isabelle,
with lieder being accompanied by piano and performed in smaller places, lieder is open to more singers. singers that can't sing opera, simply because their voices are too small, may be able to sing lieder.
lieder, being a more intimate art form than opera, requires a more subtle approach. so a singer with a voice big enough for opera who is capable of subtlety is going to be able to do both (hotter, kipnis, ludwig, wunderlich, etc.).
someone who sings like a pig who has a big voice may be able to get to sing opera if there are no other appropriate singers available. but, in an intimate setting where size doesn't matter, no one will want to hear them. that said, there are certainly a great number of small voices who are only capable of squealing like pigs (cute in a piglet but not a lieder singer) that no one will want to hear either.
there is some money in opera, there is practically none in lieder. so, those capable of getting paid for opera are not going to go unpaid for doing lieder. that's just simply the business.
as for singing rock & roll and opera, if a singer knows how to do both they can. rene kollo, a great wagnerian singer did some great (by my standard, and you know what that means- no operatic crap!) covers of roy orbison and everly brothers songs. the technique of producing the voice in opera and lieder is essentially the same. the differences are largely in what one intends to do with that technique.
some monday afternoon thoughts (and, at least, i've had my coffee).
mike
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