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 Hello: I would like to pursue a career in Singing and especially opera. I took a few singing and piano lessons when i was in my early 20's but i think i was focusing on the wrong style of music. I wanted to sing country and pop and it wasnt suited to my voice (so i always sounded terrible) and it wasn't until i was about 29 that i feel in love with classical singing and opera (I am now 31). I started to sing with some Sarah Brightman Cd's and a few other Opera/classical singers just for fun and finally found a sound that suited me perfectly. I found that I could imitate some of the singers very well. I have been told that I have a very powerful voice in the past by a few of my teachers and in just the past little while I have basically discovered the amazing gift of my ability to sing classical and opera. I speak Spanish fluently and took dancing classes when i was a child->currently I am learning to sing classical & opera with a teacher at the moment. I am wondering however if im too old to do this. My singing teacher says, "no way" and that learning to sing at my age is perfect because my voice will no longer change and it will mature with more strength and resonance. I am overjoyed at that because singing has always been a life long dream and passion for me. Too bad i spent yrs tryign to sing music that was not suited to my voice...the very reason why i dropped out of music yrs ago. Anyway...I hope i am not too old to start doing something that has always been in my blood. I can't believe my singing talent went unnoticed for so many years until i started to sing in a classical style and finally discovered my voice. Thank you for any help you can give.
Answer Hi Marcela Maria,
I am a firm believer in going after your dream! Of course, there is an age prejudice in the opera world - but why not try? If you look young that will also help! How successful you will be depends on your voice, of course, and experience. But if you sing beautifully and know repertoire I would think people will hire you.
If your voice is more dramatic - then 31 is not too old - bigger voices mature later than colouratura voices do.
So, while it would have been better if you had started earlier - now if the time that is right for you to study - so that's what you need to do, right?
And if you enjoy what you are doing - you can be happy singing beautifully even if you don't go professional.
So stay with your teacher - keep working on your technique. Add Italian and German to your languages. Once you are secure in your technique start learning roles. Listen (CDs) and watch (DVDs) as much opera as you can. Listen to the best singers - you learn so much from that. Also - don't forget about the acting part of your performance - it's great you've had dance - that will help a lot.
