What classes are necessary for me to take to become an opera singer?

Question

Hello! I am a 17 year old senior, and I have been singing all my life. I have not had proper one on one training, but have gotten into various honors choirs, and I participate even now in a concert choir.
I am looking to become a full-flegded opera singer, but am at a loss as to what classes to take, how many years it will take me, etc.. I am hoping to go to a college that will teach me only music, thus no liberal arts. Focus! I live in SE Wisconsin... information?
Thank-you so much for your time!

Answer 1

Hi. What you need to do to become prepared is to get your 4-year Bachelor degree, followed by your 2-year Master degree. (By the way, you can either get a degree in Music or Arts, depending on the school.) This will give you the preparation you need to make it the real world. You'll learn many, many things: Foreign language translation and pronunciation, sight-reading, ear training, music theory, acting, stage movement, opera & composer research, stage make-up application, and of course you'll have voice lessons (plus coaching as you advance) and piano lessons. There is so much involved and you have commit yourself fully. You have to live it and breathe it. It's intense.

First, though, you have to get accepted into a music conservatory as an opera major. So I advise researching some schools that have this program and looking at their requirements. (Imo it's best to be a "big fish in a little pond," meaning you should choose an excellent but not big-name school (like Shenandoah U. vs. Julliard) where undergrads have lots of opportunities to perform. If you have aren't being cast, you aren't getting the experience you need.) Other than the school's specific requirements, know what any good school is looking for in addition to good operatic technique: Excellent pronunciation, translation, and communication of English, French, Italian, and German, demonstration of a variety of styles, moods, tempos, etc. Each song takes a lot of work. You have to translate it word for word (no using the given text) and memorize it that way, so that you can in turn express the piece properly. You have to research the composer, poet or librettist, the opera or piece itself along with the original production and cast, etc. You have to research the style and period to know what is expected of any singer who does that piece. And then you have to make music out of it.

You need to build up some operatic repertoire, fast. Most people start with art songs, chansons, lieder, etc before moving on to arias, though. Most of the people you are up against will be familiar with Schirmer's 24 Italian 17th/18th Century Art Songs. Get a private teacher ASAP. You need a lesson every week and you need to practice for 2 hours a day. More, if you can (but without actually singing).

When are auditions? You're starting kind of late, aren't you? Maybe you should wait a semester...your teacher should be able to help you make the call.

Answer 2

You can sing all you want AT HOME with as little education as you care to have. However, if you ever wish to be IN a good opera company, make a dollar doing this, or ever be taken seriously, OF COURSE you would get all the education you can! People ask all the time if they can learn to play the (whatever) without lessons. Sure! But you will be awful!!! Obviously, you KNOW the answer to this already - you just wnat someone to AGREE with you! The whole fairy-tale "you are going to be discovered" baloney even WITHOUT any decent education is very misleading. People think that *reality* shows are REAL - when they are rigged from the first day. To reach the top, you must be the best. If you want to be in a field of music where you are HOT one day, and the FBI cannot find you the next - like rap music, or pop - you can get a hit sometimes by being audacious, naked, or arrested - never mind how badly you sing, dance, or rap. But in LEGITIMATE music, theater, dance, etc, - you better be the BEST - or you go to the end of the line.

Answer 3

The other responses are correct in terms of where you should go. Private lessons in voice first, then study at a conservatory.

These are some of the classes a voice major intending to perform opera should take:

--private voice lessons (of course)
--Diction
--Languages (Italian first, then French and German at least)
--Stage Movement / Acting
--Music History
--Sightreading/solfeggio
--Music Theory
--liberal arts, especially English, poetry, etc.

Voice majors should also take chorus at some point, though many voice teachers discourage this because one of the goals of singing in an (American/English) chorus is to blend your voice with others', and they feel that this gets in the way of proper vocal development.

Typically a conservatory program for opera singers is five years. You come out with a B.A. in vocal performance and an Artist Diploma (a sort of graduate degree). The reason is that performance experience is absolutely essential, and usually you don't get any (except in an opera chorus) the first few years.

Answer 4

Most opera singers not only studied music in school, but they have joined private classes given by retired opera singers. They learn technique, voice control, foreign language pronunciation, acting and many other things.

Answer 5

It's very possible to learn to sing well. You just need to know the right methods. Learn here https://tr.im/WPPGo

Singing teachers will cost money and can be expensive so they're not for everyone. Singing can be learned so it's not an "either you have it or you don't" kind of thing.

Whether you sound like crap or you're decent, I recommend this singing course. It's one of the best methods to learn to sing well in a short amount of time. It's all about using efficient techniques that work.

Answer 6

You'll need to go to school for that. You'll want to get a degree in Music Performance. Bachelor of Music degree, specifically. I would recommend getting a voice teacher now who can prepare you for that. The teacher will also know which colleges would be good to apply and audition for.

Answer 7

u have to enroll in the conservatory of music in ur university

Answer 8

can u sing VOICE LESSONS