It's all covered

I am currently in St. Petersburg, Fl covering the role of Figaro in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. I have been a cover before and have in two instances had to step into rehearsal. One particular day I got the call to actually go on and while everyone else was buzzing with nervous energy, I was excited to do it.

Being a cover is a weird job as you are at every rehearsal and you sit and watch. It's rare that you will get a chance to actually play on the stage (unless the company is relaxed and lets you.) You often have to absorb all the information that is given to the person you are covering and yet the only chance to get to "do it" is in the privacy of your home. Some houses actually set aside separate rehearsals specifically for the covers, which allows you to get the staging in your body. You may also get the chance to sing with the orchestra and feel how the role sits in your body.


Having been on both sides of the coin where I have been a cover and been covered I know that the relationship between the two artists sharing the role can be anything from fantastically supportive to civil to non-existent. The person who has the role is focused on the job and the person covering is focused on trying to make certain they have the role together in the event that they need to step in.

Some artists that are being covered are quite generous and will share tips on acting, singing or language. Some will simply ignore the cover as they might feel a bit of someone breathing down their neck that keeps offering them tea. Others will smile and at least acknowledge that there is another person ready to jump in, but will also let them know in that smile that there is not a chance in hell that they will give up a rehearsal or performance. The cover could also be anything from a super excited person who is there to learn to someone who wants to "Kerrigan" the person they are covering so that they can go on.

The job of the cover is to be there, learn what they need to learn, be pleasant and when given the opportunity to sing in rehearsal or do the show to dazzle the company so much that they think, this artist is one to consider for a mainstage role (or another cover assignment.)

Some people hate being a cover and find the whole experience frustrating. Since I am constant student, I find it a great way to learn. Every singer has something to teach us and I enjoy watching and listening. If I hear a singer that I really like, I take constant notes about how they approach a particular phrase, how they react to their colleagues onstage and how they work with the various others behind the scenes.

I recently did a production of La Traviata where I sang the Marquis. While I was not covering the role of Germont, I was constantly impressed with the technique, the style and the demeanor of the artist playing Germont. He managed the difficult balance of being a supportive colleague, a self-nurturing artist and a constant professional. He was fun, light, serious, dedicated, friendly, kind and yet took the necessary time and space to be completely prepared and ready for rehearsals and performances. Did I mention that he is one of the finest singers out there doing it?

I took a lot of notes on how approached phrasing, how he interacted with the staff and conductor, how he channeled his energy onstage and how he handled the technical demands of the role. Sometimes we get so caught up in what we are doing that we forget to be a student and just learn. This is why I love covering because someone is paying you to be a student of the art and in most cases the person you are covering is giving a masterclass on so many things opera.

So remember these little tips for covering:

1) Know your stuff (score, character, the period, the language)

2) Be ready to sit and watch and be ready to jump in if needed

3) Give the person you are covering space and let them approach you

4) Smile and enjoy that you are working

5) Take great notes

6) If called on to step in, be amazing and make the company say, "wow, this kid is great!"


Peace,
Eric