December 2007 – All Articles

The age-old issue of age has been a hot topic of discussion since the first days of TNYON and continues to be a hot topic today. CS’ editor-in-chief and senior editor in 1998 conducted a phone survey with opera companies, apprenticeships, and competitions to get the low down on age discrimination in the business. Their findings are reprinted here. In addition, we’ve included letters from readers on the topic (see pg. 65).

Many aspects of the singing profession haven’t changed much over the past two decades, but technology and how technology affects singers have changed dramatically. Here we take a nostalgic look at a few of the ways these changes are having an impact on the lives of singers.

The September 2002 issue of CS was devoted to the controversial topic of abuse in our industry. More than 400 singers participated in a Teacher Abuse Survey and shared their experiences on the Classical Singer forum. Here are excerpts from an article sharing singers’ experiences, discussing the cycle of abuse, and giving ideas for stopping the abuse. To read the full article and view the entire issue, visit the CS archives at www.ClassicalSinger.com.

Over the past 20 years, singers have shared their experiences—most often using their real names, but sometimes anonymously, or using pseudonyms—with other singers, first in the pages of TNYON and then CS. In this article an anonymous singer courageously shares how he ultimately pulled himself out of the dark days of addiction. In recent months, the issue of singers and substance abuse has been a hot topic in the news, showing that this article is as relevant now as when it originally appeared in December 2003.

CS compiled the following stories from contributions received through e-mail and phone calls for the July/August 1998 edition of TNYON. Names and details were withheld or changed where requested.

Just a few years after its beginnings, The New York Opera Newsletter tackled the difficult topic of race discrimination. In some of the first letters subscribers wrote to TNYON, they complained of discrimination in the workplace. TNYON set to work surveying readers and published the findings in December 1995, reprinted here. Has discrimination in the arts drastically improved or gotten worse? Please take a moment to visit our website and complete the 2008 Discrimination Survey. Watch for the results in an upcoming issue of CS, and let’s see how far we’ve come since 1995.

From the how-tos of fine singing to staying safe onstage, CS has tried to address every aspect of a singer’s career. In this article, reprinted from the last issue of The New York Opera Newsletter (July/August 1998), fight director Dale Anthony Girard shares his tips for playing it safe. Be sure to check out real-life stories from readers about not so safe moments on the stage (pg. 47). For more articles on safety, read the complete July/August ’98 issue in our archives.

Some time ago, while contemplating the approach of Classical Singer’s twentieth birthday, we decided to prepare a commemorative issue. Part of our plan was to share the best-of-the-best articles from

How many times, while listening to one of the great singers, have you wondered, “How do they do that?” Over the years, the greats have shared within these pages many insights into the complicated answer to that question. Drink in these insights on vocal technique from those who know.

Laugh with us—and at us—in a variety of humorous moments from the last 20 years.

To celebrate Classical Singer’s 20th birthday, Cindy Sadler shares her top 20 jewels of wisdom. From owning your art to finding balance, Cindy delivers practical career advice in her typical Erda fashion.

After three intense rounds of competition among more than 200 applicants, the judges of the AudComps 2007 named 13 singers Certified Classical Singers for 2007-2008. This month, we feature soprano Maria Alu from the Emerging Professional Division and soprano Suzanne Ramo from the Professional Division.