A brief conversation between Carol Kirkpatrick and Joan Rutkowski on understanding how regional opera companies and young singers work together to share a love of opera, build an audience, and start careers.
WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS!
"Pointers on how and why to choose singing jobs."
Have you noticed that often when you have done the work and start getting job offers, many other great opportunities seem to show up as well? As the saying goes, "When it rains it pours". You want to take them all because: 1. you are afraid they will not come your way again; 2. the folks offering the jobs won't ask you again if you don't say yes this time; and/or 3. you have worked so hard and waited so long for this to happen you feel like you can't say no to anything. So, you accept everything and find yourself overwhelmed! You have to learn too much new music in a short period of time. You feel unprepared and rushed. Some of the venues are not turning out to be anything like what was advertised. You are starting to get worn down from that full or part time job and fitting in all the preparation and rehearsal time. You realize too late that you have put way too much on your plate. The pressure builds and you're not having fun anymore. Singing and performing starts to look, feel and sound like "just another job"!
You're not the lone ranger. It has happened to all of us at one time or another - including me. Some of the best advice I received as a beginning professional was when after having won the San Francisco Opera Auditions, I was given a contract to sing every handmaiden in almost every opera of the company's prestigious fall season. I had just graduated from college, having performed all of two roles during the last two years of school - both sung in English. I was thrown into an amazing array of international artists, coaches, stage directors, conductors, and languages. I was frantically learning as I went along. During that time I was also privileged to have many of these international artists take me under their wing, providing loads of encouragement and advice on career matters. The best piece of advice I received was from Joan Sutherland. I asked the question, "How, when you are just starting your career, do you know which jobs to take and which ones to leave for the future? She said in her chipper Australian accent, "There are only three reasons for taking a job, my dear, money, experience and contacts." I never forgot that important piece of advice and I want to share what I have learned over the years about that subject.
"Every day I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I'm not there, I go to work."
~ Robert Orben
Money Money makes the world go round, and getting paid is what most singers not only need to have in return for performing, but getting paid allows you to legitimately call yourself a professional singer. Even if you don't make your entire living from singing, the monies you do earn by performing help motivate you to continue moving forward on your career path. And extra money is always welcome. However, don't be tempted by money alone. If the role is not one you should be singing right now, say no! If it involves having to spend a lot of money preparing the role by having to pay a coach and there are transportation expenses, be sure you actually come out having made money, if that is the objective. It could wind up costing you more than you are making. On the other hand, if this is a role perfect for you and a real opportunity for legitimate experience, and contacts, it might be worth taking a loss financially to set up a relationship that will carry you into concrete future employment possibilities. Be diligent in your assessment.
"Experience is what you got by not having it when you need it."
~ Author Unknown
Experience When it comes to performing, there is no better teacher than the stage. If you haven't had much performance experience, accepting a job for no pay may prove to be well worth your time, energy and money. If you are making the transition from student to young professional, this might be the perfect opportunity to try your wings by taking a step up on the semi- professional career ladder and accepting a role as long as it is within your fach. It could be a camprimario role, a larger supporting role or even the leading role. Often companies that can't afford to pay their talent, have very low exposure and can provide a safe and supportive venue to try out the new knowledge you are acquiring.
Perhaps your career is shifting levels from community theatre to regional houses, or from regional houses to an "A" house, and you choose to accept smaller roles at the beginning of this transition period to get your bearings without having the responsibility of carrying the show.
Or maybe you have been looking for a place to repeat a role you have sung before after having spent time reworking it in your voice. It's important to have as much stage time with a role as possible, if you want to make it your own. I have heard that it takes 11 performances of the same role to really have it under your belt. Repeating a role with new stage directors, conductors and colleagues can also provide additional perspectives, adding to the breadth of your experience.
"First it is necessary to stand on your own two feet. But the minute a man finds himself in that position, the next thing he should do is reach out his arms."
~Kristin Hunter
Contacts Often achieving success is not only about whom you are as a person and performer, but who you know. Networking is quintessential to career building. You might not get a great salary or any at all. You might not be in need of gaining the experience. However, you do understand that here is an opportunity to work with and/or meet some important and influential people. It could be a prestigious conductor, stage director, colleague, or sponsor. Making this type of important contact is a serious reason to consider taking a job, as long as it is in your fach and you are ready for it. You want to make a lasting, great impression as an artist, colleague, person and salable commodity to the public. Performing is an opportunity to let others see, hear and feel what you can do. Perhaps you can influence the artistic director to hire you for a role that showcases you. Perhaps your colleague's manager is attending this performance and they have agreed to make introductions. Maybe you are looking for a sponsor for an upcoming summer program and by singing at this event you have the chance to meet several wealthy patrons interested in finding a young performer with potential that they would want to support. Or perhaps you are looking for exposure and are promised a review in a noteworthy publication. Good reviews can open doors to making other career changing connections.
"To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end in life."
~ Spinoza
Remember, no matter how anxious you are to perform, don't take a job if the role or the circumstances are not right for you. If you are not prepared for a job, no amount of money, experience, or contacts can outweigh the potential consequences of damage to your career. Weigh your decisions carefully and keep the following in mind:
1. If you sort of know a role, but it really isn't completely in your voice, trust that the opportunity will come around again when you are ready. Don't think that by stepping in when you are not totally prepared, and "saving" a performance will make you a hero in the eyes of management. You may save the production, but at what cost? Are you willing to ruin your own reputation, and never be asked back? If you are not ready, say no. (*see footnote) You don't need to give anyone more of an explanation than this. And you are not ruining your chances of future performances with them by doing so. You are allowing them to see that you are professional enough to take care of your own career.
2. Also beware of jumping from one fach to another just to have work. Yes, you will get performance time, but you can't use these "out-of-fach" roles on your resume, invite influential people to hear what you are doing, or use any reviews you might be getting. Most importantly, you could be doing damage to your voice.
3. If you are not sure if the role is right for you check with your teacher, coach, and/or mentor. About once every two or three years, it is a good thing to try a role that might seem a little beyond you. It could be just the right piece to help you grow dramatically and vocally, but always check in with someone whose advice and ears you trust before signing the dotted line on the contract. Expanding your repertoire by stretching gradually is a positive way to move forward in your career as you voice matures.
4. Know how much work you can handle comfortably before accepting any job. If you are like most emerging artists, you are holding down either a full or part time job while getting your singing career off the ground. You may be performing one opera while preparing for several upcoming auditions and/or learning yet another role while you are working long hours. Will this affect your health? How will your voice hold up? You are the instrument, so know your limits.
"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
~ Dolly Parton
No matter where or what you are performing, treat each opportunity with professionalism. If you accept a job because you want the experience of performing a particular role and would like to add it to your resume and the company doesn't appear as professional as you would like, don't complain or get impatient. You said "yes" to the opportunity, so treat each rehearsal, performance, and colleague with the dignity and respect that you yourself would like. Conducting yourself with the utmost of professionalism will often encourage others to act in kind. You never know who might eventually become a person of influence and importance within your cast and crew. Remember that Mr. Volpe, was once a stagehand and carpenter before becoming General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera. So, a rehearsal pianist could become a conductor or influential coach; a stagehand could become a prominent stage director; a fellow singer could become an agent or critic for some important newspaper. I first knew David Gockley as a singer before he became the General Manager at Houston Opera. Soon he will take over the San Francisco Opera in the same capacity. Always leave behind a great impression, one that fosters your reputation as a complete artist and genuine human being.
There is one more subject I would like to comment on. Often singers ask me what I think about having to pay to perform. My answer is: If you really need a venue to be able to try out a complete role with other singers that involves rehearsals, a conductor, and performance, and you can't get it any other way, do it. For some of the bigger voices, it is difficult to find smaller companies that offer the opportunity to perform these bigger roles appropriate for their fach. I have done it myself and it gave me the confidence to take a job singing one of the bigger roles knowing I had already preformed it and several times. Experience does make a difference. I knew how the entire piece fit together and how it felt to have colleagues involved in the making of the music.
If you can't decide whether a role or job is right for you, talk to the mentors, teachers, colleagues, coaches whose ears and advice you trust to help you through it. Then it is up to you to make the final decision. That is when you listen not to your head, but to what your gut is telling you. You gut reaction will steer you in the right direction. Trust it and enjoy the journey.
*Footnote: Saying "no" is perceived as one of the hardest things to do when in fact it can be a real opportunity to ask for exactly what you need. Here's my suggestion for saying no. "I really appreciate your offer and confidence in me as a performer to do this role. However, I really feel I must stay within my own fach or I feel that I am not quite ready for a role like this, but these roles (name them) have proved successful with audiences before and I would love an opportunity to perform them with your company. Or, I would love to accept, but I don't feel I am really ready for a role like this. Thank you for your consideration. These are the roles, (name them) in which I could really make an impact on your audience. (Always tell them how you can benefit them as a performer.) If the opportunity presents itself, I hope you will keep me in mind as I would love to work with you. In the meantime, if I may, I would like to give you the name and number of a colleague of mine that would be perfect for this role.
When you stick to your plan of action and trust your gut to help you make decisions, you let others know you are a professional and they will treat you as one. They will remember you for your honesty and you will be at the forefront of their minds because you spoke your truth.
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us."
~ Marianne Williamson
I love hearing from all of you, so please keep your stories coming. If you have a subject you would like me to cover, email me at [email protected]
Ciao, Carol
