MezzoGirl
Los Angeles, CA
Female, 29
I sing beautiful music -- primarily opera -- but I also do concert work, church music, studio/scoring sessions, and whatever other performance opportunities I can get my hands on.
I've always wanted to be a singer. I would drive my family crazy with incessant concerts that I would give them. But no one in my family cared much for music, so I had to find resources on my own. So my talent, technique and focus took longer to develop than if I had a mentor to help me figure out the path.
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I came to opera seriously only after college. Although I studied classical voice technique, I was still thinking of going into music theater and acting primarily. But suddenly, opera knocked me over the head and I committed. I love opera because it's so expressive. I'm also a total research geek and love learning about the composers, music styles, history and all the amazing components of a well-rounded performance of that specific opera. Singing such gorgeous music that, in many cases, was written for audiences long ago and translating it to the audience in front of me makes me feel such a strong connection to the music and history. And then when I get to work with new composers, it makes me feel connected to another aspect of the musical creation. There's so much depth in opera. The lyrics in the Komponist aria in Ariadne auf Naxos pretty much sums it up!
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In the US, New York is the best place to be as there are many regional companies and most opera companies hold auditions in NYC. However, I'd say if you're just starting out, especially if you're looking at schools, the important thing is to look for cities that have several regional companies. If you are looking into a school, talk to them about what their students are doing professionally while getting their education.
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I hadn't heard of him until your post, so thank you! His voice is beautiful. He has audio up at www.quinnkelsey.com if anyone wants to enjoy his lush baritone. To address your second question, singers tend to be identified by the companies they sing at (A, B, C houses, which are categorized by funding, but naturally usually have increased production and talent values). But throughout every company, people are listening to not only the singer's voice & artistry, but where they could go next. Frequent backstage talk would include "has X heard you yet? They love your kind of voice." So while there are definite levels of singers and some people you bow down to (often on stage quite literally), everyone knows the next great talent may be on the stage with them.
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Oh I think my friends and family would love if I spoke less! I do try to avoid going out to places I'll talk too loudly during productions. But otherwise, I just make sure I exercise enough and get good rest. If I'm not feeling 100%, I drink hot water with lemon, sleep a bit extra, avoid talking at length, especially if I'm on medicine which tends to dry the throat... And on planes, I love using the Andas inhaler to keep my throat hydrated which keeps me healthy and relaxed. But truly, exercise is the best thing for the voice. While it is frustrating to get sick or vocally tired, those things are hopefully occasional. But overall health, strength and a relaxed body are what makes a voice sound great.
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I usually practice in a studio (and way too often in my car). But I do also practice at home. I give my neighbor's my cell # so that if they need me to be quiet, I'll do so. So far, they've never called, which I think is because I was proactive about it and don't sing too early nor late and check in with them occasionally on it.
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I love it! Anything that makes music more expressive is good for me. Plus, opera sounds so foreign to most people the first time they hear it. Why not make it more intriguing to a larger audience? It does irk me when people are called opera singers but use pop vocal techniques against operatic repertoire. But, that's just my pet peeve. I'm so glad when someone can start feeling more comfortable with classical music, whatever the reason. And music should be subjective. That's why we need so much of it -- everyone should have different and wide-ranging tastes.
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