Dear Editor: I have just finished reading “From Cancer to Carnegie Hall,” [August 2006] and loved what Ms. Hart had to say about vocal function and the building and rebuilding of the voice. I have a similar view of the voice and its function, and have also found great success in both my teaching and singing with such a concept. I did not have a health crisis, but I did have a crisis where my voice shut down and I had to find (with the help of my teacher) “another” way. I also have two students, age 40-plus, who are recovering from thyroid problems, and I have sent them the article.
Their voices were in exactly the state Ms. Hart describeda, with no “top,” and the old concepts they had established simply didn’t work. We went about strengthening and reworking the muscles responsible for the top of the voice and had great success.
Thank you for sharing Ms. Hart’s story.
—Anthony Radford, via e-mail
Dear Editor: I work at an institute in Houston that works with injured voices, and share all of [Victoria] Hart’s ideas and philosophies. I loved what she had to say about not confusing activity with result. I have also been quoting her explanation of work versus struggle. It was great to have these issues talked about by a successful singer who also has a passion for pedagogy. So often, the people I encounter seem to think it has to be one or the other.
—Tracy Rhodus, via e-mail
Dear Editor: Apropos “Who was Schubert’s ‘Erlkönig’?” [June, 2006], Schubert’s Erlkönig was a woman. If you look for the origins of the text, you will find that Herder’s poem was a mistranslation of a Danish folk poem, Hr. Oluf Rider (Master Oluf’s Ride). This is a very common theme in medieval folk poems: a young man about to get married rides out on the eve of his wedding—a very dangerous transition time—and encounters a female seductress of some kind. She hits him hard between his shoulders, because he resists her advances, so [hard] that he arrives at the door of his fiancée dying.
The siren is an “ellekone,” i.e. an elf woman, a woman from the elves, and you can see how quickly “ellekone” can become “Erlkönig.”
Now all the sexual ambiguity makes sense, doesn’t it?
—Henriette Lund, lecturer at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
Dear Editor: I think “Ask Erda” is a very lame title for that feature. Almost every singer
I know thinks that too. Can she not use her
real name?
—Name Withheld, Winnetka, Calif.
[Editor’s Note: The name “Erda” refers to the character from the Wagner operas Das Rheingold and Siegfried. Erda, the goddess of earth, possesses great wisdom and can see the future. In the course of the operas, Wotan, chief of the gods, asks and receives advice from her. Similarly, Cindy Sadler bestows her wisdom and insight on all CS readers who inquire. Cindy does use and has always used her real name, printed clearly at the beginning and again at the end of each article.
Ms. Sadler had this to say:
“I chose ‘Ask Erda’ because Erda was the first Wagner role I sang, and because she represents wisdom and compassion, two qualities I value highly and attempt to invoke in answering singers’ questions. I like the name, and I think it’s apt for a column that appears in a publication dedicated to classical singers, and I also think (and intended) it to be a little humorous. Clearly not everyone shares my idea of humor—and that’s fine! We’re all entitled to our own opinions.” —Cindy Sadler]
Dear Editor: I can’t bring myself to throw out any of my Classical Singer magazines. I’ve accumulated years’ worth. I appreciate that one can find past articles on your website. However, would you consider putting the information on CD? I wonder how many subscribers would be willing to purchase that. I know I would (and I could reduce some clutter in my house).
—Martha Lopez-Leschke, Sarasota, Fla.
Dear Editor: Most “forumites” seem to assume everyone is in New York [City]. When they mention an address, they don’t even say what city. Any chance we could have subforums for other major areas like the San Francisco Bay Area? —Name Withheld, Alameda, Calif.
Articles, Experiences, and Opinions Requested:
Upcoming Summer Programs Issue. Did you attend a summer program in 2006? Or would you like to read about specific summer programs? We want to hear from you! E-mail your experiences (good and bad!) to Senior Editor Sara Thomas at sara@classicalsinger.com. Other singers are making their plans for 2007, and your experiences can help us. E-mails must be received no later than Nov. 1, 2006.
Upcoming Family Issue. Are you a singer currently wearing the hat of mother or father along with your performer hat? Or would you like to read about certain parenting or other family-related topics? We want to hear from you! Tell us about the joys, tears,
struggles, and victories you’ve experienced combining family and career. CS is a magazine for singers by singers. Your experiences can help others, so send them today to sara@classicalsinger.com. Emails must be received no later than Dec. 1, 2006.
Errata:
Several listings contained incorrect information in the Voice Teacher’s Directory (August, 2006). Florida-based teacher Beverley Rinaldi’s correct phone number is 863-420-4767. Ohio-based teacher Paul Kroeger’s e-mail address is letgo2sing@yahoo.com. Brett R. Johnson was unfortunately left off of the list. He teaches in Massachusetts and his e-mail address is brettrj@comcast.net.
The Liederkranz Foundation ad on p. 111 (September, 2006) contained last year’s application form. Please see page 9 in this issue for the 2007 application form.
The top photo on p. 69 (September, 2006) incorrectly identified the singers in the photo. Jenny Rebecca Walker, Marissa Famigletti and Gideon Dabi instead appear in the bottom photo on the same page of Manhattan School of Music’s production of Lennox Berkeley’s A Dinner Engagement.
