Child-free opera singers & happiness

Editorial

Basically, when the work isn't going well, it can be quite devastating when it truly is the most important thing in an artist's life. It seems a lame excuse for moping, though, and it's easy to compound the guilt of being a "bad artist" with the guilt of "not having anything else going for you"; after all, compared to singers with "real" responsibilities outside of their work, a child-free singer should remember that they're among the lucky ones, right?

TFCO: Opera Trek, The Next Generation

Interview

I got to chat with a few of the next generation involved in Burry's The Sword in the Schoolyard: Viva Egoyan-Rokeby (young Morgan), David Grace (young Arthur), Emma Thornton-Ockrant (young Gwen), and Henry Kemeny-Wodlinger (young Mordred).

In review: Rocking Horse Winner

Review

As the autistic son, Paul, Asitha Tennekoon is a revelation. His beautiful leggiero tenor was perfect for playing the delicate Paul. It bridged the gap between full Mozart opera and contemporary musical theatre. But to be honest, his acting is the reason to see this show. I've been watching Asitha grow as a performer over the last couple of years and I have to say that this could literally be a breakout role for this young man. It was endearing, truthful, and raw.

Aurora Orchestra, fun, & Frankenstein!!

Review

Farnsworth was the perfect surreal emcee-type. With direction by Martin Berry, Farnsworth's extraordinary character was layers thick, at once a gleeful child, enamoured with the music around him and the tales he tells, and an unpredictable psychopath. His vocal gymnastics were paired with delightful virtuosity on some of the toy instruments that Grüber includes in his scoring, like slide whistles and kazoos.

What we've learned by talking with 108 opera singers

Editorial

Since we started Schmopera in late 2013, we have interviewed 108 singers. One hundred and eight! We're proud of that number, and we're by no means done. This site began partly out of our huge admiration for what singers do, and our respect for their skill and thick skins. We thought it might be a good milestone, at roughly 100 conversations with 100 singers, to take stock of what they've told us.

Great ideas: a streamable opera miniseries

News

Remember how we complained about how there's no opera on Netflix? Well, there still isn't. But we've discovered Vireo: The Spiritual Biography of a Witch's Accuser, a project that will hopefully inspire more like it. Composer Lisa Bielawa and librettist Erik Ehn are in the midst of creating Vireo, a series of operatic episodes, two of which are now available to stream online.

Don't miss: Composers (of the) Roundtable

News

"Children express themselves through singing, play-acting, dancing, making up stories, dressing up, and generally being over-the-top - which is pretty much what opera is all about. So a medium which might seem elitist and esoteric to adults comes naturally to children. Kids especially love storytelling, and opera is a great way to tell stories. "

Talking with singers: Paul Appleby

Interview

American tenor Paul Appleby recently finished a run of Belmonte in The Metropolitan Opera's production of Die Entführung aus dem Serail, and he heads next to the Glyndebourne Festival, to sing the title role in Berlioz's Béatrice et Bénédict. Paul is one of those thoughtful, curious artists who craves the stage as a recitalist as well as in operatic roles.

4 ways that opera really is life

Editorial

The link between human behavior and art is so strong and so complicated that it's even an understatement to call it a "link" at all; art comes from humans, and humans are part and a product of our environments, natural and otherwise. There's a potential regression from La traviata to single-cell organisms, if you step back far enough.

Aria guides: Mi chiamano Mimì

How-To

Next up in our series of Aria Guides: Mimì's first aria from Puccini's infamous La bohème. The aria is Mimì's response to Rodolfo;s "Che gelida manina", and together, they form one of opera's most amazing moments of "getting to know you". Puccini's scores are rich in detail, and he doesn't leave much to the imagination. But along with your teachers and coaches, we can offer a few starting points as you get to work on this delicious bit of music.