Instagram Won’t Make You an Opera Superstar
- An interview with a renowned soprano reveals insights into the challenges faced by young singers today, the role of social media, and the complexities of modern opera productions.
- On July 2nd,Elina garanca and Karel Mark Chichon are scheduled too perform at "Classic Under the Stars" in Göttweig Abbey.
- During the event, Garanca shared her thoughts on advice from seasoned professionals and the phenomenon of Stockholm syndrome in contemporary theater.
Soprano Discusses Career, Social Media, and the State of opera
An interview with a renowned soprano reveals insights into the challenges faced by young singers today, the role of social media, and the complexities of modern opera productions.
On July 2nd,Elina garanca and Karel Mark Chichon are scheduled too perform at “Classic Under the Stars” in Göttweig Abbey. Recently,young talents auditioned for the opportunity to share the stage with the celebrated soprano.
During the event, Garanca shared her thoughts on advice from seasoned professionals and the phenomenon of Stockholm syndrome in contemporary theater.
Reflecting on Early Career
When asked if the audition process brought back memories of her own beginnings, Garanca responded:
Of course, you know exactly how people feel. It is indeed one thing to practice in front of a professor in the class and to sing a wholly different, in front of a lively audience. to be confronted with the nerves and the adrenaline.
Key Elements for a Successful Career
Regarding the most important factors when starting a career, she emphasized:
Discipline and belief in itself. Curiosity, a vision for the future that you also keep your eyes open, which is going on in the world. That you honestly assess yourself and are not afraid to ask advice. And that sometimes you also go through your thing selfishly and cannot be distracted by little things.
Challenges for Young Singers Today
The soprano expressed concern about the current environment for aspiring singers:
I wouldn’t want to start my career today. The social media, but also the media in general, have ensured that people are no longer given time to develop slowly. You have to do incredibly large from the start without experience.And then the hot pretzel quickly eaten up and forgotten.The world wasn’t that fast before. Everyone is a world star nowadays, everyone is a star overnight, a century vote.There is a hype for a short time, but that’s not enough for a career in classical music. I beleive that this urge that it always has to be quick, always immediately, always simultaneously occurring, burns a lot. Even the theater,the director,the agencies don’t want to wait as long,they want a quick success. Sometimes they can not wait as long, they have no time to build a singer for ten years.
The Role of Social Media
She also commented on the impact of social media:
They play a fake life. Everyone believes it is indeed a much nicer life than it is. An Instagram account will not make you a famous singer, a post with an aria does not make you an opera superstar. You have to invest sweat and work in the theaters, productions, repertoire ideas and in concerts.
Coaching and Mentorship
When asked about coaching “future voices,” she explained:
I enjoy it. I have very great experience in terms of the repertoire: from baroque to Wagner, song, orchestral pieces, sacred music, I worked with the greatest conductors. There are things that are no longer given today that I have learned from the old Mohikan, from conductors and singers that I have still experienced. Details from the old school: that you can’t sing Puccini like verdi or that the Italian K is different in the Italian K than the german, for example.
“Classic Under the Stars”
Regarding the upcoming “Classic Under the Stars” performance, she revealed:
that it takes place (laughs). We don’t have a detailed program yet. But it is a big bouquet year, we are looking for something that you can playfully bring on stage as a mezzo-soprano.
Relationship with Johann Strauss’s Music
She shared her perspective on Johann Strauss’s compositions:
I think his works are partially dismissed as light, insignificant music, but they are a big puzzle in romantic music. I find them quite relieving and luminous and a little fun and a good mood you need in today’s repertoire. It is indeed like the Spanish Zarzuela: everyone knows the “bat” by heart, but it is not that easy to get this with the right level with playful ease and simultaneously occurring.
Experiences with Controversial productions
When asked about a “Don Carlo” production that faced audience disapproval,she stated:
Not a single one. The audience knew that the director was not there. It came for the singers, the staging was second in second.
stockholm Syndrome in Opera
She discussed the challenges singers face when working on controversial productions, mentioning “Stockholm syndrome”:
I have never been to such a situation. I think that was not easy and I wonder if it was necessary – from both sides. That you have to put the singers into such a position. It’s not about her, they have to wait for their next scene and a rain from Buhs goes down on her. I say it again and again and stand: With new productions, we singers make ourselves a certain Stockholm syndrome. We are booked for a production, the idea of which we do not know. We only know the game – and it can experience a change by 180 degrees. We can then either get out with a loud noise,then we lose earnings and reputation or we surrender to Stockholm syndrome. In the course of four to five weeks, we are convinced that what we do is actually not that bad. At some point you start to believe that.
The War in Ukraine
she shared her perspective as a Latvian on the war in Ukraine:
I think every Lette reads the news every day, our advantage is also a disadvantage: we can also read Russian and read a lot that you don’t notice in the West. You are worried on a different level. Latvia is shared by a border with Russia, a possible danger is much closer than in a more distant country. Latvia is a small country weather a two-million country is critically important enough for NATO to live out Article five? But it is indeed not just the Ukraine, the whole world got on a train of madness. I think there will still be a lot to come from beyond the ocean. At some point we will all only fightA Soprano’s Insights: Navigating a Career in Opera Today
Elina Garanca, a celebrated soprano, offers a candid look at the challenges, triumphs, and evolving landscape of the opera world in a recent interview.
Renowned soprano Elina Garanca provided unique insights into the world of opera in a recent interview. From reflections on her own career beginnings too observations on social media’s impact and the challenges facing young singers today,Garanca shared her perspectives. The interview, conducted in preparation for her performance at “Classic Under the Stars” on July 2nd, alongside Karel Mark Chichon.
The Audition Experience: Remembering the Beginning
Q: Does the audition process bring back memories of your own beginnings?
Garanca: “Of course, you know exactly how people feel. It is indeed one thing to practise in front of a professor in the class and to sing a wholly different, in front of a lively audience. To be confronted with the nerves and the adrenaline.”
Essential Elements for a Successful Opera career
Q: What are the most critically importent factors when starting a career?
- Discipline and belief in oneself.
- Curiosity and a vision for the future.
- Honest self-assessment and a willingness to seek advice.
- The ability to focus on one’s own path without being distracted by trivial matters.
Challenges Facing Young Singers in the Modern Era
Q: What are the challenges for young singers today?
Garanca: “I wouldn’t want to start my career today. Social media, but also the media in general, have ensured that people are no longer given time to develop slowly.You have to do incredibly large from the start without experience. And then the hot pretzel quickly eaten up and forgotten. The world wasn’t that fast before. Everyone is a world star nowadays, everyone is a star overnight, a century vote. There is a hype for a short time, but that’s not enough for a career in classical music. I believe that this urge that it always has to be fast, always immediately, always concurrently occurring, burns a lot. Even the theater, the director, the agencies don’t want to wait as long, they want a quick success. Sometimes they can not wait as long, they have no time to build a singer for ten years.”
The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media
Q: what impact does social media have on aspiring singers?
Garanca: “They play a fake life. everyone believes it is indeed a much nicer life than it is. An Instagram account will not make you a famous singer, a post with an aria does not make you an opera superstar. You have to invest sweat and work in the theaters, productions, repertoire ideas, and in concerts.”
Mentorship and Coaching: Passing on the Legacy
Q: Do you enjoy coaching “future voices?”
Garanca: “I enjoy it. I have very great experience in terms of the repertoire: from baroque to Wagner, song, orchestral pieces, sacred music, I worked with the greatest conductors. There are things that are no longer given today that I have learned from the old Mohikan, from conductors and singers that I have still experienced. Details from the old school: that you can’t sing Puccini like Verdi or that the Italian K is different in the Italian K than the german, for example.”
“Classic Under the Stars”: A Glimpse into the Upcoming Performance
Q: What can you tell us about “Classic Under the Stars”?
Garanca: “that it takes place (laughs). We don’t have a detailed program yet. But it is a big bouquet year, we are looking for something that you can playfully bring on stage as a mezzo-soprano.”
Johann Strauss’s Music: More Than Meets the Ear
Q: What is your perspective on Johann Strauss’s compositions?
Garanca: “I think his works are partially dismissed as light, insignificant music, but they are a big puzzle in romantic music. I find them quite relieving and luminous and a little fun and a good mood you need in today’s repertoire.It is indeed like the Spanish Zarzuela: everyone knows the ‘bat’ by heart, but it is not that easy to get this with the right level with playful ease and simultaneously occurring.”