Expert: Pamela Thomas - 2/3/2005

Question
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Followup To
Question -
Dear Pamela Thomas,

I, like your high school writer Alex Jennings, have a rapidly growing love of opera. My name is Marguerite Madden and I am a 14 year old high school student in Florida. The movie form of 'The Phantom of the Opera' just came out and, though I haven't been able to see the movie yet, I love the soundtrack. I also listen to opera on Aol Radio alot. My question is, how can I learn to sing opera? I come from a pretty musical family. I play bass and I am learning piano and planning vocal lessons. I also speak some french and a little german, which I practice in my spare time. If you could answer my question, I would be very appreciative.

p.s. if you could also list some woman opera singers, it might be helpful. I have a wide voice range, so anyone from lower than alto to soprano is wonderful!

Thank you for your time!

Marguerite
Answer -
Hi Marguerite,

Glad to hear you love opera!  I do too!  As to learning about opera - at this point you are doing the right things - learning piano and taking some lessons will help introduce you to the singer's world.  However, you are young and you want to make sure if you take voice lessons that you are working with a really good teacher.  You don't say where in Florida you live, but there are a number of good music schools there - they can always recommend a teacher who teaches privately - but, for now, you are on the right track.  But before you sing opera - you just learn to sing.  I started out singing in church choirs and glee clubs.  Also studied piano for 15 years (boy was that a help in learning roles!)  My teacher, when I started, made me sing all of the Italian art songs before I ever sang an opera aria.

Also - it's great you are studying languages - keep up with the French & German.  Also look at Italian if you have a chance.  You'll need those when you study roles later.

As for who to listen to - I love Renata Tebaldi, Joan Sutherland, Mirella Freni, Maria Callas, Marilyn Horne, Beverly Sills - they are all older singers but their recordings are on CDs - All are sopranos except for Marilyn Horne.  Also Renee Fleming has a beautiful voice - she's younger!  I would see if you have find some duet opera recordings as well - there are some wonderful ones... look for duets with Placido Domingo (tenor) and any of the sopranos or for Luciano Pavarotti (tenor) - also with one of the sopranos.

You might also look at some of the video recordings - then you'll see the drama as well.  The Metropolitan Opera has a bunch out.

Hope this gets you started.  By the way - I grew up in Ft. Pierce, Florida - never saw an opera until I went to college - and I did just fine.

Best of luck!

Pamela

Well Pamela, thank you for your help so far! It is wonderful. The place in florida that I live is Leesburg...it is pretty small and there is really nothing around. But right now at school i am in musical theatre and we are doing bye bye birdy in May. I will study up on italian because I love languages anyways and that is one of my main goals in life. Do you know of any stores or places around me that i could find those artists?

thanks again!

Marguerite

Answer
Marguerite,

Check out Amazon.com online - they have almost everything...  Just search in classical.

And, as I remember, Leesburg is relatively near DeLand, Florida - where Stetson University is.  I did my undergraduate degree there - they have a very good Music School...

Sometime you might want to check out Stetson - also Florida State has a great music school...

Good luck with Bye, Bye, Birdy - very fun show!

Pamela