søndag den 28. juni 2015

Competition - May the Toughest Singer Win


 Sarzana Italy
 Wedensday June 24th 2015

I expected the jury would be very strict, so the result came as no surprise.

That's why the moment my voice cracked a bit in my first aria, I thought: 
Damn, it's over! 
When they asked for a second  aria, I was relieved they wanted more, and sang a lot better.
I really couldn't have done the Qui bel sogno better.
The aria felt very secure, and I even enjoyed it! I felt especially happy about the pianissimo high notes, which are so fragile.

Still, there were MANY good voices in Sarzana that day. Some of the voices were even amazing. For instance, one Chinese tenor  had the most beautiful, big, warm sound. He sang so well that I thought:
Ok, my chances of winning are weak.

And there were others, including a Korean mezzo (Got 3rd prize) and a Serbian Wagnerian soprano (Got the 2nd prize) both with huge, gorgeous voices.
It is my impression that In Italy, they really appreciate big voices. They seem to cast bigger voices than we do in northern Europe. 
Thats just a fact.

There were actually no singers out of the 42 that seemed to be really bad, or out of place in a competition like this. Curious. 
All were skilled. Only details separated them. 
For example, some voices may have been a little too screamy or airy with the high notes, weak legato, or annoying vibrato. Those types of details. 

Most of the singers I talked to already work in theaters around Italy, or elsewhere, and are represented by artist management agencies. 
A few of the singers present were known to win a lot of other competitions. So its a tough, tough game!

Age is always an issue in opera, especially in competitions. 
If a 23 year old soprano sings at the same level as a 28 year old soprano, it is just more impressive in the eyes of the jury to favour the younger of the two singers. Or so I'm told. 

For people like me, and many many others that have wasted years with a bad teacher, it's just really tough luck. Sad, but true. But if the voice is truly amazing, like that Wagnerian soprano who won 2nd prize, age doesn't matter. I think she was close to the 35-years age limit.

My best advice for those who want to sing competitions is: 

Stay self confident (!)

Ignore other singers. Listening to others can make you feel very insecure, and that feeling can make you perform poorly.

And of course: 
Do your homework well! 
Every pronounciation, every phrase, every high note should be precise. 
Otherwise, you are just wasting time, money, and effort.

Making a successful audition, or participating in a competition, require skills one must consistently train for. Still, participating at competitions may result in meeting new friends among other singers. 
While at the competition, I became friends with a Polish soprano and an Italian Mezzo, and had a great time drinking together after finding out none of us made it to the next round. 

Two new friends is a good prize to take home, I should think :-)

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