THE VALUE OF AMERICAN SINGERS
Why you should consider American singers when building your ensemble
Americans in the German opera system are nothing new. Great singers such as THomas Hampson, Jessye Norman, and many others have started their careers in the ensemble of a Staatstheater. Here is why you should look to America for you next singer:
The education
The quality of vocal pedagogy in American Conservatories and Universities, even in smaller schools, is extrememly high. This can interestingly be traced back to an exodus of artists from europe before WWI and WWII. When musicians and teachers fled the prospect of war, a common destination was the United States. The artists settled throughout the country, establishing schools of teaching which persist to this day. With in mind, it is somewhat misleeding to think of the “American School” of teaching. Just like American society as a whole, American vocal pedagogy is a continuation of many traditions that came together, especially from Europe.
When it comes to language, the stereotype of the American who can only speak English is generally true. We simply aren’t exposed to many different languages from a young age the way Europeans are. What is fascinating, however, is that when it comes to singing in different languages, American singers are top notch.
This can almost certainly be traced back to the teaching in universities, wich teach diction using IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) as a basis. I often noticed that many of my international colleagues didn’t break down the diction of a language in the same way an American would. This sort of training is fundamental to American teaching, and it is a huge benefit to the houses that hire American singers.
THE MOTIVATION
If you engage an American singer, you can generally be sure they are highly motivated. Why?
Firstly, to sing in your ensemble, a singer must first undertake the daunting task of moving, not just to a new city, but to a new country and continent. This is a huge change in a person’s life. Visa’s must be obtained, items must be shipped, a new language must be learned, and so much more. Only someone who is bound and determined to succeed does all of this.
Additionally, students who have come this far and are ready to audition at your opera house have typically completed one, two, or often three degrees at an EXPENSIVE University. Being significantly in debt is not uncommon for an American singer. If a student is will ing to study for that long and take on that much debt, you can be assured that they are motivated to work hard at your theater.
Flexibility of repertoire
Many American singers get their start singing in musical theater. Almost every high school has a yearly musical production, some two or three. It is typically from this pool of singers that Conservatories and Universities get their singers. It is not at all uncommon for American opera singers to be highly capable cross-over singers. This provides tremendous casting flexibility to a theater, ulitmately saving them time and money by casting ensemble members in musicals.