Download The Crossover Opera Singer: Bridging the Gap Between Opera and

The Crossover Opera Singer: Bridging the Gap Between Opera and Musical Theatre
D.M.A. DOCUMENT
Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Musical
Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University
By
Keyona Willis-Lynam, M.M
Graduate Program in Music
The Ohio State University
2015
D.M.A. Document Committee:
J. Robin Rice, Advisor
Joe Duchi
Kristine Kearney
Copyright by
Keyona Willis-Lynam
2015
Abstract
For decades, a divide has existed between opera and musical theatre, with the
lesser value being placed upon the latter. Singers, from the start of their training, are told
to choose a genre if one wants to achieve any type of singing success. This type of
division creates a chasm of isolation and misunderstanding between the musical styles.
From academia, to the stage, to the concert goer, one’s allegiance to opera versus musical
theatre has been built upon a firm foundation of contrast, without acknowledging that
both genres have ties to one another. As a result, most teaching of singing is done from
the perspective of the classical singing style, with little to no mention of how to
efficiently and healthily sing in a musical theatre style.
In today’s social and economic climate, opera houses across the United States and
abroad are seeing a decline in ticket sales; some have been able to restructure to survive,
while others are shutting down. Companies are seeking a variety of ways to stay
connected to the community; one avenue that has produced an area of contention is the
addition of musical theatre productions to the season’s billing. Opera purists see this as a
disintegration of a centuries-old tradition, while others see this not as a destruction, but a
continuation, an expansion of the genre. In opera’s quest to stay relevant, it is becoming
more difficult to ignore the benefits musical theatre can have for opera, and as a result,
ii
there needs to be a means of educating singers how to healthily sing in a musical theatre
style.
This document is intended for the opera singer who wants to integrate musical
theatre literature into his or her repertoire and for the opera community hesitant to
embrace the genre. Chapter one will explore the evolution of American opera into
musical theatre and how the genres function today. Chapter two discusses a means to
look beyond genres and ways to reinvigorate opera as an art form. Chapter three
addresses the tools and pedagogical needs for the opera singer to cross over into musical
theatre. Chapter four fuses the concepts of opera and musical theatre to gain a better
understanding of how the two can influence one another.
The intent of this paper is not to lessen opera but to enhance and build upon it
with the addition of musical theatre concepts. From the stage to the classroom, a
movement needs to take place to seek out the benefits of each style. In today’s society,
singers need to know how to navigate different styles, within reason, and know how to do
so healthily. Not educating singers on how to sing functionally in alternate styles, in
addition to their predominant classical style, is a detriment to one’s career. In starting a
dialogue to bridge the gap between opera and musical theatre, it is hoped this document
can help strip away the divide and instead, bring them together.
iii
Dedication
This document is dedicated to my husband for being a constant support and encouraging
me to follow my passions and to my parents for showing me that a dream is worth
chasing.
iv
Acknowledgments
Robin Rice, D.M.A, Advisor — Joseph Duchi, M.M. — Kristine Kearney, M.F.A. —
Ted McDaniel, Ph.D. — A. Scott Parry, M.S..
v
Vita
2004................................................................B.M. Vocal Performance, Otterbein College
2004................................................................Powell Kuman Scholarship for Achievement
........................................................................in Arts, Otterbein College
2004................................................................Joined Actor’s Equity Association
2008, 2009......................................................Graduate Administrative Assistant, Minority
Affairs, The Ohio State University
2009................................................................The Wilson Award Scholarship, The Ohio
........................................................................University
2009................................................................First Place, The Women in Music
........................................................................Competition
2009-2013 ......................................................Graduate Teaching Associate, School of
........................................................................Music, The Ohio State University
2010................................................................M.M. Vocal Performance, The Ohio State
........................................................................University
2010 to Present ...............................................Adjunct Voice Instructor, Otterbein
University
2012................................................................Martha Speaks Award, The Ohio State
........................................................................University
2012................................................................Graduate Teaching Award, The Ohio State
........................................................................University
vi
Fields of Study
Major Field: Music
Studies in Applied Voice: Robin Rice, D.M.A. (2008-2014)
Studies in Vocal Pedagogy: Scott McCoy, D.M.A., Karen Peeler, D.M.A. (2008-2012)
Studies in Laryngology: L. Arick Forrest, M.D. (2011-2012)
Surgical and Clinical Observations: L. Arick Forrest, M.D., Brad DeSilva, M.D., Kerrie
Obert, M.A., CCC-SLP, Michelle Toth, M.A., CCC-SLP (2011)
Studies in Opera Techniques: A. Scott Parry, M.S., Peter Kozma, M.M. (2008-2013)
Studies in Contemporary Commercial Music: Somatic Voicework The LoVetri Method,
Jeanie LoVetri (2015)
vii
Table of Contents
Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii
Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iv
Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... v
Vita..................................................................................................................................... vi
Chapter 1: The Evolution of American Opera and Musical Theatre ................................. 1
Chapter 2: Opera and Musical Theatre, Can They Coexist? ............................................ 19
Chapter 3: Tools of Musical Theatre for the Opera Singer .............................................. 37
Chapter 4: Bridging the Gap ............................................................................................. 68
References ......................................................................................................................... 84
Appendix A: Differences Between Musical Theatre and Opera ...................................... 89
Appendix B: Song Literature for the Crossover Singer .................................................... 91
viii
Chapter 1: The Evolution of American Opera and Musical Theatre
Opera has thrived for centuries by intertwining music, text, scenery, and drama to
bring a story to life. Audiences are captivated by the visceral experience and are swept up
in the musical narrative. In looking at the beginning stages of opera, it began by being
performed in aristocratic circles in one’s home. As it gained popularity and expanded to a
wider audience within the upper echelon,1 opera eventually made its way to becoming
more accessible to the everyday man. The draw of opera was, and still is, the relationship
of the human experience heightened by the musical drama. Opera provides a mirror for
audiences to see a glimpse of a social climate and life not too distant from their own.
Stemmed from pastoral poetry and the madrigal, opera was based upon the
discussions held by the Florentine Camerata.2 From their perspective, the ancient Greeks
were able to produce “powerful effects with their music because it consisted of a single
melody, whether sung by a soloist with or without accompaniment, or by a chorus. By
conveying the message of the text through the natural expressiveness of the voice, the
1
Nathan Hurwitz, A History of the American Musical Theatre (New York: Routledge,
2014), 8.
2
In the early 1570’s Count Bardi hosted an informal academy in his home in Florence
where “scholars discussed literature, science, and the arts, and musicians performed new
music. Bardi’s protégé, the singer-composer Giulio Caccini, later referred to this
gathering as the Camerata (circle) of Bardi.” Donald Jay Grout and Claude V. Palisca, A
History of Western Music (New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2001) 263-64.
1
rises and falls in pitch, and the changing rhythms and tempo, this single melody line
succeeded in moving the listener better than more complex texture did.”3 These concepts
led the Camerata to believe the ancient tragedies were sung throughout. Wanting to
regain the heightened purity of drama through text, opera was created.
In its earliest form, opera was a means to enhance and enliven the text. This can be
seen in works created by composers Jacopo Peri and Giulio Caccini.4 As time progressed,
textures of opera began to expand, creating a richer vocal and instrumental landscape to
build upon the action of the story.5 Soon, the structure of opera developed a larger
framework with more arias, duets, ensembles, and a larger orchestra. As opera continued
to develop and expand, so did the size of the performance venue to accommodate the
growing audience. “Opera spread throughout Europe and in short order became one of
the most popular theatrical forms among the upper class. By the early eighteenth century,
opera had split into opera-seria and opera comique.”6 The malleability of this genre was
seen in its ability to adapt itself based upon the social and political environments of the
city in which the work was being performed.7 Opera was “…amenable to a wide variety
of symbolic interpretations—should interpretations be needed—but it also reflects the
strengths, and the popularity, of contemporary operatic musical styles. Of course, taking a
3
Barbara Russano Hanning, A Concise History of Western Music (New York: W.W.
Norton and Company, 2002), 180.
4
In 1600, Peri and Caccini set to music two settings of the play Euridice to create a
medium melding the concepts of speech and song.
5
Claudio Monteverdi built upon the recitative style created by Peri and added his
expansion of musical textures by adding more airs, duets, dances, and chorus numbers.
Grout and Palisca, A History of Western Music, 271.
6
Hurwitz, A History, 8,9.
7
Roger Parker, The Oxford Illustrated History of Opera, (Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 1994), 31.
2
work from one city to another could prompt changes and revisions to suit the new context
and different audience expectations. “8
The early stage of opera in the seventeenth century was presented mainly to the
upper class as a means of spectacle and entertainment for social occasions. With the
decline of private patronage, composers took their works to the public concert hall to
continue receiving revenue for their compositions. As a result, composers adapted their
music not only engage the upper class but the middle class as well. This fell in line with
the development of the Enlightenment Era, in the eighteenth century, when the dispersion
of knowledge and culture was encouraged and the middle class developed an increased
interest in education and the arts.
A notable shift in the art form took place with John Gay’s English opera, The
Beggar’s Opera, performed in 1728. This work reflected a political commentary of the
corrupt system created by the upper class and its viewpoint from the lower class. Despite
the English government’s dislike of this work, the greater public thoroughly enjoyed the
work, “making it the worlds first long-running musical stage hit.”9 In observing this
cultural shift, one may note the impact opera had in not only portraying a musical drama,
but also creating a story that was a real-life reflection of the time. This amplification of
an oppressed microcosm of society revealed not only one’s interest in spectacle but also
the ability to relate to the common man.
Despite the fact that English opera, “…unlike that of either Italy or France,
8
Parker, The Oxford Illustrated, 31.
John Kenrick, Musical Theatre: A History, (London: Bloomsbury, 2008), 31. The
Beggar’s Opera ran for sixty-two performances.
3
9
remained a local development, with little influence on the course of serious opera…”10 in
Europe, it did have the “…greatest historical consequence for opera in the American
colonies. Beginning in the 1730’s, the majority of operas staged in America were either
from England or written by Americans in the style of English opera.”11
As the varying styles of opera continued to evolve leading into the classical period
which began around 1730, audiences sought an entertainment experience that presented
not only spectacle but also a reflection of the cultural climate stripped away from stiff,
unnatural movements and old scenery.12 “Paralleling the subsidized product was a
different kind of opera…[which] recognized and tried to satisfy the need of the masses
for a music theatre…Mozart’s Zauberflöte was written on commission and in
collaboration with a commercial theatre impresario; it is an ideal example of the union of
popular music and the highest degree of artistic power.”13 This addition to the opera
genre led to the uniting of music drama and text to create a performance spectacle.
Leading into the nineteenth century, there was a decline of royal patronage, which
caused opera to evolve into grand opera as a means to try and bring in wider audiences
seeking excitement and entertainment.14 This also led to the development of opera
10
Donald Jay Grout, A Short History of Opera, (New York: Columbia University Press,
2003), 297.
11
Grout, A Short History, 297.
12
Kurt Weill, “The Future of Opera in America,” Modern Music 19, no. 4 (May-June
1937): 184.
13
Ibid, 185.
14
Grand opera appealed to the uncultured audiences looking for excitement and
entertainment. It was “as much spectacle as music.” Grout and Palisca, A History, 609.
4
comique,15 lyric opera,16 melodrama,17 human dramas,18 and music drama.19 These
developments illustrate an exploration to fuse the elements of music and theatre together
to create a musical language that audiences gravitated toward and were easily relatable.
Opera was a reflection of the cultural times and presented an opportunity for the audience
to delineate into an alternate state of being to find respite in the midst of the social and
political climate.
When looking at the development of opera in Europe, one can note a similar
process taking place in the United States. Founded by immigrants, the cultural basis of
the arts in America was established by importing productions from abroad. Audiences,
ranging from a variety of backgrounds, sought the familiar and theatrical experience that
musical performances could recreate. American composers of the 1800s were also
creating works inspired by the imported works being performed in the states. Some
productions mirrored ballad opera and comic opera, while others branched off to create a
form of parlor opera, which was considered a form of popular entertainment stepping
away from serious art.20 Along with parlor opera, minstrels21 were created as a program
15
Less pretentious than grand opera and included spoken dialogue instead of recitative.
Grout and Palisca, A History, 610.
16
A style between opera comique and grand opera that focused more on the melody and
the story was typically romantic or fantasy. Grout and Palisca, A History, 612.
17
“A genre of musical theatre that combines spoken dialogue with background music.”
Grout and Palisca, A History, 619.
18
Verdi was most well known for creating works delving into the inner psychological
drama of each of his characters. His works also contained disguised political statements
of nationalism during the time of national rebirth. Grout and Palisca, A History, 614-619.
19
Wagner’s quest to combine “his ideal of opera as a drama with words, stage setting,
visible action, and music all working closely together profoundly influenced later
composers.” Grout and Palisca, A History, 628.
20
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 49.
5
consisting of “songs and dances interspersed with comic skits and seemingly improvised
‘plantation-style’ patter…the first indigenous form of musical theatre in the United States
of America.”22
At the end of the Civil War, minstrel shows lost popularity. The American musical
stage began to embrace vaudeville, burlesque, and musical reviews as more than taboo
popular entertainment. Along with the lighter American theater styles being presented,
imported European operetta was also being performed. This shift in entertainment at the
beginning of the twentieth century revealed a decline of interest for grand opera, not due
to a lack of artistic content but because the configuration of the work was framed upon an
older, outdated structure. “[I]t may be regretted that these works had the misfortune to
come at a moment when tastes in musical matters were on the verge of radical
change…Part of that change was fostered by the variety of musical entertainment being
offered in the theaters of New York City. The advent of Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow
at the New York’s Amsterdam Theater in 1907, for example, had a profound influence
upon the future growth of operatic productions in America.”23 As musical operetta
continued to evolve, productions by Gilbert and Sullivan, and their contemporaries,
expanded upon the addition of speech-oriented singing, which continues to be a relevant
component in the musical theatre repertoire today.
“After Gilbert, the craft of lyric writing would never be the same. Many of the great
21
Blackface performers had been around for decades prior to the black minstrel show. In
1843 a troupe of four white performers presented a full-length show in blackface and
called themselves the Virginia Minstrels, thus, creating the first black minstrel show.
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 51.
22
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 51.
23
Grout, A Short History, 744.
6
lyricists of the future found crucial inspiration in his work. P. G. Wodehouse, Lorenz
Hart, Cole Porter, Ira Gershwin, Alan Jay Lerner, E. Y. Harburg—all freely admitted that
they studied Gilbert’s lyrics and emulated his playful use of rhyme.”24 Gilbert and
Sullivan’s development of this genre further encouraged the advancement of musical
theatre. The accessibility to their works expanded the performance opportunities for
amateur companies to perform their operettas.25 Almost every major musical theatre
structure created during the first half of the twentieth century attributes their work to
Gilbert and Sullivan.26
With the development of operetta in the United States, musical theatre sought a
national identity that was uniquely an “American idiom in America’s popular
culture.”27At the turn of the twentieth century, leading up to 1915, most productions were
created from an existing source of material. American culture had a great sense of
admiration for imported works; most “American musicals were adaptations of European
pieces, or written in the style of European musicals or operettas. In the mid 1910s,
however, a unique confluence of events created the perfect environment for the
Americanization of the musical theatre.”28 The onset of World War I in 1914 caused the
German navy to close down the transatlantic shipping lanes in 1915. As a result, all nonessential travel was halted for the duration of the war, which would include the
24
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 92.
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 93.
26
Hurwitz, A History, 43.
27
Ibid, 59.
28
Ibid, 76.
25
7
importation of opera and musical theatre.29 Prior to this time, musical theatre was based
upon a grand presentation of spectacle. The war created a social and economic stress in
the United States that placed a strain on the ability to attend and produce shows. The
American musical needed to strip itself down and re-envision itself as an art form,
creating a new concept of musical theatre called Princess Musicals.30 The focus of the
production stepped away from the visual spectacle and instead was placed upon the
content of the story, development of characters, and creating a melody that was not only
memorable, but enhanced the story. The pioneers of the Princess Musical, Guy Bolton
and Jerome Kern, created the musical, Nobody Home, performed at the Princess Theatre.
“For the first time, there was dramatic need behind every aspect of the show…Kern and
Bolton offered recognizable, contemporary characters acting out a story that the audience
would recognize from their own lives.”31
Although European inspired operetta and opera were still being performed, it was
apparent Americans had a need to hear a voice that was uniquely their own. As the
musical art form branched out to create the Zeigfeld Follies and ragtime, the feelings of
the American people, after the war, craved a native-born musical idiom, jazz. “When F.
Scott Fitzergald dubbed the 1920s ‘The Jazz Age,’ he was speaking for a discontented
generation that found in this music an expression of their passion, their sorrows, their
anger, and their sheer energy. Embittered by the senseless carnage of ‘the war to end all
wars,’ they were out to have one hell of a good time, and jazz was the sound they partied,
29
Hurwitz, A History, 77.
This term came from the theatre in which the musicals were performed. The Princess
Theatre was Broadway’s smallest house and had room for minimal chorus and set.
31
Hurwitz, A History, 81.
8
30
mated, and wept to.”32 Since composers were skeptical of jazz, some were able to create
successful operettas without implementing this new style. But a majority of Broadway
composers knew if they wanted to stay relevant in the current social climate, they would
need to adapt to meet the public’s taste. This transition created the start of the golden age
era. The outpouring of this need created the start of the Cinderella stories and Music Box
Revues. The golden age catapulted the success of composers such as George and Ira
Gershwin, Rogers and Hart, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter. Each composer and lyricist
team brought a new element to the incorporation of jazz onto the musical theatre
stage.
Although jazz music was the reigning influence of the public after World War I, it
is worth noting that operetta was still a relevant genre, and audiences were wanting to
hold onto a piece of this nostalgia. As a result, “[t]he American theatre developed a
homegrown breed of romantic operettas.”33 Notable operettas that were performed in the
1920s are: No, No Nannette, The Student Prince in Heidelberg, Naughty Marietta, The
Vagabond King, The Desert Song, and Rosalie. Two important works, The Threepenny
Opera by Kurt Weill and Showboat by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II were
pivotal compositions for the time. However, it was Showboat that stood out as a marker
of the 1920s and as a shift leading toward musical theatre. “This show was revolutionary
in two ways: it depicted a political (racial) issue, and it was the first “book” musical. In a
book musical, the script tells a story and the songs are written to continue or embellish
the dramatic situations. Previously, theatrical shows were put together as a series of
32
33
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 173.
Kenrick, Musical Theatre,196.
9
unrelated songs that interrupted the dramatic action and often had nothing to do with the
plot. The book musical became the dominant theater genre (and remains an important
model today).”34
Shortly after the success of Showboat, Wall Street suffered a dramatic hit, which
was a catastrophic disaster for the economy. Several theater houses closed, and many
composers headed to Hollywood believing the end of Broadway was around the corner.
Composers such as Porter, Berlin, Kern, and Arlen that stayed in New York and
continued to write musicals became prominent writers of the decade. It was during this
time that each of them “found their voice and their audience”35 in the midst of economic
distress. Although fewer musicals were being produced, those that made it to Broadway
were a wonderful display of entertainment ranging from nostalgic to inventive.36 “Revues
got smaller but funnier, musical comedies became sharper and better crafted, and operetta
gave up any pretense of intellectual content, offering more romantic spectacle than ever.
Typical runs were shorter, but there were still enough ticket buyers to keep musical
theatre alive.”37 Among the other prominent composers of the 1930s, composer and
librettist, brothers, George and Ira Gershwin, became a defining artistic element of
musical theatre. Their works included Strike Up the Band, Girl Crazy, Of Thee I Sing,
and most notably the jazz opera, Porgy and Bess. “The Broadway premiere of Porgy and
Bess took place…in October 1935 to mixed reviews. For the part, the work was
34
Karen Hall, So You Want to Sing Musical Theater: A Guide for Professionals
(Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2014), 12.
35
Hall, So You Want to Sing, 13.
36
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 215.
37
Ibid, 215.
10
enthusiastically received by the audiences, but it puzzled the critics who were at a loss to
define its genre—was it an opera or a Broadway musical?...Porgy and Bess has been
variously considered a folk opera, a musical comedy, a movie musical and…[a] grand
opera.”38 Even after the first performance of Porgy and Bess, Gershwin drastically cut his
score and replaced some of his recitatives with spoken dialogue. Revisions such as these
are what cause Porgy and Bess to be an artistic enigma to this day. One could say
Gershwin was true to his personal style, but in order to stay relevant to the public,
Gershwin adjusted his work to meet the trends of the time.
Looking at the future trajectory of opera and musical theatre, both styles reflect the
human experience—the American experience. American opera brought us works by
Aaron Copland, Douglas Moore, Marc Blitzstein, and Kurt Weill. Each of them sought to
explore their own concept of folk opera—representing life in America during times of
trial, hardship, rebuilding, and protest. These were relevant topics through the duration of
World War II. The integration of jazz and folk influences in opera were a musical voice
for the thoughts and feelings of the public. In contrast, musical theatre, in many ways,
tried “valiantly to marry the joy of musical comedy to the integration of operetta”39 in
order to give emotional release to the heavy nature of the times. Oklahoma! by Richard
Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, was a pivotal marker to this blending of styles. “[I]t
was the first organic musical play, in which every element serves as a crucial, meaningful
piece of the whole…While laughs still counted, they took a backseat to dramatic
38
39
Grout, A Short History, 750.
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 252.
11
coherence.”40
Following World War II, both opera and musical theatre sought out ways to engage
the public. People wanted more than a catchy melody; they wanted “character driven
storytelling that made everyday situations timeless and compelling.”41 Oklahoma!
became a standard for the new musical theatre after the war. “Cynics often carp about
Hammerstein’s ‘folksiness,’ but his common touch is the very thing that makes his best
musicals relevant to succeeding generations. Rogers used music to capture and even
deepen the emotion of any given scene. Songwriters now had to be dramatists, and as of
the mid-1940s, Rodgers and Hammerstein were still without peers in that repute.”42 In the
same regard, opera was establishing a similar foothold—Kurt Weill was one of those
voices. “[H]e made clear that he was writing music, not for posterity, but for ‘today,’ and
that this music was designed to be accessible to a more representative public than the
limited audiences for whom he had composed during the earlier European phase of his
career.”43 With the evolution of the American popular opera, the overlap between opera
and musical theatre became more prevalent with works such as The Most Happy Fella,
Sweeney Todd, Candide, and West Side Story. “Among composers who were not hesitant
to declare the Broadway musical theatre idiom to be a wellspring for the creation of
American national opera was Leonard Bernstein…Bernstein remarked that ‘the American
musical theatre has come a long way, borrowing this from opera, that from revue, the
other from operetta, something else from vaudeville—and mixing all the elements into
40
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 258.
Ibid, 264.
42
Ibid, 264.
43
Grout, A Short History, 756.
41
12
something quite new, but something which has been steadily moving in the direction of
opera.’”44 The amalgamation of these styles left some wondering if certain productions
were musicals or operas; this was noted in shows such as Candide, Sweeney Todd,
Brigadoon, and Street Scene. “Their creators insist their works are musicals, not operas.
To be sure, neither genre is easy to define, for Broadway productions have made their
way uptown to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Opera, and
operas, such as Bizet’s Carmen, have reappeared, albeit usually in a different guise, on
Broadway. Nevertheless, what the Sondheim and Bernstein scores hold in common are
musical-dramatic structures related to the operatic traditions represented by Singspiele
and operas comiques.”45
Along with the evolution of art, technology also progressed during the 1950s. It
was during this time that television became integrated into the typical American lifestyle.
It was here that the Broadway musical began to reach a broader audience. “Popular music
took its cues from Broadway. Stage musicals sent songs to the top of the charts so
regularly that when people heard a great new tune, they didn’t ask who wrote it; they
asked what show it came from…Hollywood stopped developing original musicals by
1956 and limited itself to adapting Broadway hits for the big screen…Broadway was the
‘main stem’ of show business, especially where musicals were concerned.”46 This phase
of the golden age era produced works such as The King and I, The Sound of Music, Guys
and Dolls, The Music Man, and West Side Story. These musicals were a voice for the
44
Grout, A Short History, 761.
Ibid, 762.
46
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 277.
45
13
public’s desire to find moments of connection displayed in a theatrical world with a
melody they could take with them.
American operas of the 1950s and 1960s adhered “to tonality, which made possible
a traditional kind of operatic form, whether straight, as in Britten, or deeply ironized, as
in Stravinsky. In much of mainland Europe, however, the pressure for change was
irresistible.”47 During this time of exploring the realms of expression, most large opera
houses, such as the Metropolitan Opera, were still focused on the traditional repertoire,
while newer opera works were performed in smaller companies and performance groups.
It was during this period that opera was in conflict with itself as a genre and created a
clash between tradition and innovation. Some composers of the time felt they were boxed
into the past and intentionally tried to seek the opposite. In Pierre Boulez’s interview with
Der Spiegel in 1967, he highlights the “essential point was that there had been no
regeneration of opera since Berg, and that the fixed routines and repertories of opera
houses positively worked against innovation: all that was wanted of composers was the
occasional new piece following traditional, even Verdian patterns of musical dramaturgy,
and packing in the shocks.”48 It was this contrast that created a bit of isolation, not only
within the genre itself, but from the public as well. In a quest to escape convention, there
became “the problem of steering a course between the mere repetition of tradition and the
47
Parker, The Oxford Illustrated, 325. “Stravinsky [was ironic in the sense that he] was
capable of shaking the heavens. But in his neo-classical works he chose small groups of
musicians to bring these modest old musical forms to life in a new language. Stravinsky
was always remarkably adventurous.” Miles Hoffman, “Igor Stravinsky’s ‘Rite Of
Spring’ Counterrevolution,” http://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2013/05/24/
186296467/igor-stravinskys-rite-of-spring-counterrevolution (accessed November 23,
2015).
48
Parker, The Oxford Illustrated, 328.
14
perhaps empty enticement of new forms and new languages. It is the problem that lies
behind much of the opera of the 1960s and early 1970s, and also behind much of the
work in new genres that briefly seemed an escape, an evolutionary alternative.”49
Composers such as Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Luigi Nono, Luciano Berio, and
Peter Maxwell Davies were at the forefront of explorative opera. Opera became an
exploration in metaphor, political and social commentary. There was a constant desire to
rethink the art form and break against tradition. “It was therefore inevitable that ideas
would be exhausted, and that the anti-conventional urge in music theatre would lead to a
world in which there were no taboos left to break, except the taboo against going back to
tradition.”50
While opera composers were exploring their foothold within the genre, musicals
were thriving and surpassing operetta. However, “there was still demand for musicals
with big emotions and big singing. The Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Company became
a bastion of operetta, staging revivals of classics and spawning a string of new shows in
the romantic tradition.”51 Kismet, Fanny, Candide, The Golden Apple, Little Mary
Sunshine, and Camelot are a few works produced during this time that melded the
concepts of musical theatre and operetta together. The storylines were accessible to the
public and the music was grand and catchy. In many ways, these musicals helped to
bridge the gap between traditional, repertory opera and musicals during the explorative
period of contemporary opera.
49
Parker, The Oxford Illustrated, 333.
Ibid, 334.
51
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 302.
50
15
Modern opera was pushing the boundaries of the norm during the 1960’s and
1970’s artistic revolution. While opera houses continued to present works from the
standard repertoire, contemporary opera in America was still being performed in smaller
performance venues. It was also during this time that musicals once again began to
explore the intimate, scaled down musical while still presenting whimsical and
imaginative productions. During the mid-1960s, despite the shifting cultural trends, six
American musicals became lasting hits focusing on “irrepressible characters who carry
on with life despite all odds.”52 The memorable works were: Hello, Dolly!, Funny Girl,
Fiddler on the Roof, Man of La Mancha, Mame, and Cabaret with an honorable mention
going to Sweet Charity. Although, Sweet Charity did not run as long as the other
productions, it did do something other shows had not done up until this time, “it
recognized the existence of rock music.”53
Broadway composers tried to ignore rock and roll for more than a decade thinking
the general public would eventually lose interest. By the mid-1960s, most youth were
immersed in rock and roll. Radio began establishing stations specifically dedicated to
rock and roll; popular songs from musicals were hardly heard over the airwaves.
Broadway, which was once the main center for entertainment was demoted by rock and
roll. “The front page of Life magazine now touted the latest rock stars or covered
America’s deepening, ill-advised involvement in Vietnam’s long civil war. That war
gradually polarized the nation, digging an irrevocable chasm between generations.
Popular music now focused on a youthful audience that disapproved of the war and
52
53
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 323.
Ibid, 329.
16
expressed their displeasure through radical fashions and music filled with a spirit of
protest. With Broadway no longer a source of hit songs, musicals became non-news, the
occasional entertainment of an older generation.”54 Recognizing the public was shifting
focus from Broadway to a new medium, necessary steps needed to be taken to create
something outside of the standard musical structure. This thought evolved into rock
musicals. As the times continued to evolve, the 1970s brought about a surge of musicals
in a variety of styles ranging from rock musicals, traditional musicals, and concept
musicals. “All three subgenres had their strengths and flaws, and each had its
champions…However tough the times were, it turned out from an artistic standpoint to be
one of the most exciting decades the musical theatre has known.”55
While musicals were expanding within the genre and the styles of shows within the
umbrella of Broadway broadened, opera was still creating a large number of works.
“America offer[ed] examples of still more prolific opera composers, such as Dominick
Argento, whose works continue in a direct line from the traditionalism of Moore, Floyd,
and Britten. But at the same time other composers, engaged in or sympathetic to the anticonventional trend of the 1960s, have found ways of restoring to opera—as if to a
medium that has suffered mortal collapse—ways of writing operas, or at any rate
‘operas’, in a kind of life after death.”56
In taking a glimpse at opera and musical theatre transitioning into the 1980s and
beyond, one can ascertain several conclusions. Both art forms have gone through periods
54
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 331.
Kenrick, Musical Theatre, 336.
56
Parker, The Oxford Illustrated, 336.
55
17
of expansion and contraction to have an impact upon the general public and respond to
the social climate. This trend is as relevant today as it was in the 1600s. As two art forms
with such intertwined histories, it is interesting to note how one’s perspective to integrate
or delineate from the social climate could have such a profound impact upon the
dissemination and accessibility of both art forms. In looking back, in times of growth,
discovery, and revival, how have opera and musical theatre chosen to define themselves
to make a place for their respective genres leading up to today’s culture?
18
Chapter 2: Opera and Musical Theatre, Can They Coexist?
For decades, a firm allegiance has been established in either being a supporter of
opera or being a supporter of musical theatre. Some57 consider opera to be stuffy, avantgarde, and isolating. Others58 believe musical theatre to be shallow, showy, and musically
uninspired. Rarely does one remember that musical theatre stemmed from opera or that
opera started as a means to honor the Greek theatre.
Today, one would think opera and musical theatre are as unrelated as oil and water.
So much time and energy is spent separating each genre that I believe a large element is
being overlooked - how can each genre inspire the other? In looking at the turnover rate
of shows on Broadway and opera houses closing due to insufficient funding, it is
apparent both art forms are in need of a jumpstart. However, of the two genres, Broadway
has eclipsed opera in terms of its accessibility to the public. “Popular music found a more
comfortable home in the American musical. Musical audiences today expect their
musicals to have hummable tunes.”59 This does not mean opera is less relevant, but for an
audience, musical theatre creates a sound and storyline more relatable than contemporary
57
Alexandra Wilson, “We need to move beyond the clichés about ‘elitist’ opera,” The
Guardian (February 11, 2014) http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/
2014/feb/11/elitist-opera-cliches-alexandra-wilson (accessed November 11, 2015).
58
David Fairhurst, “Why Broadway Sucks,” Backstage.com (March 1, 2007)
http://www.backstage.com/news/why-broadway-sucks/ (accessed November 11, 2015).
59
Michael John LaChiusa, “Genre Confusion.” Opera News 67 no. 2 (August 2002): 14.
19
opera does today. “There seems to be a veritable compulsion in man to fuse the worlds of
reason and feeling, logic and passion, by combining verbal and musical modes. The
popular song and musical comedy are two enduring examples of the impulse. And opera?
The impulse is the same but the attempt is larger and more demanding in its thrust toward
an ultimate, transcendent mingling of modes.”60
This is not to say Broadway is a better art form than opera. This is highlighting
Broadway’s willingness to explore styles within the genre. For example, Broadway has
recently presented pop-inspired musicals such as Rent, Beautiful, Spring Awakening and
more traditionally blended musicals like A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The
Mystery of Edwin Drood, Les Misérables, and Cinderella. Broadway recognizes that the
public is looking for a cultural experience that is engaging, memorable, and invigorating.
This inspiration could stem from a book- Wicked, a movie - Once, a historical event 1776, or musical pop culture - Jersey Boys. No matter the source, one can see from trends
on Broadway, there is a need to explore not only current popular styles, but also revivals
of older musicals such as Sweeney Todd, My Fair Lady, The Threepenny Opera, South
Pacific, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, and A Little Night Music. As much as there is a
desire for a musical experience relatable to the present day audience, there is also an
understanding for nostalgia and lush melodies. One might also want to hear an orchestra
that fills the music hall in contrast to the electric guitars and drums that follow us from
the radio to the concert venues.
The foundation of opera arose out of an attempt to reinvigorate ancient theatre as a
60
H. Wesley Balk, The Complete Singer-Actor: Training for Music Theatre
(Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1985), 7.
20
means of creating a “union of music and drama, and bringing the drama into complete
balance with the musical form.”61 What eventually separated opera as an independent
genre was a result of the music eventually outperforming the drama. As time progressed,
the public wanted more than a stirring melody. They wanted a story and characters that
moved them by presenting a musical drama. Audiences wanted the performance to arouse
their sense of human connection. The music was memorable and gave them a melody to
hum for days after leaving the theatre. This allowed them to remember and connect with
the theatrical experience they witnessed. As one can see in the division of time, opera did
not evolve in isolation. It expanded in response to the cultural climate of the works being
created. This can be seen in the evolution of music as it transitioned from the
Renaissance, the Baroque, the Classical, the Romantic era, and others. Every artistic era
in history presents a reflection of the social and political times. Composers created works
based upon the needs of the benefactors paying them to create operas (Jean-Baptiste
Lully’s work for King Louis XIV court, such as Armide) and in response to the current
interests of the public (the spectacle of grand opera as seen in Rossini’s Guillaume Tell).
Whether exploring a world of Shakespeare in Verdi’s Falstaff or Mozart’s opera buffa Le
nozze di Figaro, operatic composers reflected the musical and cultural times in which
they were living. In the same way, Broadway was, and still is, adjusting in response to the
current audience. Reflections of this are seen in Jonathan Larson’s Rent, which comments
on the struggles of impoverished artists and the fight against HIV/AIDS in a time when
these issues were coming to light. Another example of contemporary social issues in
61
Weill, The Future, 183.
21
musical theatre is Cyndi Lauper’s Kinky Boots. This show highlights topics of acceptance
and perseverance. It mirrors today’s social climate discussing gender and race equality.
Stepping away from the differences of opera and musical theatre, one can see both
genres evolved with the culture of the day and mirrored the environment in which they
were living. In the early twentieth century, a shift occurred in opera moving away from
Romantic idioms and merging into modern, contemporary opera. Composers pushed the
boundaries of harmony and perception to create works that were outside the borders of
what had been written. The more the composers continued to experiment with the
musical realms of their compositions, the more their works were considered anti-opera. In
many ways contemporary opera isolated itself from the mainstream public as a means to
evolve for the sake of evolving versus adapting based upon the needs of arts—it was art
for art’s sake.
It is interesting to note that from the beginning of the twentieth century to modern
day, new operas have continued to be written and performed, but most of the works being
presented to the public in the last one hundred years are works from the Romantic period
and earlier. Contemporary operas are performed in larger houses but not with the same
success as the standards of the operatic repertoire.
In establishing a timeline of opera from the perspective of the influences of the
social climate upon the art form and looking at the current trends happening with opera,
one question keeps recurring, “is opera dying?” I don’t believe it is. However, I do
believe opera took a detour from itself and became an isolated art form in the twentieth
century as at begin to experiment with musical concepts becoming “anti-opera” as it was
22
called in the 1970s. Opera is gaining momentum and finding its place in the twenty-first
century with works like Dead Man Walking by Jake Heggie and Doctor Atomic by John
Adams. However, I believe opera may need to take a few steps back to pick up a few
pieces, mainly, musical theatre.
As with anything created that is to be sustainable throughout time, the need arises
for the created work to expand, be enjoyed, be talked about, and be consumed. In looking
at the historical elements of opera, the moment contemporary opera deviated from its
audience is the moment opera left the limelight that sustained the art form for centuries
by drawing audiences in to see what new work would be presented next. One could say
the genre became too introspective while exploring the concepts of tonality, visual
experience, and artistic commentary. It became about the experience, not necessarily the
story. This is not to say opera was irrelevant. It very much was relevant and still is vital in
the world of performing arts. In knowing that works of the traditional opera repertoire
have sustained concert attendance in opera houses to present day, this indicates how
timeless these works are for the contemporary audience. One “can never have too much
of a work it loves, provided that the work does not fall below a mean standard…In a
world where much of new music has moved beyond the idea of delighting the audience,
the opera public, given its own head, will prefer to be delighted with works that it knows,
rather than having to rise to the challenge of a new work, often unfamiliar and even
forbidding in its musical style.” 62As discussed previously, we are consumers of music.
We crave variety and an artistic experience that moves us - concepts that transcend time.
62
Michael Bawtree, The New Singing Theatre: A Charter for the Music Theatre
Movement (New York: Oxford University Press, 1991), 34.
23
In establishing the relevancy of opera, one must note that although opera has a strong tie
to today’s audience, in looking at the future of the art form, one can observe the thinning
of the medium from the early twentieth century to now.
Contemporary opera has continued to exist, but in many ways it separated itself
from the mainstream audience. “In an odd sense, the final quarter of the last century and
the first years of the present one have seemed more receptive to new work than the
preceding fifty, if only because new operas have become so rare that their arrival is
greeted with indiscriminate, desperate attention. Individual composers are almost
beside the point for contemporary opera audiences. Beginning with Philip Glass’s
Einstein on the Beach in 1976, the wonder of any new opera has seemed
substantially to reside with the mere fact that it is new…Heavily hyped in advance
as the next media event, most have seldom been seen since their premieres. When
one or another does turn up in revival, opera houses tout them diligently.
Subscribers attend them dutifully, applauding their own attendance as much as (if
not more than) the actual work.”63
Recognizing the pressure to constantly create a new form of musical-dramatic
expression and seeing it was causing the segregation of opera from the public, there were,
and continue to be, a few composers trying to find ways to restore opera from the anticonventional trend firmly established in the 1960s.64 Works written by Benjamin Britten,
Samuel Barber, Gian Carlo Menotti, Douglas Moore, and Carlisle Floyd, created a link to
63
Barry Singer, “Curtain,” Opera News, 73 no. 1 (July 2008). http://www.operanews.
com/Opera_News_Magazine/2008/7/Features/Curtain.html (accessed June 1, 2015).
64
Parker, The Oxford Illustrated, 336.
24
mend the separation of tonality. In some circles their works are deeply admired, and
others have a general appreciation of their works, but have not connected with them as
much as the classic operatic styles. “[T]here is a gnawing insufficiency to much of what
passes for melody in contemporary opera, a derivative, second-hand sense of
postmodernist pastiche that is often clever, even impressively accomplished, but rarely
absorbing and barely satisfying.”65 For example, Menotti is viewed as a composer who
was influenced by Puccini, but he was drawn to smaller compositions and musical styles.
As a result, he created a tonality closer to musical forms of Romanticism while still
maintaining newer concepts of harmonics, but the scale of his work was diminutive
comparatively. Audiences respected Menotti’s operas, but did not seek after them with
the same reverence as a Puccini opera. Works like The Medium, by Menotti, created a
climate in which works were appreciated, but they weren’t necessarily loved.
Contemporary composers and opera goers found themselves in a hard place.
“Buffeted by popular music’s perceived banality on one side and modern music’s
relentless lack of melody on the other, there was one path of escape – backward, in time
and tone, to the reassuring changelessness of the expired grand-opera tradition embodied
by Puccini, along with his dead French, Russian and German counterparts, from Bizet
through Tchaikovsky, up to and including Wagner.”66
While contemporary opera is continually regaining its footing in the mainstream
opera repertoire, one element is holding it back: the separation of opera and musical
65
Singer, “Curtain.”
Philip Kennicott, “Text Message,” Opera News 73 no. 2 (August 2008). http://www.
operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2008/8/Features/Text_Message.html
66
25
theatre. As discussed earlier, the American musical is an extension of opera. The
concepts including tonality, musical structure, and plots, are a passed down tradition.
Unfortunately, somewhere during the passage of time, opera alienated itself from musical
theatre and broke all ties with the art form. In many circles of the operatic community,
musical theatre is viewed as lesser in quality and substance. One could say it is because
musical theatre continued to track the influences of the current audience and culture
instead of preserving tradition. However, as opera composers in the past once did, they
observed their surroundings and reflected that in their works. This was highlighted
throughout chapter one to show that the early evolution of opera stemmed from the
culture in which it was submerged. It is more likely some of them such as Gay’s The
Beggar’s Opera and Mozart’s Così fan tutte, were considered radical works for their
time, but in present day, their operas are considered important works in the development
of the art form.
Herein lies the problem. Contemporary opera, although gaining interest, is still
struggling in the area of melody with works like Alice in Wonderland by Unsuk Chin and
Lulu by Alban Berg. Audience members are captivated by the experience contemporary
opera has created. However, it has not created a foothold to draw audiences into the full
music-drama experience. Noting contemporary opera has backed itself in a corner,
current composers are exploring other mediums to gain interest – additions of
technology, text based opera, visual spectacle – composers are doing everything they can
26
to avoid the idea of seeking the lineage from which opera abdicated. Opera purists67 shun
the idea of traversing down a path similar to musical theatre for fear that it will waterdown and bring the demise of this beautiful art form. Contemporary composers, still
exploring the ideas of tonality, are seeking other avenues to create a musical experience
more relatable to today’s audience than operas of the past, but they do not want to move
toward a coloring similar to musical theatre. This brings us back to the same idea created
in the 1960s of being anti-conventional. Now, it seems as though we are creating an antimusical medium. Instead of viewing the future of opera as an isolated genre, this art form
should return to the path from which it began. Opera should be a music drama that
embraces the mediums of text and music to create a heightened emotional and dramatic
experience. In order to create that experience, the opera community needs to look into the
current trends of today. This does not mean opera will become watered down. This is an
opportunity to gain information and build upon the art form.
What if opera had not become an introverted art form during the twentieth century?
Would it still be struggling to find its foothold? Would we be questioning the validity of
the art form in relationship to the public? The answer is, no. For centuries, opera was the
predominant musical style and due to its popularity many other styles were influenced by
67
There is no set group of opera purists, but there are those that want to maintain the
structure of opera, and that can encompass set design, costumes, orchestration,
amplification, etc. An example can be taken from Matt Dobkin’s book when discussing
New York City opera’s decision to install an amplification system. “Opera purists are
going out of their minds over this development. The whole point of operatic singing is
that it’s natural, unamplified…I find myself agreeing that if opera is amplified, it won’t
take long for it to turn its back on tradition and enter the realm of the Broadway musical.”
Matt Dobkin, Getting Opera: A Guide for the Cultured But Confused (New York: Pocket
Books, 2000), 64.
27
it. Opera constantly evolved and grew and explored boundaries of human connection. As
a genre, contemporary opera has much to offer the community and the arts.
Unfortunately, until it truly breaks down the barriers of an elitist’s art form, it will always
be considered highbrow. Contemporary opera will begin to exhaust itself if it cannot find
a way to establish itself in the way traditional opera styles are still relevant today.
If Mozart were alive today, would he feel the same way about musical theatre or
rock music the way opera purists do? It is my opinion he would not. He was in-tune with
the interests of the public, and it is revealed in his operas. Composers of the past sought
after innovations that revealed themselves in the social world in which they lived. If one
style of music became popular, such as opera comique or ballad opera, composers would
borrow from these innovations to make it their own or would see ways to expand upon
the art form and make it better. For example, Kurt Weill stated about the future of opera
in America,
“the musical taste of the general public is better here [in New York] than in many
other countries…What will grow [here] is hard to say, for there is no sort of
tradition…Whether the growth will be opera in the European sense or music theatre
in the broader sense, an amalgam or word and tone bearing a new idea, it is certain
that it will be an active, vital part of the modern theatre, that dramatists and
composers will cooperate in its creation, that from the plentiful supply of young
singers a generation of singer-performers will emerge…It may be that music theatre
will rise out of Broadway. There are already many starting points for a new kind of
musical comedy…It is also possible that the few existing operatic institutions will
28
take the lead and start a development…Perhaps the resurgence that the
Metropolitan had experienced in recent years is the first indication that American
composers will be able to create operas in the spirit of our own time for the great
group of singers in that institution.”68
In looking to composers of the past, it is unfortunate to see how excited they were
for the possibility, the potential, of the art form. Yet, today, classical music is doing
everything it can to preserve the genre by isolation, which is a complete contrast to the
works we have come to admire. Opera in America was finding its footing and musicals
were being explored as an extension of what was happening, not a deviation from opera.
One was not considered dominant over the other. Both were embraced with the
opportunity to find a voice in America since the tradition had yet to be established. I do
not believe composers of the past anticipated such a divide to take place. America was
the place of opportunity, freedom, and expression; conflict and division was not part of
the American vision. “The cross-pollination of genre and discipline shouldn’t be dreaded
by opera and musical purists; it’s the only way for music theater to thrive. If there is an
American aesthetic, it’s all-embracing—and expects the unexpected.”69
In order for both genres to thrive, recognition of balance between the genres should
come to pass. As Duke Ellington said, “There are only two kinds of music. Good music,
and the other kind.” If both musical theatre and opera are producing good works, and if
either has an opportunity to improve in a way where the other is thriving, then a need to
learn and expand is in order. In some ways, the conflict of opera and musical theatre does
68
69
Weill, The Future, 187-88.
LaChiusa, “Genre Confusion,” 73.
29
not lay in the difference, but in the similarities. There is a fine dividing line between the
two. Each is pursuing a music drama heightened by an interplay of music and text. The
variable is that opera leans toward the music and musical theatre, the text. The division
between the two is thin, but it has created an area of contention. “This explains why for
centuries opera-goers have revered works written in languages they do not speak. Though
supertitles have revolutionized the art form, many buffs grew up without this innovation
and loved opera anyway. As long as you basically know what is going on and what is
more or less being said, you can be swept away by a great opera, not just by the music,
but by visceral drama.”70
Understanding the foundation of opera is grounded in placing the focus on the
music, contemporary opera has created a dilemma in avoiding that exact foundation seeking out a tonality easily embraced by the general public and basing the intent in the
music. In contrast, contemporary opera is exploring the ideas of text and how the music
can support the text as seen in Libby Larsen’s Clair de Lune. This concept then brings the
cycle full circle. If opera focuses on music and musical theatre on text, how can one glean
from the other and yet remain two separate genres that are at odds? In the pursuit of opera
exploring text, it has stepped away from lush melodies and merged toward music
functioning as a means to match the inflection of text. In many ways, this breaks down
the tonality, which has become a key factor in labeling opera.
If the American opera audience can grasp the text but isn’t moved by the music, the
70
Andrew Clements, “Opera in The Modern Age,” The Guardian August 19, 2011,
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/aug/20/opera-in-the-modern-age (accessed June
1, 2015).
30
listener is missing out on the visceral experience they expect. The same goes for someone
attending a musical with great music and a subpar text, they will miss out on the
connection of the text. The line is thin, but the divide runs deep between opera and
musical theatre. It is unfortunate that as a modern society there is still this idea of
either/or. “When crossover offends the nose, as it so often does, the rot lies not in a name
but in a thing.”71 To consider the idea of dissolving the concept of either/or when
referring to opera and musical theatre does not mean they should dissipate and become
one genre. Both genres have much to learn from the other in regard to tonality, ability to
set text, orchestration, acting, and more.
Despite the prolonged social condemning of musical theatre as a lesser art form in
the larger opera community, some opera houses in the United States and in Europe are
starting to realize musicals may be able to find a place in the operatic repertoire.
Presently, the addition of a musical may be purely for financial reasons, and even if that
is the case, the public is embracing it. There is still debate about opera companies “selling
out” by adding musical theatre to their season. This idea is still considered taboo.
However, as it has been expressed earlier in this chapter, opera companies may need to
add lighter, classical musical theatre styles to their season not only for ticket sales, but to
fill the gap while contemporary opera evaluates how it wants to evolve as an art form.
From a production standpoint, it is interesting to note the success of traditional
musical theatre in comparison to present day contemporary opera. A search on
71
Matthew Gurewitsch, “The Crossover Question.” Opera News 69 no. 4 (October
2004). http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2004/10/Features/ The_
Crossover_Question.html (accessed June 1, 2015).
31
www.operabase.com selecting eight shows from traditional musicals and operettas
spanning from 2013-2016 being performed in the United States and abroad revealed a
stark contrast when compared to the most popular works of five living, contemporary
composers with an expanded search of 2010-2016.72
Traditional Musicals and Operettas performed from 2013-2016 were:
Johan Strauss’s Die Fledermaus - 1,345 performances
Franz Lehar’s The Merry Widow - 642 performances
Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd - 147 performances
Richard Rogers’s The Sound of Music - 108 performances
Leonard Bernstein’s Candide - 98 performances
Richard Rogers’s Carousel - 92 performances
Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance - 79 performances
Jerome Kern’s Show Boat - 52 performances
Contemporary Operas performed from 2010-2016 written by the top five opera
composers were:73
Philip Glass’s The Fall of the House of the Usher - 18 performances
Peter Davies’s The Lighthouse - 14 performances
Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking - 11 performances
John Adams’s Nixon in China - 13 performances
72
73
http://operabase.com/oplist.cgi?lang=en&ask=t (accessed June 6, 2015).
http://operabase.com/visual.cgi?lang=en&splash=t (accessed June 6, 2015).
32
Jonathan Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio - 19 performances
Even when totaling all of Philip Glass’s74 operas performed from 2010-2016, the
performances from all of his operas add up to 79. One could argue the lower performance
totals are a result of the contemporary operas being less familiar than the musicals and
operettas performed in the opera houses. Yet, when looking back at the introduction of
each of the operettas and musicals listed, they were far more successful when they
premiered compared to the six year time span of the contemporary operas.
In looking at the statistics, one can see there is still a divide taking place between
twentieth century opera and operas from 1600-1900. This does not mean measures are
not being taken to bridge the divide. Composers are exploring the ideas of text-driven
opera, believing audiences are craving an opera, which gives them a work the ears can
comprehend. “If text-driven opera is the future…the effects in the opera house could be
profound. If operas are text-driven, audiences need to understand the texts, which may be
all but impossible in very large opera houses, especially if the text is complex.”75 Libby
Larson proposes there is a solution for this problem, but does not believe the opera world
is ready for it - the use of amplification, microphones, as an aid to clarify and enhance the
text.76 In suggesting the aid of amplification, this would not mean all of opera should be
amplified, but at least her works or other twenty-first century works trying to pursue a
74
Philip Glass is ranked number one as a living composer with the highest number of
works performed to date.
75
Philip Kennicott, “Text Message,” Opera News 73 no. 2 (August 2008)
http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2008/8/Features/Text_Message.html
(accessed June 1, 2015).
76
Ibid.
33
text-driven approach to composition.
The addition of amplification could be a means to clarify barriers surrounding
contemporary opera, but in any case, it brings one back to the opposite end of the
spectrum - melody. In John Corigliano’s production of The Ghosts of Versailles, he
intertwined various styles to evoke a blended musical work ranging from classical to
contemporary. One piece, the quartet “Come Now, My Darling” was a perfect example of
a classical style with a text set in English. Unfortunately, the text was almost
incomprehensible due to the tessitura of the pitches. The melody was stunning and
captivating, which falls in line with the opera style. Nevertheless, knowing the work was
set in English, American audiences wanted to not only experience the music, but also to
understand the words that went with it. Were the text set in a foreign language, a different
expectation may have resulted, creating an alternate performance experience with the
only supposition of being captivated by the music.
In exploring the differing elements of contemporary opera, venturing into the
concepts of text or melody, it is apparent there is a need to link the two together instead
of choosing one idea or the other. In order to remedy this situation, a simple solution
exists - picking up the pieces and integrating elements of an art form that stemmed from
opera: musical theatre. Again, this is not to say contemporary opera will lessen as an art
form, in fact it will be significantly enhanced. Contemporary opera is avoiding the
elephant in the room by doing everything in its power to not acknowledge that musical
theatre concepts may be the missing piece to the tonality conundrum. Musical theatre
“absorbed the best parts of opera tradition—specifically, the most important component
34
of music theatre: drama unfolding through song. There would be no Sweeney Todd had
American audiences not long ago accepted characters onstage telling their stories in song.
The American musical absorbed the European operetta; it embraced a variety of
immigrant theater and music and dance from all cultures that found a home in this
country.”77
In seeing the dropping numbers of ticket sales in opera across the United States, it
is apparent the public is craving something more. Only experiencing traditional opera
produces suspended stagnation of the art form. Contemporary opera is creating emotional
experiences, but is not reaching the same magnitude of heightened music drama as older
styles. As a result, opera goers are becoming more open to musicals; the language and
story is something uniquely American, and the music phrasing supports the text in a way
that enhances the drama, creating a fulfilling performance experience. In today’s social
and economic climate, one can no longer ignore the exploration of varying styles
gradually taking place in opera houses across the United States. Companies are starting to
realize early musicals are the missing link between Romantic opera and twentieth century
anti-opera. One’s willingness to experiment with varying styles during a performance
season, to stay relevant and funded, is proof that the integration is a perfect and needed
fit.
Performing in overlapping genres does not mean opera singers should now sing
Dames at Sea in an operatic style; that would not be appropriate. Nor is this to meld
musical theatre and opera into one genre. This is an opportunity to acknowledge that both
77
LaChiusa, “Genre Confusion.”
35
styles have the ability to coexist and borrow from one another. This shift will create a
fruitful advancement within each genre and will lift the stigma upon the education and
dissemination of information surrounding musical theatre. In order for contemporary
opera and musical theatre to thrive, more emphasis needs to be placed upon the technique
of being a versatile singer capable of performing works by Stravinsky, Sondheim, and
Mozart rather than isolating training to one area alone.
36
Chapter 3: Tools of Musical Theatre for the Opera Singer
Across the board, opera attendance has suffered at even the most prestigious
companies. For example, the city known for containing the best opera in the United
States, “New York City Opera went out of business after 70 years. The Metropolitan
Opera reported [in the 2013-2014 season] it sold only 69 percent of its total potential box
revenue…the lowest in years. That figure has generally hovered around 80 percent for
much of the past decade.”78 This period of financial instability affects not only the opera
houses, but also the singers they hire to perform in the operas.
Not only does the job of the opera singer extend far beyond the trained voice to sing
operatic repertoire, but involves the history of each work, performance practice concepts,
language study, and more. Due to the industry’s instability, it is necessary for singers to
keep their finger on the pulse of the field in which they want to work. What are opera
houses offering in future performance seasons? Does the singer’s voice type match the
works being performed? What are the budgets of the houses? How can the singer secure
enough work to balance travel expenses, role preparation, and every day living expenses?
78
David Belcher, “Musical or Opera,” The New York Times March 26, 2014.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/arts/international/opera-companies-turn-tomusicals.html?_r=0 (accessed June 1, 2015).
37
Singing is not only an artistic form of expression, but a career and way to make a living.
It is a fine line to maintain the balance of creating art and achieving financial stability. It
would be naïve for today’s opera singer not to be aware of the progression of this art
form. To stay relevant as an artist, one must be cognizant of the past, present, and future
of the medium in which one wants to work. Performing is constantly in flux. Contracts
come and go, which means it is invaluable for a performer to stay one step ahead of the
last paycheck to continue making a living.
In accepting responsibility to be aware of the current economic and artistic climate
happening in today’s opera houses, it is necessary for opera singers to establish flexibility
in varied styles to balance the demands of traditional opera and the addition of musical
theatre repertoire to suit the season’s billing. For opera singers hesitant to explore the
musical theatre genre, Anthony Freud, general artistic director of Lyric Opera Chicago,
mentioned a key element to keep in mind and discussed the integration of musical theatre
productions in their repertoire. Freud stated, “The vast majority of musicals are not
appropriate to opera companies, but there are a small number of titles that are enhanced
by the skill and scale of an opera house. I see it as an inherent part of our output. I don’t
see doing ‘The Sound of Music’ with any less professionalism than in doing La
Traviata.”79 As observed, the integration of musicals in the opera house is not to cause a
dissolving of opera or to “stress out” the performer to learn an entirely new genre but to
embrace the expansion of works stylistically appropriate to the opera house.
For the opera singer thinking about doing crossover work, a great place to start is
79
Belcher, ‘Musical or Opera.’
38
listening to a variety of shows from different eras to decide what one likes and what
sounds vocally possible. For example, if a singer listened to Next to Normal80 and liked
the music but found the style of singing beyond the scope of where he or she wanted to
go vocally, that would help to gain appreciation for a style, but designate better
parameters for what to sing and what not to sing. If musicals are completely unfamiliar,
listening to a variety of shows is key. With the accessibility of YouTube, Pandora,
Spotify, and more, there are many ways to gain access to recordings of Broadway
musicals. The way to discover one’s flexibility in a neighboring genre is by listening to
earlier works stemming from the operatic structure. Operettas like Pirates of Penzance or
traditional musicals, such as Carousel are great places to start. Once one gains some
familiarity in the varying styles of musicals, it is possible to decide how far “outside of
the box” one may want to cross train based upon one’s own natural abilities and interests.
In order to sing musical theatre, it is important for a singer to understand his or her
voice and how much he or she wants to branch out in either genre. This becomes a key
factor since a musical performed in an opera house and one performed in a musical
theatre house will have different stylistic approaches to the same work. Some may find
they have a relatively easy time adapting to musical theatre styles while others may want
to narrow the focus between genres. This will help the transition from opera to musical
gigs and vice versa. No matter how much a singer decides to expand his or her crossover
study, it is necessary for the singer to understand one’s instrument, know the varying
80
Next to Normal falls under the category of contemporary musical theatre and requires a
definitive belt/mix quality. This would not be an advisable show for a crossover artist, but
it represents a great example to show how a singer can like a style, but may not be able to
pursue it given the vast differences between vocal demands.
39
style requirements, and sing the music in an accurate and healthy manner.
When establishing the concept of musical theatre being an extension of opera,
rather than a contrast, the idea of training is brought up. Most voice training is gleaned
from the perspective of a classical music format; anything deviating from it is not healthy
singing, or so it has been thought for many years. Looking from the perspective of a
classical approach, if an opera singer tried to perform Elphaba from Wicked, she would
more than likely have a difficult time adapting into the style given how high one must use
a belt/mix up to F5.81 Please note: the opera singer deciding to sing a role such as
Elphaba is making an extreme style shift that would require a significant amount of
training outside of the classical style. This example is to highlight how one style of
training will not benefit a musical theatre singer. This does not suggest musical theatre
singing is unhealthy. Instead, it suggests the style requires a different approach. A similar
situation would exist if a coloratura soprano went from singing, “Batti, Batti,” from Don
Giovanni to a dramatic soprano piece like, “Elizabeth’s Aria,” from Tannhauser.
Although both roles are from the classical repertoire and both are soprano roles, vocally
speaking, the singer would not have the stamina or the skill set to healthily perform the
aria, let alone the entire role. Healthy training does not equate to the ability to sing
anything. Any change in vocal study requires the skill set to go with it; otherwise, the
individual will not be able to adapt to the changes necessary. For the sake of expanding
81
There is a form of standard notation that designates each new octave, beginning with
C1 at the bottom of the keyboard and ending with C8 at the top of the keyboard. All
pitches within each octave will have the same corresponding number. C4, otherwise
known as middle C, is in the middle of the keyboard. An example of a scale would be:
C4, D4, E4, F4, G4, A4, B4, C5, and so on.
40
analogies, the same applies to running. A sprinter and a long distance runner both run, but
the training is different. They can both be considered runners, but their specialization is
the variable. Both are required to do some sort of cross training to maintain flexibility,
long runs vs. short runs, interval training, etc., but each runner has an area which is
stronger than the other. It takes time and dedication for a runner to understand the
mechanics of his or her body and where his or her personal interests lie in dedicating to
an activity.
For the opera singer and voice teacher helping the singer, this brings to light the
concept of function versus style.82 To lift the blemish casting musical theatre as the lesser
genre, one must seek out the function of the voice to find the parameters of how much the
singer can and wants to expand. This pertains to the singer only wanting to sing opera or
musical theatre as much as it pertains to the singer wanting to perform both. The root of
all singing is based upon function. One should have an understanding of registration,
breath support, anatomy, etc. However, one’s understanding of breath is not based on a
person’s ability to sing classical music. The parameters of breath need to be adapted in
classical singing to meet the demands of sustaining an aria like “Un bel di vedremo” from
Madama Butterfly in the same way the breath needs to be adapted for a singer wanting to
belt “Always Starting Over” from If/Then. At the foundational level, both styles need an
awareness of an appoggio breath.83 However, the engagement of the breath will be
82
Concept stated by Jeanette LoVetri at the Contemporary Commercial Music Institute
held at Shenandoah University, 2015.
83
This refers to balanced breathing. The Italian word appoggio means lean on. In
breathing, it is necessary to have a balanced antagonism of the muscles within the
thoracic and abdomen to control the air pressure.
41
completely different. This does not make one better than the other, but means the breath
was modified to meet the needs of the style. This is the variable of style.
In looking at the focus of singing from a functional standpoint, this can help the
beginning crossover opera singer navigate how much one wants to expand based on one’s
ability to adapt to varying styles while maintaining a healthy function. Some may find it
easier to explore different registration concepts. The singer who has an easier time
extending chest register and merging into a chest mix/head mix may be the singer to
verge into mid-century golden age theatre (Babes in Arms, The Boys from Syracuse, Pal
Joey). The singer who does not gravitate toward an extended chest register, but feels
comfortable adapting head mix into his or her singing would be more inclined to veer
towards more traditional musical theatre styles (Rosalina, The Merry Widow, Naughty
Marietta). This same perspective is used when placing a classical singer into a Fach.84 A
young lyric soprano will gravitate towards roles such as Micaëla from Carmen, Susanna
from Le nozze di Figaro or Liù from Turandot. This same soprano may be interested in
dramatic soprano roles like Cio-Cio San from Madama Butterfly, Desdemona from Otello
or Donna Anna from Don Giovanni, but the singer may not be ready to sustain these
roles. One may have access to the pitches necessary to sing the role, but not yet possess
the stamina, or the size of the instrument may not be able to project efficiently enough to
meet the acoustic demands of the role. As time progresses, the singer’s instrument may
take a different path - one cannot predict how hormones, aging, and vocal training will
84
Fach is a German term referring to voice categories. Generally speaking, the categories
are: soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone, and bass. Within each category is
a sub-division to specify which repertoire, in each Fach, is most appropriate to the
individual singer.
42
affect the voice. It is possible to have a concept of the voice based on a singer’s range,
size of the instrument, timbre, vocal flexibility, and other characteristics, but as one
trains, those parameters can begin to shift.
In continuing the discussion of tools necessary for the crossover opera singer, the
concepts in this paper will be focused on the female singer. This is not to suggest that
crossover work is not relevant for men. However, the research on male musical theatre
performers has not been developed to the extent that it has for female musical theatre
performers.85 Research also suggests that men have an easier time adapting between
styles since men stay in one register for a wider pitch range. This may be another reason
why not as much research has been conducted.86 There is opportunity for research in this
area. However, since the basis of this document is to find areas to integrate opera and
musical theatre, and knowing women have a more difficult time adapting to different
styles based upon registration shifts, the concepts in this chapter will be geared toward
the female singer. From an industry standpoint, the male singer will still be able to glean
information from this chapter based on stylistic differences.
It should also be stated there will not be as much of a division pertaining to Fach.
In current musical theatre, performers are expected to sing all ranges and all styles. The
dividing lines are being blurred on voice parts. Most casting notices refer to ranges or
styles wanted versus the separation of soprano versus mezzo. For example, at
Backstage.com, casting notices may list the want of a high belter, a low belter, a belt/mix
85
Hall, So You Want to Sing, 65.
Tracy Bourne, Maeva Garnier, and Diana Kenny, “Music Theatre Voice: Production,
Physiology, and Pedagogy,” Journal of Singing 67 no. 4 (March/April 2011): 441.
43
86
with a legit extension, traditional legit, etc., but few reference the exact voice type.87 The
listing that does specify voice part such as, “soprano with a belt mix,” will still fall under
a different classification from a classically trained soprano. For example, a recent posting
on Backstage.com asked for a soprano with a strong rock mix/belt and the range was
from G#3-D5.88 From a classical perspective, this range is much smaller than the typical
soprano repertoire. For musical theatre, this is a justifiable classification. It should be
noted, however, a role requiring a mix/belt up to D5 would be beyond the scope of the
typical crossover opera singer, but to demonstrate the different terms used for voice
classification, this is a beneficial example.
Knowing the parameters of one’s voice lays the groundwork toward the repertoire
of the singer. This highlights the concept of function. If the singer knows his or her voice
and what feels comfortable, the singer will know the range and style that suits him or her
best. For this document, the predominant focus will be geared toward the opera singer
exploring musical theatre styles closer in proximity to opera, but it is important to
recognize there are stylistic differences for the opera singer wanting to pursue legit
musicals in musical theatre houses versus opera houses.
Musical theatre can be divided into four main categories: traditional legit,
contemporary legit, traditional belt, and contemporary belt.89 For the crossover opera
87
Warren Freeman, Kathryn Green, and Philip Sargent, “Deciphering the Vocal
Demands for Today’s Broadway Leading Ladies,” Journal of Singing 71 no. 4
(March/April 2015): 492.
88
http://www.backstage.com/casting/little-shop-of-horrors-88680/audrey334319/#seeking (accessed September 20, 2015).
89
Robert Edwin, “A Broader Broadway,” Journal of Singing 59 no. 5 (May/June 2003):
431.
44
singer, traditional legit and contemporary legit would be an easier stylistic adjustment.
“Legit is Broadway shorthand for ‘legitimate,’ which refers to singing in a classical-like
style. Among other things, the vocal tone will have chiaroscuro90 fullness…Traditional
legit favors a sound that is decidedly classical in nature and is heard in many of the pre1960s musicals. Contemporary legit is less formal and more speech-like in sound. It can
maintain some of the classical requirements such as vibrato from onset to release,
chiaroscuro, and sostenuto, but can also include pop and rock-influenced sounds.”91 It is
also worth noting when revivals of older legit shows are produced, a contemporary legit
sound may be preferred over the traditional legit sound;92 then again, it also depends on
the house in which the work is being performed. The house that puts on mainly musical
theatre will want the contemporary legit style, while the opera house will want more of
the traditional legit sound. This is an important element for the crossover opera singer to
consider when preparing a musical theatre audition.
The defining difference between musical theatre and classical singing can be
broken down into the balance of chest and head registers. “In the simplest of terms,
female music theatre singing requires more use of chest register, especially in the middle
register, (the middle-C octave), while classical singing uses more head register
throughout the entire vocal range.”93 For the crossover opera singer comfortable singing
contemporary legit musicals, it will be necessary to learn how to extend chest register
90
Chiaroscuro is a term taken from the visual arts which means light/dark. In classical
singing one should strive for a balance of light and dark.
91
Edwin, A Broader, 431.
92
Edwin, A Broader, 31.
93
Hall, So You Want to Sing, 69.
45
beyond the natural shift of E4. In musical theatre, the clarity and communication of the
text is the most important element. In order to enhance the text in musical theater, belting
emerged in the twentieth century to project the unamplified voice in the middle, speech
oriented range.94 The crossover opera singer that pursues contemporary legit musicals
may not need to belt, but should spend time developing chest into a “mix” register.
Keeping the idea of text in mind, the mix/belt is used to extend the speaking voice,
which is the communicative voice. Some pedagogues state a classical “mix” is a blend of
chest and head register with head register being dominant95 and musical theatre is a blend
of chest and head register with chest register being dominant.96 It is my opinion, although
both classifications exist, each has the opportunity to overlap. For example, “Good Night
My Someone,” from the Music Man requires more of a head mix versus a chest mix
sound. The chest mix would stop around E4 and then transition into head mix; otherwise,
the song would have a coloring closer to, “I’m Just a Girl Who Can’t Say No,” from
Oklahoma! which would be stylistically inappropriate. In a similar way, Fiordilligi’s aria,
“Come Scoglio,” from Cosi fan tutte requires an extension of chest mix into the E4/F4
region to maneuver the various register shifts the aria requires. If the aria were sung
predominantly in head mix, it would not have the same dramatic effect. Highlighting the
concept of “mix” demonstrates not only stylistic differences required between genres, but
also the similarities as well.
It is important to recognize in some contemporary legit musicals such as Les
94
Christianne Roll, “The Evolution of Female Broadway Belt Voice: Implications for
Teachers and Singers,” Journal of Voice (forthcoming): 1.
95
Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices (New York: Schirmer Books, 1992), 3.
96
Hall, So You Want to Sing, 71.
46
Misérables, Into the Woods, and Man of La Mancha, there will be an overlapping of legit,
mix, and belting roles. Roles such as Eponine (Les Misérables), The Baker’s Wife (Into
the Woods), and Aldonza (Man of La Mancha) are for the singer comfortable extending
her belt or carrying chest mix beyond F4. It should also be noted that this type of opera
singer is willing to embrace more cross training. This goes back to the idea of a singer
having the ability to sing a pitch healthily in a mix or belt but possibly not having the
stamina to sing those roles. It is my opinion if the crossover opera singer pursues roles
like those mentioned above, a chest mix is preferred over a belt.97 A true belt would be
along the lines of Patti Lupone’s rendition of “Anything Goes” from Anything Goes.98 In
the same vein, roles like Cosette (Les Misérables), and Cinderella (Into the Woods) may
be more appropriate while the role of Aldonza may be fitting depending on the house99
performing Man of La Mancha.
The operatic soprano wanting to pursue a classical track will typically transition
from chest around C4 into chest mix until E4, into head mix around F4, and head register
around E5/F5. The operatic soprano who feels comfortable doing crossover work
following a traditional/contemporary legit track will need to take the time to adjust the
97
Pursuing more training in a belt style would be for the opera singer desiring to branch
out more in the musical theatre genre for personal interests as well as professional
reasons. As with any singing style, even within genres, it takes time to adjust. For
example, a singer transitioning from Susanna in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro would need
time to adapt the muscle memory for the role of Alice Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff. Both
works fall under the genre of opera, but each is from a different stylistic period requiring
different vocal demands.
98
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW_sd4GYsR4 (accessed September 10, 2015).
99
A house that produces musical theatre or opera will have noted characteristic
differences between the two. The musical theatre house will want more of a belt quality,
where the opera house would want more of a chest mix stopping closer to E4.
47
standard vocal parameters and allow chest until E4 followed by at chest mix into A4,
followed by a head mix around B4, and head register around F5.100 No matter the
configuration of transition, an understanding of one’s own voice needs to be
acknowledged.
This falls under the guidelines of recognizing which registration is needed and more
importantly, how to transition between registers. Acknowledging how to balance
registration will be an aid to ensure vocal health and longevity of one’s career, no matter
the style of singing pursued. A singer with a naturally lighter voice may be more
comfortable in a head mix and someone with a darker sound may be more at ease with a
chest mix. The use of registration can also influence the timbre of the voice, which has an
impact on what roles would be appropriate for the singer. For example, if a crossover
singer approached the role, Laurie, from Oklahoma! with a darker color, it would work if
the musical were produced in an opera house. If the singer sang the same way for a
musical theatre company producing Oklahoma! the vocal coloring would be more suited
for the role of Aunt Eller since it creates an older, more mature sound. With that being
said, if someone with a darker instrument seeks out a chest mix by pressing out more
airflow into the upper mix, the voice will not produce a blended sound when transitioning
into the head mix - everything must fall into balance.
In general, breathing will be the same in either genre. Both require a balanced
100
The parameters of belt registration are not included since it falls outside the scope of
this document. Those wanting to focus on belting should do it with patience and a guided
ear trained in Contemporary Commercial Music styles to make sure healthy muscle
memory is created. It should also be acknowledged that depending upon the show, where
the show is being performed, and the individual singing the role, the registration
framework will be adapted.
48
inhalation expanding the lower rib cage and abdominal cavity—from the front, sides, and
back—and a controlled, stable exhale of muscular antagonism, starting from the pelvic
floor to resist tightening the chest cavity and neck. Depending upon the style of musical
theatre pursued, an adjustment of airflow will be needed. For the classical singer
interested in pursuing a chest mix, the airflow needed will be reduced to balance with the
chest voice registration. In chest voice, the vocal folds are thicker and closed for a longer
period of time, which requires less airflow to reduce pressure under the vocal folds. For a
lighter mechanism such as head mix, more airflow is needed since the vocal folds will not
be closed as long, creating more of a balance between the amount of time the vocal folds
are open and closed. The ability to monitor airflow in a belt/mix will help to reduce
pharyngeal tension and aid in the ability to transition between registers. Taking time to
recognize the differences between a classical approach to breathing and a musical theatre
method of breathing are vital tools in crossover work. The foundational elements are the
same in both genres but are used differently in aiding registration. Knowing that a
transitional period is needed to adjust between styles, the understanding of breath will
reduce the amount of time necessary from one gig to the next.
The opera singer wishing to explore the expansion of chest mix should also
consider the alignment of the body in conjunction with modifying the breath. In Karen
Hall’s book, So You Want To Sing Music Theater, Hall states, “One exception to classical
alignment is the position of the head: in belting, music theatre singers often tilt their head
up slightly to facilitate the upward movement of the larynx. In classical singing, the
female also tips her head upward when singing in whistle register (the C7 range).”
49
The song, “Your Daddy’s Son,” from Ragtime sung by the character, Sarah, is a
great example of chest mix transitioning into head mix. Taking weight off of the larynx
while going up in pitch helps to maintain a smooth register shift from a chest mix into a
head mix.
Due to the adjustments in registration and musical theatre’s desire to gravitate
toward a speech-like quality, a difference will be created in tone quality and will be
modified by adjusting the articulators: the lips, tongue, and jaw. “Changing the shape of
the vowel, in turn changes the color of a sung tone to a more speech-like sound and alters
the resonance qualities and space. These vowel adjustments are employed to clarify the
text and ensure that the enunciation of the text predominates—it is this change in shape
that is perceived by the ear as the brighter, more speech-like sound favored in music
theater singing.”101 Depending on the style of the show and where the show is taking
place, there may be a need for an adjustment of vowels and mouth shaping. An opera
house performing Showboat may want the song “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man of Mine”
sung with a taller mouth structure, rounder vowels, and consistent vibrato throughout the
vocal line. Whereas a musical theater house may want brighter vowels, a more horizontal
mouth structure, and less vibrato.
Stemming from the concept of articulation, it is worth commenting on the topic of
amplification. For musicals written in the early 1900s through the early 1960s, musicals
were unamplified, and required singers to have a strong sensory awareness of resonance
for their voices to be heard. It was the addition of rock musicals that tilted the scale and
101
Hall, So You Want to Sing, 73.
50
required performers to wear body microphones. It is now a standard for musicals to be
amplified. The opera singer desiring to sing in opera houses and musical theatre houses
must have an understanding of how to work with a microphone. The concept of
resonance is not the same between the two. “Amplification does not preclude good
singing technique. Rather, amplification in music theater venues allows the singer to
produce voice in an efficient manner while the sound engineer is effectively able to mix,
amplify, and add effects to the voice.”102 The microphone picks up the nuances of the
voice, and as a result, if an opera singer produces a sound with the same focus on
resonance as is needed in an opera house, the voice will produce a darker timbre with a
diction quality further removed from conversational speech. The opera singer is used to
creating his or her own amplification system. This is counterproductive to a stylistically
appropriate musical theatre sound, which is required in a musical theater house. If the
musical is being produced in an opera house, there will typically be no need for a
microphone and the singer can rely on one’s use of resonance, unless Libby Larson’s
suggestion to amplify text driven opera, at least her operas, becomes a possibility. Until
then, opera singers only need to make acoustic adjustments when singing in a house that
will require microphones.
In addition to the vocal requirements necessary in pursuing a crossover career, one
must think about the physical body beyond the parameters of body alignment and expand
upon self-care as well. Singers are unique musicians in the fact that their instrument is
housed within the body. The habits we create in our day-to-day lives influence our
102
Hall, So You Want to Sing, 59. This is a quote from contributing author, SpeechLanguage Pathologist, Dr. Wendy LeBorgne.
51
instrument. As an artist, it is important to create a healthy living environment based on
nutrition, mental well-being, and physical maintenance. Comparatively speaking, musical
theatre holds a higher commitment to hiring by type both vocally and physically. There is
not a musical theatre performer out there who is not aware of their vocal and physical
type and, usually, those match. This is not a call to condemn different body types. It is
my opinion that all body types should be appreciated, and there is too much pressure
from society to conform to an unrealistic standard of beauty. Health does not equate to
size. Health includes being physically active, eating well, hydrating, sleeping well,
reducing stress, not doing drugs, not smoking, and moderate alcohol use. Being healthy is
important for one’s personal well being. It is also a means to preserving a person’s
physical type for roles most suited to the individual. This is not stated to create a cookie
cutter environment. Different body types give the performing arts the various individuals
represented in our culture. We relate to the tall, the short, the thin, and the curvy. We
want to see ourselves in the shows we see, and it is important to know which type singers
fall into. Some individuals are more suited for comprimario roles/supporting characters.
They are still just as valuable as those who are the ingénue or the leading man. At the end
of the day, a paycheck and a résumé credit is still a paycheck and a résumé credit.
In musical theatre, as previously mentioned, those lines are more clearly defined. If
someone has a light soprano voice well suited for Maria in West Side Story and her
physical appearance does not match the expectations of her type, she will have a harder
time pursuing crossover work as an ingénue. In opera, physical type is not as specific, but
with the addition of HD Met broadcasts, there is a propensity for physical type casting.
52
“In today’s operatic reality, stage directors often have the deciding vote on casting. It
isn’t just abstract physical beauty, but the appropriateness of the singer’s appearance for a
specific role as that director sees it.”103 No matter the appearance, no matter the size,
there should be an effort made to be the healthiest version one can be. The way we treat
our body affects our vocal instrument.
While taking care of one’s physical being, it is also worthwhile to take dance
classes. After the successful run of West Side Story and its integration of a dance heavy
musical, it became a standard to have dancing in musicals. In the musical theatre field
there is a thin line between singers who dance and dancers who sing. Moreover, it is
becoming a standard to veer toward the dancer who sings, which is why it is important
for anyone wanting to pursue some type of musical theatre, whether traditional or
contemporary, to have some type of dance training. Ballet is a wonderful place to learn
dance terms and increase flexibility since many dance calls are spent marking through the
dance routines while talking through the steps needed. If a knowledge of the steps are
known, going from a marked rehearsal to a fully performed dance audition will not be a
problem. The addition of jazz, ballroom, and if available, a musical theatre style dance
class would be highly beneficial to build muscle memory in the body to be prepared for a
dance call at an audition. Tap and modern dance are valuable classes to attend, but those
classes would be more suitable to the crossover singer wanting to make more of a career
adjustment toward musical theatre. Stylistically, tap and modern would fall into more
dance heavy musicals. There may also be an opera composed in the near future that will
103
Robert C. White and Lenore Rosenberg, “Reality Check! Training for an Operatic
Career,” Journal of Singing, 64 no. 2 (November/December 2007): 190.
53
require tap dancing; the realm of possibility is endless. Opera does not place as strong of
a focus upon dancing, but there are operas that have ballroom dance moments integrated
into the score. An opera singer may not be looked down upon for not dancing, but it
would make the singer more marketable for an opera with dancing implemented in the
libretto or the crossover singer auditioning for a traditional legit musical that requires
light movement.104
In addition to singing and dancing, the crossover opera singer will need to focus on
acting. With the importance of text comes the ability to not only convey the emotion
through the voice but through speech inflection and body language. Some may argue that
opera singers have an awareness of acting and how to interact on stage. Nevertheless, the
intensity of training for the opera singer is far more focused on the singing versus the
acting. In contrast, musical theatre programs have a stronger integration of acting training
opposed to singing. This highlights the reason a subpar musical theatre singer might be
hired for a musical due to his or her acting being so convincing and also the reason an
opera singer with less than ideal acting, but a phenomenal voice, is hired for an operatic
role.
One of the main rationales behind the tessitura105 of the American musical being
lowered in the 1940s and 1950s was to write music which brought out the clarity of the
text. This aided in the ability to write storylines for more realistic characters to which the
104
There are musical theatre auditions that have a mover’s call and a dancer’s call. The
mover’s call is geared toward the person that can dance, but does not consider himself or
herself a strong dancer. This is the new classification stemming from “singers who
dance” because in today’s musical theatre, everyone dances.
105
Tessitura refers to the range of notes suited to each voice type.
54
audience could relate and to give a stronger emphasis on vocal expression versus vocal
beauty.106 The enticement of this music was enhanced by the emotional expression of the
characters. It was this marker which began to set musical theatre apart from opera and has
continued to draw larger audiences for decades. While exploring concepts of vocal
coloring in the voice, it is highly advisable to take acting classes to learn how to
communicate text in song and dialogue.
There are a variety of acting techniques available to singers and actors.107
Whichever one a singer decides to pursue, and hopefully the singer will explore more
than one style, the focus will be on the text and ways to embody the story in an honest
and true fashion. For the opera singer, there is a thin separation between emotional
expression and staying true to the music. For musical theatre performers, if the vocal line
is occasionally inhibited due to a surge of emotion, the music drama is considered
enhanced and more relatable. If the same happened on the opera stage, it could
potentially be considered a distraction from the music drama. This creates a slim division
between opera singers and musical theatre singers. This does not mean the musical
theatre performer should strive to breakdown in tears in order to sabotage the vocal line
for the sake of emotion. What this does mean is the musical theatre singer is present and
open to the text and what is happening in the moment. If the vocal line is distorted while
106
Bourne, “Music Theater Voice,” 437.
Stanislavski System, Lee Strasberg Method, Meisner Technique, Stella Adler,
Practical Aesthetics, and Michael Chekhov Technique are some of the more popular
acting schools. University acting programs typically branch out into a variety of these
styles to equip their students with a combination of acting approaches. There are also
acting classes available to those post-academia that want to take a specialized class in
acting.
55
107
staying true to the story and the character, then this is a byproduct of the moment. But,
this should not be the desired goal when performing on stage since this will create an
affected performance not a genuine one. “There are principles from actor training that are
highly valuable for singers to know. For example, when classical singers consider the
acting dimension, the word emotion or emotional tends to come up immediately, and in
some cases, the word gesture is also operative. Actors and musical theatre singers, on the
other hand, tend to come from a different direction and speak of objective, intention, and
tactics.”108
In opera, the predominant focus is given to the musical line, the focus of the tone
and orchestration that supports the music. The text is an important component, but music
is there to heighten the emotional drama. Opera singers may have an awareness of the
text and storyline, but it can sometimes be diminished in an effort to convey the character
of the music. This goes back to the idea that audiences attend opera to be swept up in the
music, which is why audiences do not mind operas in a foreign language. However, if
they know the work will be in their native language, they want to be engulfed by the
music drama and the text. “Once a lyric is fully analyzed and understood in dramatic
context, then the singer can pair it back with the music, and often find deeper ways that
the music supports or informs the text, leading to a richer and more deeply felt
performance.”109
In addition to acting in song, crossover opera singers should also take time to work
108
Joan Melton, Singing in Musical Theatre: The Training of Singers and Actors (New
York: Allworth Press, 2007), 212.
109
Hall, So You Want to Sing, 122.
56
on the speaking voice. Singers may use a wide range when singing, but can often fall into
a trap of speaking in a narrowed head register dominated sound that creates a speaking
voice that is perceived as sung and unnatural. This connects the concepts of registration
in song, and the importance of understanding registration in speech as well. Singers must
learn how to understand what they are saying, know what they feel about what they are
saying, and convey it in a way that is relatable to the audience. This demands the singer
to have a grounded connection to self not only as the singer performing on stage, but the
person—the character performing on stage.
A 1989 article in the New Yorker written by Ethan Mordden discusses the idea of
crossover singing. Referring to a recording of West Side Story with Kiri Te Kanawa and
José Carreras singing the parts of Maria and Tony, Mordden states, “Te Kanawa and
Carreras sound terribly senior—so assured, such professional velvet. The opera singers
couldn’t even be trusted to deliver their own dialogue; Bernstein’s children were called
in, and the change in vocal quality from speakers to singers and back upsets the fragility,
the nocturne quality of the “Tonight” scene.”110 As Mordden mentions, the talented opera
singers were not lacking in vocal skill with their “professional velvet” voices, but they
were lacking in connection to the meaning of the text.
Opera singers should not only be accountable to the music; the emotional
connection to the text is also a vital element. Perhaps, if Te Kanawa and Carreras had
experimented with finding the meaning within the text itself, they may have found a
deeper meaning in the score and with their characters. They may have even felt
110
Ethan Mordden, “’Show Boat’ Crosses Over,” The New Yorker (July 3, 1989): 89.
57
comfortable enough to speak their own dialogue, which would have more than likely
given a more relatable, personable quality to the recording. “Too many singers clearly do
not understand the importance of the text. They’re so consumed by the vocal and musical
elements that they forget that the text is the predominant language of dramatic
communication, not just sounds to vocalize on…[T]he whole reason for a song in a
musical is that a character must express a strong emotion or idea. Yes, both the music and
vocal melody participate crucially to that end…but for the vast majority of songs, the
words supply most of the emotional and intellectual context and content, and must be the
starting point for the singer’s understanding of the song.”111
For the crossover opera singer, the concept of text study not only in song, but also
as spoken dialogue may be the hardest aspect to adjust to while pursuing musical theatre.
Being grounded in the ability to communicate text, in speech, gives an extra element of
bodily connection to the words and how those words affect a person. It is not enough just
to say words or sing words; one must know what the words mean and how to convey
those words with intention. This idea should be as relevant to opera as it is to musical
theatre. The composers and librettists of opera and musical theatre were intentional in
what they put together for the performers as a guide to recreate the vision they put on
paper.
Whether singing Mimi in La Bohème or Mimi in Rent, today’s audience wants
“singer-actors who are confident enough in their musicianship, and their technique to be
111
Hall, So You Want to Sing, 121.
58
able to develop a much wider spectrum of color, timbre, style, and resonance.”112 In
exploring the skills necessary to pursue a crossover career in opera and musical theatre,
one element permeates either genre: the ability to communicate. Audiences are wanting
more than the grand musical experience, the visual spectacle, or a commanding
monologue. Audiences are craving the full package. They want to be swept away in the
experience; to feel immersed in the story as though they could be a part of the action
themselves. “The undeniable fact is that the creators of American musicals from
Showboat to West Side Story…took over from operetta the task of pleasing an audience
unconditionally, and they did so – the best of them – not by offering pap but by
introducing into musical theatre dramatically powerful plots, clearly etched
characterization, dialogue of wit, humor, and lifelikeness, situations with tragic as well as
comic overtones, and above all song that married text to music in an increasingly
sensitive and emotionally connected way.”113 This is not to say opera is not on the same
tier as musical theatre; it is. There is a grand story and deeply rooted plot of human
connection dripping from each note and each word; however, opera does have something
to learn in how to convey the deep meaning within the text. For the opera singer pursuing
crossover work, text study will help to gain tools to pursue a career in musical theatre,
whether in the opera house or the musical theatre hall. The skills acquired will also
enhance the opera singer’s ability to find a deeper meaning and intention with one’s
operatic roles.
In looking at ways to explore crossover training, it is imperative to acknowledge a
112
113
Bawtree, The New Singing Theatre, 172.
Bawtree, The New Singing Theatre, 172.
59
shift needs to take place in the education of contemporary commercial singing styles. As
much as I can talk about crossover concepts for the opera singer to explore musical
theatre styles, if these ideas fall on deaf ears, the art of the crossover singer will not
advance, and a continued misunderstanding of the style will endure.
It cannot be repeated enough, a focus on function should be primary in any studio.
Even the beginning opera singer can be misguided in producing an operatic sound by
over expanding the oro-pharynx, compressing the larynx in a held down position, and
pulling back and down on the tongue root in an effort to sound like an opera singer. This
is not to say these habits go unnoticed to the trained ear, but are a byproduct of what we
perceive a style to be. Many singers develop these habits which go unobserved because it
sounds right. These vocal tract adjustments are against the natural function of the voice
and inhibit the realm of possibility when exploring style. When we strip the voice down
into the concept of function, we can adjust and use any configuration of the mechanism –
tongue, soft palate, larynx, pharynx, breath, body alignment, etc., – in a healthy manner
conducive to any style within the natural abilities and desires of the singer.
To date, there is a firm divide between teaching for classical music and teaching for
musical theatre, with a negative towards the musical theatre style mainly due to a
misunderstanding of how to sing musical theatre healthily. This brings the concept full
circle; if institutions are not offering pedagogy in contemporary commercial music
(CCM)114 styles, the knowledge of how to sing musical theatre correctly will not be
spread to the teaching community. Therefore the skewed conception will continue.
114
Contemporary Commercial Music was a term created by Jeanette LoVetri to label
musical theatre, jazz, pop, rock, rap, etc., as something other than, “non-classical.”
60
Presently there are only two universities, Penn State and Shenandoah University that
offer a degree focusing on CCM pedagogy. This is not to say all other intuitions are
producing poor singers; this is acknowledging there are pedagogical differences to
achieve a desired style between classical and CCM. It is valuable to know how to equip
singers with the right tools. For example, I have heard singers that want to pursue musical
theatre and work with exceptionally talented and knowledgeable pedagogues of the
classical style. These educators encourage their singers to use tall, round, and dark
vowels in their upper register with vibrato and consistently the text will be distorted, the
pitch will be flat, and there will be tension in the voice. One could offer a simple
adjustment of modifying from a darker vowel to a brighter vowel to relieve tongue
tension and lift pressure off the larynx creating an immediate shift of clarity and ease of
sound. The primary teacher will typically deter from the adjustment because they prefer
rounder vowels and pursue other ways to fix the intonation and tension. This does not
mean the pedagogue is lacking in skills, but unfortunately, those vocal techniques would
aid a classical sound, not a musical theatre sound. And for the singer wanting to pursue
musical theatre, this education will be a detriment for them since they will not be
presenting a truly musical theatre sound. I can say from experience when I began
crossover work, I walked into New York musical theatre auditions where I was told my
sound was too classical for legit calls. For example, a Phantom of the Opera audition
notice stated they wanted a classical sound, but in looking back, they wanted a blend of
traditional legit and contemporary legit styles. At the time, I was unaware of the
61
difference, since no one was creating a dialogue on what those differences were because
the foundation of singing was based upon a classical framework.
In a 2013 article written by Matthew Edwards and Jonathan Flom titled, “Preparing
Singers for College Auditions,” published in the American Music Teacher journal, they
discussed the differences in the number of schools offering degrees in Vocal Performance
versus Musical Theatre and the attendance and ticket sales of both genres outside of
academia. They stated, “training opportunities for classical voice and musical theatre are
varied. According to the Higher Education Arts Data Services (HEADS) Project, there
are 383 schools offering a degree in vocal performance with 7,078 students enrolled. For
musical theater training, there are approximately 61 schools currently offering BA and
BFA degrees with 2,302 students enrolled.”115 On paper, one might think the number of
students pursuing vocal performance degrees in contrast with the number of students
enrolled in musical theatre programs would show that a classical degree would be the
better choice. When one looks at ticket sales between the genres, the exact opposite was
revealed in the article by Edwards and Flom. Based upon a 2008 survey conducted by the
National Endowment for the Arts, “4.7 million adults attended an opera in the United
States during the time recorded. For musical theater, the number came in at 47.6
million.”116 Opera America posted stats on box office sales for opera in the United States
115
Matthew Edwards and Jonathon Flom, “Preparing Students for College Auditions:
Musical Theatre and Vocal Performance,” American Music Teacher 63 no. 1
(August/September 2013): 33. It is worth noting an attempt was made to secure recent
statistical information from HEADS, but it was not possible to obtain official information
during the time-frame this document was written. The HEADS report referenced shows a
data period ending June 30, 2010.
116
Ibid.
62
and Canada during the 2010-2011 season with revenue of $136 million.117 The Broadway
League stated that in 2010-2011, $1.8 billion in box office sales were reported of “the 40
theaters that compose Broadway and the approximately 18 Equity touring shows.”118
Highlighting these statistics is not to deter individuals from pursuing a career in
opera. The industry needs singers to continue the pursuit of classical literature to keep
opera alive. However, this does show the public has a variety of interests, and one of
them happens to be musical theater. It would benefit singers and academia to learn the
necessary skills to healthily adapt between genres to meet the demands being created in
the professional world. There is a gap between what singers are learning in college and
what is being presented in the industry. It is creating a disadvantage for a singer pursuing
a performance career. As Lenore Rosenberg stated in a 2007 article discussing the
realities of being an opera singer and the educational tools needed, before graduation,
“schools are not teaching to the needs of the profession. This is not just something that
could affect opera at some vague point in the future; the lack of good training is affecting
opera companies, young artist programs, and audiences right now.”119 With the large
number of students pursuing careers in performance, it is vital to equip students with the
necessary skills to survive in the industry. Musical theatre is happening in the operatic
industry now whether one chooses to acknowledge it or not. Singers wanting to consider
cross training should be able to work with a teacher that has “an appreciation of and a
respect for any style they teach so they are not tempted to change the style, thus
117
http://www.operaamerica.org/content/about/PressRoom/quick.aspx. (accessed
September 10, 2015).
118
Edwards and Flom, 33.
119
White and Rosenberg, Reality Check, 192.
63
compromising both the integrity of the art and the singer’s ability to successfully compete
in that art form.”120
Again and again, when a CCM singer suffers an injury, the voice teaching field
immediately states it is a byproduct of voice misuse due to a lack of classical training.
Rarely do we think the injury may be from overuse, not misuse of the voice. Musical
theatre singers have intense demands laid upon them performing eight shows a week and
typically singing in a high intensity manner conducive to contemporary musical theatre
singing. In keeping this in mind, it is important for musical singers to have a solid
technique to withstand the requirements necessary to sing in a variety of different vocal
styles often found in musical theatre singing. A consistent format to teach these singers is
necessary. Although there is a movement to advance the teaching of musical theatre
singing, there is still work to do in lifting the stigma that musical theatre ruins the voice.
Poor technique does ruin the voice, but so does the application of the wrong style of
training.
Keeping in mind that the scope of this document is to highlight the opera singer
pursuing crossover work in traditional legit and contemporary legit theatre, this singer
will not have the same demands as the contemporary belt singer which is why those
concepts were not highlighted in this document. Even though the musical theatre
crossover work may not vary drastically, it should be noted there are still stylistic
differences from opera that require specified study to be true to the style and technique.
For example, a soprano hired to perform the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro during the
120
http://www.americanacademyofteachersofsinging.org/assets/articles/CCMVoicePedag
ogy.pdf (accessed September 20, 2015).
64
month of February and then Marian from The Music Man during the month of April will
not require a drastic vocal shift, but time will need to be spent to adjust her vocal
parameters. It is advisable for the singer to spend time doing mid to upper register slides
of no more than a fifth on an [i] or [æ] to gain a slightly brighter coloring in her head
mix. Incorporating some chest mix exercises from G3-G4 on triads or a scale of 1-2-3-45-4-3-2-1 on the sound [jæ] or [ŋæ] will aid in a balanced transition from chest mix into
head mix. Doing fast ascending and descending arpeggios of 1-3-5-8-5-3-1 within a
range of A3-A5 on [jæ] transitioning between chest mix, head mix, and head register will
aid in the flexibility of maneuvering the different registers of the voice. Although more
time will be spent adapting to a brighter lower and mid register, it will be important for
the soprano to continue working on her upper register to maintain the flexibility of her
voice. The upper register will also require a brighter vowel to maintain continuity of the
voice. For example, in the song “Goodnight My Someone,” a classical singer would be
inclined to sing “night” of the word “Goodnight” with an [a] vowel on the pitch C5 and
the same would apply to the word “star” sung on E5. A musical theatre singer would
merge toward an [a/æ] blend to brighten the sound on both words. There may also be
instances when the musical theatre style would require a moment of straight tone merging
into vibrato. This would be similar to early baroque singing styles, which implemented
straight tone singing. The one recommendation in transitioning between styles would be
an awareness of scheduling gigs. Even though the modification between styles is
minimal, it would not behoove a singer to carry over brighter vowels into an operatic
role. For example, if The Music Man was performed first, in February, and Le nozze di
65
Figaro was performed in March, the short transition period between gigs may not be
enough time to break away from all of the necessary musical theatre habits. In Italian, the
precision of the vowel distinguishes the meaning of the word. Implementing only bright
vowels would diminish the authenticity of the language, and using overly dark vowels in
a musical would inhibit the commitment to the style. Slight modifications, such as the
ones described, are necessary to accommodate the style, but would not inhibit the
crossover opera singer’s ability to navigate between genres as long as the singer was
aware of the time needed and stylistic adjustments required to successfully balance a
crossover career.
It is vital for the opera singer to know how to healthily create a musical theatre
sound versus producing an affected, mimicked sound that will cause tension and
discomfort. We already live in a time where singers listen to digitally enhanced
recordings and try to recreate a sound impossible to produce based on the adjustments
made in the studio. Not having a guided ear to establish a solid cross-training foundation
is a detriment to the crossover singer. Taking the time to understand the stylistic
differences needed for musical theatre will better equip the singer to be more marketable
and, most importantly, help the singer balance both styles in a healthy manner to sing for
years to come. In an artistic climate that is constantly pushing the boundaries of what
makes opera or what makes musical theatre, it is necessary to be aware of those
adjustments to stay current to the trends. Maintaining older singing styles in a different
medium is like putting an oval into a circular hole; you may get part of it to fit, but it will
never be just right. As one can see in looking back at the development of opera and
66
musical theatre to present day, both genres are constantly evolving. Being a performer
requires an awareness of one’s abilities and how one can adapt to the shifts in the
industry. Understanding the stylistic differences needed for opera and musical theatre and
how to transition between the two will help bridge the gap in crossing over from one to
the other. It will help the longevity of one’s career in marketability and in care of the
voice. Exploring cross training is not to limit an opera singer, but to expand the realm of
possibilities. The possibilities are already out there, one just needs to realize it and pursue
it.
67
Chapter 4: Bridging the Gap
Opera companies are starting to realize there is a missing element. Maybe it is
purely from a financial standpoint or from trying to bring in a wider audience new to
opera. Either way, opera houses such as Lyric Opera of Chicago, Utah Festival Opera,
Houston Grand Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Opera North, Oper Graz, Dallas Opera, San
Francisco, Tri-Cities Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Central City Opera, and others, are
exploring the idea of integrating light opera and musicals into their season. To the dismay
of opera purists, opera companies are trying to find ways to stay relevant in the public to
combat the shifts happening in social interests and the economy. “Despite declining state
support, and increasing difficulty in recruiting patrons for opera among the new techbased possessors of extreme wealth, opera persists.”121 Opera, as an art form, will
continue to hold as strong of a place in the arts as Shakespeare does today. It is how we
continue to present opera that will make the difference. “The operas and musicals we
think of as ‘classic’ naturally reinvent themselves; the signs and symbols inherent in
these works transform themselves for each new generation that encounters them. But a
programmed season at an opera company that presents only classics—like a Broadway
that offers only revivals—is cultural stagnation. Knowing what to expect is lowering
121
Leon Botstein, “The Future of Opera,” The Musical Quarterly 97 no. 3 (December,
2014): 354.
68
one’s expectations. The classics are best revisited when presented alongside the new.”122
As an art form, we owe it to our listeners to trust they can handle works outside of the
opera staples of Le nozze di Figaro, La Bohème, and Carmen. Those operas, among many
of the other standards, are gems in the repertoire and should be performed, but it is worth
the time to let those works air out and circulate in other pieces to keep the art form fresh.
There are far more works to explore besides the top ten and extending an invitation to
musical theatre should be a welcomed addition. There is an underlying story waiting to
be uncovered within each opera, and it is the performer’s job to bring those stories to life
beyond the beauty of the music. The music is the heartbeat of the character, and the text
is the voice to the emotions felt. These are the elements that give musical theatre
accessibility audiences crave, and this would more than benefit the sustainability of
opera. If houses only produce operas focusing on the music and everything else occurs as
an afterthought, the intent for music and words to come together to create a heightened
experience is lost. When composers of the past were writing operas, their compositions
were inspired by the text. The story being told inspired them to write the works we have
come to treasure today. It has often occurred that a melody inspired the words. In either
case, one did not exist without the other. “Music relates most strongly to pure feeling,
[and] idealistic longings…Words relate most strongly to rational thinking, logical
perception, dissection, and analysis…And although no pair would seem less likely to
meet and marry than words and music, we have been joining them through the act of
122
LaChiusa, “Genre Confusion,” 13.
69
singing since the very beginning.”123
In exploring the differences between music and text it becomes necessary to see
that a balance exists and not a divide. From the inception of opera formed by the
Camerata to present day, there has been a desire to find the perfect art form to create an
elevated emotional response. “The form is neither musical nor theatrical, it is both; the
operatic performer is neither a singer nor an actor, but a singer-actor.”124 It is from this
standpoint that opera and musical theatre can bridge the gap to create a stronger
foundation learning from the other.
Opera goers today crave something richer and more honest, which is why opera
houses are exploring the integration of musicals. Although a necessary adjustment, a key
element is still missing in the idea of music theatre.125 To be clear, music theatre is not a
reference to the musical. The musical is a genre in and of its self. However, the structure
of the musical is based upon a mixture of music and text with the content and meaning
being the driving force. This falls under the umbrella of music theatre; the ability to fuse
the music and text to create the opportunity to enliven the value of the human, emotional
experience. A perfect example of this, or rather, a lack of this, was highlighted in a
review written in The New York Times by Anthony Tommasini on The Merry Widow
performed at the Metropolitan Opera.126 Overall, the review was complimentary to the
123
Balk, The Complete Actor-Singer, 7.
Balk, The Complete Actor Singer, 12.
125
One can refer to Wagner’s term of music-drama, but in either case, current opera is
lacking music theatre/music drama.
126
Anthony Tommasini, “Talking (and Talking) About Love: Susan Stroman’s ‘The
Merry Widow at the Met,” The New York Times, January 1, 2015.
70
124
singers and production. However, it did point out that the production was underwhelming
and “tentative.” Tommasini mentioned Peter Gelb pinpointed the problem in a different
article discussing the production of Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, performed the previous
season. Gelb said, “What I’ve learned is, the less dialogue the better. The Met is built for
opera singing, not for spoken lines.” Tommasini goes on to mention that although the
singers wore body microphones for their text to be heard, it was still difficult to
understand their words because “the house is just too big for dialogue.” Tommasini went
on to talk about Kelli O’Hara’s role in the show, which was met with anticipation since
O’Hara is a musical theatre performer singing in an opera house.127 Tommasini states,
“her tender voice carries nicely in the house…Still in trying to project her singing a little
more than usual, Ms. O’Hara compromises her enormous skill at making words come
through with naturalness. I kept wondering how her performance, and the entire
production, would have come across in a house a third the size of the Met.” At first
glance, it is easy to fall under the assumption that because this was operetta, it does not
hit the mark because only opera could function in an opera house. And, yet, an allowance
can be made when attending an opera in English, because, after all, it is opera. For
example, an article in Opera News, written by Michael John LaChiusa mentioned a
conversation he heard during the intermission of John Harbison’s The Great Gatsby. “I
overheard a woman say, “Is this in English?” Her companion replied, “Well, you know
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/02/arts/music/susan-stromans-the-merry-widow-at-themet.html?_r=0 (accessed August 30, 2015).
127
O’Hara trained as a classical singer, but has worked as a musical theatre performer.
71
opera. It’s more about the music than the words.”128
We are skewing the perspective on what is permissible for today’s opera. When we
attend a work considered an operetta in an opera house and we cannot understand
everything, it falls short because it is not opera. When we attend an opera in English in an
opera house and cannot understand everything, it is excusable because it is opera and it is
about the music. What standard are we setting for opera as a genre? To personify music,
we put too much pressure on music. No wonder composers almost unraveled the structure
of contemporary opera in the twentieth and twenty-first century. The scale is so heavily
skewed toward the music that the text and storyline barely have the opportunity to thrive.
As an art form, we have permeated the concept that music is the foundation and the top of
the music drama pyramid. Unfortunately, it has become a weighted scale unable to
support itself.
In looking at the Met’s production of The Merry Widow, the size of the opera house
was argued as a reason the production fell short. In contrast, when Lyric Opera of
Chicago performed Carousel, The New York Times review had no conflict with the size
of the opera house. 129 It was mentioned that some up tempo group numbers left “you
waiting impatiently for the energy to rise” and may have been a result of the size of the
opera house; however, Isherwood stated that he had “no complaints about the
performances once [he] grew used to the amplification in such a large house.” Knowing
the difference in seating between the Lyric and the Met is 237 seats, it is hard to justify
128
LaChiusa, “Genre Confusion,” 13.
Charles Isherwood, “’Carousel,’ a Broadway Turn at Lyric Opera of Chicago,” The
New York Times, April 27, 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/28/ theater/ reviewcarousel-a-broadway-turn-at-lyric-opera-of-chicago.html (accessed August 30, 2015).
72
129
the size of the opera house as a reason to say light opera does not have a place in the Met.
It was also mentioned in both reviews that each production used amplification. The
difference was the Met only amplified the dialogue and the Lyric amplified the entire
production. In the Met review, the grievance was even though the singers were wearing
body microphones, it was still difficult to understand their spoken dialogue. This could be
due to the simple fact that the Met was not used to amplifying the voice. But, more than
likely, the singers were not used to speaking, only singing. Now, one could mention that
although there was controversy surrounding the concept of full amplification for the
Carousel performance, beyond the idea of it, Isherwood never mentioned it inhibited his
experience as an audience member nor did he have difficulty understanding or connecting
to the dialogue.
In looking at the differences between the Met and the Lyric putting on light opera,
there is a concept that lingers over the two productions: the stigma that opera has as a
genre to be an elitist’s art form focused on the sound. An example that brings this stigma
to life is the performance of Kelli O’Hara, a musical theatre actress, singing on the
Metropolitan Opera stage. As the reviewer mentioned, one of her trademarks, the ability
to convey the text in a natural manner, was inhibited while trying to “project her singing
a little more than usual,” even though he mentioned she was clearly heard in the house.
What changed? The environment. The weight of importance upon the work being
performed was not about conveying the story. It was about giving prominence to the
music because opera is known for its musical experience. Even the most veteran musical
theatre performer fell under the pressure to portray a performance acceptable to operatic
73
standards. This highlights the underlying stigma that in order to produce a great operatic
performance, the connection to the text must be sacrificed in order to honor the music. In
contrast, the Lyric placed two Broadway performers, Laura Osnes and Steven Pasquale,
in the leading roles. Both performers committed to the style of the work and were noted
having “excellent voices.”130 Ironically, the only performer whose review fell short was
opera singer, Denyce Graves. “Ms. Graves sings [You’ll Never Walk Alone] with the
requisite hallowed feeling, although as a performer best known in the opera house for
sultry roles…she sometimes seems a bit stiff.”131 It is apparent the idea of “opera” is
getting in the way of the needs of opera. Encouraging opera singers to understand the
meaning of the text is not enough. Opera singers should be held accountable to seek out a
balance of how the text interplays with the music and how the music interplays with the
text. Focusing on the precise attention and meaning of the lyrics will in no way inhibit the
operatic voice. To simply understand the text is not the same as knowing how to convey
the text with honesty. This performance approach will enhance the singing and supply an
all-encompassing comprehension of the words and intent of the character being portrayed
in the opera.
Embracing the concept will not dull opera or turn it into musical theatre, but it will
enhance and enliven the production. There should be dividing lines between the genres.
Otherwise a watered down version of the two will be created. Plus, that is what
designates the difference of styles. The ability to overlay concepts within the genres
should be encouraged to fill in the gaps where there are weak components. Stating the
130
131
Isherwood, “Carousel”.
Ibid.
74
Met is not meant for dialogue is a disappointing copout. The venue should not affect the
art. Intent is intent. It does not matter where a production takes place. The essence of text,
the essence of the storyline does not equal the presence of the story; conveying an
essence is what leaves audiences feeling underwhelmed. Performers should not base their
work on generalities and hypothetical ideas. Audiences attend shows over and over again
because they experienced a heightened emotional event.
As a people, we do not live based upon generalization. We live specific lives with
specific emotions. Some are happy, confused, sad, angry, content, or blissful. No matter
the emotion, they are real and honest. Performers owe it to the craft and to the audience
for whom they perform to be committed to the work that is being presented night after
night to the audience members filling the seats, seeking a human connection. Opera goers
should not be saying, “Well, you know opera. It’s more about the music than the words.”
It should be about the story AND the music AND the text. There should be no dividing
line. No work has been created without intent and a message. As a genre, it is necessary
to embrace the concept of music theatre/music-drama to bring depth of life to the opera
stage again.
From a cultural and economic perspective, one can see the act of crossing over is
not only about the idea of putting a musical on an opera stage and using the same
guidelines required of opera. The production will fall short. This revealed itself in the
Met’s production of The Merry Widow. What is apparent is the acknowledgement of
music theatre styles, added to the opera stage, does not take away from the operatic
performance experience. It establishes a depth of emotional and musical colors which
75
enhances the work. As an opera singer in today’s world, it would be naïve not to be
aware of this impact on the arts. “[Singers need] a sure grasp of classical vocal technique,
but also for the ability to extend that technique to cope with today’s demands. And
central to the demands that the new singing theatre must make on its singer-actors is not
merely general versatility, but also versatility in the actual sound that the voice makes –
in the style of singing that it can cope with.”132
Until opera companies begin to see the issue is not within the work itself, but the
perspective through which the work is being performed, people will continue to look
down on musicals, contemporary opera will continue to dance around the music-drama,
and traditional opera will continue to squeeze something new out of the same form. There
is much for each component to learn from the next, and taking a moment to step back and
see the larger picture is vital.
Good music is good music. Labels are necessary to classify things; however, labels
should not deem something either/or. There should be a concept of this and that. One
always influences the other. There are far more opportunities for inclusion versus
exclusion. The juxtaposition of styles can help the modern day audience relate to a show
written one hundred years ago. For example, “Signore, Ascolta” from Turandot carries a
similar air of angst that “I Had Myself a True Love” from St. Louis Woman displays.
Both songs are completely different, and stylistically would not be sung the same way,
even though the context is the same. Both are speaking of a love never realized and how
they coped. The concept of a hurt heart transcends time. The audience members, when
132
Bawtree, The New Singing Theatre, 171.
76
seeing a connected performance, are not thinking about the style. They are thinking about
the fact that they connect with the performer expressing one’s feelings through song.
Mr. Anthony Freud of Chicago Lyric makes a justifiable argument for the
integration of varying styles, “I believe passionately that it’s central to our job as a major
company to see how the opera art form can evolve. I’m not sure there is a clear definition
between operas and musicals. If you distill it down to its basics, it’s about telling stories
through music and words.”133 As with all art, historically, it has been produced in
response to the social, economic, and political climate of the times. Performing is not
only a means to echo the time period in which it was created, but also a means to impact
the culture it is reflecting. Music theatre occurred as a byproduct of the culture it was
reflecting and has intermingled a wide variety of styles since its inception. “Music theatre
is nothing if not diverse—in both its music and styles of singing. This combination of
styles, both vocal and musical, has created a musical melting pot of sorts, reflecting the
multiethnic population shifts that have taken place throughout the history of the United
States.”134 Musical theatre is an extension of opera. The acknowledgement of this art
form as an extension of opera is still on the sidelines waiting to be embraced. The
watered down concepts of music theatre that opera is utilizing is not sustaining when
looking at the long-term trajectory of opera. “Opera singers with the training and
flexibility to branch out into these new venues and repertoire will be in great demand as
133
134
Belcher, ‘Musical or Opera.’
Hall, So You Want to Sing, 2.
77
American opera continues to evolve into new areas.”135 Continuing to make music the
primary element only takes away the opportunity to create multidimensional characters
with a voice to share beyond the melody line being sung.
Exploring and understanding varying musical genres can help a singer become a
grounded, well-rounded performer with the connection to the character and storyline.
Musical theatre can influence one’s acting and connection to the action, while traditional
opera can help with line and consistency of tone. Contemporary opera can develop
musicianship. Each element is a smaller piece to the puzzle. America is a melting pot of
cultural experiences, and as artists, no matter the medium, it is integral to understand and
relate to the world in which we are living. That translates to an opera written in the 1600s
or a musical written in the 1950s. The human experience transcends time, as long as we,
the artists, are connected to the honesty of that experience. Only focusing on the
technique and the resonance separates us from the integration of the story and the music.
Vocal technique and commitment to style is important. It is valuable to understand the
genre beyond performance practice to take the trust of the technique and style to embody
them into a music theatre experience. “The learning of the song and the learning of how
to make the sounds and where to breathe isn’t necessarily what you’re going to be doing
when you are on the stage…It’s work you do before you get there. If you’ve trained
135
Valerie White Williams, “Classical Singer, Fashioning Her Unique Path,” Classical
Singer Magazine, (October 2014) http://www.classicalsinger.com/magazine/ article.
php?id=2767#sthash.fSwn0lx4.dpuf (accessed May 20, 2015).
78
properly, the vowels will get made by your mouth. If you’re thinking about those vowels,
what you’re actually doing is…luxuriating in a technique rather than showing up.”136
Opera singers that venture into musical theatre can learn that trusting the text, the
music, and the technique allows everything to fall into place. There is no need to affect
the sound to create a result. The intent is already there. It is the performer’s job to lean on
one’s abilities and honor the production whether it is an opera or a musical. As a
performer, it is important to realize we are more than a voice, a face, and a body going
through the motions. We are a whole being communicating stories with our whole
selves.137 Only displaying a piece of our self cuts off the depth required to portray a
character. The integration or rather the normalization of the crossover opera singer helps
to encourage a breakdown between barriers of the closely-knit and yet firmly separated
lines of opera and musical theatre. Opera singers are starting to take the American
musical seriously in that it is enhancing the art form they already honor. 138 By
encouraging the integration of the singer-actor, it is important to note there should not be
a dominance of one style over the other. This would bring back the intent to divide the
genres versus creating a common link.
It is my belief that eventually opera and musical theatre will find a place upon the
same stage without the vice that one is in pursuit to dominate the other. The amount of
energy spent isolating each genre has been an unfortunate roadblock upon the cultural
impact both could have on the American audience together, not separately. This does not
136
Barber, J., “Crossing Over,” http://www.classicalsinger.com/magazine/article.
php?id=2087#st April 2010. This is a quote made by teacher, Craig Carnelia.
137
Hall, 118.
138
Bawtree, The New Singing Theatre, 171.
79
mean opera houses should start performing Jesus Christ Superstar. Stylistically, this
would require vocal demands outside the scope of the opera singer. However, the musical
Ragtime, might be within the realm of possibility if it is understood that stylistic
adjustments would need to be made in order for the singing style to be relevant to the
context of the work.
Modifying for style does not mean a destruction of opera or technique.
Modification of style means an understanding of where music has come from and where
it is going. The isolation of musical theatre from opera, and vice versa, cuts off a
beautiful progression of one style from the other. The development of the American
musical139 voice was a pivotal point in history, and it is worth noting how that
development enriched the span of colors and intent to bring a story to life. “Today’s
musicals are producing more contemporary sounds that this generation can identify with.
Classical music is a great style and sound, but if you look back on the time that it was
created, it also was the popular music of its day. Those performers were not reliving the
music of hundreds of years ago. The performers of today are dealing with a variety of
colors and sounds—even in opera—that have jazz influences and pop influences. We
don’t seem to prize these contemporary styles the way we do Mozart or Puccini.”140 We
have an obligation to continue the stream of the music drama evolution.
Opera is nearing an impasse. The concept of saying it is okay not to understand the
words because it is opera will only last so long. Audiences want to invest two to three
139
Referring to the concept of musicality, not the musical.
Megan Gloss, “Genre War,” Classical Singer Magazine (September 2008).
http://www.classicalsinger.com/magazine/article.php?id=1771#sthash.FzG8z3Bl.dpuf
(accessed May 25, 2015).
80
140
hours of their evening being swept away in a complete musical and theatrical experience.
The times of highlighting or glazing over the emotion and focusing on the music alone
will begin to miss the point. Yes, opera singers need to maintain body awareness to
navigate the difficult passages required in opera, but if the predominate focus stays on the
music and not the honest meaning of the text, the emotional intent will not be there and it
becomes a shell of emotion. Maybe it will take the integration of contemporary American
opera in the opera house to highlight the importance of music theatre. I am not referring
to the contemporary opera only being performed a few times a year, but as a regular
addition to each opera house. The more this happens the more audience members will
begin to recognize that music alone will not entice them. They are and always have been
searching for a music drama that reflects and enhances the entire human experience.
Until that day comes, I encourage opera singers to continue to explore the
boundaries of their craft and to embrace the idea of musical theatre. There is a wealth of
knowledge and human exploration living in the realms of musical theatre. We are a
collection of experiences both past and present. It does no one any good to suspend time
and not acknowledge the advances music made since the beginning of the twentieth
century. For the performer wanting to specialize in Bel Canto singing, learning
contemporary legit singing styles will not benefit that singer’s vocal goals. However,
connection to the meaning of the text and subtext will enhance his or her character study
and create a performance with more depth and breadth of life. Perfect singing is nothing
without sincere emotional conviction. We owe it to ourselves as artists and as admirers of
the arts to deepen the roots of our vocation. We pursued this journey because at some
81
point we were inspired by a performance that made us forget our own selves and were
swept away in the story we witnessed. We did not think in terms of genre. We were
engaged by the encapsulating experience. Any singer who pursues performance, whether
it is classical, musical theatre, jazz, or anything else, should be honored because they are
continuing the legacy started before us. Our only job is to immerse ourselves in our art,
discover and stretch our physical and mental being as performers and pay that honesty
forward. If along the way we discover an interest in other styles of singing, and find that
we balance them well, we should not be condemned, but celebrated. In the same way that
Broadway is exploring different styles of shows ranging from Cinderella, Porgy and
Bess, La Bohème, and Beautiful the Musical, opera is gradually venturing out into new
directions as well. The lines of staying the straight and narrow as a vocalist pursuing one
path are blurring. It is becoming necessary for opera singers to keep an open mind to the
plethora of opportunities available for the crossover singer. Pursuing crossover work
should not be an idea that is considered limiting since we are creating an extension of the
art form and not a hindrance. In fact, it may very well lead to a flourishing career. The
wider our palate and understanding of ourselves, the better off we will be as individuals
and as a culture.
“Classic American musicals are now embedded in the repertoire of opera
companies of all sizes.”141 We are at a crossroads where one can acknowledge the
integration of musical theatre and adapt, or one can spearhead the change to ensure we
are expanding the art form with emotional honesty and sincere artistic expression. Merely
141
Brian Kellow, “Opera’s Broadway Overtures,” Opera America, 9 (Fall 2015): 22.
82
singing musical theatre is not enough. Performers owe it to their craft to understand the
intent of the works being performed on the stage to bring the story to life. No longer can
a singer know only one genre of music. They must know more than one. Performers need
to be well versed in opera and musical theatre styles to be an artist that works in today’s
market that demands so much more of the singer. The crossover opera singer is not a
watered down concept. It is a reality that needs to be discussed because whether one
realizes it today or years from now, the art of singing as we know it will continue to
evolve. It is necessary for opera singers to be involved in this evolutionary process.
Otherwise, there will be more instances where musical theatre performers are hired to
sing the musical roles being performed in the opera houses. We are not just singers or
singing-actors. We are storytellers. There are a plethora of stories waiting to be told.
Some may be musicals and some may be operas. In any case, if we have the capacity to
sing them, the integrity to honor the style, and the passion to bring the character to life,
then our purpose as crossover singers is ready to be realized.
83
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88
Appendix A: Differences in Musical Theatre and Opera
Musical Theatre
Opera
Uses microphone.
Does not use microphone.
Type casting is normal.
Type casting is not normal, however, it is
beginning to follow that trend.
Learn songs for auditions, not necessarily
Standard to learn the entire role from
roles before booking a job.
several operas that fit within the Fach.
There isn’t a set voice type. Singers are
There is a set Fach system and singers
expected to sing in the extremities of their
learn roles based upon that system.
registers. This applies to men and women.
Dance skills are required.
Dance skills are not required, but it is an
advisable skill to acquire.
It is not necessary to read music (but
It is necessary to read music.
should be).
Songs can be transposed.
Songs are not transposed.
Stamina to sing eight shows a week.
Stamina to sing two to three shows a week.
Brighter coloring to the voice.
Emphasis on chiaroscuro (light and dark).
Emphasis on text.
Emphasis on music.
89
The tessitura is set slightly lower to
The tessitura is not influenced by the text,
accommodate a speech-like quality.
but by voice type.
Chest register is extended beyond E4, in
Chest register typical stops around C4 or
the female voice.
E4, in the female voice.
Vibrato is not always used, depending upon Vibrato is used unless specified in style, for
the style.
example, Baroque opera.
Vowels are articulated more forward by the
Vowels are rounder with and the
placement of the tongue and the mouth
pharyngeal structure is more vertical.
shape is more horizontal.
Depending upon the time period of the
The larynx is typically set in a lower
work, the larynx is in a higher position.
position.
90
Appendix B: Song Literature for the Crossover Singer
The following is a list of literature suggestions for Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Tenor, and
Baritone. The list is not an all-encompassing list of songs. The songs mentioned are to
help the beginning crossover singer have a place to start when finding literature to sing.
Soprano Operetta
Poor Wand'ring One
One Kiss
Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life
The Sun Whose Rays
Lover, Come Back to Me
Ah! My Heart is Back in Napoli
I Dreamt that I Dwelt in Marble
Halls
Villia
Glitter and be Gay
Art is Calling for Me
Sorry Her Lot
The Hours Creep on a Pace
Is Then His Fate Decreed
Barbara Song
Bright Silver Star of Love
Kiss Me Again
Pirates of Penzance
The New Moon
Naughty Marietta
The Mikado
The New Moon
Naughty Marietta
Gilbert and Sullivan
Romberg
Herbert
Gilbert and Sullivan
Romberg
Herbert
Bohemian Girl
Merry Widow
Candide
The Enchantress
H.M.S. Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore
The Beggar's Opera
The Threepenny
Opera
Florodora
Mlle Modiste
Balfe
Lehar
Bernstein and Wilbur
Herbert
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
John Gay
91
Weill
Stuart and Hall
Herbert
My Life is Love
Some Day
Will You Remember
I Feel Your Flowing Eyes
Love for Sale
I Love You
Summertime
The Maid of the
Mountains
The Vagabond King
Maytime
Blossom Time
The Vagabond King
Song of Norway
Porgy and Bess
Lak Jeem
Rose Marie
Pretty Things
What Good Would The Moon
Be
Rose Marie
Fraser-Simon and Graham
Friml and Hooker
Romberg
Romberg
Friml and Hooker
Grieg/Wright and Forrest
Gershwin
Friml/Stotart and
Harbach/Hammerstein II
Friml/Stotart and
Harbach/Hammerstein II
Street Scene
Weill and Rice
Stranger in Paradise
How Long Has This Been
Going On
To Keep My Love Alive
Someone to Watch Over Me
Peach on the Beach
Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
of Mine
Soprano Musical Theatre
Kismet
Rosalie
A Connecticut Yankee
Oh Kay!
No, No, Nannette
Showboat
Bill
Showboat
After the Ball
I Have to Tell You
I Feel Pretty
A Little Bit in Love
That'll Show Him
My White Knight
Warm All Over
Somebody Somewhere
Showboat
Fanny
West Side Story
Wonderful Town
A Funny Thing
The Music Man
The Most Happy Fella
The Most Happy Fella
The Sound of Music
Shall I Tell You What I
Think of You
The Sound of Music
The King and I
92
Wright and Forrest
Gershwin
Rodgers
Gershwin
Vincent Youmans
Kern/Hammerstein II and
Wodehouse
Kern/Hammerstein II and
Wodehouse
Kern/Hammerstein II and
Wodehouse
Rome
Bernstein and Sondheim
Bernstein and Green
Sondheim
Wilson
Wilson
Wilson
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Hello, Young Lovers
The King and I
My Lord and My Master
The King and I
So Far
Waitin' for My Dearie
I Hate Men
So in Love
I Had Myself a True Love
Allegro
Brigadoon
Kiss Me Kate
Kiss Me Kate
St. Louis Woman
Mister Snow
Carousel
Many a New Day
Oklahoma!
Falling in Love
My Man's Gone Now
He Brought Me Wild
Flowers
The Boy Briend
Wouldn't it be Loverly
I Could Have Danced All
Night
Show Me
The Simple Joys of
Maidenhood
Much More
Love Don't Turn Away
Vanilla Ice Cream
Will He Like Me
What Does He Want of Me?
Aldonza
Green Finch and Linnet Bird
Children of the Wind
Blame it on the Summer
Night
The Boys from Syracuse
Porgy and Bess
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Learner and Loewe
Porter
Porter
Arlen and Mercer
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Gershwin
The Golden Apple
The Boy Friend
My Fair Lady
Moross and Latouche
Wilson
Lerner and Loewe
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
Lerner and Loewe
Lerner and Loewe
Camelot
The Fantasticks
110 in the Shade
She Loves Me
She Loves Me
Man of La Mancha
Man of La Mancha
Sweeney Todd
Rags
Lerner and Loewe
Schmidt and Jones
Schmidt and Jones
Bock and Harnick
Bock and Harnick
Leigh and Darion
Leigh and Darion
Sondheim
Stein and Strouse
Rags
The Phantom of the
Opera
Into the Woods
The Secret Garden
The Secret Garden
Passion
The Light in the Piazza
Stein and Strouse
Think of Me
On the Steps of the Palace
Come to My Garden
How Could I Ever Know?
Forty Days
The Beauty Is
93
Webber
Sondheim
Simon and Norman
Simon and Norman
Sondheim
Guettel
The Joy You Feel
The Light in the Piazza
Moonfall
In My Own Little Corner
Another Life
Veronique
Never
I Don't Know What I'd Do
Inside Out
Solomon's Song
Somehow I Never Could
Believe
A Boy Like You
Haugette Waltz
Alone and Yet Alive
I'm Called Little Buttercup
When a Merry Maiden Comes
For That's My Way
Pirate Jenny
When I Leave Town
The Queen of the Philippine
Islands
Trouble Man
Stay Well
When Maiden Loves, She Sits
and Sighs
Baba's Aria
I, Like a Ship in Storms, was
Tossed
Addie's Blues
There is a Garden
The Light in the Piazza
The Light in the Piazza
The Mystery of Edwin
Drood
Cinderella
The Bridges of Madison
County
On the 20th Century
On the 20th Century
A Gentleman's Guide to
Love and Murder
A Gentleman's Guide to
Love and Murder
Guettel
Guettel
Holmes
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Brown
Coleman and Green
Coleman and Green
Freedman
Freedman
Mezzo Soprano
Operetta
The Threepenny Opera
Weill and Blitzstein
Street Scene
Street Scene
The Vagabond King
The Mikado
H.M.S. Pinafore
The Gondoliers
The Threepenny Opera
The Threepenny Opera
Florodora
Weill and Rice
Weill and Rice
Friml and Post/Hooker
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Weill and Blitzstein
Weill and Blitzstein
Stuart and Hall
Florodora
Lost in the Stars
Lost in the Stars
The Yeomen of the
Guard
The Rake's Progress
Stuart and Hall
Weill
Weill
The Beggar's Opera
Regina
Trouble in Tahiti
94
Gilbert and Sullivan
Stravinsky
Gay
Blitzstein
Bernstein
When Fredric Was a Little Lad
Careless Rhapsody
Nobody's Heart
Maybe
Life Upon the Wicked
Stage
Supper Time
Poor Pierrot
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Falling in Love with Love
One Life to Live
My Ship
Bewitched
The Pirates of Penzance
Mezzo Soprano Musical
Theatre
By Jupiter
By Jupiter
Oh Kay!
Gilbert and Sullivan
You'll Never Walk Alone
Carousel
Hymn of Betrothal
Any Place I Hang My Hat
is Home
So in Love
I Hate Men
How are Things in Glocca
Morra
I Know it Can't Happen
Again
Song of Norway
Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and Hart
Gershwin
Kern/Hammerstein II
and Wodehouse
Berlin
Kern
Kern and Harbach
Rodgers and Hart
Weill and Gershwin
Weill and Gershwin
Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Grieg/Wright and
Forrest
St. Louis Woman
Kiss Me Kate
Kiss Me Kate
Arlen and Mercer
Porter
Porter
Finian's Rainbow
Lane and Harburg
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Showboat
As Thousands Cheer
The Cat and the Fiddle
Roberta
The Boys from Syracuse
Lady in the Dark
Lady in the Dark
Pal Joey
Allegro
So Far
Allegro
A Cockeyed Optimist
South Pacific
Something Wonderful
The King and I
A Very Special Day
Me and Juliet
95
Climb Ev'ry Mountain
Young Lovers
That Dirty Old Man
What is a Man
It's a Lazy Afternoon
In Izzenschnooken
Raunchy
Aldonza
Liaisons
Cherry Street Café
The Sound of Music
The Most Happy Fella
A Funny Thing Happened on
the way to the Forum
Pal Joey
The Golden Apple
Little Mary Sunshine
110 in the Shade
Man of La Mancha
A Little Night Music
Rags
I Dreamed a Dream
Moments in the Woods
Loving You
Goodbye My Love
What Kind of Woman
Your Daddy's Son
Beautiful
Way Back to Paradise
No Turning Back
You Don't Know This Man
To Build a Home
Almost Real
The Miller's Son
It's a Windy Day on the Battery
Gypsy Dong
Serenade
Songs of the Vagabond
The Night Was Made for Love
A New Love is Old
It Ain't Necessarily So
Les Misérables
Into the Woods
Passion
Ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime
Marie Christine
Marie Christine
Marie Christine
Parade
The Bridges of Madison
County
The Bridges of Madison
County
A Little Night Music
Tenor Operetta
Maytime
Maytime
The Student Prince
The Vagabond King
The Cat and the Fiddle
The Cat and the Fiddle
Porgy and Bess
96
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Loesser
Sondheim
Rodgers and Hart
Moross and Latouche
Besoyan
Schmidt and Jones
Leigh and Darion
Sondheim
Stein and Strouse
Schönberg and
Kretzmer
Sondheim
Sondheim
Flaherty and Ahrens
Flaherty and Ahrens
Flaherty and Ahrens
LaChiusa
LaChiusa
LaChiusa
Brown
Brown
Brown
Sondheim
Romberg
Romberg
Romberg
Friml and Hooker
Kern and Harboch
Kern and Harboch
Gershwin
When a Woman has a Baby
Lonely House
My Love
It Must be So
A Tenor All Singers Above
Oh is There Not One Maiden
Breast
Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes
With Other Lips
Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise
The Wild Justice
O Cruel, Cruel Case!
And Where is the One Who Will
Mourn Me
Oh, Gentlemen, Listen, I Pray
If the Heart of a Man is
Depressed with Cares
The Song is You
You're Devastating
Dear Old Syracuse
Kansas City
Soliloquy
The Legend
Strange Music
Lonely Town
Lucky to be Me
I've Come to Live With It
I'll Go Home with Bonnie
Jean
Come to Me, Bend to Me
You are Never Away
Younger than Springtime
I Am In Love
Street Scene
Street Scene
Candide
Candide
Utopia Unlimited
Weill and Rice
Weill and Rice
Bernstein and Wilbur
Bernstein and Wilbur
Gilbert and Sullivan
The Pirates of Penzance
The Gondoliers
Bohemian Girl
The New Moon
Lost in the Stars
The Beggar's Opera
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Michael Balfe
Romberg
Weill
Gay
Down in the Valley
Trial by Jury
Weill
Gilbert and Sullivan
The Beggar's Opera
Gay
Tenor Musical
Theatre
Music in the Air
Roberta
The Boys from
Syracuse
Oklahoma!
Carousel
Song of Norway
Song of Norway
On the Town
On the Town
Kiss Me Kate
Rodgers and Hart
Rodger and Hart
Rodgers and Hammerstein II
Grieg and Wright/Forrest
Grieg and Wright/Forrest
Bernstein and Comden/Green
Bernstein and Comden/Green
Porter
Brigadoon
Brigadoon
Allegro
South Pacific
Can-Can
Learner and Loewe
Learner and Loewe
Rodgers and Hammerstein II
Rodgers and Hammerstein II
Porter
97
Kern
Kern and Harboch
It's Alright with Me
The Big Black Giant
Restless Heart
Maria
Something's Coming
Hey There
A New Town is a Blue
Town
Boy for Sale
On the Street Where You
Live
C'est moi
If Ever I Would Leave You
Rain Song
Tonight at Eight
Barber's Song
Later
Only Home I Know
Johanna
The Contest
Not While I'm Around
Bring Him Home
Empty Chairs and Empty
Tables
The Music of the Night
Why so Silent
At The Grand Hotel
Love Can't Happen
A Bit of Earth
Make Them Hear You
Il mondo era vuoto
Love to Me
A Man Could go Quite Mad
Never the Luck
Can-Can
Me and Juliet
Fanny
West Side Story
West Side Story
Pajama Game
Porter
Rodgers and Hammerstein II
Rome
Bernstein and Sondheim
Bernstein and Sondheim
Adler and Ross
Pajama Game
Oliver!
Adler and Ross
Bart
My Fair Lady
Camelot
Camelot
110 in the shade
She Loves Me
Man of La Mancha
A Little Night Music
Shenandoah
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd
Les Misérables
Lerner and Loewe
Lerner and Loewe
Lerner and Loewe
Schmidt and Jones
Bock and Harnick
Leigh and Darion
Sondheim
Geld and Udell
Sondheim
Sondheim
Sondheim
Schönberg and Kretzmer
Les Misérables
The Phantom of the
Opera
The Phantom of the
Opera
Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel
The Secret Garden
Ragtime
The Light in the
Piazza
The Light in the
Piazza
The Mystery of Edwin
Drood
The Mystery of Edwin
Drood
Schönberg and Kretzmer
98
Webber
Webber
Wright/Forrest and Yeaston
Wright/Forrest and Yeaston
Simon and Norman
Flarety and Ahrens
Guettel
Guettel
Holmes
Holmes
Do I Love You Because
You're Beautiful
Wondering
Foolish to Think
Sibella
The Time and The Place
and The Girl
Love Me, Love My Dog
Cinderella
The Bridges of
Madison County
A Gentleman's Guide
to Love and Murder
A Gentleman's Guide
to Love and Murder
Rodgers and Hammerstein II
Mlle Modiste
Mlle Modiste
Herbert and Blossom
Herbert and Blossom
Brown
Freedman
Freedman
Baritone Operetta
Rose Marie
I Got Plenty O' Nothin'
They Pass by Singin'
I Got a Marle and a Star
Fair Moon to Thee I Sing
I Am the Very Model of a
Modern Major General
Time Was When Love and I
Were Well Acquainted
Peacham's Morning Song
I Want What I Want When I
Want It
A Bachelor's Gay
Marianne
Neath the Southern Moon
I'm Falling in Love with
Someone
Maxim's
Let Things be like They Always
Was
O Tixo, Tixo, Help Me!
Thousands of Miles
Rose Marie
Porgy and Bess
Porgy and Bess
Street Scene
H.M.S. Pinafore
The Pirates of
Penzance
Friml/Stotart and
Harbach/Hammerstein II
Gershwin
Gershwin
Weill and Rice
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
The Sorcerer
The Threepenny Opera
Gilbert and Sullivan
Weill and Rice
Mlle Modiste
The Maid of the
Mountains
The New Moon
Naughty Marietta
Herbert and Blossom
Fraser-Simson and
Graham
Romberg
Herbert
Naughty Marietta
The Merry Widow
Herbert
Lehar
Street Scene
Lost in the Stars
Lost in the Stars
Weill and Rice
Weill
Weill
99
My Boy, You May Take it from
Me
I am a Pirate King
Ruddigore
The Pirates of
Penzance
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Baritone Musical
Theatre
Ol' Man River
I've Told Every Star
Something Had to Happen
Don't Ask Me to Sing
The Scars
Ballad of the Robbers
September
Happy Hunting Horn
Oh, What a Beautiful Morning
The Surrey with the Fringe on
Top
Lonely Room
Lonely Town
Lucky to be Me
I Understand
I've Got the World on a String
My Defenses are Down
The Girl that I Marry
Were Thine that Special Face
Where is the Life that Late I
Led
The Heather on the Hill
Kern and
Wodehouse/Hammerstein
Showboat
II
Music in the Air
Kern
Roberta
Kern and Harbach
Roberta
Kern and Harbach
Knickerbocker Holiday
Weill
Knickerbocker Holiday
Weill
Knickerbocker Holiday
Weill
Pal Joey
Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and
Oklahoma!
Hammerstein II
Rodgers and
Oklahoma!
Hammerstein II
Rodgers and
Oklahoma!
Hammerstein II
Bernstein and
On the Town
Comden/Green
Bernstein and
On the Town
Comden/Green
Bernstein and
On the Town
Comden/Green
St. Louis Woman
Arlen and Mercer
Annie Get Your Gun
Berlin
Annie Get Your Gun
Berlin
Kiss Me Kate
Porter
Kiss Me Kate
Brigadoon
Some Enchanted Evening
South Pacific
This Nearly was Mine
South Pacific
100
Porter
Lerner and Loewe
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
Rodgers and
Hammerstein II
My Time of Day
Joey, Joey, Joey
Rosabella
Don't Cry
Love, I Hear
What a Waste
A Secretary is Not a Toy
Never too Late for Love
Why be Afraid to Dance
It was a Glad Adventure
You're the Fairest Flower
Why Can't the English
I'm an Ordinary Man
I Wonder what the King is
Doing Tonight
The Man Who has Everything
Days Gone By
If I Were a Rich Man
Man of La Mancha
The Impossible Dream
In Praise of Women
I've Heard it all Before
No Place Like London
Guys and Dolls
The Most Happy Fella
The Most Happy Fella
The Most Happy Fella
A Funny Thing on the
way to the Forum
Wonderful Town
How to Succeed in
Business without
Really Trying
Fanny
Fanny
The Golden Apple
Little Mary Sunshine
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
Finishing the Hat
No More
Camelot
No Strings
She Loves Me
Fiddler on the Roof
Man of La Mancha
Man of La Mancha
A Little Night Music
Shenandoah
Sweeney Todd
Sunday in the Park
with George
Into the Woods
The Crooked Path
No One Has Ever Loved Me
Because of Her
If I Can't Love Her
Epiphany
Grand Hotel
Passion
On the 20th Century
Beauty and the Beast
Sweeney Todd
101
Loesser
Loesser
Loesser
Loesser
Sondheim
Bernstein and Green
Loesser
Rome
Rome
Moross and Latouche
Besoyan
Lerner and Loewe
Lerner and Loewe
Lerner and Loewe
Rodgers
Bock and Harnick
Bock and Harnick
Leigh and Darion
Leigh and Darion
Sondheim
Geld and Udell
Sondheim
Sondheim
Sondheim
Wright/Forrest and
Yeaston
Sondheim
Coleman and Green
Menken and Rice
Sondheim