Ask any woman (or man, for that matter!) who is pursuing a singing career, running a business, or raising a child, and they will tell you any one of these endeavors is a full-time job. How do entrepreneurial artists find a way to manage all three while maintaining their sanity?
Diana Corto has been in show business since the age of 7, performing throughout this country and in Europe with her mother and grandfather, both accomplished opera singers. By her teens, she was a Broadway veteran who appeared in Stop the World I Want to Get Off, West Side Story (playing Maria on the national tour), The King and I (Tuptim) and Kismet (Marsinah). Diana credits her early experience in musicals as a time of personal growth and development that set her on the path to an opera career.
A music teacher from Diana’s high school in Buffalo, N.Y. introduced her to Helen Kurenko, a renowned Russian voice teacher. Studies with Kurenko instilled a love for Russian music in the young singer, who began learning this repertoire—not the usual fare for an aspiring young American soprano during the pre-perestroika era. Kurenko also introduced Diana to her Russian colleagues from the Bolshoi Opera. This affinity for Russian composers and performers would be instrumental in developing her own company later in Diana’s career.
Diana became a member of the Met Young Artists Program in her early 20s. She encourages young singers to be proactive in their search for work and not to be afraid to audition for major opera houses, if they feel ready. Without management, and with little opera experience, she called the Met and arranged an audition for herself. The first audition went smoothly, but Diana had to return and audition for panels of Met staffers three more times before she was hired. She stayed with the Met for four years, developing her craft by working with the Met’s exceptional staff, and gaining experience with the touring wing of the company.
Until fairly recently, touring was a major part of the Young Artists Program, and provided singers with an opportunity to perform major roles in a variety of venues around the country. Diana’s operatic repertoire solidified at this time, encompassing Rosina, Adina, Lucia, Massenet’s Manon and Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier. She has sung this repertoire her entire career.
After her Met stint, Diana became a member of the City of Angels Opera in Los Angeles. She also traveled to Europe and Asia to accept jobs, and returned to Broadway for a short stint in Status Quo Vadis.
Diana’s interest in Russian opera continued, and she pursued opportunities in this repertoire whenever possible, keeping up contacts with the many Russian singers to whom Kurenko had introduced her over the years. Perestroika and the fall of the Iron Curtain made everything easier. Getting a visa and working in Russia was still a complicated process, but Americans who received invitations could now perform there. Many Russian singers began performing throughout the United States and Europe for audiences largely unfamiliar with this repertoire.
Remembering the soirees Kurenko had given for Russian and American colleagues years before, Diana decided to revive the idea and began organizing soirees of her own. These soirees featured American colleagues and Russian singers. These events always drew a large crowd, which encouraged Diana to organize a full production with these singers.
Using the money the soirees had raised, Diana rented an art gallery space and enlisted the help of a master carpenter and her young son to build a stage and set. She presented two performances of Mozart’s The Jewel Box with her international cast. A New York Times reviewer was in the invited audience and gave the young performers a favorable review.
The Russian Consulate in New York had recently completed renovations of their elegant building. Diana thought this was a perfect occasion and venue to honor Dmitri Shostakovich, and approached Consul General Kousnetsov with the idea of a Shostakovich concert in the magnificent new space. He agreed, and a group of Russian and American singers performed to an enthusiastic audience that included Shostakovich’s son.
Encouraged by the success of these events, Diana decided to form the American Opera Company. She now admits to being very naive in most areas of opera production, thinking like a singer, not an administrator, at least at the beginning.
Diana emphasizes the difficulties of handling the day-to-day emergencies of running a company. For example, even the best and most dedicated singers can get sick or have problems singing in a strange environment. Don’t forget technicians, musicians, and truckers who need to be paid on time, sets and costumes that don’t arrive, lights that don’t work, insurance, union issues, record keeping, etc. Producers are responsible (“liable” is actually a better word) for all these things, and unless you have a lot of people to help, it can be an almost insurmountable undertaking.
Another concern for would-be singer-managers is the emotional commitment that must be made to sustain a company. Artists accustomed to spending hours working on music, acting, interpretation, etc., may find attention to company matters a major source of distraction to this process. Diana admits that her own personal work suffers greatly when she is producing. Unlike many singer-managers (who see their companies as an opportunity to perform their favorite roles), Diana is seldom onstage with the company. She realizes that she can’t do everything at once, and that the production will suffer if her focus gets too scattered.
Diana has been able to learn “on the job,” but she advises would-be artistic directors and managers to “apprentice” with an opera company for at least one season. Learn everything you possibly can about all areas of production. Even small productions require contracts, and involve many of the same issues as major venues.
Despite the challenges, Diana and The American Opera have mounted innovative productions of Giovanni Paisiello’s La Molinara, and Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta, presented at Town Hall in 2000. Paisiello was a contemporary of Mozart, favored by Catherine the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte. Iolanta, featuring a Russian and American cast, was also performed at the Grand Ballroom of the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C. and attended by the ambassadors of Greece, Romania, France, Italy and Finland.
As exciting as working with Russian singers, directors and conductors can be, there are communication issues, particularly with older conductors and directors. Fortunately, many younger Russian singers speak English fairly well, and many speak Italian. Many of us who have sung abroad have found German to be the language of choice in rehearsals, but many Russians have studied in Italy and speak Italian well (which is great for those of us more comfortable communicating in Italian).
What does Diana look for when she casts a production? Not necessarily what you might think. The current artistic environment seems unresponsive to singers without cover-girl (or guy) looks, but Diana is more concerned about an expressive presentation than conventionally pretty faces. She believes a dramatic, authentic, engaging personality is much more important for audience rapport. She looks for the best voices available, and focuses on the talent and potential a singer shows in the audition, rather than previous experience. Management is not necessary to work with the company.
The company is currently developing internship programs with colleges and conservatories in New York. Student interns recently had the opportunity to perform in Taiwan, and more concerts are planned.
How has Diana managed to handle the challenges of multiple careers and raise a son? She feels very strongly that women who want children should not deny themselves what she believes to be a necessary part of life. Having her son with her has given her a sense of peace amidst the stress of traveling and performing. “My son was exposed to wonderful artistic opportunities that have greatly enhanced his own personal development.”
Diana admits that young mothers may not be able to accept every job offer, but she believes it is possible to raise a child and still maintain a career. Diana brought her son with her on various international tours. “It’s not always easy getting up in the middle of the night to change a diaper when touring, but you do it. It’s worth it.” However, she urges singers who want to take this route to be prepared to tutor youngsters themselves, while on the road. If a singer works closely with the child’s teacher and is committed to teaching their child while away, the child won’t fall behind in school and will benefit from the experience of being exposed to art and different cultures. Diana also stresses the importance of a support system of family and friends who care about you and your child, and can step in when needed.
When asked for advice for developing and maintaining vocal, physical and emotional stamina necessary to survive the stressful climate of today’s opera world, Diana emphasizes that singers should keep working on their voices with the best available teachers. Take advantage of opportunities to be seen as often as possible, she advises.
Should singers take non-classical singing jobs? If they are not vocally damaging (singing in the wrong range, lots of belting, etc.), Diana feels that getting out on the boards is the most important thing a young singer can do to move a career forward.
Diana is looking forward to a series of master classes featuring industry professionals that she is planning for early 2004. Next for the American Opera: a national (and possible international) tour of Hansel and Gretel with an international cast. Constantly on the lookout for new challenges, Diana is an inspiration to all singers searching for avenues of self-expression.
