I had occasion recently to pick up a trade magazine for lawyers. I’m always intrigued to see another magazine, so I opened the issue with interest. As I glanced through the table of contents, I was surprised to see articles on the exact topics of articles slated for this month’s issue of Classical Singer. Singing and lawyering seem to me about as unrelated as baseball and Bach, and yet the theme of that issue exactly paralleled the theme of the CS issue I was in the process of editing.
What could have such an effect on both lawyers and singers that two vastly different trade magazines would unexpectedly feature similar approaches to the same subject? Substance abuse—an issue that transcends the boundaries of race, class, age, and profession.
Substance abuse adversely affects—and very often destroys—the lives of those who choose to go down that path, but for singers the issue is even more complex. Whatever we put in our bodies affects our instrument—our livelihood—because we are our instruments. Addiction can hurt or destroy the body; the body houses the voice; and the voice allows a singer to be just that: a singer.
Addiction also takes control of your mind, robbing you of the ability to reason. You are at the mercy of your addiction, and it takes control. Singing requires control of your mind so you can send the correct messages to your instrument. The mind houses the songs, the languages, the technique, the staging, the interpretation—all of the skills singers spend years honing, collecting, and developing. If your mind is clouded, your instrument simply can’t work as well.
Describing his own victory over addiction, baritone Mark Delevan put it this way in the December 2000 issue of CS: “Any form of addiction—whether it be work, alcohol, drugs, sex, pornography, codependence, relationships—any kind of addiction, is going to be destructive to the creative forces that lie within us all. No matter what we believe, what we worship, if one is involved in any kind of addictive behavior, it puts a real block in the creative process. I had to come to grips with that.”
Coming to grips with addiction is a long process. Some naively think that it’s simply a matter of self-control. If self-control were simply something bestowed on each of us, husbands wouldn’t cheat on their wives, nor wives on their husbands, and obesity and credit card debt wouldn’t be national issues. Gaining self-control is a process that takes time, effort—and often, outside help. Overcoming addiction takes more than just will power, although that too is required.
Because any type of addiction thrives on secrecy and denial, the first step to change is openly admitting you have a problem. As hard as that can be, Metropolitan Opera soprano Andrea Gruber and baritone Charles Taylor have done just that. Both spoke candidly with CS’ Maria Nockin about their battle with and victory over addiction. After hitting rock bottom, they reached for help. Now, with years of sobriety behind them and nothing but success on the horizon, they continue to speak out about the dangers of substance abuse.
In addition, we polled our readers with a series of questions about substance abuse, and they weighed in with stories of how substance abuse has affected their lives and careers, and how they have overcome the bonds of addiction. Meredith Kennedy collected the responses from readers. She discusses the effects alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes can have on the voice. Free of judgment or condemnation, the article provides an open discussion of the realities of addiction in the hopes that those struggling with it will recognize that they can find a way out.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, we hope this issue will help you better understand the problem, recognize you’re not alone, and give you the strength and courage to reach for help.
