There are many discussions about what singers have to endure as they are developing and building their careers in this business. Often, those discussions are the various forms of psychological manipulation or abuse singers endure as they develop: the ever-persistent criticism, the constant fear of mistakes, getting blacklisted, the maddening paradox of “fit the mold but be unique,” and the question of what repertoire to sing. Some singers have been told they lacked the potential to be a successful singer. Many singers endure constant scrutiny about their weight and appearance, being told to lose weight or they will never have a career. We are often engrained with fear from learning repertoire outside of what people tell us we should be singing. It seems no matter what you do, opera singers simply cannot win. It can be very frustrating leading us to confusion, despair, and burnout. Within this scrutiny and confusion, there are at least a couple things we know can motivate us to continue reaching for our goals. Here are three pieces of advice that will help you pave your way. 

Learn as much music as you can

When we are young, we are often intimidated at the idea of learning new music outside of the fach we've been told we are. Curiosity for any reason is enough merit for looking at a piece of music. Remember that we don't ever have to justify our desire for knowledge, especially about our own voice. You don't need to, nor should you, limit your knowledge to simply what you will perform. Learning a score just to become more familiar with an opera can never harm you, even if you know you'll never sing it and you're just interested in a language, a composer's style, or a plot. You don't have to sing a score to learn it, and you never know what might be useful in the future. Lise Lindstrom started out singing coloratura and light lyric repertoire until a respected conductor suggested she try out Turandot. Now she's one of the leading Wagnerian sopranos. You may be character/lyric singer, but that shouldn't prevent you from learning repertoire outside of your fach or experimenting with a piece. Playing with an aria like "Vissi d'arte" or "Cortigianni" in the privacy of your own home can be very beneficial. Though you may not audition with these arias any time soon, if ever, you will learn something about your voice whenever you sing through them. Allow yourself to learn as much as you can so you can be the smartest singer you can be.

Make your own opportunities

British musical theater singer Michael Ball has been known to encourage artists to make their own opportunities. After all, this is how most companies and organizations start. Someone wanted to do something on their own, so they gathered their resources and made it happen. In NYC, we are currently seeing a major influx of "start-up companies," which are created by people in the business who want to make something new, reach a different audience, and provide opportunities. Examples of these are: On Site Opera, Apotheosis Opera, City Lyric Opera, and Heartbeat Opera. These companies are putting out quality work and they all came from a single person or group of people wanting to create their own opportunities. Even if you don’t have the energy or expertise to start your own organization, you can put your own performances. Even putting on a little rinky-dink La Bohème in a church basement is a great opportunity. Do what you need to do in order to find artistic satisfaction. 

Just keep singing

I don’t think this needs any real explanation, but sometimes we need to be reminded. Soprano Sari Gruber once advised me to “just keep singing.” That was all I needed to hear! Sometimes we get depressed and hopeless when we face rejections time and time again, or we burn out a bit. Just keep practicing, studying, and learning. Beyond that, keep networking, researching, collaborating, and attending performances.

We all have a journey, and we all have obstacles to overcome. Some of us just aren’t cut out for this life, and that’s okay. There are many avenues in this business, and we don’t have to take the same one. We all have our unique strengths and weaknesses. Whether you are trying to be a singer, an arts administrator, a nurse, or a chef, wherever you set your mind and passions, learn as much as you can, create your own opportunities, and JUST KEEP SINGING.