Verdi baritone Jason Duika shares how singing helped him overcome his Tourette Syndrome.
With the passing of Carol Kirkpatrick, the operatic world has lost one of its best. Carol lived by example and was herself a shining example of the artist’s life. She had a way of seeing the artist within everyone around her, and her goal was always to help us find it. She was the mentor young singers didn’t know they needed until they met her—and she was the first to see us and tell us the whole truth, even when we didn’t want to hear it. Her career spanned multiple continents, but at the same time she understood what it took to maintain a family along with a career.
Adrienne Boris has always felt comfortable traversing multiple worlds and wearing multiple hats, as performer/director/producer of theater and opera, focusing equally on new work and old. She is now serving as the Executive Producer and Stage Director at Harvard University’s Lowell House Opera, the longest continually performing opera company in New England, as Chief Strategy Officer at Helios Opera, and as Booking Manager at ADA Artist Management, but her artistic journey started at a community theater company outside Boston. Her parents, a lawyer and a sociologist, caught the theater bug when she was very young, and used to take her to rehearsals, where she would sing along to herself, and even appeared in children’s choruses a few times. “I began seeing myself as a serious arts practitioner and pre-professional from a very early age, and my parents are my biggest supporters to this day,” she tells CS Music.
Fresh from his performance in the critically acclaimed production of Fire Shut Up in My Bones at the Metropolitan Opera, Will Liverman boldly steps forward as a Black artist leading others in the industry.
Mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor is one of the most exciting and versatile artists in the world of classical music. She is a quadruple threat at least, in that she is a phenomenal singer, actress, pedagogue and is simply “drop dead” gorgeous! Her repertoire is as wide as you can imagine, ranging from highly acclaimed performances of such dramatic heavyweights as Britten’s Rape of Lucretia with Boston Lyric Opera, 2019 and Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with both BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Symphony Orchestra, 2019, to a string of world premieres by international composers, including her Grammy winning portrayal of Federico García Lorca in Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar.
Baritone George Gagnidze returns to stages all over the world, appearing in his celebrated villainous roles. In this interview, Gagnidze shares his strategies for success, his regular practice routine, and how he continues to strive to prove himself.
Singers take many different paths in maintaining an opera performance career, and many factors contribute to success. In addition to the excellent musicianship skills and vocal artistry needed to remain competitive in the industry, more elements also play large roles. A singer needs a strong belief in themselves, drive to keep moving forward, and the ability to maintain physical and mental health to serve them as they continually challenge themselves as artists.
Analisa Leaming is a brilliant and versatile Broadway performer who has translated her success into mental, emotional, and spiritual support for other artists through her podcast and coaching. In this interview, Leaming shares her thoughts on approaching transitions, the unexpected, and disappointments that artists of all levels must face in an uplifting way.
The musical “canon” of great works of the past is an important part of every singer’s training and core repertory of performance. Read on to learn how one singer has embraced the challenge of discovering and advocating for great BIPOC composers whose works have not previously been included into an expanded canon of master works.
What does it take to make an art song recording, including commissioning new works? Find out how Laura Strickling recorded two new albums while balancing family life during the pandemic.
Soprano, teacher, dramaturg/librettist, vocal consultant, and director Andrea DelGiudice epitomizes the “slash career” artist at a time when diversifying skills, talents and revenue streams is more important. By continually expanding her interests and exploring new avenues for creativity, DelGiudice is breaking the stereotypes and tropes of a classical singer who can only pursue one path in the music industry. She recently shared reflections on her journey from singer to Renaissance woman of the opera stage, and she offered wisdom for other artists, particularly women, who are looking to strive for a more varied and valuable career.
Kofi Hayford has never been one to follow a traditional path – particularly when it comes to making music. While many budding vocalists find early footing in youth choirs or even youth theater programs, he spent his formative years immersed in the cultures of other countries. In fact, music didn’t even come on to the radar of the Ghanaian-American bass until he was a teenager.
