AboutPamela Thomas Expertise Questions on Opera performance, repertoire, vocal technique, acting for opera. I have some 20 years experience in opera in both leading roles and chorus. I have sung with New York City Opera since 1981. I have studied voice in NYC for over 20 years and have also taught technique and coached singers in acting.
Question Hi! I am a fifteen year old boy who was raised on the music of Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach. I evolved three years ago to Opera and it has been a passion ever since. I cried for a long time when Pavarotti died. I am a tenor with a couple years voice training already. I have decided that I truly want to sing Opera and my choir teacher approves of this saying that at the rate I've been learning that I should be able to do so. I will soon have learned most of what I think he can teach me in the field of choir, and he is about to start teaching me the art of performing opera. But I want to know where to go afterward. I am so dedicated to this that I have given up some very promising career choices (scores showing me to be near a savant in science) to follow my passion for music. My dedication knows no bounds. I just want to know what college or school of music I should try to enter. I realize that I tread a long road, and will remain patient. All I want is to sing Opera and be a master of my art. Well, I suppose that that isn't all. All around me in High school there are so many students listening to their "rap" and other such "music." They all believe that Opera is dead. I want to help its resurgence. I don't want to see Opera ever die. Like Pavarotti did, I want to bring the love of Opera to those in the world who ad held no such love before. But I must know where to start. Please help me!
Answer Hi Matthew,
It's great that you love opera! And opera is coming back - the Met is now showing many productions at movie theaters. You and your friends should check that out - they might find they like it.
As to your comments - first of all at 15 you are YOUNG! Don't be in too much of a hurry. Don't forget that your voice has only just changed. So you want to be careful until it really settles which may take a few more years.
Where do you live? Near a big city or a major music school? If you do want to take voice lessons you need to find a good teacher. Let me know where you live - that will help me with my response.
But, I believe you should focus on your schoolwork - and that means the science as well. Once you graduate from high school and if you want to pursue your dream - then you should look to go to one of the great music schools we have here in the U.S. Rather than focusing on vocal technique at your age (sometimes if you get a bad teacher they can do more damage!) you should learn languages (Italian, French, German); study theory if you can; take piano lessons (or another instrument); study acting - join your theatre club and perform in a play. You will need all of these skills to be a successful singer. And you need the liberal education that high school offers to help you learn about the world. And that allows you to understand and interpret arias and songs.
Oh - and you should listen to operas - watch the DVDs, watch whatever you can and Learn! Listen to Pavarotti's phrasing - but also listen to Placido Domingo, Franco Corelli, Di Stefano, Ben Heppner, Carlo Bergonzi, Jon Vickers. Learn about them - see how they sing an aria - compare them... the more you are exposed to the further ahead you will be when you go to college.
Anyway - keep working. But don't cut yourself off from everything else. It's wonderful that you are focused on this - but just remember - very few people really "make it" in the opera tenor world. If you have talent - it will show. But really - why can't you do your math, science, literature, etc. while you work on opera studies. You will need it all to help you grow as a person - and that will make you a superior performer/interpreter.
