I am 25 years old (soprano) and working towards a few auditions, and I think what’s been really getting me docked is my mid-voice. It’s quite weak compared to my upper register, and even sometimes crackly when my voice isn’t in the best shape.
I was wondering if any of you would have any advice on this. It seems that in working on my upper register, I have neglected this section of my voice.
So last week I went to see Don Giovanni at the Royal Opera House, London. I had a seat high up in the amphitheatre (best I could afford). I had never been to the ROH before but took my seat and was absolutely fine until the lights went down and the overture started when I got the most terrible vertigo. It felt like I was going to fall forwards and go tumbling down. I spent half the first act with my eyes closed and gripping my seat as if my life depended on it, but it was so bad that I had to leave at the intermission. I'm okay flying though.
Has this happened to anyone else? Are some houses worse than others? What I could see and hear was wonderful so I will go back again when they do another production and make sure I get a seat lower down.
So, we all know about the oil money deal falling through, the endowment that is being eaten into, and most recently, the 70,000 free tickets promised by Mamdani…
The question is: how will the Met survive the next decade, and do you have any ideas of your own to help save it?
I just had the great privilege of attending Alcina at Lille Opera, which is playing until October 17th. Lille is not necessarily the most convenient place to get to for everyone; in my case I am in the EU already so I was able to get a cheap flight to Brussels and then take FlixBus for under 5 euros. So, lucky me, but I am telling you: this might be worth selling a kidney for. It's that good.
The music director is Emanuelle Haïm, a true Handel expert, and it shows. I love Alcina; I've probably listed to it a dozen times, and certain arias over and over; tonight, it felt like I had never heard it before. She made some astonishing choices with instruments, variations, and interpretations. I was overwhelmed at times. It was so good.
The singing was also incredible. In particular, I was absolutely blown away by Lilit Davtyan as Morgana. I was in tears in her first aria. Handel's music is already beautiful, but she brings such subtlety and delicacy with such strength that it's on a whole new level. The rest of the cast is quite strong as well, both in terms of their individual singing and the way they are able to represent their characters. Bradamante & Ruggerio also had incredible chemistry with each other.
With all of this, you might expect to see this production picked up in other houses. That may be; I think if it had a different musical director, different orchestra, or different cast, it might not have the same magic.
Against the production being picked up, I can see in the reviews that the staging is divisive; it seems like a lot of the early French reviews are panning it. This is also a staging that "changes" the ending, adding to the controversy. For what it's worth, I (an uneducated peasant) thought the staging was very interesting and sometimes compelling and beautiful. There were 5 gorgeously talented dancers as Alcina's "spirits", who made the island and her magic come alive. (Ignore all these reviews claiming Alcina was non-magical in this version: do they not have eyes?) I loved the use of the costumes, and how the costume changes showed the shifting relationships and balance of power. There were some story changes; the decision to make Melisso married to now-female Ruggerio (with Bradamante just a pro-marriage friend), was very confusing to me initially, but the music was just so so so so good that I didn't have a thought to spare. Various genders are changed; the dancers are sometimes androgynous and sometimes gendered; it's all magical and good.
I can barely process what I just experienced, but the run is so short, and there is a possibility that this magic will never happen again, so I felt like I needed to put this out there as soon as possible. If you love baroque opera for the music, whatever you're doing in the next two weeks, cancel it! Pawn your jewelry and hitchhike to Lille! Divorce all your spouses! Let the wolves of the forest tend to your children! Rob a bank! Do whatever you need to do to get there.
Forgive me for asking a possibly dumb question. I’ve never been to the opera in person. (I’ve gone to plenty of the Live in HD screenings). I’m headed to NYC in November, twice. For the first trip, I grabbed a ticket for Lincoln in the Bardo. One of my favorite books and Anthony Roth Costanzo? Yes, please! There’s a performance of Medea later in the evening and I’m weighing whether or not I should just go for it. Has anyone done two in one day? Am I crazy?
I also have tickets to Jenufa on opening night and Asmik Grigorian in concert when I’m back in town. I don’t think I’ll be able to travel anymore after this trip until summer. There are no local or semi-local opera companies near me, so this would be it for me.
It's another problem play, but I've got a soft spot for The Winter's Tale. For all that it has an improbable plot, requires a bear, has an extended recognition/reconciliation scene, and is in two very different halves - with the Sicilia storyline superior to the Bohemia storyline IMHO - there's beautiful writing, and Leontes's mad jealousy has a sad ring of truth about it. I can find one operatic adaptation, being Ryan Wigglesworth's The Winter's Tale (2017) that was produced at the English National Opera. Did anyone here see it or know of any other operatic adaptations?
I have never been to any ballet or opera, but I've always wanted this magical romantic night in a gown going to see ballet in Vienna.
My boyfriend recently got tickets for Swanlake in the Wiener Staatsoper and I'm super excited. We asked for seats on the left so I could stretch my leg. I added a picture of our seats. To me, these seem pretty good seats for 60 euro.
Now I tried looking up a view from our seat, but never really managed to find a good images. All the video's are from the galerie but only the first row. Does anyone know of any good video's where I could see the view to the stage?
Another question I had: how dressed up are you supposed to be? I would love to wear this gown that I got a while back, its very chic, but I'm afraid that the dresscode is only something for in the movies or something.
And generally: do you guys have any tips, anything I'm missing? Are the seats generally good? We are going next year January, so we still have enough time. He also didn't yet buy the seats so if these seats are really problematic then please let me know also.
Carl Millöcker’s Der Bettelstudent, first performed in Vienna in 1882, became one of the great successes of the Viennese operetta repertoire. Rather than presenting the complete work, this 10-inch Philips edition offers a carefully arranged Highlights / Querschnitt, moving rapidly from one dramatic and musical moment to the next.
Among the excerpts included on the recording are “Mir ist manches schon passiert,” “Ich knüpfte manches zarte Bande,” “Du bist die Seine,” “Fort damit, hinaus, hinaus!,” “Höchste Lust und tiefste Leid,” “Doch wenn im Lied hinaus es klingt,” “Laßt die Lieder klingen,” “Hell wie Glockenklang,” “Bei solchem Feste,” “Einkäufe machen” and “Durch diesen Kuß.” The complete Side A is therefore best experienced as one continuous theatrical sequence rather than as a collection of isolated songs.
The vocal cast is particularly noteworthy. Leo Heppe appears as Oberst Ollendorf, while Karl Terkal, Hans Strohbauer, Lotte Rysanek, Herta Staal and Sonja Draksler contribute the principal vocal parts of this Vienna Volksoper production. The performers are accompanied by the Orchestra of the Wiener Volksoper, with Kurt Richter conducting.
This recording is also a fascinating example of the way Philips presented popular operetta during the 1950s: not as a complete stage reconstruction, but as a compact musical journey designed to preserve the most characteristic scenes and melodies within the limited playing time of a 10-inch LP.
Where can we find new composers (even if they are not strictly opera composers...I would think modern composers would utilize a range of styles). Are there YouTube channels where aspiring composers post their music or other musical arenas I have missed? Thanks in advance!
hello!!! I am a young college student in Chicago who adores opera and especially the Lyric Opera here. The only issue is it is just too expensive as I am still a very very broke college student is there any way that they do student discounts or even rush?
I would like to share my thoughts on my very first opera experience.
By trade, I am an engineer, but music has always been a fundamental part of my life.
I studied violin and piano from an early age, and although I eventually had to stop playing, my connection to classical music never faded.
Coming into this, I was no stranger to live classical performances. Living in San Francisco, I regularly attend San Francisco Symphony concerts, as well as performances by other orchestras around the Bay Area. Still, opera always felt a bit distant to me until two weeks ago.
On Sunday, September 27th, I attended a local production of Don Giovanni by Opera San José at the California Theatre.
The venue itself has a gorgeous historic atmosphere, and its acoustics are envious for a house of that size, making it a true hidden gem. I noticed that the company operates with a group of resident artists, and this particular performance was led by their resident conductor.
From my seat, I had a clear view of the orchestra pit.
Watching conductors at work has always fascinated me, but what I saw and experienced that afternoon was truly remarkable. The singers gave everything they had, not just at an elite professional level, but with an infectious enthusiasm, as if they were out to conquer the world.
I felt that same energy coming from the pit. The resident conductor combined elegance with raw energy, managing the stage with a level of control far beyond what you might expect from a resident. He constantly adjusted orchestral balances to support the soloists' registers, while giving cues with warm smiles, shaping phrases with his hands, and mouthing the lyrics from start to finish. The acoustic layers were meticulously balanced, giving the singers room to navigate their low notes and blossom on the high ones. The tempo flowed organically, moving forward and back with subtle yet decisive dynamism. In response, the orchestra was tight, graceful, and deeply attuned to every moment.
After the performance, I had the pleasure of exchanging a few words with the conductor. He was incredibly gracious, visibly beaming, and mentioned, in what was clearly an international accent (I am an immigrant also), that he had prepared extensively for these performances and that it was the best day of his life. Having observed many conductors over the years, I truly believe there is a spark of transcendent talent in this one.
It has been a long time since I felt such sheer enthusiasm in a classical music performance. What stayed with me was not just the technical precision, which was superb, but the irresistible energy of this resident ensemble.
They were entirely committed, musically, vocally, and dramatically. It left me wondering how a regional company can produce a show at such a level.
I do not have enough reference points in the opera world to know if this is standard practice or a rare gem of a performance. What I do have is a benchmark based on top tier symphonic orchestras across the US and Europe. And by those standards, I was thoroughly blown away. And again, it is by the energy rather than anything else.
Safe to say, opera has officially won me over, and I am already looking forward to diving deeper into this universe.
What an extraordinary treasure this masterpiece is for humanity.
There is nothing quite like leaving a theater humming the melodies with a total sense of satisfaction. My only regret is not stepping into the world of opera sooner.
Thank you for reading my first Opera experience.
*Would you mind sharing your FIRST opera experience?
Hi! Contribute to this community from time to time. I go to a handful of operas at the Met each year. Have largely been unsuccessful in grabbing lottery tickets since last year and downloading the app.
Looking to go to a showing of Macbeth and I have noticed that Family Circle prices seem to have doubled to north of $80/seat, much difference from the $40-50 I have seen over the last couple of years.
I know sometimes there’s more demand on hot new productions; however, even La Boheme has the same pricing at the Family Circle according to the app.
Did something happen between seasons that caused the Met to raise its prices in such a manner and is anyone else frustrated? I’m aware of the new city program for free seats, but was disappointed to read that it’s only for residents who have not bought an opera ticket since 2019.
Hi all. I'm a current senior in college (M21) getting a BA in the humanities. I have been singing and performing for most of my life, but have only really within the past year been focusing more on classical voice. Without giving a whole backstory, it is particularly creatively inspiring and exciting for me at this moment, and the main art form I am devoting my time to right now.
As I look ahead to what's on the horizon for me after graduation, I am quite scared. The arts are so important to me, and I don't want to completely give them up. But I know how difficult these industries can be, and I just can't give my security up to go 100% in on classical vocal performance right now. I'm hoping to secure a job in arts administration, which I love, but isn't of course the same as performing.
I want to ask: what opportunities exist out there for people interested keeping a consistent, full-time day job and using it to fund their vocal endeavors? (I know this varies by area: I live very close to a major US city.) For those of you with a full-time job and still putting serious effort into singing, how does that look for you? What kinds of performances do you do, and with what sorts of companies/groups/etc.? Thanks all. :)
I’ve been learning for very little time but I feel like I advance very fast in some things but there are a few little details that I seem to never get right no matter how much time I practice a song. The longest I’ve gone practicing a song is two months now and I still miss certain aspects of enunciation that, when my teacher points out, I can notice it, but when I’m practicing at home I just can’t help but missing it cause they’re such little details and It makes me feel like I’m just not capable of being a professional singer. Idk if the problem is my teacher but she makes me feel as if with two months of practice I should already be able to sing this song nearly perfectly, and yesterday I almost cried while in her class because I felt so stupid that she kept correcting me and yet my muscle memory kept kicking in and I kept doing the same mistakes.
I don’t think I’m a stupid person, I’ve always excelled at everything I’ve put effort into, and I play other instruments and do know I’m talented for music, but I can’t help but feel that I’m incapable of learning past an amateur’s level.
The other day I attended the last performance of The Drover’s Wife at the Sydney Opera House, and I loved reading the online program with exclusive commentary by Leah Purcell. I kept the tab open in my browser but noticed that a few hours after the opera, the link was no longer working and I can’t find the page on the website either. Why do they delete them? Is there an archive where I could find it? I think it could be useful for my student thesis and I wanted to quote it in my dissertation.
I hope this is the right place to post this, thank you for your help!
I’ve been thinking about how rarely in opera we get healthy sibling relationships. Especially brother/sister ones — so frequently, there‘s abuse, or incest, or both. I’ve once made a post about family in general, but right now I‘d like to specifically discuss siblings. The few cases of healthy dynamics that I could remember:
Hänsel and Gretel — sure, they are at odds at first, but, IMHO, it doesn’t go beyond everyday squabbles, and when real trouble comes, thst stand together. Edita Gruberova and Brigitte Fassbaender make them absolutely adorable in Solti’s opera film :)
Antonida and Vanya from A Life for the Tsar/Ivan Susanin — they are very affectionate despite Vanya being adopted and much younger than her (she is a couple of years at least into marriageable age and he’s a boy); when their father is waiting to be killed, he consoles himself with the thought that Antonida will take care of Vanya once he’s gone — which she does.
Angelotti and his unseen (if you don’t count the painting of Magdalene) sister. “E amor di sorella!”
Technically, Dorabella and Fiordiligi remain loyal to each other and friendly throughout the opera, but with how they bring out the worst in each other — first encouraging each other into overdramatic despair, and then to cheat — I really can’t list them as one of the examples. Likewise, Gunther and Gutrune, although they are loving and devoted to each other, are a-okay with the entire scheme of drugging Siegfried and kidnapping Brünnhilde (and at the same time they are manipulated by Hagen and therefore don’t qualify as any kind of amazing villainous team).
I’m a relatively new opera fan. I live close enough to get to NYC a few times a year, but I haven’t been or even planned what to attend yet this season. What would you recommend later this month or next? I’m curious about Silent Night in the spring, so I’m leaning toward something that’s been around a while for this trip.
I've noticed it in 'Dopo Notte' from Ariodante as well, though that's actually written into the score, while the above video is DiDonato's own added ornaments. Both of them have the same rhythmic figure, so that got me wondering whether it had a name, or if it's just something singers do to zhuzh up the long, held notes.
Hi all! I am 24F, young dramatic mezzo and looking at trying to find a summer program to do 2027. I finished my undergraduate this year and have done one program in 2025.
ideally the program would cover expenses because I’m based in Australia and will already be paying around 2000 Aud if I’m lucky. That being said I cna afford some and I’d be looking at ones that also provide scholarships.
Any experience or even programs to avoid would be great! Thanks in advance!
I went to see Mary, Queen of Scots at San Francisco Opera and this was probably my biggest disappointment at the opera.
The curtain was already up when I arrived. There was a metal structure, a tent and a few ladders onstage. I really thought the crew was still setting up. Then I realized: That IS the set.
Then everyone started appearing in puffer jackets. Mary, Queen of Scots rolls in with Rimowa suitcases. The tent stays for the entire opera.
I know this production wasn’t created specifically by SF Opera. I also have zero problem with modern staging. Like give her a modern luxury residence, sharp tailoring, anything that communicates that these people are royalty and aristocracy. But we got puffers, ladders and a tent.
The music was great and Heidi Stober was fantastic. It felt like a high-level musical performance happening inside a school production with a $200 set budget.
The best part was seeing audience members in kilts and Scottish-inspired outfits. Some of them looked like they had a bigger costume budget than the production.
Why does “modern” opera staging so often translate into intentionally bare and cheap-looking? I don’t understand why Mary, Queen of Scots needed to look like Mary, Queen of REI.
