On Being a Professional Opera Singer

So...you've been to college, done your postgrad, and now you're out in the big, wide world where you can proudly proclaim “I am a professional opera singer”.

That's all well and good....but let’s be clear, not all professional opera singers are PROFESSIONAL opera singers.

What am I talking about?

I'm not talking about which companies you work for, how much you earn, the number of roles you’ve performed, or if you need any other jobs to support you in your chosen vocation.

I'm talking about all the small things away from the actual singing which make a huge difference to how you are perceived in the industry.

As a singer myself who has been signed to various agents, who then set up an agency with a colleague and went on to start The Opera Stage, I am continually getting new glimpses of what it means to be truly professional (or not, as the case may be).

Many singers think that because they are artists a lax attitude can be excused. We are, after all, usually right-brained creatives, who are therefore more creative than rational. How easy it is to use this as an excuse for little things that we are careless with off the stage.

Maybe a (very) small handful of the biggest names in the world at any one time can genuinely get away with not keeping their eye on these things, but they usually have the cash to pay people to keep everything running smoothly for them. But these maverick artists are being tolerated less as communication and sharing of information increases.

Believe me – in a contracting industry with an ever-increasing number of singers on the market, the ones who are disciplined, efficient, punctual, reliable and friendly are the ones who companies want to work with.

The last thing I would want as an agent is someone who takes weeks to reply to an email, doesn't send the photos or contract through that I needed by 11am yesterday, or doesn't get back tome after the voicemail message I left.

And then there's the singers who are consistently late for rehearsals, turn up in the wrong town for a performance because they haven't read their itenerary carefully (yes, this actually happened recently to a singer I know), or turn up to their first music call not knowing their music.

With the number of singers out there now, if you exhibit these types of behaviours you will be replaced, or at the very least not booked again.

The singers agents and companies most like to work with are:

1. Organised – they get things to you when asked. They reply quickly to email and phone calls. They have biography, cv, repertoire list, portrait photos, etc all on hand on their computer.

2. Punctual – I can't stress how badly it reflects on you if you are habitually late for things. If you consistently leave fine margins when travelling, especially In big cities like London, you will be tripped up by this. And yet it seems to be a hard habit to break. When you have to get to something important ALWAYS leave early. Much easier to have half an hour to burn in a cafe near your destination than to get all stressed out as the tube train sits in a dark tunnel for an eternity due to a failed train up ahead, cold sweat dripping down your brow.

3. On-the-ball – If you need to know things from a company you are auditioning for or working for, get in touch with them immediately and find out, or get your agent to if you already have representation. It's easy to procrastinate but agents love it when singers are pro-active and forward. They give an impression of being passionate and driven – very important qualities.

4. Friendly – Yes, as opera singers, we are often emotional creatures. But diva behaviour is less and less tolerated in the industry. Be sociable and courteous with everybody, and I mean everybody that you encounter in the industry. The opera world is quite small and if you get a reputation for being unpleasant, word spreads and the work will often start to dry up.

5. Presentation – Presenting yourself well is a prickly area. Of course, we all want to be ourselves. However, the opera industry is a relatively conservative place, and you won't change it overnight. The most important thing to remember for formal occasions like meetings/auditions/receptions/parties is to dress with cleanly and tidily, and be well groomed. And remember the small things like polishing your shoes, cleaning your teeth, and caring for your fingernails. However good you are as a singer, I do not like seeing artists turning up to audition with scruffy jeans and an un-ironed t-shirt, looking like they were out drinking beer the night before.

6. Preparation – always be prepared for the first rehearsal. This is really important at all levels of the industry. Know the character you are playing, understand the psychology, the story, and the arc of the work. And know the text and music inside out. Do whatever you can to get this nailed in the months prior to the first rehearsal. Being unprepared is a waste not just of your time but of the time of everyone involved in the production. And if you turn up to do something where most of the cast are less well-prepared than you are – well, it just makes you look all the more professional.

So, there you have it. If you haven't already, then start being a professional singer today, wherever you’re at in your career!

? Stephen Svanholm, The Opera Stage 2018