What is an “Operapreneur?”
It’s no secret that during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, performing artists were some of the hardest hit demographics in all regards: economically, emotionally, and physically, as horror stories emerged about the virus mercilessly sinking its claws into choirs and performance ensembles. My colleagues and I watched helplessly as our entire spring season of 2020 melted before our eyes like the craggy March snow that still stubbornly gripped the curves of our suburban Philadelphia roadways when the country shut down. Churches, performance halls, and stages – once safe havens and places of refuge for us to come as we were and experience true musical community – took on an eerie cast of fear. Do I have it? Does someone else? How can we know?
As the population began to social distance and venues shut down, we were collectively met with the realization that the choice, while painful, was simple: sink, or swim.
It was out of this realization, along with the way that I was suddenly and violently forced to reckon with the absence of all that had once filled my life with both busyness and business, that I discovered that my role in society as a modern opera singer in today’s world is protean: we are teachers and businesspeople, artists and academics, videographers and recording engineers, graphic designers and webmasters. In our quest to accurately capture and portray the heightened emotional state upon which the art form builds its backbone, understanding the human element is critical to theatrical interpretation, and I continue to be fascinated by the myriad things that make people tick. With this in mind, I decided that sinking was not an option – live performance must rise again, and I would do whatever it took to uplift myself and my colleagues in the midst of the pandemic’s crisis.
What is an “Operapreneur?”
It’s no secret that during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, performing artists were some of the hardest hit demographics in all regards: economically, emotionally, and physically, as horror stories emerged about the virus mercilessly sinking its claws into choirs and performance ensembles. My colleagues and I watched helplessly as our entire spring season of 2020 melted before our eyes like the craggy March snow that still stubbornly gripped the curves of our suburban Philadelphia roadways when the country shut down. Churches, performance halls, and stages – once safe havens and places of refuge for us to come as we were and experience true musical community – took on an eerie cast of fear. Do I have it? Does someone else? How can we know?
As the population began to social distance and venues shut down, we were collectively met with the realization that the choice, while painful, was simple: sink, or swim.
It was out of this realization, along with the way that I was suddenly and violently forced to reckon with the absence of all that had once filled my life with both busyness and business, that I discovered that, as a modern opera singer, my role in society is protean: we are teachers and businesspeople, artists and academics, videographers and recording engineers, graphic designers and webmasters. In our quest to accurately portray the heightened emotional state upon which the art form builds its backbone, understanding the human elements is critical to theatrical interpretation, and I continue to be fascinated by the myriad things that make people tick. With this in mind, I decided that sinking was not an option – live performance must rise again, and I would do whatever it took to uplift myself and my colleagues in the midst of the pandemic’s crisis.
To that end, I have developed, as both a business model and a passionate pursuit, the concept of “operapreneurship.”
To that end, I have developed, as both a business model and a passionate pursuit, the concept of “operapreneurship.”
In the fast-paced, ever-evolving realm of 21st century operatic performance, a successful singer is much like Figaro in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia: She is a jack of all trades, with a toolbox of skills gained only through diligent practice and dedicated research. She is a lean, mean, singin’ machine, and she must hone her skills to the point of razor-sharpness, much like our clever barber, so as to constantly be on the cutting edge. Gone are the days of the Golden Age of Opera, during which divas were pampered by a plethora of praising patrons who would cater to their every need. In order to achieve success as a performer, modern singers must be familiar with social media, recording techniques both audio and visual, web design, and must be competent in numerous other areas that are not taught in a traditional conservatory environment. Essentially, if we don’t promote ourselves, put ourselves out there, build a brand, and run our own businesses, no one else will.
With in-person gatherings out of the question, an opportunity to pivot arose. From my desk in Philadelphia, I began to produce a fully pre-recorded, fully socially-distanced, yet fully livestreamed Sunday Service for a church across the country in San Francisco the very same day that the state of California officially shut down. In our determination to find a way for the community to safely “gather” in the midst of stay-at-home orders, these Services were recorded piecemeal throughout the week as contributors taped themselves at home, sent me the videos, and then I stitched everything together to create the final product. Although my skills as a video editor were largely self-taught and accrued through the occasional hobby project, the virtual Services were a hit with the community, and “attendance” skyrocketed. With folks now able to tune in from all over the world, the community grew in both number and commitment to one another as we rallied around the little livestream that could.
In the fast-paced, ever-evolving realm of 21st century operatic performance, a successful singer is much like Figaro in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia: She is a jack of all trades, with a toolbox of skills gained only through diligent practice and dedicated research. She is a lean, mean, singin’ machine, and she must hone her skills to the point of razor-sharpness, much like our clever barber, so as to constantly be on the cutting edge. Gone are the days of the Golden Age of Opera, during which divas were pampered by a plethora of praising patrons who would cater to their every need. In order to achieve success as a performer, modern singers must be familiar with social media, recording techniques both audio and visual, web design, and must be competent in numerous other areas that are not taught in a traditional conservatory environment. Essentially, if we don’t promote ourselves, put ourselves out there, build a brand, and run our own businesses, no one else will.
With in-person gatherings out of the question, an opportunity to pivot arose. From my desk in Philadelphia, I began to produce a fully pre-recorded, fully socially-distanced, yet fully livestreamed Sunday Service for a church across the country in San Francisco the very same day that the state of California officially shut down. In our determination to find a way for the community to safely “gather” in the midst of stay-at-home orders, these Services were recorded piecemeal throughout the week as contributors taped themselves at home, sent me the videos, and then I stitched everything together to create the final product. Although my skills as a video editor were largely self-taught and accrued through the occasional hobby project, the virtual Services were a hit with the community, and “attendance” skyrocketed. With folks now able to tune in from all over the world, the community grew in both number and commitment to one another as we rallied around the little livestream that could.
Through this unique opportunity, I was afforded a chance to observe how people interacted with each other over Zoom and through YouTube while watching a live event, and I learned that there was a thirst for genuine connection. It was then that I thought, how could this translate to music? Could we create a virtual performance venue that transcended the decades-old concept of watching videos on a screen and allowed people to actually foster a personal connection with one another?
In short, I learned that with technology, if you can dream it, you can do it. Although I am primarily an opera singer and all of my endeavors return to that central part of my identity, over the course of the pandemic’s ups and downs, the “-preneur” aspect of my moniker has enriched my understanding of the art form and my appreciation for its ever-relevant position in modern society. In our fractured world, we need music now more so than ever before, and by learning to become a web designer, videographer, film editor, graphic designer, technology coordinator, content creator, nonprofit manager, social media professional, and all-around “professional tech geek,” among a continuously growing list of other things, my ability to support this magnificent medium and ensure its ongoing viability in an evolving world is now just as important a part of my identity as it ever was. My mission as a performer is to understand, interpret, and dissect the human element so that it can be shared with the world – and so, too, is my mission as an operapreneur as I collaborate with my clients and support them in telling their stories, both musical and otherwise.
After all, one does not light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket. Contact me today so that we can set your candle on a lampstand, where you can give light to all in the house. Just so, I am grateful for the opportunity to let my light shine before others and to uplift all those around me for the greater good of the musical community.