This week we discuss the fear culture which pervades the opera industry and how we can take care of ourselves in these situations.
We are singers and performers because we love sharing the joy of making good music; however, in certain situations (such as high pressured auditions) we can become crippled by fear.
Is there a way of us reframing this? Do the feelings we experience before our first night on stage at the Metropolitan Opera have to be fear, or could they be anticipation instead? Could they be excitement at having the opportunity to connect with an audience through powerful music? Could they be adrenaline, gearing you up to give the performance of a lifetime?
It’s worth reminding ourselves that a performance on stage or in an audition needs something more than what we deliver in the practice room - could that be this adrenaline, excitement or anticipation?
- Fear towards our superiors
The opera industry is a complex one, one in which we are all trying to impress our superiors in order to secure another gig, another casting or perhaps another audition opportunity. Not just this, oftentimes when we are working with colleagues we admire, we are fearful of what they think of us.
In situations like this it can be helpful to consider yourself five years ago: who were you afraid of? Who did you look up to? Whose opinion did you worry about? It’s likely that five years on you’ve come to realise these worries and fears were not as important as they seemed at the time.
Often the arts talk about being more open, caring, sharing and collaborative. That works both ways. We need to be less fearful of those in positions of power, but also the people who hold these positions need to make themselves more approachable, more accessible, more human.
- Fear for our career security
A common fear discussed on the podcast is how to make a sustainable career in the arts. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, the portfolio career allows musicians the flexibility to remain financially solvent whilst exploring and developing creative projects.
The combined effects of Brexit and Coronavirus have throttled the classical music industry and the government’s continual arts cuts act as a reminder that the UK does not value the arts in the same way other countries do (taking Germany and Austria for example). The realisation that a career in the arts is financially insecure is painful, however once you’ve come to terms with this you can make choices to develop a flexible career that works for you. Combine the skills you have in order to provide yourself with a portfolio career that offers a steady income and room to be creative.
- Fear in the creative space
It’s sad to say it, but many music-making groups are guilty of creating a culture of fear, whether it be the fear of making a mistake, the fear of not sounding beautiful, the fear of a memory lapse, or the fear of misreading a gesture.
Environments like these require us to regain some sense of control, and we can do this by making a choice:
- You can choose to stay, recognising it is just a job and you feel able to handle this situation.
- You can choose to leave. You know your boundaries and you’re not prepared to work in such an environment so you make the decision to move on.
In sports such as cricket and basketball, players are trained to withstand trash talk, learning to give their best in a high-pressured, fearful environment. Perhaps opera should do the same?
Much of the operatic industry is based on a culture of fear, meaning we need to learn to protect ourselves. It is our personal responsibility to become robust and resilient enough to manage these difficult situations, remembering that if it becomes too much, it is okay to walk away.
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