Opera pointers/suggestions?

Question

ok so i can sing really good and i want to give opera a try but there are no opera teachers near my area so I was hoping that someone can give me tips on how to sing opera.

also so you know, i can hit pretty high notes. I cant hit high Cs but i'm almost there!

also if anybody can help me find opera songs (i perfer french because i can speak it but any other language would be neat to try out!) that would be great!!

thanks to all who help!!

Answer 1

the previous poster pretty much covered all there is to cover... as far a french opera goes:

Gluck's Orfeo et Euridice

Bizet's Carmen and Pearl Fishers

Gounod's Romeo et Juliette and Faust---most notably the 'Jewel Song'

Answer 2

Hi there. I am at college training as an opera singer myself, so I’m always excited to hear from others who are drawn to the craft.

I love your confidence in your voice; that will take you a long way. Have you studied voice at all previously? If not, I would suggest you study with anyone who teaches a basic classical technique in your area, as a good foundation is necessary no matter what genre of singing you choose to pursue (singing opera is actually not that different from singing art songs or any repertoire which can be delivered with a more classical style). If you’re already studying with someone, that’s wonderful. Never stop training; even the greatest singers still study with experienced teachers who can help them improve their craft. If you really are serious about studying opera, eventually you will have to find a teacher who knows operatic technique, as you can seriously damage your voice and make future study much more difficult if you establish bad technical habits early on. I can say close your nasal passage, raise your soft palate, lower the back of your tongue to create space, relax, and breathe from the diaphragm, etc. but it will take a teacher who can watch and listen as you sing to help you be aware of which things you need to develop in your technique.

As far as repertoire, I would suggest watching/listening to as many performances and recordings as you can- listening is not only enjoyable if you love the art, it’s a great way to improve your own singing and to discover the operatic literature. Classic French operas with good arias for mezzo-soprano (which would certainly be in your range, at least for now) include Carmen (Bizet), Roméo et Juliette (Gounod), and Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns), but there are also a lot of beautiful arias in Italian, German, and even English. As a fluent French-speaker, I can understand wanting to sing in a language you speak and understand, but be aware that pronunciation can vary quite a bit for opera diction, and it can actually be more difficult to sing in a language you speak because it feels weird to modify and exaggerate the sounds. I would suggest the G. Schirmer Opera Anthologies for a start; they’re collected by voice type, and they touch on quite a few of the best-known operas. If you do decide to find a teacher eventually, he or she can guide you in what sort of pieces would be best for your voice.

Okay, I know that’s long, but hopefully it’s a starting point. Best of luck to you, and keep singing!