The arrival of a new century is probably causing most of us to have moments of deep reflection about our direction individually and about the art and industry of classical singing. Two months ago, we began the topic of thinking differently. This month, we raise the topic of “Singer As Victim”—a role too many singers are willing to play in life as well as in art. A few examples:
Singers keep studying with famous teachers or coaches who are abusive. For example, one teacher has been known to scream, “You are so stupid! ” inches away from students’ faces. Yet they keep coming back, paying over $100 a lesson!
There is a discussion on the CS Forum about singers being fired from church jobs they have held for years with no notice or warning.
We have heard reports of singers in non-AGMA houses being forced to sing in unsafe conditions such as in a tent during a fierce lightning storm with electrical cords being run through several inches of standing water!
Some famous, and infamous, stage directors treat singers like chess players on a board, not allowing them to think or use their own artistic impulses and so singers give up trying.
We hear of singers being mocked, ignored or even fired for reporting safety hazards or severe allergies. Our website contains the full text of letters sent to us about summer programs referred to in this issue. Those letters contain a few amazing stories of singer abuse.
Can the union help? Currently, AGMA has standards for fewer than 90 paying singer venues, but there are over 1,700 singer venues just in America, not counting churches, temples and special events — to say nothing of pay-to-sing workshops, lessons and coaching. The union does not and cannot cover most of a singer’s work, study and life. As a result, there are few standards set and little recourse for singers to get help when things go wrong.
Or is there? There is still power available if singers will start thinking differently.
It is time singers reclaimed their personal and group power. The only reason abuse continues is that singers think of themselves as powerless and separate individuals — victims. They exhibit many of the characteristics of abused children and treat stage directors, teachers, coaches and general directors as abusive parent figures. When one “child” is being punished, the other “children” become silent and pretend the abuse isn’t happening. They may give sympathy to the abused singer later, but never allow the parent figure to see that happening for fear of the abuse falling upon them.
What is the impact of all this negativity? Children who are abused lose creativity, spontaneity, joy, the ability to concentrate, etc. Apply that to the art of classical singing and perhaps you have one of the reasons audiences are not being moved by many performances. Critics and audiences are complaining that singers sound and look the same. Perhaps many singers, like abused children, have learned to stop raising their heads above the crowd of conformity.
This pattern ends when people begin to act differently; they begin to change the culture. Some families have had help to do ”interventions ” where the family as a group confronts the abuser and insists on change. In more serious situations, they have to use legal means.
How could that work for singers? A singer being treated badly recognizes that he or she has the right to say, ”I’ll leave now and come back when you can speak in a calm manner. ” A cast, when seeing one person being abused, stands together and lets the authority figure know that they would all prefer a different approach. When faced with safety issues, the cast talks about it and decides to approach the administration with calm and rational alternatives. In rare cases, they may have to use legal means.
Singers say the classical singing culture can’t change because all singers are concerned only about themselves. Yet even the most self-centered singers are surely concerned about their careers. They should be able to see that it is imperative not just for their own well-being, but for our very art, to change this abusive culture for the whole group.
It is time that you—and the group ”you ”—begin to realize your value as a human being and as an artist.
