November 2005
On the Move: : Ana Maria Martinez
Latina soprano Ana Maria Martinez is finding great success and acclaim on the opera scene. Read her words of wisdom on what to wear and sing for an audition, how she balances her personal life and her career, what turned her from musical theatre to opera, and why she wishes she had listened to her parents more when she was young.
Creating an Instruction Manual for your Voice
Feedback from teachers and coaches is essential in this business, but too often we underestimate the importance of understanding our own voices. Here are some great tips for working on a self-help guide for your voice.
Asthma: What Singers Need to Know
The onset of winter often brings an increase of problems for those who suffer from asthma. Dr. Jahn offers his sound advice for detecting and treating the affliction.
Drama: : Keeping it on the stage
Singers spend a lifetime working to improve their dramatic and interpretive abilities for their art. Sometimes those carefully honed skills can seep into other aspects of life, with negative results. Michelle Kunz suggests some ways to draw the curtain between the stage and your personal life.
The Night I Held Hands with Marian Anderson
To fully understand the present, we must have an understanding of the past. Our Met violinist takes us down memory lane as he reminisces about his final evening in the pit at the old Metropolitan Opera House. The great singers of the past laid a great foundation for those who follow.
Putting Alexander to the Test
Last month CS featured a book review highlighting the connection between singing and the Alexander Technique. This month read about one singer’s practical experience with the technique in her first ever Alexander private lesson.
Media Savy
Singers usually love the spotlight—but doing a radio or television interview can be terrifying. For one thing, talking—rather than singing—is the main event, and secondly, there’s no script! Learn a few tricks of the trade to help calm your nerves and make your interview a success.
A Singer’s Guide to Communicating Effectively
We get only a few precious minutes to make a good impression on those all-important folks who do the hiring, but those minutes can make all the difference. Here are a few tips on how to make those first impressions positive ones.
Addressing the Unanswerable Questions : A Masterclass on Charles Ives' Songs
Insurance man by day and composer by night, Charles Ives was, remarkably, one of the most prolific American composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Learn more about his art songs and their appropriate interpretation from insights Jamie Kotmair acquired in a recent master class with two Ives experts.
Studying in Germany, Courtesy of the U.S. Government : Finding My Niche
In this latest installment of our Fulbright Scholar’s European experiences, Jennifer continues her language training and orientation. Meeting the other Fulbrighters, from biologists to economists, prompts some self-evaluation. Is studying music as valid as finding a cure for an illness or improving the economy? Jennifer finds her own answers.
Spotlight on the 2005-2006 Certified Classical Singers
Each month Classical Singer highlights two of the 14 singers our panel of distinguished judges selected from more than 200 AudComps 2005 applicants for having a ready-to-go audition package appropriate to their Artist Division. This month we spotlight Sergio Blázquez from the Professional Division and Holly Sorensen from the Emerging Professional Division.
Seattle’s Ring Cycle a Rousing Success
Seattle Opera is making its mark as the American center for Wagner operas. Dr. DiGaetani gives CS readers a report on this summer’s Ring Cycle.
I’m a Singer, Not an Administrator : Lessons Learned in a Recent Job Change
In a recent crossover from singer to “admin,” Erda gained a new perspective on what singers communicate by their behavior—both good and bad. She shares her insights to help you be the type of singer that administrators will want to work with again and again.
No Artifice: : Patrick Summers
From San Francisco Opera, to Houston Grand Opera, to the Shanghai Conservatory, Patrick Summers has enjoyed a successful and varied career as a music director, teacher, and conductor. In this Classical Singer exclusive, he shares his secrets for having a career as a singer, his amazing experiences working in China, and what he looks for in an audition.
Bulletin Board
Seattle Opera to sponsor Wagner Competition in 2006 Seattle Opera has announced it will hold a competition next year for Wagnerian singers age 25 to 40. Contestants can be nominated
Center Stage : Claire Mailhot, Soprano
What have your career highlights been, so far? Performing my first professional recital in my hometown after returning from two years of study in Paris. Making my professional opera debut
Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor: My family and I evacuated from New Orleans and are now temporarily in Orlando, Fl. We are lucky, compared to others, and therefore are not in need of
Editor’s Note : A Question of Validity
Years ago, while living in Italy, I never ceased to be amazed by the reaction I got when I answered the question, “What do you do?” When Italians found out
Rebuilding After Katrina : Robert Lyall and New Orleans Opera
Damage assessment and massive cleanup efforts have begun in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans. Such is the case for New Orleans Opera, under the direction of general director Robert Lyall. In this Classical Singer exclusive, Mr. Lyall discusses the extent of the damage the opera company has suffered, the effect of Katrina on the 2005-2006 season, the company’s plans to rebuild, and what this will mean for the city of New Orleans.
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