What century would you place yourself and/or your conservatory training in, in terms of the work you most identify with, or the work that your training identifies as important? 


While there have been serious advancements in the vocal performance field, I think it would be interesting to see what it would have been like to study back when opera was incredibly popular. Nowadays it seems like opera is only popular with an older (wiser) generation or those who are studying it. However, if I was studying opera/vocal performance back when operas were being written and produced I feel like the excitement of the operas would be infectious.

However, there are a few cons to this idea. There have also been serious advancements in the field of vocal health, which is incredibly important to my career. Back a few centuries ago, even though the excitement about opera would be infectious, if anything were to happen to my vocal health, there would not be as many advance technologies to take care of it. Personally, I think people need to just get more excited about operas and bring the enthusiasm back!

There have also been serious advancements in the technical aspects of operas. Modern day productions
 use more up to date technology to make the sets, costumes, lighting, and sound as seamless and interesting as possible, which I find very exciting. Its incredibly interesting to see something that was written centuries ago re-thought into something more modern or interesting. So, while I would love to go back and study just when opera was being born, I also think right now is a wonderful time to be a voice student.

 

 An older version of the character Brunhilde

Deborah Voight as Brunhilde last year at The Met