Get Happy!
Dear CS: Your April editorial on unhappy singers touched a raw nerve in many of your readers, and I’m sure it will provoke much discussion. After having worked with and observed many hundreds of singers of all levels during the past 30-35 years, I should like to offer a few personal observations.
1. Happy singers can be found at all levels of our profession. Luckily, they are in the majority. These enviably sunny people take responsibility for where they are and what they do, and operate in a universe where they feel that they are usually choosing (i.e. in control of) their lives and circumstances. They simply always seem to function at a professional level, arriving well-prepared and on time for rehearsals, and maintaining a positive attitude about their work. They also have a keen sense of whom they should work with, both from a personal and a musical standpoint. For me, this represents 95% of the singers in the business.
2. A few unhappy singers can also be found at all levels, and this unhappiness can and usually does lead to poor judgment, lateness, lack of proper preparation, and social problems. Sadly, singers take the blame for their unhappiness, both from their colleagues and from authority figures. Desperation and insecurity can also lead to poor repertoire choices, poor environment choices (being able to choose who you work with is vital to a successful career), and lack of a finished quality to his/her singing.
Since we’re on the subject of what can be done, there are many choices for unhappy people: the difficulty is creating the motivation within oneself to commit and follow through on such a daunting path.
1. Self-discipline is vital, as is a total willingness to accept the life and talent God has given you.
2. Take responsibility for your current circumstances and ALWAYS operate on a professional level. That way, when somebody else doesn’t, you can pat yourself on the back.
3. If your unhappiness is interfering with your ability to function (chronic lateness, lack of preparation), or you’re suffering from insecurity that may be affecting your ability to sing, try seeking counseling and investigate anti-depressants. They could save your life. Stress can kill. Studies show that 25-30% of the general population suffers from some sort of treatable social impairment, so it’s no stigma. It’s biology.
4. Examine your behavior carefully. Bitterness is caused by unfulfilled expectations. Perhaps a re-examination of your earlier decisions about what to expect in your life can lead to an easing of this unnecessary burden. Remember that God put us here to learn lessons, and blaming the world for not making you a millionaire or a Met star can only create more misery.
5. Abusive situations (whether personal or professional) are to be avoided at all costs. I have known half a dozen world-class singers who simply lost their confidence and their voices due to psychological fallout from abusive partners. Also, singing in a company with an abusive stage director, conductor. or any member of the staff is OUT. Singing somewhere just because you need to sing and it’s the only offer is not a good decision.
The above is hardly an exhaustive treatment of the subject, but I sincerely hope that some of these ideas will find their way into print. Unhappiness and bitterness is a vital issue for many performers: I can only hope that these few ideas can offer some motivation for those who suffer to do something positive, rather than continue to suffer their negative feelings. Thanks for listening.
—Name withheld by request
Exhaustive or not, your excellent letter provides more than enough good ideas to get any unhappy singer set on a path of self-examination and discovery. Thank you for sharing. —Ed.
When Too Much is Not Enough
Dear CS: I am from Naples, Italy, and I have been one of your subscribers for several years. I’ve read your March issue with interest, but I found something I would like to bring to your attention.
In the interview with Maestro Rizzi there is a quote mentioning an old Italian saying meaning “too much is too much” (very appropriate meaning, actually). The Italian was badly misspelled in “troppo es tropia”, which doesn’t mean anything in Italian. And, on top of that, it looks like Spanish, which is pretty offensive for an Italian reader as a proof of lack of care for our language, too often confused with Spanish. In any case the right spelling is: IL TROPPO STROPPIA.
The other Italian quote, “porgere la voce,” was spelled correctly. Having said that, I’d like to add that I like your magazine and I wish there were something like it in Italy too. Although we have a great tradition in opera, we have a very bad specialized press. (We only have a pretentious magazine called L’Opera, which is filled with insults to singers written by strange critics.) So, continuate cosi’, che’ siete bravissimi!
—All the best, Marco Nistico
While one out of two isn’t bad for baseball, it isn’t good enough for a magazine. We wish we had known to ask you about Maestro Rizzi’s quotation. He had gone back to Italy, and we couldn’t find this slang expression in any of our sources. It suits many occasions, however, and now that you have set us straight as to its proper spelling, we use it often here in the offices of CS when too much gets to be too much. Thanks for your help.—Ed.
Dear CS: As always, I look forward to the next issue. I always learn so much, and when I am feeling very alone as a singer in the middle of farmland, the magazine inspires me to be faithful to my calling and not get a job at K-Mart.
—Thanks, Kay Raplenovich
Dear CS: I have watched your growth with mixed feelings. The professional appearance and writing are welcome, but I am uneasy about CS becoming an Opera News clone!
—Name Withheld
We aim always to be there for you. And don’t worry, CS is not becoming a clone of anything. We are unique, created out of the whole cloth for a specific purpose. We will continue to provide a singer’s perspective to this grand art. —Ed.
