Welcome to the first episode in our series: Issues in Opera

We all have a voice in what the future of opera will be. As members of the opera community it is imperative that we start addressing the major issues in modern opera, and no issue is as pressing in this moment as racism. 

In this episode we break down the Met's formal statement they released earlier this week, talk about who should and should not be taking on certain roles, what these next steps might mean for opera repertoire, and what you as a musician can do now to improve the spaces you already perform in.

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Hosts:

Jessie

Michelle

Happy Pride!

The LGBTQ+ community, and especially the BIPOC LGBTQ+ community, have always been an integral part of the classical music community. Join us as we celebrate some major milestones both historic and modern, introduce you to some musicians, and talk about groups you can support this Pride.

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Jessie

Michelle

We love our teachers and masterclass guests, but hours locked in a room together working is enough to drive anyone crazy. 

We've collected some of YOUR best masterclass and teacher stories to share, and boy are some of them absolutely out of this world.

From thick tongues to snatched wigs, laugh along as we see just how crazy some teachers can be.

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Jessie

Michelle

What happens when a page falls out of the binder mid-song?

Is snapping to give tempo rude?

How can I be a better collaborator?

Today we discuss best practices with our collaborative pianist friends Mike McAndrew, Andy Gladbach, and David Fraley and figure out what they're really thinking about when they work with singers.

From advice on how to build a better working relationship to giving tempo and proper binder etiquette, join us for this Collaborative Pianists Tell All!

Follow This Week's Guests!:

Mike McAndrew

Andy Gladbach

David Fraley

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Jessie

Michelle

Practice makes perfect... except when it doesn't.

Perfectionism has always been the enemy of progress, and musicians are particularly vulnerable to its effects.  This week we're calling ourselves out on our perfectionist tendencies and finding ways to overcome this sneaky, bad habit.

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Jessie

Michelle

When you're an opera singer, drama comes with the territory, but some singers take it a LOT further than others. Closed productions, stolen bows, and actual fist fights abound as we cover some of the biggest divas and divos from all eras of opera history.

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Michelle

Some days you really nail and audition... but sometimes you REALLY don't.

We had you guys send us your craziest audition stories, and boy did you deliver. Join us as we laugh our way through binder swaps, awkward jokes, and some impressive improvised art.

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Jessie

Michelle

It's easy to think that music school has it all covered. After all, looking through the average music school curriculum it would be hard to imagine among all the theory courses and private lessons that much would fall through the cracks, but sometimes four years is a lot shorter than you think.

This week we're looking back on our collective twelve years of schooling and talking about all the things we wished we had learned and ways to incorporate them into your education, even if your school isn't quite ready to.

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Jessie

Michelle

"Practice makes perfect"

At least, that's what everyone says, but what does good practice actually look like?

Today we have three wonderful guests : Madison Leonard, Ryan Johnson, and Professor Ida Nicolosi, all at different stages in their careers, who help us explore what a good practice routine looks like and how it changes with us over time.

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Jessie

Michelle

Every performer loves a good audience, but not everyone understands the importance of retaining your audience when you're not on stage. Social media connects you to your audience year-round, but few performers understand how to fully utilize their platform.

Opera Offstage is here to help.

We break down the major social media platforms and answer the pressing questions on how to create a social media presence that is equal parts authentic to ourselves and engaging to others.

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Hosts:

Jessie

Michelle