Comments for Operagasm http://operagasm.com Fri, 18 May 2012 17:42:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on iTunes Download of the Week by Countervail http://operagasm.com/2012/05/itunes-download-of-the-week-16/comment-page-1/#comment-3994 Countervail Fri, 18 May 2012 17:42:30 +0000 http://operagasm.com/?p=19660#comment-3994 Did you forget Kiri TeKanawa? Did you forget Kiri TeKanawa?

]]> Comment on RIP Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau by iTunes Download of the Week | Operagasm http://operagasm.com/2012/05/rip-dietrich-fischer-dieskau/comment-page-1/#comment-3993 iTunes Download of the Week | Operagasm Fri, 18 May 2012 16:29:08 +0000 http://operagasm.com/?p=19656#comment-3993 [...] sad news about losing Fischer-Dieskau today. Be thankful that we will never lose these moments thanks to [...] [...] sad news about losing Fischer-Dieskau today. Be thankful that we will never lose these moments thanks to [...]

]]> Comment on About those child opera singers: here’s the deal by Denise http://operagasm.com/2012/02/about-those-child-opera-singers-heres-the-deal/comment-page-2/#comment-3986 Denise Tue, 15 May 2012 21:00:07 +0000 http://operagasm.com/?p=17923#comment-3986 When I was in high school, I had a number of very talented peers--paid actresses, great singers who had been taking voice lessons for years, one who had a classical recording out. I was envious, thinking that I was so behind when I was just discovering that I might really have a voice at 16. While my voice continued to develop through college and singing at church, I still felt like all my time was running out. My voice teacher said I had a real shot at performing professionally, but I still wondered, "Don't you have to start really young?" When I was 25, my voice grew up, and I started receving more offers for paid performances and people assumed I was a professional (no music degree). At 26, I started studying voice more intentionally and realized that my attempts to perform as a soprano were all wrong and my fach was much lower than that. Progress has been much better since that realization. While I do wish I had studied voice earlier, I have to say that had I tried to really give serious vocal performance a go when I was in my late teens or early 20s, I would have failed. My voice simply wasn't there yet. Singers today are put on such rigid timelines. I feel the pressure of the competition age cutoffs. But really, your voice grows and matures when it gets ready, and also as you grow and mature. I agree with the article. Physiological damage to young voices is a real possibility, but also, the hailing of young talent gives the impression that *real* talent is young talent, and that unless you're doing big things by a young age that you must not have "it." And that's wrong. Music performance is about more than talent; it's also about having a purpose and having something to say. To be technically gifted without really having discovered your purpose with music seems to be a recipe for becoming "just another" person who can sing well or play the piano or what have you. I think that giving musicians, especially singers, time to grow, learn their instrument, learn why they are into this whole music thing and what they want to accomplish, will likely lead to successes that satisfy them on a deeper level. When I was in high school, I had a number of very talented peers–paid actresses, great singers who had been taking voice lessons for years, one who had a classical recording out. I was envious, thinking that I was so behind when I was just discovering that I might really have a voice at 16.

While my voice continued to develop through college and singing at church, I still felt like all my time was running out. My voice teacher said I had a real shot at performing professionally, but I still wondered, “Don’t you have to start really young?”

When I was 25, my voice grew up, and I started receving more offers for paid performances and people assumed I was a professional (no music degree). At 26, I started studying voice more intentionally and realized that my attempts to perform as a soprano were all wrong and my fach was much lower than that. Progress has been much better since that realization.

While I do wish I had studied voice earlier, I have to say that had I tried to really give serious vocal performance a go when I was in my late teens or early 20s, I would have failed. My voice simply wasn’t there yet.

Singers today are put on such rigid timelines. I feel the pressure of the competition age cutoffs. But really, your voice grows and matures when it gets ready, and also as you grow and mature. I agree with the article. Physiological damage to young voices is a real possibility, but also, the hailing of young talent gives the impression that *real* talent is young talent, and that unless you’re doing big things by a young age that you must not have “it.” And that’s wrong.

Music performance is about more than talent; it’s also about having a purpose and having something to say. To be technically gifted without really having discovered your purpose with music seems to be a recipe for becoming “just another” person who can sing well or play the piano or what have you. I think that giving musicians, especially singers, time to grow, learn their instrument, learn why they are into this whole music thing and what they want to accomplish, will likely lead to successes that satisfy them on a deeper level.

]]> Comment on “I know you’re likely nervous under all that mascara, but please BREATHE.”: Your Audition Pianist Speaks, Are You Ready? by korliss Uecker http://operagasm.com/2012/04/i-know-youre-likely-nervous-under-all-that-mascara-but-please-breathe-your-audition-pianist-speaks-are-you-ready/comment-page-1/#comment-3982 korliss Uecker Sun, 13 May 2012 14:18:58 +0000 http://operagasm.com/?p=19328#comment-3982 Funny !! Funny !!

]]> Comment on The Total Package: A Singer’s Guide by Wealthy: Round up dem cattle and get out the BRANDING Iron! « The Women in Wellness Project http://operagasm.com/2012/05/the-total-package-a-singer%e2%80%99s-guide-to-branding/comment-page-1/#comment-3964 Wealthy: Round up dem cattle and get out the BRANDING Iron! « The Women in Wellness Project Wed, 09 May 2012 14:03:27 +0000 http://operagasm.com/?p=8004#comment-3964 [...] very relevant post was published last week by John Bowen, General Director of Opera Vivente, describing what opera managements are looking for [...] [...] very relevant post was published last week by John Bowen, General Director of Opera Vivente, describing what opera managements are looking for [...]

]]> Comment on Musical Joke of the Week by Eugene Lee http://operagasm.com/2012/04/musical-joke-of-the-week-16/comment-page-1/#comment-3960 Eugene Lee Wed, 09 May 2012 11:38:45 +0000 http://operagasm.com/?p=19314#comment-3960 This gives me an idea! Everyone has to drink as many shots as possible until the end of the story-telling segment......then strip to their undies for the new material each night. THAT would build a sense of brotherhood in the vein of Ludwig II and Wagner that has really been missing in America. Santorum should like it, because there was no documented evidence that the boys weren't gay. It was just speculated. So he should be safe. For now. ;) Love the post! This gives me an idea! Everyone has to drink as many shots as possible until the end of the story-telling segment……then strip to their undies for the new material each night.

THAT would build a sense of brotherhood in the vein of Ludwig II and Wagner that has really been missing in America. Santorum should like it, because there was no documented evidence that the boys weren’t gay. It was just speculated. So he should be safe. For now. ;)

Love the post!

]]> Comment on “I know you’re likely nervous under all that mascara, but please BREATHE.”: Your Audition Pianist Speaks, Are You Ready? by Michael Sheppard http://operagasm.com/2012/04/i-know-youre-likely-nervous-under-all-that-mascara-but-please-breathe-your-audition-pianist-speaks-are-you-ready/comment-page-1/#comment-3946 Michael Sheppard Tue, 08 May 2012 20:52:29 +0000 http://operagasm.com/?p=19328#comment-3946 Thanks for the love, guys! Thanks for the love, guys!

]]> Comment on Countess in the HOUSE!!! by Krystal Nemetz http://operagasm.com/2012/05/countess-in-the-house/comment-page-1/#comment-3942 Krystal Nemetz Tue, 08 May 2012 03:00:01 +0000 http://operagasm.com/?p=19434#comment-3942 The Countess is my favorite Mozart soprano role because she isn't OVER the top, but believable. Her music has that longing for the love of her estranged husband and it makes you want to cry every time! ^_^ The Countess is my favorite Mozart soprano role because she isn’t OVER the top, but believable. Her music has that longing for the love of her estranged husband and it makes you want to cry every time! ^_^

]]> Comment on Question of the Week by Website of the Week | Operagasm http://operagasm.com/2012/05/question-of-the-week-108/comment-page-1/#comment-3940 Website of the Week | Operagasm Mon, 07 May 2012 14:29:53 +0000 http://operagasm.com/?p=19374#comment-3940 [...] is the Website of the Week. Don’t act like you’re surprised! I already showed them some love last week, but I don’t feel like they got enough. Seeing as now all I can really think of in my [...] [...] is the Website of the Week. Don’t act like you’re surprised! I already showed them some love last week, but I don’t feel like they got enough. Seeing as now all I can really think of in my [...]

]]> Comment on Musical Joke of the Week by Brad Forlinson http://operagasm.com/2012/04/musical-joke-of-the-week-16/comment-page-1/#comment-3929 Brad Forlinson Sat, 05 May 2012 13:39:45 +0000 http://operagasm.com/?p=19314#comment-3929 He could easily turn the Ring into a one-night-stand if he cut out all the typical self-righteous story-telling of the Woman....I mean, Wotan. Seriously, how many times can you sit through a tired old queen telling the same old stories over and over? He could easily turn the Ring into a one-night-stand if he cut out all the typical self-righteous story-telling of the Woman….I mean, Wotan. Seriously, how many times can you sit through a tired old queen telling the same old stories over and over?

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