The Important Questions
Germany, and the rest of German-speaking Europe, has long been considered a desirable destination for the singers of the world looking for work. Boasting more than 80 publicly funded theaters, Germany feels like the natural choice for those in the early stages of a singing career and looking for experience, or those looking for a more stable and consistent lifestyle within the industry. If you have decided to try your luck in the German market, here are some important questions you can ask yourself when considering your move.
Should I? Or shouldn’t I?
Moving abroad, especially without an existing contract, is not for the faint of heart. It can be expensive and risky, and even with so many theaters to choose from, there are never any guarantees. The market is still incredibly competitive, and presenting a polished and prepared product is absolutely necessary for success at any level. As a fellow ex-pat singer said to me recently, no one in Germany is just sitting around waiting for you to appear. The pool of artists looking for work is still far larger than the number of jobs available. But if you ask yourself some important questions, and come prepared to the market, there are many possible ways for you to fit in and find your place.
The first question to ask yourself, is “Why?” What is the motivation behind this move? What kinds of opportunities are you interested in? Are you looking for the stability afforded by a Fest contract or a permanent chorus job? Or do you want to be a freelance soloist? Are you excited by the idea of living in a new country and experiencing a new lifestyle? Are you willing and able to take a lot of “no’s” before you hear a possible “yes”? Can you support yourself financially while you look for work?
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If you answered yes to some of these questions, and have decided that a new beginning sounds like an exciting adventure, then prepare yourself to put in the work. It is important to understand that a move to Germany is not a quick fix to a career that isn’t going well elsewhere in the world. Leaving friends and family behind to start a new life elsewhere is not an easy path, even if the employment is already in place. If you need to build your new life from the ground up, you will need to fully embrace the uncertainty. Try to come with an open mind about how you can grow your path forward.
When should I come? For how long?
There are essentially two options here. The first is to come for a short time to feel out the market, and try to make some connections and receive feedback. The second is to come with the intention of making the move permanent. Many people choose to try out the first idea, before doing the second. If this is financially feasible, it can be a good idea. Americans and Canadians can currently stay in Germany (or any Schengen Zone country) for 90 days in any 180-day period, so this would be the maximum stay without applying for a residence permit. A 3-month stay is enough to begin to get an idea of the level of interest from agencies and theaters, and get valuable feedback and insight into the differences between the industry in Germany and in North America. It could also afford an opportunity to polish some German language skills in person and to decide if a European lifestyle might agree with you long-term. There are, of course, drawbacks to this plan. With a shorter stay, there is less time for any agents you might sing for to send you out on auditions for theaters. And in fact, knowing that you are not in Germany permanently may make them hesitant to work with you at all until you have settled there.
If you are ready to try for a permanent change, the old wisdom was that November and December were the best time to come. This is based on the fact that singers with Fest or full-time contracts have until the end of October to inform the theater whether they will return for the following season, and the theaters are then aware of their vacancies for the next year. This information is still true, but in my experience, auditions take place on a rolling basis throughout the season, sometimes even for nearly immediate openings.
If you need to start by singing for agents, try to do that early in the season so that they are aware of you already when the season gets rolling and they begin to hear of vacancies. There may not be a definitive part of the season where most auditions for theaters happen, but there are times when there tends to be a bit less going on. August and early-mid September are usually quiet, as the focus is on getting the season up and going. Around the Christmas holiday, until about mid-January the theaters are performing but many administrators will be out of the office. And at the end of the season, late June and July, things quiet down leading up to the summer pause.
When deciding on how long to come, consider how you will support yourself, if it takes a long time to find work. Applying for a permit to stay longer than 90 days in Germany is possible without having yet found steady work, but it will be important for the government to see that you have the funds to support yourself while building your career to a sustainable level.
Where can I stay?
If your stay is to be a short one—three months or less—it is not so important to find one place to land. You might travel around depending on your audition schedule, or try out several different cities over the course of your stay to feel out different parts of the country. If you make the trip with plans to stay, the sooner you can find “permanent” housing, the better. Before you can do much of anything in Germany to set up your new life, apply for a visa, open a bank account, etc., you will need to register your address with the German Government. This registration is called an Anmeldung. So, if you intend to stay and settle, look for rentals where an Anmeldung is possible, even if it is for a short-term rental.
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Should I speak German?
The short answer is, yes. However, it is absolutely not important that it be perfect. What is most important, is that you try or at least make some effort to speak the language. If you get into trouble, many people will be happy to switch to English if you ask, but it is better not to simply assume they will speak English with you. If you are a true beginner, you could consider taking a course when you arrive in Germany, since you will pick things up more quickly once you are immersed. If you do get work in German-speaking theater, you will almost certainly need at least some German on a daily basis especially if you are in a smaller regional theater or are a member of an opera chorus. If a class is not in the budget, it is always an option to start with a language-learning app like Duolingo or Babbel for the basics. You might ask a German-speaking friend, colleague, or teacher to help you learn and practice a few phrases specifically for auditions. For writing correspondence, use an online translator to check your work. For German, DeepL is one of the best available.
Next Steps
In future editions of this column, we will continue to cover topics related to relocating to Germany and other aspects of the German classical singing industry. In the meantime, there is no substitute for good research and here are some ways to get started:
- Look into German agents. Operabase is a good place to start. Look at their rosters, who they represent and where they are singing. Start making a list of agents that look interesting for when you are ready to start reaching out.
- Look into German theaters. You can also find a list on Operabase. Find out where they are, how big their ensembles are, and what kind of repertoire they perform.
- Join some of the Facebook groups for singers abroad. Chances are many questions you might think of have been asked there already at some point.
- Learn more about applying for a residence permit, so you can make sure to arrive with all of the necessary documents.
