Career versus craft

As opera singers we spend years and years (and sometimes more years) and thousands and thousands (and sometimes more thousands) of dollars trying to have an opera career. We've studied and rehearsed and polished in an attempt to get our careers going. And yet some singers make it look so easy going from school to major Young Artist Program while other singers seem to be unable to put all the pieces together even if they seem to have all the elements.

After speaking to a friend recently who was experiencing tons of doubt, it made me wonder if perhaps we singers get trapped worrying more about the career and not refining the craft. Some would say that what we do is not "rocket science" and yet there is a great deal of mystery to the art of not only singing well, but being a compelling artist who not only dazzles vocally, but has the ability to make an audience want to watch them onstage for three to five hours. In addition, the expectation is that the singer will also be attractive enough to show that opera is filled with sexy, talented performers dispelling the myths of the large-sized opera singer with horns. It can be a lot of pressure.

For certain singers, their is an obsession with the "career." They are often in the know about every component of the opera world from who is singing where, who is hiring whom and have an opinion of who is at the top of their game who needs to hang it up. They know which singers, agents, coaches and programs are hot and which ones are not. They have the best headshots, well-crafted resumes, have a dynamic website and seem to know everyone in the "business"and yet they don't seem to be working.

Before taking a break from singing, I was experiencing some success--at least with Young Artist Programs. I was going from program to program because in way it was a form of security. While I was getting hired to do YAPs, I was not getting invited to sing leading roles. Was I not good enough? I decided to get the website, study resumes, follow singers and find fault with those not hiring me. I became very disillusioned and ultimately stepped away. It wasn't until I started working with singers that I realized how much "control" the singer actually has over their career, but it all came down to their "craft"

What is "craft?" The craft is the thing we present-our voice/technique, languages and style and our dramatic connection. The ability to sing/perform like a top pro seems to be the only way to get the "career." Singers who come unprepared musically, dramatically, linguistically or who are not singing at the expected level tend to not get hired. If you are hearing the same things over and over, then at some point the artist has to say one of two things 1) I am going to fix this in order to move to the next level or 2) My voice doesn't do that and they have to accept me as I am. Think about the singers who are having success and notice the risks they take, the level of preparation they invest and how they manage their lives and their careers.

In the "old days," singers had sponsors, several voice lessons a week, conductors who taught roles and the time and space to nurture their talent. Today's fast-paced lifestyle does make it tough to simply get a voice lesson, but again it's a great opportunity to take "control" of our own destiny. No longer do we have to rely on our teacher, coach, friends or enemies to tell us how good we are. We are able to decide for ourselves the level of commitment we put into how great our product is. If we were to imagine our singing like that of an inventor who spends countless hours refining his/her invention before placing it front of a potential investor, I think we would offer a different level of intensity, insight and interest in our performances.

It's a far scarier prospect to take the blame of our lack of success off of "them" and take responsibility for it. It means that we have to accept that what we present in an audition, performance, coaching etc...is truly ours and that we can make it great or we can make it OK. Sure there are always going to be people who are not interested in our product no matter how great it is, but I daresay that every singer that is having a career, has worked tirelessly on their craft and has learned (or is learning) to deal with the career.

Ultimately we have no control over what "they" see. All we can do is walk into that audition, performance, lesson etc...and be our most amazing self. What would it be like if we sang for the sheer joy of it? If they get it, great, if they don't then we can assess what we've done, work to improve and get ready for the next opportunity to knock their socks off. If we refine our craft, then it only makes sense that a career will come. Of course what that "career" looks like is a whole other issue, right?

Peace,
Eric