A critical look at criticism

Opera Singers are two people in one. The first is the bold, passionate artist who loves to makes glorious sounds, command the stage and make it seem like they were born to entertain. The other is the fragile soul that in many ways needs self-approval as well as that of the audience and yes, even the critics in order to feel accomplished. Many of us perform because we have that inner voice telling us that we must (sometimes it doesn’t shut up!) and because there is no greater, more amazing feeling than receiving accolades for the hours and hours of hard work that we have put into preparing for the performance.

For fans of shows like American Idol and X-Factor where contestants present themselves before a panel of judges and get instant feedback about how they excelled and where they need to improve, you’ll be happy to know that the opera world is very similar in the amount of critical response one receives. It begins with the voice lesson where it is the teacher’s sole job to fix, enhance and refine the technical side of what a singer must do (very much like an ice skater needs a basic set of skills in order to become competitive.) Then it is on to the vocal coach who works mainly with the language, musical style and interpretation. The singer must use their entire technical prowess to try and achieve what is being asked of them from the vocal coach. Basically it means taking that incredible sound and creating a fully dimensional character by correct use of language and attention to musical details. (And note: sometimes those musical details are like tiny mysteries hidden within the vastness of an opera score.)

Finally the singer is ready to stage the opera with the cast and director. The stage director and conductor will most likely have strong opinions about the music, the character and the overall shape of the role. As an artist, one must be open to all of the ideas of others, but also have a strong sense of what works best for them. (This is actually one of the trickiest parts of being a professional singer, as there has to be a trust built between the many people with whom you work so that you are able to try new things without throwing off the work of others.)

After all of the work has been done (or as I like to call it, the process); then comes the performance (or if you are lucky performances.) The audience and critics see the end result and make an assessment. The audience gives its approval through applause and shouts of “Bravo”, “Brava” or “Bravi” and the critics hopefully write a glowing review of your performance. But what happens when you have worked so hard on something and you get a bad review? How does one handle it? Should one even read reviews? And more importantly, if you believe the good ones, do you have to believe the bad ones as well?

To date I have had four bad reviews. (Isn’t it funny that I can’t remember the number of good reviews even though they significantly outnumber the four bad ones?) Each one hurt and I can say that after receiving the first one, I nearly quit singing (There is a running joke among my friends that I “quit” every six months, so take that last statement with a grain of salt.) What’s most difficult about bad reviews is that they feel so very personal. A great review feels like they are simply giving you a much-deserved great account of the hard work that you have put in over the last few months. It validates that you are indeed what you want to believe: a talented opera singer. But when you get a bad review it makes you feel like it is a personal attack on your whole being. (In most cases it is not, but it still feels that way.) What can make it even worse is that this critic has the power of an audience who reads their assessment of your work. With the Internet as it is, anyone with access to a computer can write and post a review that is seen by many.

I have come to peace with reviews (I say that today, but if I got a bad one tomorrow, I might threaten to “quit” again!) Opera singing is very subjective and not everyone will like what I have to say (or sing.) I think of operatic talent in the same way I think of different types of foods. There are certain foods that I simply do not like, but it doesn’t mean that the food item is “bad.” I simply don’t like the flavor and nothing anyone says or does will change that. (I’m talking about you, onions!) However onions play a very important role in many recipes and people of all walks of life like onions and will champion them. There are singers out there working today that are like onions for me, but I respect that they are getting work. The critical voice of the critics are based on their personal tastes that have been shaped and formed over many years and they will either love you or hate you (is there anything in between?) One must learn to accept this as a part of the business. If it makes you feel any better, even the big singers at the top of the field get bad reviews, and yet their careers are going ahead full-steam.

A singer must have a thick skin in order to endure all of the “feedback” received from teachers, coaches, directors, conductors, colleagues and critics. All of these voices have something to say about your work, but the one voice that is most necessary to always listen to, is the one inside that tells you that you are a fantastic artist and deserve to be doing exactly what you are doing. (Don’t and I repeat don’t listen to that other voice that tells you anything other than the best about yourself. That voice is destructive and only makes you want to quit. Keep your comments to yourself Negative Norman!)

The best advice I have ever received regarding criticism is that you must be open to it in order to improve, understand that it comes through the filter of the person giving it and know that opinions are like butt-holes, everyone has one.


Peace,

Eric