Corinne Ness and I have quite a problem on our hands. We spent three hours in the choir room today, listening to almost thirty different singers audition for the J-Term opera production, which she and I will be co-directing. Singer after singer came in and impressed us deeply – and several of them knocked our socks off . . . to the point where we actually have to rethink what operas we’ll do because we have so many gifted singers who deserve good parts. If you’re going to have a problem, this is the kind to have.
It was a really exciting experience – and it was also a nice reminder of why working with singers is so much fun: no two voices are exactly alike and each represents its own unique artistic adventure. And when a singer manages to achieve exciting new heights, there is nothing more gratifying for a teacher. That’s why one of the high points in the three hours was when one of my juniors, Zach Wolf, sang a performance of Schumann’s “Widmung” that exceeded all expectations. Actually, I was already well aware that Zach has really gotten serious about singing and is putting so much more energy into it with tremendous improvement already evident – but even after hearing his increasingly impressive singing in his lessons week after week I was not prepared for how well he would sing in the audition today. When Zach started at Carthage he had a small pleasant voice that was swallowed about 80% of the time. Two years later, his voice is one of the biggest male voices on the campus – a sound which rings out with brilliance and confidence. He has been working out in the weight room quite faithfully, which I think has something to do with it, but even more important than that is his newfound excitement about singing.
And Zach is just one of the success stories from today’s auditions. Another was Matt Staller, a transfer sophomore/junior with a baritone voice that is exceptionally beautiful. I am so glad he’s come to Carthage, because we are having the most wonderful time working together. Drew Lenox also sang superbly, as he always does, despite being nowhere near 100% healthy. But some singers just have such fine control over their instrument that a cold hardly holds them back at all. Drew is such a singer, and he continues to display some of the best artistry and expressivity of any student I’ve ever had at Carthage. And he’s a political science major!
And I haven’t even begun to mention the fine singing from the freshman guys who auditioned today. They ranged from the already remarkably polished singing of tenor Dan Ermel to the robust, ample-voiced singing of bass baritone Anthony Spinelli. There was Mark Bracken, all the way from New Jersey, who sings with such delightful enthusiasm – and Justin Pratt, one of my freshman music majors, whose hard work is paying off in some very exciting ways. Every single one of my students who auditioned today made me so proud, to the point where I was tempted at several points in the proceedings to simply say for the public record, “ I’m his voice teacher! I’m his voice teacher!” But I resisted the urge, you’ll be happy to hear.
Anyway, we kept waiting for a dud or two – but no such luck. Every single student sang up a storm, including some young ladies in the musical theater wing who really sang well. It’s always cool to hear a first-class belter like Brianna Voss shifting gears and singing Mozart’s “An Chloe” with finesse and polish and real beauty. It would be about as impressive as Ethel Merman walking onstage and instead of launching into “There’s no business like show business” rendering an art song by Schubert instead.
At the end of the day, Corinne and I have a delightful problem on our hands: too many fine singers who want to be in the opera – and too few slots available. But we are bound and determined to make this a great production for as many singers as possible.
pictured: Drew Lenox and yours truly, during voice studio class