A quick glance at the table of contents in Opera Coaching: Professional Techniques and Considerations, by Alan Montgomery (Routledge, 2006), shows not only how much the operatic community has been in need of a book with this information, but also how applicable this recent release is for everyone involved with any element of opera production. Opera coach Alan Montgomery’s book is focused towards pianists who are coaches or are considering becoming coaches, but it is a worthwhile read for singers, conductors, and stage managers. It enlightens so many aspects of this wonderfully rich but too-often-misunderstood field.
One of the most appealing aspects of this 200-page volume is its smooth conversational style and reader-friendly format. Montgomery chose musical examples from the most common operas so that even readers with only a basic knowledge of opera can quickly gain valuable insight with little outside score study.
“Opera Coaching” is divided into two large parts: “Techniques” and “Considerations.” Part I examines both the general aspects and the more peripheral concerns of a coach’s duties. It covers topics such as how to study and mark a score for rehearsal, and how to deal with various types of recitative, in a clear and concise way. With a style both pragmatic and sprinkled with touches of humor, Montgomery tackles some of the more difficult and thorny aspects of coaching in chapters titled, “Planning Coaching Sessions, Playing Staging Rehearsals, and Following a Conductor,” and “Dealing with the Diva/Divo.” Other sections on how to prepare singers for auditions, and a particularly enlightening chapter by stage director Victoria Vaughan, are excellent and informative for almost anyone associated with opera production or performance.
For any vocal coach, the question of how to approach technical vocal concerns in coaching sessions—in a way that is beneficial but not confusing or disconcerting to singers—is often paramount. Montgomery addresses this issue with ease and clarity, frequently stressing the great importance to a coach of mastering every element of the language and style, and of using correct diction and pronunciation as the initial basis for healthy singing and communication. He also encourages coaches to understand as much as possible about vocal technique so they can connect with singers via an effective vocabulary of terms. Ultimately, he concludes that, “The goal is to discover what technique is all about and to learn terminology the coach may use when dealing with a singer out of the teacher’s studio.” (p. 19)
Part II is a group of brief chapters, each of which discusses a different style period or group of opera composers. In a book of this length going into great detail is not possible, but informative sections—ranging from “Baroque Opera to Mozart” to “Mussorgsky and the Russians”—covers at least briefly some of the major concerns for a coach in this extremely vast repertoire. In addition to addressing some of the issues involved with physically playing some of the more complex scores on the piano, Montgomery also works in many valuable nuggets of information about the various composers’ treatment of language, improvisation, optional cadenzas, straight-tone singing, and other bits of musical wisdom that come from his long career as a coach and educator.
The appendices are some of the most valuable aspects of this book. Appendix A includes a list of arias divided by Fach—useful not only for the coach as a repertoire advisor for singers, but also as a resource for arias coaches are likely to encounter in auditions settings. Appendix B is a listing of many different editions of opera scores. It includes editions to be avoided, and the strengths and weaknesses of many of the most common published opera volumes.
Appendix C, “Favorite Catch Phrases,” is a list of 10 phrases that a coach commonly hears or might want to use in various scenarios. Montgomery addresses these common issues—some of them a bit humorous—in his pleasant and pragmatic prose, providing exceedingly practical bits of advice.
If you are a vocal coach or collaborative pianist in higher education, you might find this book useful as either a textbook or reference book for a graduate-level class such as “Techniques of Vocal Coaching,” or for advanced classes in accompanying singers. If you are one of the many pianists, singers, stage directors, or opera lovers who wish to understand more fully the myriad of responsibilities and skills necessary to be an effective coach, pick up this short book and settle in for an informative and revealing read about the challenges and joys of this exciting career.
