Would you like to perform more without living out of your suitcase? Are you passionate about an under-appreciated body of vocal literature? Are you reluctant to compromise your family life for your career? Are you frustrated that the only opportunities around seem to be in choruses and choirs when what you really want is to sing solos, duets, trios, etc. with people as good at singing as yourself?
Do you like people? Are you organized? Are you willing to work hard and, above all, endure? Do you enjoy the social aspects of being in a production and like to share the limelight? Do you want to make a difference in your community and be of great service to your peers?
I am a producer. I wasn’t always a producer. People aren’t born producers any more than they are born ships’ captains. I did not plan for the events that led me down the producer’s path.
I started out my musical journey as an instrumentalist (my parents were both in this camp). Later I became a baritone (I was so much better at it) and then, a composer. I still play instruments occasionally, sing often, and compose as much as I can find time for, but somehow I find the title “producer” a bit more awe-inspiring, perhaps because it sounds so mysterious. After all, what does a producer do? I can answer that in one short phrase: a producer makes it happen.
If you answered “yes” to a few of the questions in the first two paragraphs, you might have the makings of a producer. Interested? Read on.
In 2003, I was fortunate enough to have my first opera, Abinadi, produced at a local university. I performed a lead role in the production. The opera was lavishly produced, taped, and even broadcast on the university’s public television station. It was a wonderful opportunity and experience, but it didn’t open the doors I had hoped it would (offers, commissions, local singing engagements, etc.). Afterwards, I got sidetracked and worked on some projects I considered “practical,” but by 2006 I was beginning to feel quite frustrated, despite some successes. Other than the local opera chorus and the annual volley of Messiah sing-ins, there were very few “ready-made” opportunities for a classical singer and even fewer for a composer.
As I began work on my second opera, The Other Wise Man, I was inspired by a wonderful book, Beyond Talent, by Angela Myles Beeching. The book got me thinking more about taking matters into my own hands and as a result I made a life-changing decision: I would produce my opera! Audacious? Yes. Self-promoting? Yes, yes! But I pushed self-deprecation aside, realizing this would also create opportunities for at least six other performers and, I hoped, be of service to the community at large. As things unfolded, in many ways I underestimated the impact of my decision.
It didn’t take much time before a single production turned into a series of events under the names “Vocal Works” and “New Opera Works” (see www.VocalWorks.org). Under these names I’ve produced a summer concert, a successful benefit concert, a well-received chamber opera, a couple of recitals, and a concert featuring new sacred art songs. Currently, I am working on an “in concert” evening of three chamber operas written just for my group’s “Opera in a Month Challenge” themed on Aesop (listen to these on our website). Choosing the producer’s path has brought frustration at times with the many practicalities that arise from “making it happen,” but I’ve also been surprised by a number of serendipitous events. Following are some of the lessons I’ve learned so far.
Build on Your Strengths
Start with what you are passionate about. Start with your vision. A part of my vision includes the future of opera as a living, breathing art form as opposed to a museum art. For someone else it might be early music, a specific body of vocal literature, singing new works, or just the act of singing itself. Only you know what you are passionate about. You’ll want to tap into that passion later, so make sure you don’t start off with an idea you are ambivalent about just because you think it’s what audiences want. Be courageous in this regard and it may surprise you just how infectious your enthusiasm for something can be. Not feeling passionate? Go do some exploring!
One caveat: If you are passionate about Puccini, Verdi, Mozart, etc. and there is already a major opera company in your area, you are going to be competing with some pretty big guns as far as press and publicity for your events. It might be difficult to convince local opera buffs that they should attend your “Puccini Gala” when they know they can hear imported international talent at the local opera house.
Still want to do Puccini? Consider giving it a twist. For example, I’ve read that opera karaoke is gaining popularity in a number of areas. Producing an “Opera Karaoke” night would certainly turn out the opera buffs and you’d get a chance to show off a little yourself. This leads us into the next point.
Be Topical, Be Different
At least until you have a few years behind you to establish some traditions, being different will go a long ways toward getting the eye of the press and the public. Putting on the standard academic recital might be educational both for the singer and the audience, but will probably not get any attention.
The first Vocal Works event, “Wicked Good,” was a Halloween benefit concert for the Shropshire Music Foundation (http://shropshirefoundation.org). When was the last time you attended or heard of a Halloween concert? Me? Never. Surprisingly, a large amount of literature fits this theme. I’ve always loved Halloween. Still, I felt rather guilty about producing something so frivolous. Because of this guilt (guilt can be good for you), I got the idea to make it a benefit. Voilà—the idea was instantly redeemed, and the concert was a big success.
Have a Mission in Your Name
Use those things you’re passionate about to focus your trajectory, keeping the ultimate destination in mind. The more focused and engaging the original idea, the more chance it has of success.
I have never been interested in producing a large show. “Small,” “portable,” and “doable” were the key words for what I wanted to accomplish. The production of The Other Wise Man would require six singers, a pianist, a couple of set pieces, and costumes, and be performed in small, intimate venues. I also wanted my production company to become more than just a vehicle to produce my own work. It needed to be open to producing new chamber operas by other composers. So, after discussing the options with a number of people, I decided to call the company New Opera Works (NOW). My area already has a big opera company that focuses on the standard repertoire. This name sets NOW apart from that and lets people know that NOW is about new opera.
Craft your mission into the name of your production company. It will let people know what you are about almost instantly. It will also keep you on course.
Build Your Support Group
Unless you intend to do a series of solo concerts with you as the singer, the pianist, and the ticket taker, you are going to need help. The first step is to decide the type of things you plan to manage yourself and those you are going to need help with. Having been in a number of opera productions and musicals, I knew most of what had to be done to make a show run smoothly (and what I didn’t know I could learn at the library). I felt confident I could take the directorial role and create many of the set pieces and props for The Other Wise Man myself. Mainly because of time constraints, I knew I was going to need help with many of the other aspects of the production.
It was not long before I had enlisted my entire first line of support (my close family) to fill key positions. I drafted my wife (who had no prior theater experience) as a stage manager. She also helped with many other items (fund raising, advertising, volunteer coordination, etc.). My mother became a costumer. (Yes, she could already sew.) The ranks of family are not always an option, however. Even if they are willing and capable, you may need to start working on building other contacts within the community. Also, depending on the type of production you are working on, you many need to hold auditions.
I needed to find six other performers besides myself for The Other Wise Man. Performing friends from my college days had all moved to other locations, so I couldn’t count on my personal network to fill the positions. I started the audition process for The Other Wise Man by placing a notice in Classical Singer under “Cooperative Productions” (a free service). I also put audition notices in the local newspapers (also free) and sent notices to the area universities. The most effective of these was the notice I put in Classical Singer. Those who responded were better prepared and more serious about what they were doing. Nevertheless, I did cast one singer who found out about the audition through an alternate route, so I recommend using all the resources available to reach potential singers.
Finding the pianist proved more difficult. The only pianist I knew and trusted was unavailable for the run of the show. I tried to use networking to lead me to a candidate, but after several dead ends (and time running out) I sent an e-mail to about 25 pianists I found through a local music teacher’s association website in my area. Two pianists who were well qualified responded. The first was truly an amazing pianist and agreed to work under the same cooperative terms that the singers had agreed: a share of the net box office receipts. The show was cast and the crew was ready.
Forge Community Alliances
Find out how your local arts council works and see if they can help you. If you are not in a major metropolitan area, you might be asked to serve on the arts council board or create an affiliate board. This is a good thing, it provides a chance to meet leaders of other arts organizations in the community and to collaborate on cross-spectrum arts events. I started a concert series for several reasons in addition to plans for staged productions. One of the most important was the opportunity it would provide to create this kind of mixed-genre art event.
The previously mentioned “Wicked Good” concert illustrates the power of this kind of collaboration. Through my city’s arts council I met the manager of the local children’s choir and proposed collaborating on this concert. They were interested. I also contacted the president of a local storyteller’s association (I found contact info on the Web). She was interested. This variety of material greatly enhanced the concert and our audience was far larger than it would have been if only one of the organizations had been involved. Everyone benefited, audience and performers alike.
Thinking Outside the Box
In a way, we all live in a little box that we must feed and take care of to keep going (our body). Everyone needs to have a healthy instinct for self-preservation and self-interest to maintain this box and keep it running. The box is very important. A producer, however, must also foster an attitude of self-sacrifice and think “outside the box” to be truly successful at maintaining an arts organization that lasts beyond one or two performances. People working in your group need to know you value them and value the things they are passionate about. Somewhere you’ll need to strike a balance between your dreams and the dreams of others. If you don’t, you may find no one will be willing to invest themselves in your dreams.
Here’s how I’ve incorporated this philosophy at Vocal Works. First, I’ve spearheaded a new recital series (through our arts council) that will make a space available to qualified professional singers in the community to present their recitals and concerts. Second, I’ve created a couple of opportunities for composers, including an international sacred art song composition competition in which local singers presented the finalists’ entries. This concert was recorded (available on our site), giving the composers as well as the singers valuable material for their portfolios.
You Can Do It (If You’ve a Mind to It)
I could say far more about the particulars and details of putting on a production (hall bookings, fund raising, etc.), but the important thing to know is that “you can do it if you’ve a mind to it.” Once you’ve decided, all it takes is endurance and a willingness to embrace serendipity, because good things you haven’t planned for will happen. Finding Beeching’s book, Beyond Talent, was serendipitous for me, a life-changing, unplanned event. Perhaps reading this article will be the same for you.
