Changing roles
One of the things that I was apprehensive about in going to work for an opera company in a non-singing job, especially a company that I had previously sung for, was how I would feel in my new role. I gave a talk today to our Opera Guilds and someone asked me if it was frustrating to me, not to be singing.
The answer was complicated. My intellect tells me a few things:
But when I get wistful (I have and will) I try to remember a few things: I know I have a skill set that has some value in this business. I will be spending time talking about one of the things that I love the most in the world. The talk I gave this morning was on The Marriage of Figaro and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it (and I hope that they enjoyed me). I also am looking forward to an helping to create an environment for performers and I'm sure that I'll feel a great sense of accomplishment if I am able to help do that.
My role may have changed, but I just have to remember that I'm still making a contribution.
The answer was complicated. My intellect tells me a few things:
- I've stopped singing as a career for a while, and to "restart" a career as a singer would be very difficult
- I've reached an age (early 40s), where it I'd face a lot of discrimination in getting auditions because of my age
- I'm rusty and to get up to form again would be time consuming and a challenge
But when I get wistful (I have and will) I try to remember a few things: I know I have a skill set that has some value in this business. I will be spending time talking about one of the things that I love the most in the world. The talk I gave this morning was on The Marriage of Figaro and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it (and I hope that they enjoyed me). I also am looking forward to an helping to create an environment for performers and I'm sure that I'll feel a great sense of accomplishment if I am able to help do that.
My role may have changed, but I just have to remember that I'm still making a contribution.
posted by Rich Russell at
5:19 PM
1 Comments:
ouch Ouch OUCH! Rich, I feel your pain. All things considered, I can easily imagine how you've been feeling based on my own experiences.
Only one thing comes to mind, and that is don't let your intellect squash your heart, even career-wise. It's not an either/or deal.
You did not sing, that one day on the stage, perhaps, but you did use your voice, right? Did everyone in the room hear you? Did they get your drift? Did they perhaps chuckle at the right moments? Don't look now, but you're still performing, dude!
You are, as you said, just singing a different role now. Maybe you're singing like Amonastro instead of Tamino or like, uh, Yoda instead of Luke, but it is your voice, your Voice and you are performing and "they" love it (and hey, they pay you for it!)
And BTW, there may be a way to include a few singing bits, if you do it right. Is there a way for you to tootle out a few sung phrases mixed in with your presentations? By way of illustration, I mean.
I remember the great ol' Texaco Met broadcast announcers used to do that all the time in a sort of pre-game commentary before Wagner or Mozart operas for instance. I used to listen constantly as a young teen. It was so hokey, but I absolutely loved it!
Someone would sit down at the piano, play (hack out) some small chunks of leitmotifs and sing (croak out) the most important phrases. Would you be willing to do that? Wouldn't it be fun, again? It would add alot of music, joy and life to a spoken presentation, for sure. (Maybe you could get some good grants, too!)
Please, please don't give up on the idea of using your voice, your singing gifts, your knowledge as a singer, Rich. Share it with us, as you go along!
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