Adria Firestone

Adria Firestone, on the faculty in the Music, Dance & Theatre Department at New Jersey City University since 2003, teaches voice, movement for actors, speech for performance, acting, career development, and how to control stage fright. As a clinician, Adria has designed and presented programs for NJMEA and NATS, adjudicates Teen Arts, and gives regular workshops and master classes at schools, including Arts High School in Newark and the Girls Career Institute at Rutgers with the GFWC. She is a National Certified Trainer for K-12 Time to Teach, an author, an instructional designer and a business and career coach. Adria was an award-winning opera singer and actor for over 25 years. Her credits include her world-renownedCarmen in Bizet’s opera to Family Guy. Adria won a Carbonell Award for Best Actress in a Musical (Aldonza in Man of La Mancha) and was Woman of the Year at the Spoleto Festival in Italy. For our troops in Desert Storm, from Shanghai to the Pacific Rim, and from Cairo to Canada, Adria has performed throughout the world.

How to Lose the Desperation and Find Your Power

Did anyone ever say, “I’ll give you a banana if you sing this for me. I’ll give you two bananas if you sing it on roller skates. I’ll give you

Apr 16 Adria Firestone

5 Essential Steps to Ace an Audition

Do you think I’m going to tell you about a magic elixir? No, but I am going to give you a few valuable suggestions I know can make a huge

Feb 18 Adria Firestone

The Singer’s Addiction : Part Six: It's All About You

In this final installment of Firestone’s series on retiring from singing, Adria Firestone shares readers’ thoughts on this somewhat frightening prospect that looms in the future of every singer. Read what your fellow singers have to say on everything from retiring, to transitioning to new careers, to the joy, heartache, and hard knocks of this career.

Feb 01 Adria Firestone

The Singer’s Addiction : Part Five: Learn to Forgive Yourself

Building on the continuing discussion of recognition, mourning, grief, and letting go, Adria Firestone discusses the healing, forgiveness, and gratitude that can come after a singer decides to leave the stage.

Jan 01 Adria Firestone

The Singer’s Addiction : Part Four: Finding a New Elixir of Love

In the first three articles of this series, Adria Firestone took us through deciding when to retire, fully grieving for your loss, and discovering your passions. This month she shares how to evaluate your own skill set and find meaningful and fulfilling ways to create away from the stage.

Dec 01 Adria Firestone

The Addiction of Singing – Part 3 : I Will Never Be Hungry Again

In our continued discussion of retiring from singing, Adria Firestone gets at the heart of the matter: determining why we sing, as well as our needs and wants on and off the stage. This is a must-read article for singers at every career level to start you on the road to emotional freedom and happiness.

Nov 01 Adria Firestone

The Addiction of Singing – Part Two : 'Rhett, Rhett... Where Will I Go, What Will I Do?'

Last month we began discussing the difficult decision to leave the stage. This month we examine the heartache
and grief surrounding this major directional change, and the time needed to truly allow yourself to mourn.

Oct 01 Adria Firestone

The Singer’s Addiction

Deciding when and how to leave the stage is a painful and difficult journey, with no road maps along the way. Most singers just don’t talk about it, and so CS has decided to begin the dialogue. In the first of a series of articles, one singer who enjoyed a long career shares how she knew it was time to end her professional career, and tells us about all the heartache that went along with that decision.

Sep 01 Adria Firestone

The Balanced Human Being who Sings

What’s happening to the real you as you pursue your career? Here’s an experienced and very talented singer you’ve probably seen and admired to explore the question rather fearlessly with you. You can hear more of Adria. She will be a featured speaker at the upcoming convention. (See the CS website at http://www.classicalsinger.com)

Mar 01 Adria Firestone

Sensuality on Stage

Mezzo Adria Firestone answers a singer's question on how to prepare for those difficult roles.