More~
Script Readings.
It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does happen, relax and do your best. And please, SPEAK OUT. All of the lovely inflection you're doing is great except we don't know if you can project to the back of even a 20 seat theater with that voice! Think of it this way: When we sing, we sing much louder than necessary to fill a practice studio. Why? Because we want to project to the back of whatever theater we're booked to sing in. Same thing goes with script readings!
Experience.
Because there is an art to auditioning, save the best companies for last, when you're most experienced. Don't blow your only 3 chances at auditioning for the Met on the first 3 years out of college. Take all the regional auditions you can afford to at first, even choral auditions, then work your way up. The more auditioning you do, the better you'll become. But, also remember it's important to remember that first impressions don't last forever, but they do last a long time in this industry.
With that said, don't treat the small-time opera companies as if they're unimportant to your career. You never know if someone might be hired on by another company. Nothing in this industry is static.
~General Don'ts~
Sheet Music.
Plastic sheet protectors are for your Science project/English report only. The glare of the over-head lights on the plastic makes reading the music much more difficult, and therefore worse for the singer. Unless the aria anthology you're using lays completely flat, like a spiral bound notebook, do not... DO NOT use it. We don't really care if you have originals to the music or not. Most of us don't have time to be concerned with your copyright infringement. But, books have a tendency to have wild pages that don't lay flat and the last thing you want from your accompanist is to be more concerned with just wrestling with the music than following you.
Assuming the singer has a copy of the aria, double sided, with all of the music on the page (that means the lowest notes on the bass clef are not cut off), another guideline to follow is to keep the music in the same general layout as the book you copied it from. For instance, if you're using the Prima Donna album, and the first page of Caro nome is on the left side of the book, put the copied version in your (black) binder the same way. Make sure the first page of Caro nome is also on the left side of your binder. The more experienced pianists, have certain well-loved arias almost or totally memorized. Accurate page layout can keep from tripping them up.
But, if the aria is three pages, make your copy so all three pages are visible. Do not have three loose sheets, but tape them together so it folds out like an accordion. A faint breeze from the air conditioner could send one of the pages flying, but taping them together usually keeps that from happening.
Also, have legible tabs in your binder with the aria name and composer separating the arias/songs, and even an index of all the pieces in your binder at the front. If a second aria is asked of you, it is much better if you don't have to walk over to the pianist and find the song for them.
Make sure the accompanist's copy of the music is clean and free from extraneous markings from your voice lessons like "BREATHE," "ARCH," "RELAX," "SUPPORT," etc. By leaving the markings, you're immediately bringing your vocal "issues" to the table, and anyone who can see the music will know what your issues are, even if they're not apparent in your audition.
Above all, make sure all of your artistic liberties with each song/aria marked in your accompanist's music. That means, rubatos, accelerandos, all ornaments, etc. Even if the aria is the Habanera from Carmen, go ahead and mark in that sudden rubato.
Breaking character.
And if you happen to get an accompanist who is stumbling over the music you gave them, for whatever reason, don't break character to give them looks or glances, don't point at them when they miss that sudden rubato, and try to not stop singing. If you must stop, quickly pick a spot in the music and move on. Pointing, glaring and breaking character makes you look worse than the failing accompanist. Again, you want to look like you're easy to work with, and not a diva/divo. Be forgiving and get the job done. It isn't a recital, it's an audition.
No-show.
There are no excuses besides death for not showing up to an audition. Don't do it no matter how insignificant the company may be. If you are running behind and miss your time, show up anyway. Late is better than never. If you have to cancel less than 24 hours in advance of your time due to sudden sickness or death in the family, call the office, or call the venue where the auditions are happening to give a message. People who no-show without notice are never hired in the future, no matter how "amazing" they are. And as mentioned above, you never know where someone from one opera company may show up next -- nothing is static.
~General Dos~
Smile.
Relax.
Remember, that they want you to do well. If it were socially acceptable, I bet most auditioners would like to have a martini or a glass of wine while listening to auditionees, not to dull the pain, but to add to the enjoyment. Perhaps by the 8th hearing of Barber's "Must the Winter Come So Soon?" a little dulling might be nice, but still, a good performance is still a good performance.
Get out there, kid, and knock 'em dead.
I had the honor of sitting in on a round of auditions for a small opera company in NYC recently. I have been in on musical theater auditions many times before, but opera auditions are different. By sitting in on this audition, I was able to gain some much needed perspective on the art of auditioning for a classical singer. What to do and what not to do became all too clear by the 10th auditionee.
Remembering what everyone sounded like is an impossible feat -- at least in this blogger's mind. I retained a few stand-outs whose voices I could call upon in my memory, but only in small snippets. For the most part, much of the lasting impressions the singers made on me came from their dress, how they dealt with the accompanist, general air about them, and some of the information I could glean from their resumes.
~Less is More~
Dress.
As as an opera-singing actor (which, by the way, is the best description of many emerging opera stars), there is a fine line between looking like an attractive blank slate waiting for direction and having "personality." Both can be achieved, but one can also fail at both. For instance, animal print, in general, is never a good idea on either sexes. Gobs of makeup, on either sex, is also not a good idea. Animal print and lavish makeup says that you already have a certain idea of yourself, and it doesn't lend itself to a general feeling of ease and it lacks a certain amount of versatility. It's like you're hiding behind something that is bigger than you. Think like a business person: your commodity is you, and you want to look as easy to work with as possible and 100% on top of your game. Being on top of your game also means staying on top of what's generally fashionable, but not the cutting-edge of fashion. Know what looks good on you.
What does all this really mean? It means keep it simple, but not too simple. Steer clear of wearing all black, or all red. Know what you look good in. If you're short, wear something sophisticated that elongates your body. If you're tall, wear something that doesn't make you look lanky. If you're fat, wear something that gives you a waist, or some shape. If you're flat-chested, wear something that shows off your neck. If you have curly, long red hair, brush it out and show it off. If you have a face full of freckles, don't hide it with foundation. If you have great eyes, pull your hair back. The focus should be you and what's good about you, not your 3 carat diamond earrings or your new leopard-print wrap dress. You don't have to be an expert in fashion, just know what looks good on you. In short, wear the packaging; don't let the packaging wear you.
Resumes.
I prefer not to know age, weight, hair color, eye color, mother's maiden name or your first dog's name. Those are unimportant facts, usually seen on musical theater resumes. I do, however, prefer to know where you went to school, what degrees you received, what roles in what shows you have performed, summer programs you attended, private voice teachers, special talents applicable to the stage, and even something unique or silly about you. By unique, I do not mean that you like to cook or you have 2 kids and a wife. Unique is graduating Summa Cum Laude, experience as a sign language interpreter, training in certain circus arts, previous employment as a pantyhose-crotch-sewer, etc.
Double check your resume with professionals. Make sure everything is spelled correctly, umlauts and accent aigus are all where they should be. Also, make sure someone can spend 10-20 seconds looking at your resume and can tell what important things you have done. TAKE OUT anything you did in HIGH SCHOOL. It does not matter after high school what you did while you were in high school. I don't care if you performed the complete role of Susanna in a staged performance of Le Nozze. (There are some amazing schools that do that, by the way.)
Aria choices.
Please, for the love of God, leave your 15 min aria in the practice room. It's better to avoid the potential embarrassment of being halted mid-aria by a perturbed artistic director. It really only takes about 3 min to get a good enough understanding of someones voice. But, if you have to bring that 20 min Act II finale death scene lament, then don't sing it first. Let them ask you for it later.
~More is Less~
Assumptions.
If you fail to bring your audition repertoire list with you ("bad dog!"), please do not assume everyone in the room is an operatic expert. There could be a stage director who is legendary in the straight theater world, but who is just getting acquainted with opera. The accompanist could be a last min fill-in from the local orchestra. You never know. Yes, you don't want to seem like a know-it-all, but you should announce as much of the full title of what you have to offer as possible. Saying, "The Doll Song" isn't necessarily enough. "The Doll Song from Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffman" is enough, though. Saying, "I have a French and an Italian aria" is really not enough. Be as thorough as possible, yet still concise.
~More is More~
Script Readings.
It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does happen, relax and do your best. And please, SPEAK OUT. All of the lovely inflection you're doing is great except we don't know if you can project to the back of even a 20 seat theater with that voice! Think of it this way: When we sing, we sing much louder than necessary to fill a practice studio. Why? Because we want to project to the back of whatever theater we're booked to sing in. Same thing goes with script readings!
Experience.
Because there is an art to auditioning, save the best companies for last, when you're most experienced. Don't blow your only 3 chances at auditioning for the Met on the first 3 years out of college. Take all the regional auditions you can afford to at first, even choral auditions, then work your way up. The more auditioning you do, the better you'll become. But, also remember it's important to remember that first impressions don't last forever, but they do last a long time in this industry.
With that said, don't treat the small-time opera companies as if they're unimportant to your career. You never know if someone might be hired on by another company. Nothing in this industry is static.
~General Don'ts~
Sheet Music.
Plastic sheet protectors are for your Science project/English report only. The glare of the over-head lights on the plastic makes reading the music much more difficult, and therefore worse for the singer. Unless the aria anthology you're using lays completely flat, like a spiral bound notebook, do not... DO NOT use it. We don't really care if you have originals to the music or not. Most of us don't have time to be concerned with your copyright infringement. But, books have a tendency to have wild pages that don't lay flat and the last thing you want from your accompanist is to be more concerned with just wrestling with the music than following you.
Assuming the singer has a copy of the aria, double sided, with all of the music on the page (that means the lowest notes on the bass clef are not cut off), another guideline to follow is to keep the music in the same general layout as the book you copied it from. For instance, if you're using the Prima Donna album, and the first page of Caro nome is on the left side of the book, put the copied version in your (black) binder the same way. Make sure the first page of Caro nome is also on the left side of your binder. The more experienced pianists, have certain well-loved arias almost or totally memorized. Accurate page layout can keep from tripping them up.
But, if the aria is three pages, make your copy so all three pages are visible. Do not have three loose sheets, but tape them together so it folds out like an accordion. A faint breeze from the air conditioner could send one of the pages flying, but taping them together usually keeps that from happening.
Also, have legible tabs in your binder with the aria name and composer separating the arias/songs, and even an index of all the pieces in your binder at the front. If a second aria is asked of you, it is much better if you don't have to walk over to the pianist and find the song for them.
Make sure the accompanist's copy of the music is clean and free from extraneous markings from your voice lessons like "BREATHE," "ARCH," "RELAX," "SUPPORT," etc. By leaving the markings, you're immediately bringing your vocal "issues" to the table, and anyone who can see the music will know what your issues are, even if they're not apparent in your audition.
Above all, make sure all of your artistic liberties with each song/aria marked in your accompanist's music. That means, rubatos, accelerandos, all ornaments, etc. Even if the aria is the Habanera from Carmen, go ahead and mark in that sudden rubato.
Breaking character.
And if you happen to get an accompanist who is stumbling over the music you gave them, for whatever reason, don't break character to give them looks or glances, don't point at them when they miss that sudden rubato, and try to not stop singing. If you must stop, quickly pick a spot in the music and move on. Pointing, glaring and breaking character makes you look worse than the failing accompanist. Again, you want to look like you're easy to work with, and not a diva/divo. Be forgiving and get the job done. It isn't a recital, it's an audition.
No-show.
There are no excuses besides death for not showing up to an audition. Don't do it no matter how insignificant the company may be. If you are running behind and miss your time, show up anyway. Late is better than never. If you have to cancel less than 24 hours in advance of your time due to sudden sickness or death in the family, call the office, or call the venue where the auditions are happening to give a message. People who no-show without notice are never hired in the future, no matter how "amazing" they are. And as mentioned above, you never know where someone from one opera company may show up next -- nothing is static.
~General Dos~
Smile.
Relax.
Remember, that they want you to do well. If it were socially acceptable, I bet most auditioners would like to have a martini or a glass of wine while listening to auditionees, not to dull the pain, but to add to the enjoyment. Perhaps by the 8th hearing of Barber's "Must the Winter Come So Soon?" a little dulling might be nice, but still, a good performance is still a good performance.
Get out there, kid, and knock 'em dead.
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