Classical Singer Magazine

Exploring Possibilities : My Crittenden Summer Workshop Experiences

A longtime summer program that runs for two weeks in Boston and Washington, D.C. each summer offers singers indepth stage and acting training at a very reasonable price. One singer who has attended the program in both cities reports on her experiences.

Jan 01 April Lynn James

Bulletin Board

Mortier Quits The New York Times announced Nov. 7 that provocative impresario Gerard Mortier has decided not to assume the top position at New York City Opera. For the previous

Jan 01 Maria Nockin

Complete Preparation with dell’Arte Opera Ensemble

Read about a small but fast-growing program in New York City that offers singers the chance to prepare and perform complete opera roles in a supportive and friendly environment.

Jan 01 Melissa Ramb

It’s Not What You Know…

When singers consider the pros and cons of summer programs, they sometimes overlook or underestimate the value of making connections. One singer reflects on the many ways friendships forged at three different summer programs have benefited her life and her career.

Jan 01 Lee Taylor Gaffigan

CAUTION : SSMA Strikes Again

In 1999 and again in 2003, Classical Singer received a host of complaints from disgruntled singers about the Sessione Senese per la Musica e l’Arte in Siena, Italy. (For the

Jan 01 Sara Thomas

TOI, TOI, TOI in Taos

CS reports on a summer program’s inaugural year in beautiful New Mexico. Find out what the program has to offer, what went well the first time out, and what improvements participants can expect in 2009.

Jan 01 Eric Barry

A Spanish Summer

Spanish art song and lyric drama (known as zarzuela) is gaining increasing popularity in the States. If you’re interested in this genre, check out this summer program offered through Saint Louis University in beautiful Madrid.

Jan 01 Judith Kellock

Arts Administration Internship : A Behind-the-Scenes Summer Program

If you’re one of the many singers considering working in arts administration, you might want to add interning with an opera company to your list of possible summer plans. One singer-turned-administrator discusses possible internship destinations, as well as the how-tos of getting there.

Jan 01 Rebecca Feldhaus

Get Your Audition Package Together in a CoOPERAtive Enviornment

If you’re looking to do nothing more this summer than work intensely on your audition package, look no further than this program on the Westminster Choir College campus in Princeton, New Jersey.

Jan 01 Jennie Litster

Recent Winners of the Met National Council Auditions Tell All

What does it take to achieve success in the Met Auditions? How should singers prepare and what should they expect? Last year’s five winners talk about their experiences and what impact winning the competition has had on their careers.

Jan 01 Brian Manternach

Ask Erda : The Year of Living Audaciously

Erda invites you to join her in the year of dreaming big. Then she gives you five steps to make those dreams become a reality, one day at a time.

Jan 01 Cindy Sadler

The Singer’s Autobiography : Get Your Information- and Your Inspiration- from the Horse's Mouth

Aspiring singers are always looking for clues on how to achieve success, so it’s natural to seek and find a community of other aspiring singers for support. In many instances, however, such relationships are a bit like the blind leading the blind. For gaining a deep understanding of what the singer’s life entails, you can’t find a better source than first-hand information from singers who are doing it, or have done it—and the most detailed accounts are in successful singers’ autobiographies. Here are some tidbits from three autobiographies by singers whose careers span the past 80 years.

Jan 01 Lisa Houston