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From:  Margaret Harrison <peggyh@i...>
Date:  Sat Apr 27, 2002  10:17 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] summer opera workshops

Vanessa M Quigley wrote:
>
> I am trying to decide whether or not to do a summer opera workshop.
> Auditions are coming up in a few weeks so I need to decide if it is worth
> the money. One of the ones I'm thinking about is the Crittenden Opera
> Workshop. Has anyone done that one? It is for 2 weeks and a total of 100+
> hours. The other one I'm thinking about is at the New England Conservatory
> here in Boston.

I don't know about the New England Conservatory program.
Crittenden's main focus is getting the participant to be
effective on stage. This has much to do with how the singers
moves on stage in relation to the music, so there is a lot
of emphasis on movement. Musical coaching is also part of
the curriculum. There is little or no emphasis on vocal
technique (as it should be - one gets that in private
lessons). Acting is taught in relation to the musical means
of accomplishing the acting. One moves in relation to the
score, and in a way compatible with the score. The score
also shows how the role should be interpreted. One learns
to realize the music in the score in a way that makes the
role work on stage.

What I've written above seems a bit disjointed when I read
it over, but these are some of the lessons I learned. I
found Crittenden to be the the most challenging artistic
training I'd ever experienced. He deliberately makes his
program hard, because the professional singing world is
tough and he wants to give singers the opportunity to learn
how to deal with tough performance issues in the shelter of
the workshop, so they can be effective artists under a
variety of circumstances get thrown at them. For example,
if you learn his lessons well, you can peform effecitvely in
situations like - you're covering or second cast in a role
and get little or no stage rehearsal or time with the stage
director. Or you haven't a clue as to what the director
wants of you.

Personally, I think Crittenden is a bargain for what he
gives you.

Peggy

--
Margaret Harrison, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
"Music for a While Shall All Your Cares Beguile"
mailto:peggyh@i...



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