Auditions, Rehearsals, and Concerts

I am treating this subject as one and the same thing because they are. Except for the time when I was a rank beginner with no idea of how to assess myself, my philosophy has always been that there is no such thing as an audition or rehearsal. Everything is a performance. It was not until I came to that realization that I started to get anywhere. Performance itself requires a philosophy. I never thought I was performing but rather thought of myself as communicating/sharing diverse human emotions with my listeners. Sometimes, if the song required it, those emotions were mine alone rather than those of a character I was playing (for instance many art songs require your very own feelings induced by the words of the poet and the music of the composer), perhaps my own wonderment at the sheer beauty of a new found feeling, an awakening of love, or perhaps just an impression of a soft mist rising upon the twilight or dew upon the morning grass, or some of the sights and sounds of nature. Other times, they were the genuine emotions of the character I was playing. Above all, I learnt very quickly, that I could only please my audience if I sang where my voice was at its richest and most expressive. For that reason, no matter what pressure was placed upon me to accept certain roles, I refused because I knew that my voice would not sustain the whole role in the way I would like. Certain roles were made for my category and quality of voice and that's where I devoted my time and efforts. Now the same precepts apply to each and every one of you. Many of you sing much better after a few comments from Chloe or myself. What induces those comments? Your indifference to the piece you are singing. You know the music of your piece well and you have become technically proficient in that piece. Yet you are boring until a few comments get your brain and artistic senses working. Like many singers, you are on automatic cruise control. "Well," you say to yourself, "why waste time, in conveying the emotions the piece requires, it is, after all, a rehearsal. I am musically and technically correct, what more can you ask?" So, just when do you bring the performance or rather the communication/sharing aspect to your rendition if you do not do it and embark an a fresh journey of discovery in each and every rehearsal? Is this suddenly going to happen when you audition for a judge or for a director of a theater? If you think that, you have left it till too late and, in fact, you haven't even started to come to grips with the piece you are singing. Miracles do not happen by themselves. Miracles are waiting to happen when the conditions are ripe and you have to make those conditions ripe at all times including your rehearsal times.

We hear the word "charisma". But what does it mean? Callas was anything but technically proficient but she communicated magnificently. That's charisma! Callas shared the emotions of the character with her audience. She communicated. Schipa had a very uninteresting voice so far as voices go. One would have taken no notice of it if one heard it just exercising with standard vocalises, but Schipa went far on that voice because he truly shared each piece with his audience. Added to that, he was magnificently technically proficient. Now that has to make charisma plus!. Gigli had many faults technically, but he had a voice of rare beatuty which flowed with emotion. That's charisma! Can we all have charisma? The simple answer is "yes!" Will we have charisma if we are indifferent to our piece, the simple answer is "never!"

Each and every time we sing a piece, whether it is in rehearsal or audition or concert, we must communicate/share emotion. Now when it comes to auditions there two fundamentally different types of auditions. There is the competition audition where each piece is marked on various factors such as musicality, technique, voice quality, interpretation, language skill etc. etc. Moreover these marks are often awarded by a panel of teachers or judges who have never really trod the boards of the concert hall or stage. Unless you have a better than average chance of picking up award money, I don't really recommend such auditions. Even if you are the winner, it is not going to impress the average theater director. Unless that panel consists of theater directors, you are basically wasting your time.

The second type of audition is the one that really counts. It is the audition for the theater, generally in front of the theater director/intendant. Unlike Chloe or me, he is not going to let you start again after a few comments to get you into the character. If you are already in the character, emoting as the character, and you have chosen your piece well so that it lies in the best part of your voice where it is rich and shines, you will have charisma! That is what the director/intendant is seeking. The first and foremost question on any Director's mind is, "will this singer sell the opera; will this singer bring audience; will this singer keep audience coming back?" If you have charisma, if your eyes do not look to the far horizon, or go up in your head or to your side searching for some magical placement that is known only to you and certainly not to your audience, but your gaze is that of the character and where required is directed to the director as if he is serving as a proxy for your target, then you will be perceived as having the charisma the opera house desires. You can't suddenly snap into that if you have not practised it. You practise it before your peers in rehearsal. You practise it before your audience in your private moments in front of a mirror. You must see what your audience sees otherwise you can make some very awful faces and poses. That mirror is your best friend. Use it and use it frequently. It is your best teacher if you are going to pursue a stage career.

As for the emotions that any piece requires, that is a long, long story and it can be best dealt with during our own rehearsals. Never be timid in seeking help for your own research into the character you are playing. We can play any character just so long as we know where to search for clues and sometimes that requires knowledge from outside ourselves. Always keep asking.