The world of opera came to a halt this year as the coronavirus took hold. With theaters locked up, and a year of scheduled events wiped out,
how are singers coping with their newfound downtime?
Elaine Alvarez
“The first month after the theaters shut down, I cried almost daily. And I don’t mean a tear or two, I mean sobbed,” soprano Elaine Alvarez said.
“I was deeply overwhelmed by the grief of losing my career seemingly overnight. It is a testament to Michael’s goodness that he never rushed me through that process.”
Brian & Michelle Major
At this time last year, Brian Major and his wife, Michelle, had mapped out their gig schedules, deciding who would be with their child if any of the dates overlapped.
This year, Brian has been helping his daughter adjust to virtual kindergarten, and giving Michelle space to prepare for a film version of Fedora. He has also been working on ways to present the music of underrepresented composers.
“There is a composer, whom I can’t name right now, who has since died, and his music is extraordinary. I have been in touch with the publisher of his music, who is up in age himself, and I’ve asked to see if the music can be republished,” he shared.
“With only a list of titles, we were able to secure all but one piece, through digital scans provided by a few people. The publisher has begun putting the music into updated software, and hopefully, it will be republished in the coming year. I would like to record all the pieces and help these works live on.”
“I normally am motivated to sing or practice but finding it lately has been hard. I have been giving virtual lessons a lot, and that has brought some excitement back, but not the huge rush I have when onstage,” he admitted.
Brian says that he has enjoyed the time at home, being with his family.
“It has allowed me to prioritize my life and career. Each day I am extremely grateful for the things I have.”
Meanwhile, Michelle says that, while being a working mother is challenging, she’s blessed with a child who loves theater as much as she does.
“On the other hand, it has been great to spend quality time with my husband and my little one. Without this unfortunate [pandemic], we would not have had time to slow down and enjoy each other’s company.”
Steven LaBrie
Baritone Steven LaBrie says, “The first few months of quarantine were eerie … suddenly, my life’s focus, which until now has been on my singing career, has been majorly shifted.”
He has spent his time in quarantine learning how to code, in order to pursue a career in software engineering. The many months indoors spent learning a new skill have helped keep him content.
“The time since March to now feels like it went by in a flash, since usually there are many more benchmark moments, trips, and gigs that group together periods of time in my life,” he added.
Aundi Marie Moore
Award-winning soprano Aundi Marie Moore has enjoyed being more involved in her children’s education. “It is overwhelming at times, but I love seeing my boys’ faces light up when they get something,” she said.
“I am a performer and I love the high of performing. Walking out on a stage [and] hearing the loud applause is one of the things I used to live for. Now, I am learning to find joy in just the smallest things.”
EA Elaine explained that the stillness is the most striking thing about life during the pandemic.
“The rhythm of my life these last few years largely centered around prepping a role, traveling to a foreign city to rehearse and perform, returning home, rinse and repeat.
I wake up every day with sadness that there is no rehearsal to rush off to, but also gratitude for the loving home I have built with my husband and my two stepchildren.”
SL One positive from the time at home for Steven is that his cat is happier.
“Now that I spend the whole day with her, she has become much more playful and affectionate…. However, I allow myself to lament all the loss that we have experienced during this. By we, I mean all of my fellow performers. In addition to personal loss of loved ones, we are all experiencing loss of income, loss of opportunity, loss of hopes and dreams.”
AMM Aundi remarks, “We all just need to take this time to see the good in this and make the best of it. The more we see good and stay positive, the easier we all can get through this.”
MM Michelle reminds herself that the world is incomplete without the arts. “I pray that this hiatus rekindles the love and passion people have for the arts. I know I cannot wait to be the first in line to purchase tickets for the reopening of theaters,” she said.
EA Elaine’s last performance was on March 1, 2020, after spending two months performing her first-ever zarzuela in Madrid.
BM When the pandemic was beginning to profoundly alter our world, Brian Major was in rehearsal for Aida in Brazil at the Theatro Municipal de São Paulo, singing the role of Amonasro.
“I was a bit optimistic and thought the virus would be contained and still allow us to get through the performances,” he said. Brian did not think it would be this long since his last performance.
“The funny thing is, I was going to be making my Carnegie Hall debut singing the Five Mystical Songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams, on Easter Sunday. I was convinced that by some divine intervention, I would be there performing, equating it all with the ‘resurrection’,” he said.
AMM Aundi recalls that her last performance was sometime in February. She says that it’s been great spending time with her family, but adds that she misses the outside world.
SL Meanwhile, Steven LaBrie found himself in Italy, wondering why people were wearing masks.
“I hadn’t been paying much attention to the news and I had not yet heard about Covid-19…. At the time, I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal.”
Steven’s last show was on New Year’s Eve, where he sang in a Viennese-style New Year’s concert at a castle in Bratislava.
BM When the opera houses reopen, Brian says that he will have a better understanding of himself as a performer.
“Prior to this pandemic, I was booked. If that happens again, I am thankful. If it doesn’t, I still have gratitude for all the things afforded me. I will say that I have to be ready to jump in to sing at the drop of a dime, because who knows if someone will cancel.”
EA Meanwhile, Elaine believes the pandemic will yield a lot of change for the industry.
“There are a lot of conversations happening now around innovation, evolution, equity, representation, who gets to sit at those very important tables. And if we turn these conversations into change, we may be able to create opera in a whole new way—a way that truly celebrates life on the other side of a global pandemic.”
