At last year’s Classical Singer Convention in Boston in May, I was assigned to work at the registration desk, checking singers and presenters in, giving them their convention packets and nametags, and answering questions. I loved this assignment for the same reason I love these yearly conventions. It gave me the opportunity to put faces with names of magazine subscribers, writers, presenters, and more.
Two such singers came to the registration desk in Boston that first day. They were local Boston singers, husband and wife, attending the convention together. Brian Landry introduced himself first—and as he shook my hand, he told me how much he enjoyed reading my “From the Editor” column each month. Then he introduced me to his wife, Ana Maria Ugarte. She was the first of four sight-impaired singers I would meet at that convention.
As I continued to cross paths with Landry and Ugarte over the remaining days of the convention—attending classes and singing in the competition—I was struck by the same thing that overwhelmed me when reading this month’s feature article on the two (p. 38). These two love each other. They love their family. And they love singing.
Loving all of those things has required Landry and Ugarte to make difficult choices. They have had to sacrifice some of what they love (being away from home too often or too long for singing gigs) to better serve those they love (each other and their two boys). And the result? Ugarte happily declares that she has “won the universe’s lottery.”
Piotr Beczala, featured in this month’s cover story (p. 22), and his wife, Katarzyna, have also made sacrifices for their family and careers. The two have been traveling together for over two decades because his wife decided to give up a very promising singing career to be with her husband. The two have found a work/life balance and personal stability that many only dream of. Beczala credits that balance and stability for much of his singing success.
The February 2016 issue of CS featured soprano Anne-Carolyn Bird and her husband Matthew Burns. The two were traveling the country with their two young children pursuing their operatic careers. This past year, after their oldest son expressed the need for the same home to always return to, the couple realized it was time for a change. Find out how they intentionally changed career paths to accommodate the evolving needs of their family (p. 18).
This issue also includes another kind of love story—love that saved an opera company (p. 32). When the beloved Amato Opera announced it was closing, singers rallied, worked, and sacrificed to keep the company alive. And, thus, Amore Opera was born. With a new name but the same passion and zeal for the art form, Amore Opera continues to give singers and audience members tremendous opportunities to revel in opera.
Be sure to also check out Claudia Friedlander’s musings on the paradoxes of the audition scene (p. 14)—including how the perils of auditioning can make us forget about our love of singing and say and do foolish things. And then read up on a recent book that discusses how yoga and singing technique go together in “The Singer’s Library: Matters of the Heart” (p. 44)—the perfect title for a February read.
Love and sacrifice so often go hand in hand. And as Beczala, Bird, Ugarte, and Landry attest, sacrificing for love of family and art can bring real joy and balance to our lives.
