December 2007 – All Articles

In 1994, TNYON asked its readers if they lie about their age. In an overwhelming response, singers shared stories about lying, or not lying, about their age. The letters below appeared in March 1994. Is ageism worse now than it was then? Do you feel pressured to lie about your age? Write and tell us at editorial@classicalsinger.com.

Over the years, Classical Singer has brought you interviews with many of the legendary greats, such as Roberta Peters, Martina Arroyo, and Lucine Amara, who we featured in this interview reprinted from the October 1998 issue. In addition to speaking candidly about her long dispute with the Met over age discrimination and how she ultimately won, she also shares hilarious anecdotes and terrific tips for the next generation of singers.

Publisher David Wood, who founded CS—together with his wife, Carla Wood (a.k.a. CJ Williamson) —looks back on 20 years in the business.

In case you haven’t realized it yet, Classical Singer magazine completes its twentieth year of publication this month. For this special anniversary edition, we asked long time CS writer Kresha Faber to share with readers a bit of our history, from our start as The New York Opera Newsletter through the evolution to the Classical Singer magazine you see today. We hope you enjoy this special insider’s look at who we are and what we’re about.

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