My 2013/14 season has wrapped and it has been filled with wonderful music making, fantastic locations and some great people. So for the next few weeks I am in refresh-renew mode as well as preparing for one of the biggest productions of my life; my wedding. But it doesn’t mean that I am lying about doing nothing; there is plenty of translation, memorization and technique/drama work to do for the upcoming season and I am already getting emails from my new agency for several upcoming auditions. However, my "job" a couple of days ago was not devoted to opera, but to a new performing experience: being an extra for a television show.
When I first moved to the city and was looking for work, I signed up with Sylvia Fay Casting. They specialize in hiring extras for television and film and have a 30-year history including the films Wall Street, Tootsie, and Goodfellas and more recent fare like Captain America, Doubt, and The Hours. Over the past two years I was called twice, but was unable to participate. However, the stars aligned and I got the call to be an extra on the set of “Alpha House,” an Amazon.com TV show. (Basically, that means that if you don’t have Amazon Prime, you won’t be able to see the show unless you purchase it online from Amazon.) The good news is that I was on set with about 200 other extras and got to be part of a crowd dance scene (I walked by) and was a bartender in the background for a scene in a comedy club.
Not only did I learn quite a bit about the TV filming process (how lighting is created, how soft the actors speak as there is a microphone directly above their heads, and that it takes forever to film a scene as there are thousands of details to check), but I also learned several things about the people who are in the background, known as “extras.”
The first thing I learned is that we are often referred to as “Background” or “Background Talent.” It sounds better than “extra” and makes all the difference when one thinks of oneself as “talent,” especially when called to be onset at 6 am.
Another thing I learned is that many of the background actors are not just actors. Like myself, who is an opera singer, there are writers, dancers, freelancers, and those who are simply looking for extra income. The other thing is that there seems to be an overabundance of stand-up comic wannabe’s. And for whatever reason, they all tended to gravitate towards me in hopes that I would laugh at their jokes. Some were fine, but some weren’t. But this isn’t America’s Least Funniest Extra, it’s "Alpha House," so I left my judgmental comments to myself.
Many of the extras I encountered fell into two categories (the Pros who tended to be bitchy and complained about everything from the call time to the free food and the Newbies like me who, while not thrilled about every aspect of the process, were just happy to be there and getting paid to do it.) The Pros arrived slightly earlier than the call time to scope out the best seats, ate as much food as possible and talked a lot about this job or that actor. They also seemed to be the first ones in line for the bathroom and for lunch. The Newbies ranged from the wide-eyed actor hoping to be discovered to the old man who barely spoke any English, but who liked to loudly ask questions just as the Production Assistants were doling out vital information.
Something ALL of us had in common is that we had to figure out how to deal with the long periods of waiting. Sometimes you are waiting in “Holding” which is exactly like it sounds. It’s where the extras are held upon arrival, during lunch and after filming done, but we had not yet been released for the day. Then there is the waiting to go on set. Sometimes you are chosen immediately and other times you wait until they need you. This could take several minutes or even several hours. (After a 6 am call time, an hour to check in, the process of everyone going through hair and make-up-I needed little done to my hair-we were taken to the set at 9 am. From there we waited. I didn’t make it into a scene until 12:30 pm. However, there were extras with later call times who were in holding until 2;00 pm and finally made it on set about 3.) Then there is the waiting while the scene is prepped with camera angles, lighting, rehearsal and last-looks before anything is shot. It doesn't stop there, the waiting in between takes and the waiting before the word is given to be placed in the next shot can take about ten to fifteen minutes each time. The process is then repeated and before you know it, it’s been nearly 12 hours.
Most people don’t know this, but Extras are tough. While many professions require employees to stand for long periods of time (there are no chairs with our names on them to rest in between takes or trailers to return to before filming the next scene), extras also have to endure extreme conditions and just “grin and bear it.” We were filming a scene inside a lovely restaurant converted into a comedy club. The day was fairly warm and like most places, air-conditioning was being used. However, the noise of the air-conditioning was too loud so it had to be shut off for the length of shooting the scene (about an hour or so.) It was hot, but we just had to suck it up. I also heard some of the Pros talking about exterior shoots in the dead of winter where the temperature hovered around the 10 degree mark in which they had to stand around for hours. (I don’t plan to do any of those!) Like a postal worker, extras have to work rain or shine, sleet or snow all the while hitting their marks and not trying to upstage the principal actors.
Something else I noticed is that many extras look like other celebrities or public figures. Sometimes that’s a good and other times…an example: one guy reminded me of Jerry Sandusky (the Penn State Coach who was accused of molesting students), even done up in a suit and tie, I got the “creepy-crawly” vibe from him the whole day and I was glad I was never placed by him onset. At least four of the women looked like a knock-off of a Victoria Secret Models while I was convinced one guy was the long-lost love child of Walter Cronkite and comic-book’s Stan Lee. I wasn’t sure if he was going to break into the news or ask me about my secret identity.
The last thing I can share is that many of the extras are extra good at smoking! Whenever a break is called, extras, crew, actors and anybody who wants to seem cool and talk shop lights up a cig. For those of us who want to avoid any “hand” of smoke, it can be like wadding through an obstacle course of fumes and nicotine as one tries to grab an orange before it begins to taste like a citrusy Virginia Slim.
With all these quirky personalities, the length of a single shoot (the norm is 12 to 15 hours) and the sometimes rough settings, it’s a wonder anyone would want to do it. The pay is OK, but I am here to say, that there is nothing cooler than watching an actress/comedienne like Wanda Sykes do her thing over and over and bring her natural energy, humor and talent to the table. It was worth the waiting, the early morning and the long hours. Sign me for a little “extra” experience.
Peace,
Eric
Friday, July 25, 2014
Friday, July 4, 2014
East Side Story
I like the Island Manhattan (you know I do!), but I am also fascinated by Stonington, ME which is right on the water and offers more than meets the eye. Along with a radiant warmth, some incredible seafood and stunning vistas, Stonington offers a wealth of interesting people, places and things.
Why am I here, you ask? Well, it's all thanks to Bernstein's "West Side Story." Or more appropriately, a concert version of the work that features four singers, a pianist, a narrator, and a goal to tell the story through song, dialogue and background information. I am fortunate to be working with some fantastic singers and a great conductor/pianist. The concept was thought up by Linda Nelson, Executive Director of Opera House Arts, a performing arts organization that produces standard plays, new operatic/musical theatre hybrids and quirky retellings of classic works. The company is celebrating 15 years and treating its supporters to the concert as part of their anniversary gala.
(Soprano Suzanne Nance, pianist Peter Szep, page turner Esther, mezzo Grace Valdes hiding behind the music stand, and tenor John McVeigh.)
This concert isn't your normal "grab a bunch of people and sing it." I get to play everything from Riff, Bernardo, Voice off-stage and even Rosalia! I am having a ton of fun using my voice in a whole variety of ways and am thankful for my technique.
The area is beautiful as evidenced from this view from the back deck of the summer home I am sharing with the mezzo.
What is interesting about this small town is the wealth of those who have moved here from larger urban areas and the folks who have lived here all their life and want to "keep things as they were." Interestingly enough, there is a great tale of the building of the first bridge that brought the "skunks" to the island (those who didn't live here) and how that affected the socio-economic culture. The conflict between the Sharks and Jets surely resonates even here.
But below are things "of the island." Lobster traps and boats lay in wait until the wee hours of the morning when fishers aim to increase their livelihood.
With most cities, there is also the quirky and the ironic. It appears that some public places have made use of "alternative" bathrooms as well as signs that are not so well-placed.
Performing "West Side Story" in a sleepy town seems counter intuitive and yet this musical addresses many of the issues of "us" vs. "them" found on the island. It also shows that the arts are celebrated and finally it says that this part of the country is "Somewhere" that represents the individual, the community, and the whole. Much like Bernstein's musical.
Peace,
Eric
Why am I here, you ask? Well, it's all thanks to Bernstein's "West Side Story." Or more appropriately, a concert version of the work that features four singers, a pianist, a narrator, and a goal to tell the story through song, dialogue and background information. I am fortunate to be working with some fantastic singers and a great conductor/pianist. The concept was thought up by Linda Nelson, Executive Director of Opera House Arts, a performing arts organization that produces standard plays, new operatic/musical theatre hybrids and quirky retellings of classic works. The company is celebrating 15 years and treating its supporters to the concert as part of their anniversary gala.
(Soprano Suzanne Nance, pianist Peter Szep, page turner Esther, mezzo Grace Valdes hiding behind the music stand, and tenor John McVeigh.)
This concert isn't your normal "grab a bunch of people and sing it." I get to play everything from Riff, Bernardo, Voice off-stage and even Rosalia! I am having a ton of fun using my voice in a whole variety of ways and am thankful for my technique.
The area is beautiful as evidenced from this view from the back deck of the summer home I am sharing with the mezzo.
What is interesting about this small town is the wealth of those who have moved here from larger urban areas and the folks who have lived here all their life and want to "keep things as they were." Interestingly enough, there is a great tale of the building of the first bridge that brought the "skunks" to the island (those who didn't live here) and how that affected the socio-economic culture. The conflict between the Sharks and Jets surely resonates even here.
But below are things "of the island." Lobster traps and boats lay in wait until the wee hours of the morning when fishers aim to increase their livelihood.
With most cities, there is also the quirky and the ironic. It appears that some public places have made use of "alternative" bathrooms as well as signs that are not so well-placed.
Performing "West Side Story" in a sleepy town seems counter intuitive and yet this musical addresses many of the issues of "us" vs. "them" found on the island. It also shows that the arts are celebrated and finally it says that this part of the country is "Somewhere" that represents the individual, the community, and the whole. Much like Bernstein's musical.
Peace,
Eric
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Wait! Are we still talking about weight?
Mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught was recently slammed by no less than five British critics for not being THEIR ideal size or physique for the role of Octavian in Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier. There’s been quite a bit of backlash from singers, other critics and the general public regarding the remarks of these gentlemen including UK’s The Guardian, NPR Classical, as well as international mezzo-sopranos Jennifer Rivera and Alice Coote. What has been most fascinating is not that weight is NOT an issue in opera, but that critics are responding to an artist’s shape before they say anything about the voice which is what opera is all about! In the age of Hollywood and HD, opera singers feel pressure to sound great and look great. It’s not uncommon for artists to lose out on jobs because they are deemed too “zaftig,” “round”, “unattractive,” or just plain-old “fat.” But somehow we, in the industry, are moving away from the thing that drew us to it in the first place; the voice. Yes, we want “believability,” but I am certain that most opera goers want to hear an extraordinary instrument that can do all that is vocally required.
Before my return to singing, I went to gym sometimes twice a day at least four days a week. I was in extraordinary shape. When I got back into singing, I fully believed that I needed to be in top shape in order to compete. It did help with landing the role of Jake in “Porgy and Bess.” But a mere four years later and I know that I am a little “rounder” in certain places. But in addition to that physical change, there has also been a vocal one. I have more “strength” when it comes to supporting long phrases, I am able to sing for longer periods of time and I have much more confidence in my artistry now with the additional lbs. What is funny about being an opera singer, is that while your looks may or may not get you the audition or the role, the operatic voice is spiritual and transcends the “trends.” I am certainly working more now because I am singing SO much better and am focusing on the voice and all it demands (the interior) and not worrying as much about the bod (the exterior.) (I feel like this could work better for all of us in life as well.)
Opera seems to be in a huge dilemma. Companies are having trouble figuring out their relevance in a world that values youth and beauty. There are singers who have the “whole package” of being extremely talented, young and easy on the eyes, but there are only so many roles that those people can sing. What about the roles that require more voice, more drama, more granduer and finally more “physical presence”? Isn’t there a place for them in opera? Very few mezzos can sing both Octavian and Cenerentola, but Ms. Erraught can. Shouldn’t we be excited by this as “lovers” of opera? (I put lovers in quotes because it seems like fewer and fewer of those critical voices actually LOVE opera.) It isn’t coincidence that many of the world’s greatest artists of the past (and many of today) are not known for their bodies, but the voices that come out of them.
In my humble opinion, opera will not survive by beating up its own; by trying to mirror movies, tv and magazines in looks, or by diminishing the miraculous thing it is to be able to sing an entire 3 hour (or more) long opera over an orchestra in the original language beautifully. So I say, if opera wants to become “mainstream,” then represent the mainstream. In this age of individuality, why not have our art-form celebrate that very fact. We have a veritable boatload of composers of every language, period and style. Why wouldn’t we have opera singers that represent such diversity? Right now, society is recognizing that all shapes and sizes are sexy and that diversity and inclusion make us all more successful. Hopefully the opera world will take notice of this and move in this direction.
Finally, if one is going to the opera to see “believable” then you’re in for a big surprise because in opera they sing everything (and we love it.) In the real world, if people started singing everything, we’d walk across the street. (I should know as I have been the singer and seen people move and been the mover who saw the "crazy" singer.) Ms. Erraught is still in her 20s and is a fine talent. I am certain this experience has toughened her skin. But I hope that because of the words of those five critics, Ms. Erraught gains more fame and fans. As they say, success is the best revenge. Succeed, Ms. Erraught, succeed!
Peace,
Eric
Before my return to singing, I went to gym sometimes twice a day at least four days a week. I was in extraordinary shape. When I got back into singing, I fully believed that I needed to be in top shape in order to compete. It did help with landing the role of Jake in “Porgy and Bess.” But a mere four years later and I know that I am a little “rounder” in certain places. But in addition to that physical change, there has also been a vocal one. I have more “strength” when it comes to supporting long phrases, I am able to sing for longer periods of time and I have much more confidence in my artistry now with the additional lbs. What is funny about being an opera singer, is that while your looks may or may not get you the audition or the role, the operatic voice is spiritual and transcends the “trends.” I am certainly working more now because I am singing SO much better and am focusing on the voice and all it demands (the interior) and not worrying as much about the bod (the exterior.) (I feel like this could work better for all of us in life as well.)
Opera seems to be in a huge dilemma. Companies are having trouble figuring out their relevance in a world that values youth and beauty. There are singers who have the “whole package” of being extremely talented, young and easy on the eyes, but there are only so many roles that those people can sing. What about the roles that require more voice, more drama, more granduer and finally more “physical presence”? Isn’t there a place for them in opera? Very few mezzos can sing both Octavian and Cenerentola, but Ms. Erraught can. Shouldn’t we be excited by this as “lovers” of opera? (I put lovers in quotes because it seems like fewer and fewer of those critical voices actually LOVE opera.) It isn’t coincidence that many of the world’s greatest artists of the past (and many of today) are not known for their bodies, but the voices that come out of them.
In my humble opinion, opera will not survive by beating up its own; by trying to mirror movies, tv and magazines in looks, or by diminishing the miraculous thing it is to be able to sing an entire 3 hour (or more) long opera over an orchestra in the original language beautifully. So I say, if opera wants to become “mainstream,” then represent the mainstream. In this age of individuality, why not have our art-form celebrate that very fact. We have a veritable boatload of composers of every language, period and style. Why wouldn’t we have opera singers that represent such diversity? Right now, society is recognizing that all shapes and sizes are sexy and that diversity and inclusion make us all more successful. Hopefully the opera world will take notice of this and move in this direction.
Finally, if one is going to the opera to see “believable” then you’re in for a big surprise because in opera they sing everything (and we love it.) In the real world, if people started singing everything, we’d walk across the street. (I should know as I have been the singer and seen people move and been the mover who saw the "crazy" singer.) Ms. Erraught is still in her 20s and is a fine talent. I am certain this experience has toughened her skin. But I hope that because of the words of those five critics, Ms. Erraught gains more fame and fans. As they say, success is the best revenge. Succeed, Ms. Erraught, succeed!
Peace,
Eric
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Cough, Cancel and Connect
This season has been incredible! I have been on the go since late August and haven’t really stopped to live life. However, I am grateful because I love being an opera singer. I've traveled from Milwaukee to St. Louis to Washington DC to New York to Naples, Florida and then to Lebanon, Ohio. I have sung Beethoven, Gounod, Johann Strauss, Hans Werner Henze, Gershwin and of course, my favorite, Rossini! I have been grateful for every role, company and colleague (even the ones that complain throughout the entire process…you know who you are!) So it came as a bit of a shock when I was week out from flying to California for a world premiere opera when the flu* hit me.
Imagine a truck running over you, backing up and running over you again and then just to make certain all is balanced, running you over from both the left and right sides. That’s close to how bad I felt. In less than 24 hours I went from feeling a bit tired to having a headache that felt like someone was drilling for oil coupled with a cough that liked to get up at 3 am. Imagine a chest full of phlegm similar to an uninvited party guest that won't leave and a body so achy I was certain that any time I made a trip to the bathroom to spit out the hug gobs of phlegm, I would fall as my legs would seize up refusing to move any more.
I was supposed to go to Lebanon (OH) at the end of the week and then would leave immediately for California for three weeks, then come back and start work with Salt Marsh Opera and immediately fly to North Carolina for an audition. I wouldn’t get any recovery time until mid-May. Normally, I like being so busy, but with a singing voice that sounded like a combination of Bea Arthur and Animal from the The Muppets, I had to figure out how I would find time to restore and what that meant career-wise.
After careful consultation with my agent and the opera company in California, we decided I should cancel, get well and allow the company to find a replacement. (The replacement would have three weeks to learn the role and be ready!) It was a terrible feeling (on top of the physical crap that was keeping me from sleep,) but I knew in my heart that it was the right thing to do. I had to put aside worrying about how it would affect others and focus on myself.
Well, it’s been nearly two and a half weeks and I am doing pretty well. I made it through the concert in Ohio with only a few coughs appearing as back-up accompaniment for other artists performing. While I did lose out on the fee from California, I am grateful to the Universe for providing some teaching artist opportunities in the Bronx (you better feel well to keep up with these kids!) and two concerts so, financially, I’m “feeling a lot better.”**
The biggest upside to having this time free is that I have been able to spend more time being home for the wedding planning process with my partner. On top of that, I am seeing people and experiencing events that I would have missed by being away. It is my true belief that the Universe, GOD, Good Orderly Direction or whatever name you call it, wanted to find a way for me to stop, slow down and live my life…the life I have been disconnected from by flying all over the place. It has given me a lot of time to think about balance and if it takes the flu* for me to reconnect, then I am grateful for it.
Peace,
Eric
*There is someone (and they know who they are) who doesn’t believe I had the flu. We will agree to disagree.
**The same person will hopefully chuckle at the words in quotation.
Imagine a truck running over you, backing up and running over you again and then just to make certain all is balanced, running you over from both the left and right sides. That’s close to how bad I felt. In less than 24 hours I went from feeling a bit tired to having a headache that felt like someone was drilling for oil coupled with a cough that liked to get up at 3 am. Imagine a chest full of phlegm similar to an uninvited party guest that won't leave and a body so achy I was certain that any time I made a trip to the bathroom to spit out the hug gobs of phlegm, I would fall as my legs would seize up refusing to move any more.
I was supposed to go to Lebanon (OH) at the end of the week and then would leave immediately for California for three weeks, then come back and start work with Salt Marsh Opera and immediately fly to North Carolina for an audition. I wouldn’t get any recovery time until mid-May. Normally, I like being so busy, but with a singing voice that sounded like a combination of Bea Arthur and Animal from the The Muppets, I had to figure out how I would find time to restore and what that meant career-wise.
After careful consultation with my agent and the opera company in California, we decided I should cancel, get well and allow the company to find a replacement. (The replacement would have three weeks to learn the role and be ready!) It was a terrible feeling (on top of the physical crap that was keeping me from sleep,) but I knew in my heart that it was the right thing to do. I had to put aside worrying about how it would affect others and focus on myself.
Well, it’s been nearly two and a half weeks and I am doing pretty well. I made it through the concert in Ohio with only a few coughs appearing as back-up accompaniment for other artists performing. While I did lose out on the fee from California, I am grateful to the Universe for providing some teaching artist opportunities in the Bronx (you better feel well to keep up with these kids!) and two concerts so, financially, I’m “feeling a lot better.”**
The biggest upside to having this time free is that I have been able to spend more time being home for the wedding planning process with my partner. On top of that, I am seeing people and experiencing events that I would have missed by being away. It is my true belief that the Universe, GOD, Good Orderly Direction or whatever name you call it, wanted to find a way for me to stop, slow down and live my life…the life I have been disconnected from by flying all over the place. It has given me a lot of time to think about balance and if it takes the flu* for me to reconnect, then I am grateful for it.
Peace,
Eric
*There is someone (and they know who they are) who doesn’t believe I had the flu. We will agree to disagree.
**The same person will hopefully chuckle at the words in quotation.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Stories from Schenectady
As I sit on the Amtrak train heading home from an audition in upstate New York, I am reminded of several things.
1) It takes a great deal of love for something to give up an entire day of one’s life to sing for about 10 minutes in the hopes of possibly getting hired.
2) The opera world is truly small and everyone knows someone that knows someone
3) Just when you think that the world has gone to hell in a hand basket, you discover that there are beautifully kind people who inhabit this great sphere.
I was scheduled to sing for an opera company in Niskayuna, NY at 1:36 pm. Niskayuna is located a mere three miles outside Schenectady, NY. In order to make my audition I decided to travel via the Chinatown Bus from New York to Schenectady, then take a cab to the audition site (which happened to be in the pianist’s home.) I wanted to travel a little bit better so I opted to pay more and travel home via Amtrak.
My day began by catching the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) at 6:28 am and getting to Penn Station at 7:44 am in order to catch my 8:30 am bus. (Actually my day began with the thought that I must be a fool, but once the espresso kicked in, I was up and rearing to go.) The Chinatown Bus is in no way glamorous, but it is inexpensive and pretty fast. So fast in fact, we arrived nearly an hour early! The bus stop was in the middle of the ‘hood so I caught a cab and went to the audition site (a whole hour early to the chagrin of the pianist who was trying to settle in for a peaceful lunch. Surprise!) Luckily he kindly let me change and warm-up as he waited upstairs for the auditions to begin.
Slowly, people began to arrive (and by people I mean sopranos, because there are a billion of them.) In auditions I tend to avoid the small talk of what arias are you singing or where have you performed. However the lovely girl sitting next to me was having none of it and wouldn’t stop asking questions so I decided to actually engage in conversation. I’m glad I did as I found out that she was currently working with a conductor with whom I’d worked. We both commented on his fabulous conducting as well as his wicked wit. I think we both relaxed a bit. Eventually it was my turn to sing and everything went incredibly well. The pianist, most likely hearing me warm up with bits and pieces of my arias during his “peaceful” lunch seemed to know my every whim and played exquisitely. Because we were auditioning in a house, everyone could hear me. Thank goodness, it wasn’t crap!
Well it was time to go, so I called the cab company and asked them to pick me up. The woman on the other end assured me they would be there in 15 minutes. 25 minutes later, a sweet soprano who I hadn’t even talked to, but had overheard me calling the cab company offered to take me to the train station thus saving me time and money. While I rarely get into cars with strangers in cities I am unfamiliar with, I figured if things got dicey, I could take her, dump her in the trunk and drive myself to the police station and try and convince them that a white girl from Schenectady had tried to abduct a black man from “the city.” Lucky for me none of that came to pass. During our brief conversation, we realized that a colleague I had worked with a couple of years ago was her voice teacher. We laughed about how small the world was as we bopped to Michael Jackson.
She dropped me off in front of the train station all the while with me thanking her about 100 times. As I got out of her car, I noticed that my phone was ringing with the number of the cab company. They had indeed arrived (and only 40 minutes later than promised.) I celebrated by not answering the phone and treating myself to a coffee with a shot of espresso while I waited on my train that was to depart a couple of hours later.
I am now en route to New York and I’ll arrive at Penn Station around 8ish and then take the LIRR home with an estimated arrival time of 10 pm. What has been most fascinating about today’s audition was that I was singing for future seasons since I am unavailable for the productions in August (I have this little wedding thing going on and I am not allowed to book any work in the month of August or I will have to “deal with the consequences” as I have been told.) Anyway, who knows if anything will come from today’s adventure, but I can’t help but feel happy that I have experienced so much (joy, kindness, music, coincidence, travel and espresso.) What is certain is that each day brings something new, unexpected and interesting and I am utterly grateful that this is my life.
Peace,
Eric
1) It takes a great deal of love for something to give up an entire day of one’s life to sing for about 10 minutes in the hopes of possibly getting hired.
2) The opera world is truly small and everyone knows someone that knows someone
3) Just when you think that the world has gone to hell in a hand basket, you discover that there are beautifully kind people who inhabit this great sphere.
I was scheduled to sing for an opera company in Niskayuna, NY at 1:36 pm. Niskayuna is located a mere three miles outside Schenectady, NY. In order to make my audition I decided to travel via the Chinatown Bus from New York to Schenectady, then take a cab to the audition site (which happened to be in the pianist’s home.) I wanted to travel a little bit better so I opted to pay more and travel home via Amtrak.
My day began by catching the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) at 6:28 am and getting to Penn Station at 7:44 am in order to catch my 8:30 am bus. (Actually my day began with the thought that I must be a fool, but once the espresso kicked in, I was up and rearing to go.) The Chinatown Bus is in no way glamorous, but it is inexpensive and pretty fast. So fast in fact, we arrived nearly an hour early! The bus stop was in the middle of the ‘hood so I caught a cab and went to the audition site (a whole hour early to the chagrin of the pianist who was trying to settle in for a peaceful lunch. Surprise!) Luckily he kindly let me change and warm-up as he waited upstairs for the auditions to begin.
Slowly, people began to arrive (and by people I mean sopranos, because there are a billion of them.) In auditions I tend to avoid the small talk of what arias are you singing or where have you performed. However the lovely girl sitting next to me was having none of it and wouldn’t stop asking questions so I decided to actually engage in conversation. I’m glad I did as I found out that she was currently working with a conductor with whom I’d worked. We both commented on his fabulous conducting as well as his wicked wit. I think we both relaxed a bit. Eventually it was my turn to sing and everything went incredibly well. The pianist, most likely hearing me warm up with bits and pieces of my arias during his “peaceful” lunch seemed to know my every whim and played exquisitely. Because we were auditioning in a house, everyone could hear me. Thank goodness, it wasn’t crap!
Well it was time to go, so I called the cab company and asked them to pick me up. The woman on the other end assured me they would be there in 15 minutes. 25 minutes later, a sweet soprano who I hadn’t even talked to, but had overheard me calling the cab company offered to take me to the train station thus saving me time and money. While I rarely get into cars with strangers in cities I am unfamiliar with, I figured if things got dicey, I could take her, dump her in the trunk and drive myself to the police station and try and convince them that a white girl from Schenectady had tried to abduct a black man from “the city.” Lucky for me none of that came to pass. During our brief conversation, we realized that a colleague I had worked with a couple of years ago was her voice teacher. We laughed about how small the world was as we bopped to Michael Jackson.
She dropped me off in front of the train station all the while with me thanking her about 100 times. As I got out of her car, I noticed that my phone was ringing with the number of the cab company. They had indeed arrived (and only 40 minutes later than promised.) I celebrated by not answering the phone and treating myself to a coffee with a shot of espresso while I waited on my train that was to depart a couple of hours later.
I am now en route to New York and I’ll arrive at Penn Station around 8ish and then take the LIRR home with an estimated arrival time of 10 pm. What has been most fascinating about today’s audition was that I was singing for future seasons since I am unavailable for the productions in August (I have this little wedding thing going on and I am not allowed to book any work in the month of August or I will have to “deal with the consequences” as I have been told.) Anyway, who knows if anything will come from today’s adventure, but I can’t help but feel happy that I have experienced so much (joy, kindness, music, coincidence, travel and espresso.) What is certain is that each day brings something new, unexpected and interesting and I am utterly grateful that this is my life.
Peace,
Eric
Friday, March 7, 2014
Technique Talk
I rarely, if ever talk about vocal technique, not because I don’t think about it (often!) However, I have learned that like many things, it is very personal and while I do believe the end results of optimum singing are the same, the process each singer goes through can be quite different. I bring this up because I recently finished singing the role of Don Parmenione in Rossini’s “L’occasione fa il ladro.” After one performance, I was told that someone in the audience was very complimentary of my technique. At the same performance, one of the orchestra members complimented me on my singing and musicality. While I love that I received a wonderful review, I was most happy that it was recognized by others that I had worked hard on my technical security in order to make the work sound “easy.”
When I started studying voice as a freshman in college, I had NO idea about technique. I simply sang and when it was too high or too low I figured the piece was not for me. Luckily by my junior year, I found a teacher who got me onto the right path and that luck continued throughout grad school and now into my professional life with teachers who really talk about HOW the voice works and what it should FEEL like. (Note that I said “feel” and not “sound.”)
A talk on technique could take up pages and pages, but in order to give some insight into what I do; I will break it down into the SSS system. When I am warming up my voice, I am always aiming for Space, Spin and Squillo. These three elements working together help me feel like I am singing at my best.
Space. As an undergrad, I learned a lot about singing on vowels. Vowels are what we singers spend so much time on during the act of singing. But what I also learned is that depending on what part of the range one is in, the vowel’s space will alter and in my case modify. So most of my warm up time is finding where a particular vowel resonates best within my range. For me, the space is created by the amount of lift of the soft palate and the placement of the tongue. This is an amazing coordination act and yet, for me, is the foundation for all my sound. My current teacher believes it is necessary to find your optimum space on each vowel (and there are lots of them, especially in French!) in each part of your voice. I’ll admit, it can be VERY tedious, and yet so helpful when learning a role.
Spin. This is what I call continued airflow. Many people use a myriad of words and images to describe this: support, energy, imagine a ball floating on a fountain, etc… But for me, I think of the voice vibrating at an “intense, yet relaxed rate.” One of my first warm-ups before I sing anything is to sing “La, Le, Li, Lo, Lu” on one pitch. This helps me coordinate the amount of spin in the voice with the vowel space. I know my breath or spin is working when it feels easy. Some days it clicks faster than others, but I always try to be patient as we know voices have a personality of their own. As I go higher, I often think of a “sigh” into the vowel as it makes for an easier coordination of onset and spin. Again, this did not come easily, but it helps to ensure that I am using breath and space versus muscle to sing in the upper part of my voice.
Squillo. This is another word that many people talk about in which there are multiple terms: placement, ring, steel etc…For me, this was one of the last elements to come into my voice, not because it wasn’t naturally there, but because I spent several years listening to myself and I liked what I perceived as a warm, rich, velvetly sound. Unfortunately, no one else could hear it and all that “color” was getting lost. It was my current teacher who talked to me about really bringing “focus” to the middle voice as it sounded a bit dull (open, but without clarity.) For a while squillo sounded “ugly” and we talked at length about how to balance the ping and the warmth. (In undergrad, I became a huge fan of chiaroscuro, the balance of light and dark elements in the voice that many opera singers work to achieve.) This was when the three elements that I had worked on separately came together.
Space is the darkness, or warmth and squillo the light. But I also realized that “lightness” had another meaning and that was the spin or shimmer in the voice, that creates a lightness or ease of production or coordination of these elements. It all sounds so simple, but any singer will tell you that to balance these elements is like walking on a tightrope. Then on top of all of that, we add text and drama and it’s no wonder opera singers are INSANE.
But there is an incredible joy of breaking all of these elements down and putting them together. And it is even more exciting when someone (ANYONE) recognizes the hard work of making it seem easy.
Peace,
Eric
When I started studying voice as a freshman in college, I had NO idea about technique. I simply sang and when it was too high or too low I figured the piece was not for me. Luckily by my junior year, I found a teacher who got me onto the right path and that luck continued throughout grad school and now into my professional life with teachers who really talk about HOW the voice works and what it should FEEL like. (Note that I said “feel” and not “sound.”)
A talk on technique could take up pages and pages, but in order to give some insight into what I do; I will break it down into the SSS system. When I am warming up my voice, I am always aiming for Space, Spin and Squillo. These three elements working together help me feel like I am singing at my best.
Space. As an undergrad, I learned a lot about singing on vowels. Vowels are what we singers spend so much time on during the act of singing. But what I also learned is that depending on what part of the range one is in, the vowel’s space will alter and in my case modify. So most of my warm up time is finding where a particular vowel resonates best within my range. For me, the space is created by the amount of lift of the soft palate and the placement of the tongue. This is an amazing coordination act and yet, for me, is the foundation for all my sound. My current teacher believes it is necessary to find your optimum space on each vowel (and there are lots of them, especially in French!) in each part of your voice. I’ll admit, it can be VERY tedious, and yet so helpful when learning a role.
Spin. This is what I call continued airflow. Many people use a myriad of words and images to describe this: support, energy, imagine a ball floating on a fountain, etc… But for me, I think of the voice vibrating at an “intense, yet relaxed rate.” One of my first warm-ups before I sing anything is to sing “La, Le, Li, Lo, Lu” on one pitch. This helps me coordinate the amount of spin in the voice with the vowel space. I know my breath or spin is working when it feels easy. Some days it clicks faster than others, but I always try to be patient as we know voices have a personality of their own. As I go higher, I often think of a “sigh” into the vowel as it makes for an easier coordination of onset and spin. Again, this did not come easily, but it helps to ensure that I am using breath and space versus muscle to sing in the upper part of my voice.
Squillo. This is another word that many people talk about in which there are multiple terms: placement, ring, steel etc…For me, this was one of the last elements to come into my voice, not because it wasn’t naturally there, but because I spent several years listening to myself and I liked what I perceived as a warm, rich, velvetly sound. Unfortunately, no one else could hear it and all that “color” was getting lost. It was my current teacher who talked to me about really bringing “focus” to the middle voice as it sounded a bit dull (open, but without clarity.) For a while squillo sounded “ugly” and we talked at length about how to balance the ping and the warmth. (In undergrad, I became a huge fan of chiaroscuro, the balance of light and dark elements in the voice that many opera singers work to achieve.) This was when the three elements that I had worked on separately came together.
Space is the darkness, or warmth and squillo the light. But I also realized that “lightness” had another meaning and that was the spin or shimmer in the voice, that creates a lightness or ease of production or coordination of these elements. It all sounds so simple, but any singer will tell you that to balance these elements is like walking on a tightrope. Then on top of all of that, we add text and drama and it’s no wonder opera singers are INSANE.
But there is an incredible joy of breaking all of these elements down and putting them together. And it is even more exciting when someone (ANYONE) recognizes the hard work of making it seem easy.
Peace,
Eric
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
The Facts of Life
“You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life.” Thus begins the opening song to a show favorite that I have loved for years. I thought of these words as I sit here preparing for a rehearsal today after a wonderful opening of another opera yesterday afternoon. The 2013-14 season has been incredibly exciting and I have had more than my share of success. In those moments, this operatic life, even with its nomadic existence, constant hustling for work and financial struggle, is a wonderful journey where I feel connected to my best self.
But the last couple of days I have felt an anxiety in my stomach. The worries of money, regarding not only being able to make it to upcoming auditions throughout the country, but simply surviving has been gnawing at me. Even with all the work that I have had and is to come, I go into the future worried about finances. How is it that a singer can work so much and still have to struggle? It is simply the nature of the art-form. Many singers have to figure out how to sing and survive so I am not alone. Also, many singers have an incredible support system in place and I am grateful that I do have people in my life who believe in my talent and encourage me when I feel like I want to stop.
It doesn’t help that I just received word that I did NOT get a role that I was hoping to get. So yesterday was a wonderful success and today (at least this morning) feels like it is not. And thus is the artist’s life. Rejection, rejection, rejection, struggle and then, just when you least expect it a moment of success. Or sometimes, and this is something that RARELY, if ever is discussed-success, success, joy and then when you least expect it, a moment that gives one pause and makes them question everything.
My belief in “the moment” lets me know that, at least from an intellectual level, this anxiety will pass. I have fantastic work coming up, a wedding and some wonderful opportunities next season (which I will announce in July/August.)
Ultimately these moments of fear, anxiety, sadness etc…help to make me tougher when it comes to how to negotiate this life; this career. So in a few hours when I am singing Papageno and having an incredibly good time, I will remember how lucky it is to be an artist.
Peace,
Eric
But the last couple of days I have felt an anxiety in my stomach. The worries of money, regarding not only being able to make it to upcoming auditions throughout the country, but simply surviving has been gnawing at me. Even with all the work that I have had and is to come, I go into the future worried about finances. How is it that a singer can work so much and still have to struggle? It is simply the nature of the art-form. Many singers have to figure out how to sing and survive so I am not alone. Also, many singers have an incredible support system in place and I am grateful that I do have people in my life who believe in my talent and encourage me when I feel like I want to stop.
It doesn’t help that I just received word that I did NOT get a role that I was hoping to get. So yesterday was a wonderful success and today (at least this morning) feels like it is not. And thus is the artist’s life. Rejection, rejection, rejection, struggle and then, just when you least expect it a moment of success. Or sometimes, and this is something that RARELY, if ever is discussed-success, success, joy and then when you least expect it, a moment that gives one pause and makes them question everything.
My belief in “the moment” lets me know that, at least from an intellectual level, this anxiety will pass. I have fantastic work coming up, a wedding and some wonderful opportunities next season (which I will announce in July/August.)
Ultimately these moments of fear, anxiety, sadness etc…help to make me tougher when it comes to how to negotiate this life; this career. So in a few hours when I am singing Papageno and having an incredibly good time, I will remember how lucky it is to be an artist.
Peace,
Eric
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