Reading Your Assumptions About Opera Singers
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 พ.ค. 2024
- Lots of fun assumptions about opera singers.
Can we read music?
Why do we always get sick?
Do we sing other genres?
Does body size matter?
As always, I appreciate your viewing and I hope it was fun.
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Peter Gelb from the MET once said of us ...Opera singers are either sick....getting sick,,...or getting over being sick
I always got standing room at the Met, last minute and we would always get seats. I was attending Performing Arts we got to meet all the singers. Wonderful experience for a 14 15 year old. It’s not for rich people. Today it is more expensive. I think opera is the greatest.
I saw Pavarotti all the time, Sherrill Milnes, Scotto, Dmitri, The Big MAC!
My Parents went all the time.
Baritono sings Sì, vendetta and Largo al factotum. Game, set, match.
My wife was at your first opera at ASU, and we brought our 12 year old and her friend to hear you at SCC a few weeks back. Enjoy hearing ya and seeing how far you’ve made it.
That’s so incredible. What a passing of time!
Although in many operas the baritone is the brother, or best friend or whatever else but not the hero I believe that Verdi really loved the baritone voices because he composed some of his best music for them, eg Rigoletto, Rodrigo, Boccanegra, di Luna, Macbeth, Don Carlo in Forza and several others as did some other composers. I have been a big Bastianini fan for a long time and even after so many years after his untimely death I still love hearing him sing and play some of the music he sang very often. It is so uplifting and satisfying to hear that beautiful rich velvety sound.
1:42 "Opera singers come in all shapes and sizes" 💀
Opera is always dying until you go watch your first good production, then you'll can't wait for your next one.
As a singer, and a bass at that, who lacks a "big body," I really appreciate your comments. One of the most resonant voices I ever heard was another bass I worked with who was about 5'4" and made me look like a giant. BTW, you have a marvelous voice. Kudos to you, too, for your videos, which are attracting a whole new generation of opera fans.
For sure. Yeah at the end of the day the sound comes from the throat - the literal location of the folds. Plenty of small people with big larynxes. Maybe it’s a little intuitively easier to *support* a bigger instrument with a bigger body but a smaller person can still do it
The Houston Grand Opera has free performances which I love to tell people but I also tell them that experiencing it at the Opera House is the best way to experience it.
Heard/saw you in SAN DIEGO. My girlfriend was star struck. You are down to earth, without the " grand piano" attitude. You are a FAN of the greats, as I am, and you KNOW ( if you dont specifically say)that opera is unique in thats its an art AND a SPORT.
I’m a big fan of yours! Although I come from a family of opera-lovers, I HATED it, that is, until one day in college (early-1970s). I was tired of endless studying, so I watched Johnny Carson instead. His guest was Beverly Sills. I was so bowled over by her sound, the mystery of the music, and her self-effacing personality. So I bought a ticket the Donizetti Queens. And I’ve now seen 300+ live performances. I tried to pass down my love of opera to my children (my son and I met you backstage in Florida after Pearl Fishers), but it’s hopeless! My son loves death metal and my daughter likes Nicki Minaj 🤢
When people ask what I like about it, I’m reminded of your performance in Les Troyens - these characters have come to me from centuries ago to tell their stories through music.
❤you are really an opera magician 🎉🎉beside your ,amabile voce’
Hello Lucas. Big fan of your channel. I have been singing for a while but recently started studying Bel canto with a qualified vocal coach. In the past few months with her I learned alot more than I have learned in years. She talks alot about how singing is basically like sustained speech. I am a baritone. I sing mainly contemporary music, and I am struggling alot with my high notes, she tells me to focus on my comfortable range for now and my high notes will eventually get there in time. If you could give me your opinion on this, cause it really is mentally affecting me to a point where I compare myself to other singers (specially tenors) and feel even worse about myself. Upto D4 I am comfortable, I can hit a G2 comfortably, if I 'PUSH' it I can hit a G4 on a good day (excluding head voice), but it doesn't feel free or even sound that good, I am 20 years old. English isn't my native language, hopefully my point came across fine. Thanks in advance, love from Sri Lanka ❤️.
thank you lucas! im a student of opera singing myself and im trying to get into the business, and i absolutely learned a lot from this video!
Amazing!!!
Thank you for your honest and open videos about your work, it's so refreshing.
Loved this! Thank you!
so fun and informative 🙌🤩 thanks maestro!
This is really cool. More stories and less well known facts about opera singing and singers will be much appreciated!
Thank you Maestro Meachem for this video! I am a big fan of the debunking;)
Really enjoyed that 👏👏👏👏
Loved this, many thanks.
Happy to provide this for you! Thanks
You are an inspiration in your enthusiasm and down to earth - always learn from you.
Hello Lucas...!!!!! I really enjoyed Tanhauser last week in LA opera...!!!!
Wonderful Performance....!!!!!! You are Amazing...Thanks A lot...!!!!!!
4:30, I'm a tenor, and what I don't like often about tenor roles, is that often it's always the ''goody two shoes'' roles - baritones get some cool villainous roles.
True, the leggero and light lyric tenors roles are offen kinda boring
I am so glad to have found you here on youtube - Excellent videos, and they are helping me every day. I wanted to touch bass with you as I watched a Master Class you were conducting and I thought I might be able to help a little bit. You were working with a singer named Alexander and he was all arms. I had a coach that would take that energy and convert it into something meaningful. She would say if you feel the impulse to gesture in a specific place there is a reason but don't just flap your arms. Think of a specific gesture that will help convey the emotion you are feeling. So the impulse to gesture turned into something meaningful and focused, not just what she called seal hands (like a seal flapping its flippers). There is a lot of power in just being still and singing the aria.
It’s less expensive to go to THE MET than a Broadway play… tickets available in $35 range.
Wow! I love these replies from your audience!!! This is the first video I see on your channel! You are great! Such wonderful energy! Thank you so much for sharing your path and your experience with us!! I LOL from this assumption: "Can't read music"! Sending you warm greetings from a happy soprano in Tel-Aviv:)
Thank you so much!!! And welcome. Enjoy!
I'd actually love to hear how a now professional opera singer was singing before starting vocal training or in their early years. I've been getting vocal training for just a few years and whilst the better control makes my voice now simply sound way more smooth throughout an aria, it's not getting anywhere near to the absolutely ear piercing sound I heard from every opera singer when I was behind the stages listening to opera singers when they warmed up before their performance. I really wonder whether that's technique or just nature that I can't tap into.
One must be born with a voice. Nobody can give that do you. However, everyone can learn technique if the desire is there. Some have it by nature, most of us have to work at it. I was born with a voice, but I was not a natural when it comes to using it. Some of the greatest singers in the world will tell you the same thing. Slow and steady wins the race. A great read is Jerome Hines "Great Singers on Great Singing". Many of the greats say "I had it naturally". Others say the had to work like dogs. IMHO, the late great soprano Magda Olivero has the most interesting interview. She never had the most beautiful instrument, but she sang very well into her 90s with an amazing technique that she earned through blood sweat and tears.
I will look through my old recordings! I do have something from when I was 19.
@@LucasMeachem1 we’d love to hear them!
@@LucasMeachem1 As a young bass-baritone and a big fan of yours I would love to hear some of your old recordings
@@geraldlazri3448 I wish! Didn’t keep any of those recordings
I didn’t know where to write this comment, but I just read that you’re making your La Scala debut in Thais. Great role for a baritone! And despite some criticism of the opera itself, it’s pretty damn good music. As Sherrill Milnes once said, “This is great music…..I’m not up here singing ‘My Funny Valentine!’” I’m going to La Scala in June for the first time, seeing La Gioconda, which actually premiered there.
Voice lessons are minimum $120 or more an hour. It's probably even more in NYC.
Lucas, Could you tell us your favorite male Rock vocalists? Just curious. Thanks very much.
More of Jussi B and NicolaiGedda !!!
How nice you are....
Hello from France dear Lucas Meachem,
I was amazed to discover that one of my favourite opera singers had a TH-cam channel, thank you very much, I get to learn a lot from it. I try to study opera singing myself and still have much work ahead of me !
I would like to ask you, with regard to the question that you were asked in the video about whether opera singers could sing other things than just opera : I know you're one of the few who can.
How did you manage to keep that ability along the way ? Did you have to practice specifically while studying opera singing at the same time ? Does it affect anyhow you're opera singing ?
Thank you very much for sharing all of this on TH-cam !
Bonjour! Merci beaucoup! I started out singing whatever music I heard on the radio: gospel, pop, rock, R&B and it wasn’t until much later that I heard opera. I fell in love right away and began using my skills in a new way. Lots of lessons and years later …. I’m not as good at R&B anymore but i do enjoy a karaoke night from time to time.
@@LucasMeachem1 Thank you very much for answering.
I wish you the best for your great career !
Belle réussite à vous, M. Meachem !
Hello Maestro I recall reading that Pavarotti could not read music. True? Is it also true that the tenor gets the girl on stage, but the baritone gets the girl backstage? 😆
What is your opinion of the movie "The Sound Of Silence" about Andrea brocelli. Particularly the concepts they have on not talking or making any sounds, makes your voice sound fuller.
Awesome voice! So I'm a late bloomer here in the voice world. What has to be done to transition from regular "Michael B" type genre to opera? Thank you
Jeff
Big body, big voice? Interesting.
I remember watching Tosca from Royal Opera House and seeing how taller Calleja was in comparison to Finley. Both of them sounded great.
I'm not sure if you'll see this or not. When I was taking singing lessons, my vocal teacher taught me as a baritone even though I'm a mid-range tenor. It's hard for me to hit the lower notes that she wanted me to sing and said I'm "unteachable". Is there any way to retrain my voice to be able to comfortably sing in my actual range? I have a little bit of a music background, but mainly in guitar.
❤️
I would like to respond the opera singers are pompous A holes. They say don't meet your heroes, but in the world of opera that is not true. I have been fortunate to have both met and even sung with /for some of my heroes. Every single one of them turned out to be not only a great singer, but a great human being. Some have even become friends. I think its because singing is SO HARD that there is an understanding that if you are doing it, you have no choice but to do it and we have to support each other no matter if you are a household name or if you are a local singer. As always...you rock Lucas!!
My teacher sang with Sam Ramey once.
My boy was a stud at 25
Dear Mr. Meachem,
I have spina bifida and use a wheelchair full time. However, I want to sing opera. I’m afraid to audition because I’m afraid of being rejected before I even sing. Is it true that people with disabilities aren’t welcome in the opera world?
I’m not going to lie, so yes you will have a harder time, but work on getting your voice sounding great and who knows, I think you’ll have an easier time as a concert performer then in a staged production, I’ll point you to the Royal Opera House’s barber where Joyce DiDonato had an accident and sang the rest of the run from a wheelchair. Go for it and follow your dream.
Check out Thomas Thomas Quasthoff
German bass-baritone.Born with severe birth defects caused by thalidomide, Quasthoff is 1.34 m (4 ft 4+3⁄4 in), and has phocomelia.
LUCIANO said " Opera is controlled screaming "
The best example is a baby screaming in the crib....perfect breathing and support....they scream for hours and don't lose their voice
"opera is for rich people"
~people who spend $200 to see their favorite artists live multiple times a year.
They see the nice clothes opera goers generally wear and assume they have to be hoity-toity rich people to be able to afford to dress like that.
How does one come to the assumption that opera singers cannot read music? I mean if we are talking about, I don't know, chefs maybe, but opera singers? People who sing music? That is the dumbest one of all.
My guess is that, since many singers start out as ear-trained musicians (our instrument is free and with us at all times making it especially easy to pick up singing), some singers may delay the music reading process. But eventually all opera singers become extremely proficient.
It could also be because of Pavarotti, who was noted for not being able to read music. People then assume all opera singers are like him because it’s all they know.
@@davidclerget9401 It obviously helps a singer if he reads music, but many singers who have only rudimentary ability can get by adequately.
About reading music, not 100% of opera singers. Apparently Pavarotti couldn't.
Pavarotti couldn’t read music. Nor could Ezio Pinza. If 100 percent of singers read music today, the. times have changed. And certainly the singers have not been getting better.
didnt Pavarotti not know how to read music hahaha
Allegedly. But he’s an exception to all the rules and gets a free pass in my opinion!!!
It's so sad to hear such stupid comments. It denotes how ignorant and prejudiced people are. Opera is the Olympics of human voices. A human voice that alone, can drown out an entire orchestra. According to these ignorant people, we should throw away Mozart, Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi, Leoncavallo, Mascagni, Puccini, Bizet, just to name a few?
Caro Lucas, hai una bellissima voce, sei molto simpatico ed è molto interessante ascoltare le tue recensioni. Grazie 👍👍😘😘😘😘😘
I met a young guy who has an amazing baritone voice. The last time I saw him, he was speaking funnily (whispy and high), as he said he found a teacher who promised to make him into a world-class tenor. Sounds fishy to me….
Oh, that's a shame! What pitch do you think his speaking voice would sit naturally? Is it lower than Lucas?
Thats WRONG, but also refreshing. Usually lazy teachers classify everyone as a baritone.
You need a big body for a big voice...
Is complete Nonsense. Good singing does not need a big sized body, because generally and most of all the muscles in the lower body have to be trained and the breathing must be correct (expanding ribs etc.). As well as the projection of the voice and vocal cords closure in order not to sound hoarse.... Although there are some singers who are mentioning, that, when having had more weight, they had another impression of their inner body regarding their "support"...
Only for rich people
That's a good argument to avoid getting in touch with classical music...
And today classical music is available for free nearly everywhere, before paying money for tickets. It is necessary to deeply fall in love with classical music, even of it is only one singular piece in the beginning, but therefore you need to be fascinated, not to be wealthy... IF music touches your heart, your emotions, you do not think about where it belongs to...
One of mine is that opera singers only sing Opera because they don't like experimenting other kinds of music
Interesting. That’s harder to generalize since we don’t know what other singers do behind closed doors haha
@@LucasMeachem1 right I usually don’t sing opera but sometimes when I practice I start singing a bit of “opera…” not trying to say I am an opera singer, but I was told it sounded pretty good, but would have to get an expert opinion on rhat. Sure it can use a LOT of work haha
Luisa Tetrazzini sang in an OPEN SETTING in San Francisco and her voice was heard by THOUSANDS and BLOCKS AWAYS...
Would you say your TECHNIQUE is BETTER than those of the past....
Would you say your technique is at LEAST EQUAL to those of the past....if that the case....
Would your voice CARRY BLOCKS AWAY and would you be heard by THOUSANDS as Tetrazzini did...
If not....
.....Then....
....Why post videos about VOCAL TECHNIQUE....
I saw a video of you singing....in which you have a MICROPHONE RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR MOUTH....
Maybe that MICROPHONE was for recording nevertheless...a use of a MICROPHONE IMPLIES....A SMALL VOICE....
A small voice that may sound HUGE in a teather (IN WHICH THE SOUND IS ACOUSTICALLY ENHANCED)
but....
....Would NOT CARRY IN AN OPEN SETTING....
I hope that would not be your case...