It is often said that music is a universal language. Few would argue, however, that music is a universal culture—especially not singers who have lived and worked overseas. These singers know that successful international careers require not only high levels of vocal artistry, but also high levels of cross-cultural competence.
Awareness
How does one develop cross-cultural competence? The first basic step is to recognize that despite globalization, significant differences among cultures persist and that “different” doesn’t equate to “wrong.”
The experiences of bass-baritone Davone Tines, who was involved in a production of La bohème in Oman, attest to the extent of such differences. “Originally [Musetta] was to lift her skirt to reveal her thigh, but due to strictures about body exposure, the direction was changed to revealing only her ankle,” he recalls. “We were all quite surprised on opening night when the audience very audibly gasped at the sight of just her ankle—who knows what the original staging would have caused!”
Oman may seem very far removed from the U.S. from a cultural standpoint, but there are also significant cultural differences between the U.S. and countries that are far more familiar to singers. “Sometimes the fundamental bedrock of the way people think is drastically different,” notes soprano Julia Katherine Walsh of her experiences in European countries.
Even a shared language is no guarantee of cultural similarity. Mezzo Laura Virella, who spent seven months in Germany and Austria in 2012, says it surprised her to see marked differences between Germans and Austrians. As for the United States and the United Kingdom, the famous saying (attributed variously to Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw) is that they are “two nations separated by a common language.” There are even striking cultural differences within the same country, as anyone who has visited New York City and Los Angeles, Milan and Naples, or Munich and Berlin can confirm.
What are some of the key areas of difference among cultures that singers should anticipate? Perhaps the main differentiator is an orientation toward rules versus relationships. This issue arises repeatedly in the work of Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner, who wrote Riding the Waves of Culture. Some of the distinctions that arise in their cultural analyses are
1) the willingness (or lack thereof) to bend rules for friends and family members, 2) the degree to which relationships affect business—in some cultures they are a prerequisite for doing business, and 3) the emphasis on who you are versus what you’ve accomplished.
Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner also identify significant variances in the ways people display emotion, perceive time, and view themselves in relation to their environment and community (individual versus group).
Such differences manifest themselves in communication styles. Edward T. Hall distinguishes between high-context and low-context communication styles in his book Beyond Culture. In low-context communications, what you say is what you mean. In high-context communications, the meaning of the message is in the way it is conveyed. In some high-context cultures, for example, it is considered rude to say “no.” Declining an invitation is communicated indirectly.
How does the United States fare on the high-context/low-context spectrum? It is comparatively low-context, but not the lowest. A cross-cultural trainer who married a man from the Netherlands recalls her mother-in-law telling the couple that they were too young to get married. The woman immediately assumed, “My mother-in-law hates me!” Subsequently, she realized that her mother-in-law was simply stating her opinion, without hidden meanings.
The British, on the other hand, are typically higher-context communicators than Americans. An American soprano who lived in the United Kingdom for a year observes that the British are “not used to being very direct in their comments to you, so you’re never quite sure if they mean what they say.”
Clearly, the use of such models requires generalizations that could be considered stereotypes. That said, the models provide a useful foundation for navigating cultural differences.
Preparation, Part I
Are you expected to become an expert on these cultural models? No. On the other hand, you are expected to anticipate cultural differences with as much objectivity as possible. The next step is to learn about the specific cultures you will encounter when you travel or work abroad. “Familiarize yourself with the customs and manners of the country you will be living in,” soprano Kathryn Minicozzi advises. “For example, if it is customary for people to take a long mid-day rest, don’t use that free time to practice your vocalises!”
Soprano Pamela Coburn, who lived in Germany for 18 years, agrees with this view. “If singers work and live in other countries, they need to be mindful of and respectful of other countries’ way of life,” she says.
Even if you are in a country for a short-term performance opportunity, it is still useful to learn about the country’s culture. “What is the general attitude of the people? What is different about how they view life?” Tines suggests singers ask. “These are tough questions, but getting a sense of the flavor of the people helps provide a foundation for your performance—you can make some choices as to how to play to or against the standards you find.”
It is easier than ever to learn about customs in other countries. Thanks to the Web and social media, singers can learn about cultures from other singers who have lived and worked in them. There are plenty of helpful guides available, including the book Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands (by Morrison and Conaway) and the Culture Shock! Series books, among others. If you’re going overseas, the Web, the library, and your bookstore are your friends.
Musical Culture
Singers should also strive to learn about the musical cultures they will encounter overseas. The soprano who lived and worked in the United Kingdom notes that “bigger voices there just have no chance, and smaller voices are encouraged to sing bigger roles than they would ever be allowed to sing on a U.S. stage.”
“Germany and Austria are more interested in what you have to say as a complete artist than on technical perfection,” observes Virella. “Technical abilities are still extremely important, but only as a means to express, not as an end in themselves.”
Soprano Valerie Girard, who has worked in Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy—and who runs the Casentino Voice summer program in Italy—was struck in Germany by “the attention and support for the arts from the general public as well as from the government.” Of her first Fest contract there (with National Theatre Mannheim), she appreciated the “luxury” of six weeks of rehearsal time for productions, both new ones and revivals.
Luciano Lamonarca, an Italian tenor who performs regularly in the United States, has experienced some key differences in the expectations of Italians and Americans. He points to “the multitude of tasks singers [in the U.S.] are often called to undertake: first, they are called upon to sing many different kinds of musical genres. Then, the artist is often asked to do too many things at once: sing, dance, act. . . . In consequence, the voice and the singing technique suffer, and it goes against the real classical way of doing art. As an example, we have never heard Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Mario del Monaco, or Franco Corelli singing pop songs instead of opera!”
On the plus side, Lamonarca says he was surprised to learn “how many people are in love with opera and the Italian Bel Canto outside Italy, especially in the United States.” Indeed, he sometimes feels that “people [in the U.S.] appreciate opera more than [Italians], who might happen to be saturated by centuries of greatness in this field.”
Soprano Jennifer Rowley—who has worked in Italy, Finland, Norway, China, the U.K., and Argentina—also has encountered positive receptions outside of her native land. “In the last three gigs I have done overseas, the audiences and fans were on board and supportive before I even arrived at the theatre,” she says. “[Fans] want to know you; they want to support you. And that is so refreshing. Fans in the U.S. are always amazing, but overseas, opera is so big and the countries/cities are so much smaller—one really does feel like a celebrity.”
Preparation, Part II
After researching the cultures that you will encounter, you should prepare yourself mentally for your experience by cultivating an open-minded attitude. “Be flexible,” exhorts mezzo Suzanne Vinnik, who was a member of the Renata Scotto Opera Studio at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia from 2009-2010. “Everything will go wrong, and it’s normal.” In Virella’s opinion, “if you go in with an understanding that this is an adventure, expecting everything to be new and different, then you will not be shocked by the cultural experience.”
Once you’re overseas, immerse yourself in the new culture. “Mingle and try to understand the mentality and sensibilities of those around you,” says Girard. “Don’t hang out just with Americans!”
Mingling often involves the use of a second language. Coburn advises singers to avoid the attitude of “typical” Americans, who sometimes “feel that everyone in the world should speak English.” “Try to speak the language even if people laugh,” says Vinnik. “Litter every item in your house with a post-it with the word in the language you are attempting.”
Knowledge of a second language common in opera can be helpful in any case. “No matter what the mix of singers, Italian is usually at least a common bond for everyone,” says Curt Pajer, the music director of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s opera program and a member of the music staff at San Francisco Opera. “I worked for a number of seasons as the head of the music staff at the Wexford Festival in Ireland, which hires singers literally from all over the world. The rehearsals often sounded like the Tower of Babel, but Italian (and to some extent German) can usually get you by.”
Rowley’s experiences support this view. She recalls a production in Finland “where the conductor was German, the director was French, and the singers were American, Spanish, Italian, Finnish, and Korean. Among the cast, Italian seemed to be the most commonly known language, so when on stage with non-American singers, Italian was the language we used.”
Not surprisingly, Rowley finds that “the greatest challenge when working as a guest overseas is almost always language.” She continues: “You really do need a second language to get by in Europe. If you are auditioning for a Fest contract in Germany, you need to speak German. If you are going on an audition and you speak the language, even at an intermediate level, use it! Your audition starts when you walk in the door, so if you walk into a house in Italy, say hello and introduce yourself in Italian. The courtesy goes a long way.”
In regard to stage work, she advises: “If you don’t speak the language fluently, it is OK. Have a basic understanding of stage direction—right and left, up and down, go here and go there, and so on. You will be so much happier working. I promise!”
Ongoing Adjustment
No matter how much you research a country’s habits, master its language, and immerse yourself in its culture, you will probably find that surprises await you. If you commit a faux pas, don’t beat yourself up about it. Otherwise, you may find yourself expending too much energy on questions such as those which anthropologist Douglas Raybeck enumerates in his book Mad Dogs, Englishmen, and the Errant Anthropologist: “People smile. Why did they smile? Are they simply being friendly, or did I do something foolish? Should I smile back? How long? How broadly? Am I too concerned about this?”
Suffice it to say, you’ll probably do something foolish at some point during your experiences abroad. Learn from it and move on. If you’re interested in moving abroad or planning an overseas audition tour, follow the advice of Virella: “There will never be a moment in which you’ll feel prepared. You just have to do it and roll with the punches. But you also have to understand that the experience is aimed to enrich you as a person and as an artist. Do not measure your success by how many contracts you were able to secure. Measure your success by how much you’ve grown.”
