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I attended my first opera at The Met, The Barber of Seville, with my grandparents when I was
eight years old. For the ensuing decade, my grandfather’s tutelage nourished my nascent love of
opera. In high school, my decision to see Janáček’s Jenůfa created an unexpected schism
between my grandfather and me in our operatic appreciation, as he did not know much about
Czech opera.

When Matthew Hoch took over as editor of the NATS-sponsored So You Want to Sing series, published by Rowman & Littlefield, only three books of the 20-volume set had been published. That may have been readers’ first clue as to Hoch’s willingness to take on large-scale, daunting projects.

Are you left brained or right brained? Most of us are familiar with the distinction: right brained is intuitive, imaginative, and abstract while left brained is concrete and analytic. The

iligent preparation while working as an understudy can lead to invaluable learning opportunities and experiences.    The audition went well. The cast list is up. Your eyes scan the list

Hear from some of the industry’s top artists on how they prepared for, navigated, and recovered from their pregnancies while striving to keep their vocal and physical health in top

he pandemic brought about many innovations in opera, and Experiments in Opera (EiO) was especially poised to respond creatively. The company commissions new operas that are adventurous, funny, and collaborative

  Francesca Hsieh has had a busy four years. While earning her BFA in musical theatre at the University of Utah, she performed in mainstage musicals and plays and served

ieutenant Colonel Christoph Scheibling has directed German military concert bands during groundbreaking performances and collaborations in Israel and Afghanistan.  Now as the director of the concert band of the German

The struggles of performing artists during the Covid-19 pandemic are no secret to anyone. Abruptly changed plans, canceled opportunities, and lost income are only a few challenges that individual opera singers have faced for the past 15 months.

any classical singers are curious about crossover styles but tentative to truly explore other genres. Read on for how to establish best practices in mix/belt styles and to recognize any

Dr. Jahn answers questions from singers about why acid reflux would flare up after 10 years of no symptoms, what to do for large polyps in both nostrils, and how to treat an ear that chronically plugs during sleep. If you have a question for the doctor, e-mail him at jahn@classicalsinger.com.

From his beginnings in South Bend, Indiana, to winning the MONC Auditions, performing on the world’s greatest stages, achieving major success in crossover works, and now serving as a Swanlund Chair at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Nathan Gunn continues to inspire audiences and students worldwide. In this interview, Gunn shares his thoughts on being an artist during a pandemic, his advice to young singers, and his optimism for the future.