When I spoke with Jocelyn Hagen earlier this month, she was putting the final touches on an exciting new project.
Tell us about your newest project.
It’s a Christmas oratorio called Rose Ever Blooming, which I’m writing with my husband, Tim Takach, for Voces8. Years ago, Tim found this amazing book of poetry by Patricia Monaghan that’s all about Mary. It really humanizes her in a very beautiful way, and we had this idea for a large work based on this poetry. We had been commissioned by Voces8 in the past and had a good working relationship with them, so we approached them, pitched the idea, and they said, “Yes! And if we do it, let’s record it right away!” So, it just sort of snowballed into this huge project.
We have all been there. Mindlessly scrolling Instagram, when BAM, snuck between a restaurant review and a friend of a friend’s photo dump, there it is. An announcement. The kind that makes you squint at the screen and think, wait… them? The moment when a colleague lands a role, wins a competition, or hits a milestone you’ve been chasing— and before you can fully process it, that insidious little voice slithers in whispering “that should have been me.”
And if you are anything like me, that thought curdles almost instantly into guilt. Because you are a good person. You love your friends! You want to watch your colleagues succeed. But somewhere, deep down in the shadowy depths of your most insecure self, the stinging pit isn’t about them, it’s about you. A spotlight has just been cast on what you feel you’re lacking and most importantly, what you’re terrified might never come your way.
Who doesn't love the magic of theatre? The world of the imagination, the suspension of disbelief, the communication of triumph and tragedy through words, music, lights, costumes, and sets. Anyone who has had a transformative experience through theatre will likely have a difficult time expressing the power of that experience through words. There are some words, however, that may be particularly inadequate or—in the opinion of at least one music professional—inaccurate.
“I am big. It’s the pictures that got small” “And now, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up” and “I hate that word. It’s a return” are some of Norma’s most iconic declarations. And by Norma, I’m talking Desmond not Druid.
Norma Desmond, the beautifully delusional heroine of Sunset Boulevard, isn’t terribly unlike her druid priestess counterpart and namesake in so far as her infrequent, yet highly anticipated returns to the stage. Full-scale stagings of Bellini’s masterpiece Norma occur less frequently than Bohèmes and Magic Flutes, and they usually herald a new or returning torch bearer of the demanding role—for better or worse as history and critics sometimes snark.
As a singer, it is imperative that you keep your vocal health a priority. To maintain a healthy, robust voice, it is a good idea to learn about different voice
Soprano and voice teacher Andrea DelGuidice has extensive performing experience in opera, opera directing, plus a robust voice studio, and leadership roles in programs of study and opera companies. It’s no wonder that she lends her creative flair and attention to detail to her home as well.
Today we aren’t looking at a specific item but the general uses of face steamers and nebulizers. If you have favorite singers or influencers, I’m sure you’ve seen a GRWM (get ready with me) that shows some use of a steamer or nebulizer. What is the difference and why would you use one over the other? That’s the question I’m looking to answer today. Neither of these tools are exclusive and can be used with the other tools mentioned in earlier articles: Breather Voice—Tool Time 4, Vocal Trainer by Better Voice—Tool Time 3, Belt Box—Tool Time 2, and Sing Ring by OOVO—Tool Time. Much like everything that I have gone over, these tools deal with optional maintenance for good health and better vocalization. These devices also have outside uses from voice care.
The first edition of The Vocal Athlete, published in 2014, was one of the first vocal pedagogy textbooks to focus primarily on singing in contemporary vocal styles. Authors Wendy D. LeBorgne and Marci Rosenberg also published a companion workbook of vocal exercises titled The Vocal Athlete: Application and Technique for the Hybrid Singer.
Maybe it’s the winter chill or the week I just spent at Toby’s alma mater for his performances of Die Fledermaus, but I’ve been “all in my feels”— reflecting a lot on what I wish I had known before jumping into undergrad and grad school for opera. There’s so much advice thrown at young singers—some of it helpful, some, well, not so much. Narratives like “You have to sacrifice everything if you want a career” and the classic, “If you can do anything else, do that” have personally haunted me, and spoiler alert: they couldn’t be further from the truth.
Jeremiah Evans has been described as a “consummate melodist” (OperaWire), and his songs and piano repertoire have been praised as having “an impressionist milkiness” (NY Times). In the last five years, his music has permeated the classical vocal world, with performances by Lawrence Brownlee, Kenneth Overton, and many others.
American soprano Mary Dunleavy has enjoyed an exciting international career that spans over three decades and counting. She has done it all, from the most iconic soprano roles on The Metropolitan Opera stage, to premiering new works, singing on a Steven Spielberg film, and teaching at Manhattan School of Music. Dunleavy credits her longevity to a hard-earned vocal technique, a solid mental game, a passion for acting at the core of her performances, a loyal team, family life and a good dose of luck.
In this interview, co-author Cynthia Vaughn identifies how “class voice” differs from voice lessons and discusses how The Singing Book has evolved over its 20-year lifespan.
