June of 2005 marked the twelfth biennial BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in Cardiff, Wales. Founded in 1983, the competition has fast become one of the most prestigious awards in the music industry, with a first prize of £10,000 (approximately $17,400 U.S.) plus engagements with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National Opera.
In 2005, judges selected 507 singers from more than 700 applicants for the preliminary round of the competition, which took place in 39 locations worldwide. Twenty-five singers and three alternates were then selected for a week of competition rounds in Cardiff, where singers competed for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World prize. In addition to the Singer of the World, or “main” competition, singers could also enter the Rosenblatt Recital Song competition.
The main competition begins with five preliminary concerts, with five singers appearing in each concert. The five singers with the highest overall marks from the five concerts then advance to the final round. A full orchestra accompanies the singers in both rounds. Each singer has 15 to 17 minutes to present the selections of his or her choice from the complete recital of repertoire submitted with the application.
The Rosenblatt Recital Song competition runs the same week as the main competition. It also consists of two rounds—a round of five preliminary concerts with five singers in each, and a final round. Singers must compete in the main competition to compete in the Rosenblatt Song competition, but are not required to do both.
Chicago native Nicole Cabell advanced to the final rounds of both competitions. This meant singing four concert/recital rounds in seven days. She showed her true mettle, withstanding the intense pressure of what one critic called “a testing week” and “survival of the fittest.” (Fairman, Richard. Financial Times June 2005.) Her careful preparation and flawless technique paid off when she triumphed as the first American ever to win the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.
Ms. Cabell took a moment to speak with CS by phone in early February from Palm Beach, Fla., where she was rehearsing the role of Pamina in The Magic Flute.
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Panorama City, Calif., and grew up in Ventura, north of Los Angeles. I have lived most of my life in the LA area. No one in my family plays or sings classical music and most of my relatives are more interested in popular songs. Where my interest in opera came from is a complete mystery, since I was not raised with it at all.
I began to study voice at the age of 16, though, and before that, I had played the flute in school, so I had a rudimentary knowledge of theory and some idea of how to read music.
It is so very important to keep music in the schools. I always remind people that there are far more jobs in music than in sports. You need music for a well-rounded education.
Where did you go to college?
I went to The Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. It was truly the best place I could have gone, because it was not intimidating. If the pressure of a school is too great, you can get to the point where you don’t want to sing any more! Sometimes talented high school graduates go to famous schools and have to work so hard to keep up with the competition that they no longer enjoy singing. It’s so much better to go where you are supported and learn to sing in a healthy atmosphere.
My first teachers in California were Linda Sorisio and her husband, Vincent, who is a coach. They gave me a base, a foundation. At Eastman, I studied with John Maloy. He was wonderful. He taught me interpretation and German diction. He had sung in Germany for decades, so his German was impeccable. I also attended a couple of summer institutes while I was at Eastman, and from them I gained some technical insight.
In 2000 and 2001, I studied with Marlena Malas at Chautauqua. I started graduate school at Juilliard, but that was not to be. After three days I got the call to go to Lyric Opera Center for American Artists in Chicago. There I began to work with Gianna Rolandi, who is still my voice teacher.
How do you know when you have the right teacher?
That can be tricky. I don’t think you do know right away. If you have a great rapport with someone on a personal level and you’re able to communicate with that person, you can get a lot done. The student must be able to ask questions and the teacher must be able to respond in a way that can easily be understood. The pupil has to “get” it.
The most important thing for me was that Gianna got me to do everything in a painless way. I also liked the fact that she did not make impossible promises. Some people tell you that they will make your voice bigger in two weeks, for example—and you know that’s not going to happen.
Gianna teaches me healthy Italianate singing. She teaches placement and breathing. She was a stickler for accuracy and I love the fact that she made me do things correctly. It was what I needed. When I needed someone to push me, she did. She was never intimidating, however, and we have always gotten along well, both personally and professionally. I still study with her.
In my humble opinion, you always need a teacher because you really can’t hear yourself properly. You need another person whom you trust to listen to you.
What contests have you won?
I won Palm Beach Opera’s Vocal Competition in 2003. We had wonderful singers that year and I am greatly honored to have received first prize. I have also won three competitions for Chicago-area singers that are hosted by The Musicians Club of Women, The Union League [Club] and the American Opera Society. Those organizations offer wonderful opportunities that allow everyone in the city to get to know the singers they present. Since I was fortunate enough to win all three, it enabled me to establish myself in a city whose musical identity is second only to New York.
I really did not enter that many competitions, because I tried to stick to the ones that suited my ability. I made the semifinals in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, but after that, it just wasn’t my day. Not winning the MONCA did not set me back very much, however, because a few months later, I was in Cardiff, Wales, where I did win. That solved my self-confidence problem!
Contests can be nerve-wracking experiences. They are not natural, so it’s hard to maintain your musicality and your love of singing under the circumstances. In Cardiff, I performed for an audience, which, I think, is what I do best. Each round felt like a performance instead of an audition. At most competitions, you sing for only four or five people, who are there to count your mistakes. The only way you can prepare for any of this is to prepare for a performance, anyway.
Whether you are singing a performance or an audition, you have to concentrate on moving your listeners emotionally, rather than on singing perfectly. If you get your message across, you might get away with one tiny slip of intonation. Audiences never favor a perfect singer who does not move them.
What do you do to prepare for a competition?
I try not to talk the day before, because it’s hard on the voice, harder than singing. I also stay away from any spicy or acidic foods that can cause stomach problems, and avoid dairy foods that can increase phlegm. I know people who stay away from tomato products, even though they don’t have serious reflux problems, but some of that can be overkill. You are most certainly not doing yourself a favor if you make yourself nervous about everything.
What did you wear for the BBC?
I had to pack for a two-week audition tour as well as for the competition, so I was limited. I needed four different outfits for Cardiff, so the practical answer was to keep everything simple. That’s my style, too. I really don’t want anyone concentrating on my clothing instead of my interpretation. There has to be a fine balance.
How committed do you have to be to your text?
You have to be completely committed to interpreting your words, and that becomes harder when the music is difficult. There are times when you have to lessen the level of difficulty of the pieces you perform so that you can concentrate on getting the meaning of the lyrics across. Of course, beautiful singing is important, but so is making sure the words are understood and their meaning is fully conveyed. You have to act with your face and, to some degree, with your hands. Sometimes, when you’re in the character you cannot help but act!
Do certain selections seem to be winners?
I don’t think there are “winning pieces.” My music was very unusual and there were some comments made about my choices. For the preliminary round, I sang pieces that everybody knows, but after that, I sang less familiar music. I wanted to show that I am a versatile artist interested in different types of music. Although there are audience favorites, I don’t think it matters very much what pieces you sing. You just have to sing them well!
The repertoire does a great deal to engage the audience. The average listener responds to music that’s loud or fast or high, but you have to do a lot more to please the judges. Winning has an “X factor,” too, of course. Vocal color, having a distinctive sound and the ability to reach people emotionally are all part of the package. You have to give them something out of the ordinary, not just a perfect performance.
What are the differences between American and British competitions?
The BBC competition was wonderful because it was telecast at prime time on Sunday evening. You don’t get that exposure in the States. People are more interested in classical music in the U.K., so millions of folks get to see you. When I won the competition, the BBC, which is a media machine, sent some 70 or 80 press releases to various kinds of publications all over the world.
Did you get to talk to the judges about your performance?
I did, but most of the time for feedback went to the singers who did not move on to the next level. They were told what they needed to do to improve. It was very important for them to get constructive criticism from the judges.
What do you expect to be singing in the future?
Right now, I sing the light lyric repertoire, but some time in the next decade I expect to start learning full-scaled lyric roles.
What are the differences between the audition process in Europe and in the United States?
I auditioned in four French-speaking houses and found conditions much the same as in the U.S. I wore simple, but not totally conservative, clothing. I think auditioning singers should wear basic outfits that are becoming to them and be sure to have repertoire in the language of that country.
Do you have much of a social life?
Prior to the Cardiff competition I had enough work and some time to socialize. Now I’m away from home 11 months of the year. When you have a singing career, your social life is compromised, but if you have a few good friends at home, you can keep in touch while you meet wonderful people on the road.
Are you married?
No, I’m single, but it is my intention to find someone with whom to raise a real family. I don’t want a nanny bringing up my family. I definitely want to have it all. The good thing is that as a working professional you do meet a great many people. Hopefully, I’ll meet the right person and he will completely understand how this career works. As you get a bit older, you can say where you want to work and how much you want to do. I intend to establish my career first and then have children.
Have you had to perform when you are not feeling well?
Yes, I think that when you feel ill you have to concentrate twice as much on your technique. If you are really tired or have a head cold, it’s your technique that gets you through. I had to sing my Paris audition after two weeks of carrying my luggage up and down stairs, through airports and train stations. I could barely speak, but I had to sing, and I did.
What are your plans for the future?
This summer I will be Juliette at the Spoleto Festival USA, I will sing selections from the Great American Songbook at Ravinia, and I will do Benjamin Britten’s Les Illuminations at a BBC Proms Concert in London. I also have a pops concert in St. Louis coming up. Next season I will perform in La Juive at Covent Garden and L’elisir d’amore in France, at Montpellier.
Have you made any recordings?
Last Christmas I made a recording of arias, including the Tippett [“How can I cherish my man in such days?” from A Child of Our Time, by Michael Tippett], with Sir Andrew Davis for Decca. It should be out in the U.S. sometime next August.
