Dear Editor: By the time I call about auditions listed, I am often told the role is filled or deadline passed. Would it be possible to ask companies to be more honest about casting? Also, this aging thing is getting on my nerves. I think we have too many young singers in roles they don’t emotionally understand and then by the time they get to an age where they would be mature enough to sing the role, their voices are blown out.
Anonymous
Smithsburg, Maryland
Dear Editor: I like very much the new detailed questions and observations that Classical Singer is putting forth. It goes to real life and real professional questions. We need that in our business, as I’m sure you know.
Fred Martell
Via e-mail
Dear Editor: I always enjoy Dr. Jahn’s articles and found the most recent especially interesting [“That Morning Voice,” September 2010]. I would like to comment and offer up my own 25 years’ experience as an opera singer singing major roles in opera houses throughout North America and Europe.
I have never personally been fond of morning singing and do my best to avoid it even under normal circumstances. Dr. Jahn correctly suggests rest after a performance but then, later in the article, suggests singing in the morning to combat hoarseness and fatigue after a strenuous night. In my own experience, singing the morning after a performance of a major role or night of celebrating should be avoided.
Sometimes in the course of a career, one must sing under these conditions and, in those cases, arising as early as possible and hydrating the body and cords well by drinking a few glasses of water for at least 90 minutes before attempting any vocalizing should be a priority. Dehydration is a major factor in difficult morning singing, even during normal day-to-day singing. Upon awakening, the body has not had any consistent hydration for eight or so hours and the cords will not respond effectively until the muscles are hydrated properly.
I am a bass-baritone, and extra vocalization in middle and lower notes in the range and no forte or fortissimo singing will help warm the voice up optimally. I do not go near the head voice until I’ve sung for a considerable amount of time (20 minutes at least) throughout the middle and lower range. A lighter female voice might actually find extra time in head voice more helpful.
Any young singer will be able to bounce back fairly quickly from a long night of singing, but singing the following morning is not a pattern that will lead to healthy voice production over the long haul. Repeated late night partying or singing followed by morning singing is a recipe for disaster. I highly recommend not singing until the afternoon at the earliest and ideally not until the voice has rested for at least a full day.
David Langan
Hoboken, New Jersey
[Dear David: Thank you for your thoughtful comments. There is nothing like personal experience, and I appreciate your sharing them with us. I agree that ideally after a night of singing or carousing, voice rest is the best. The point of my article was to address the situation where a singer cannot rest the voice the following morning, due to a rehearsal or audition.
Your point regarding hydration is really key, and especially where alcohol the night before may have increased dehydration. So drinking several glasses of water before getting into that steamy shower and gently trying the voice would be an excellent idea. —Dr. Anthony F. Jahn]
Errata
In the September issue article “A State Secret No Longer” the photos on p. 74 should have been credited to Cory Weaver.
In the September issue article “The $50 Dollar Week: Acing Your Tuition Bills” it was stated that Joyce Castle attended Kansas State University. Castle actually attended the University of Kansas, where she is currently a professor of voice.
