Opera Offstage

Summer is quickly flying by which means its time to get together and figure out how to make the most of it! Today we're talking about how to set effective goals, find opportunity at home, and have a summer that is as fulfilling as it is relaxing. Join Our Discord: Discord Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

The world of classical music is many things but it is certainly never dull! We have several delightful, frustrating, and bizarrely funny bits of news to dive into today so join us as we dive in as well as share some exciting news for the Opera Offstage family! Dudamel Photos: New York Times Photo Essay Join Our Discord: Discord Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

What do a famous jazz composer, a west coast ultramodernist percussionist, and a British film composer and arranger have in common? They're here, they're queer, and they're the musicians we're highlighting this Pride month. We're continuing our favorite tradition of sharing the stories of LGBTQ+ musicians you should (or maybe don't even realize you already do) know. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

The 100th Episode of Opera Offstage has finally arrived! Join us as we celebrate three years of fantastic community, unhinged instagram comments, crazy mistakes, and lessons learned.  Join Our Discord: Discord Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

We spend a lot of time talking about all the various business and practical parts of being a musician, but what does it really mean to be an artist? How does someone transition from the technical focus of school into the much more ambiguous realm of artistry? Today we discuss what we believe it means to be an artist and how we can retrain the artistic muscles that make us strong and competent creators. Join Our Discord: Discord Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

February flew by, which means it's time to take a second to cover some of the crazy news that came with it, and MAN do we have things to talk about. We've got some surprising season announcements, another (unsurprising) YAP problem, a frightening Broadway update, and Michelle's personal conductor heartbreak. Join us as we unpack a very eventful month in the world of music. Join Our Discord: Discord Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

We loved our writer Preston Hereford's blog post on historical figures who need their own operas, so we decided we wanted to play along too! Today we're telling the stories of some crazy historical figures and how we would adapt their tales for the operatic stage. Join us as we pit our operatic pitches against each other to see which figure comes out on top. Join Our Discord: Discord Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

The most captivating parts of music history often have less to do with music and more to do with what inspires it: LOVE! Love letters, affairs, and failed marriage proposals are just the tip of the iceberg in today's Valentines' Day episode, so join as we dive into deeply romantic and frequently cringy classical lovers. Join Our Discord: Discord Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Black History Month is an amazing time to talk about the incredible Black musicians who have formed and changed the genre of classical music, but sometimes it feels like we always see the same names highlighted each time February rolls around. So this year, we wanted to celebrate just a few of the many living Black musicians who are currently making history in our industry, changing the way we think about classical music and how we operate within our industry. Follow Our Honorees: Jens Ibsen Karen Slack J'nai Bridges Jonathan Heyward Join Our Discord: Discord Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

It's time to once again dig into everyone's favorite touchy subject: MONEY. Every artistic project, training program, and school has one critical thing in common: They all require money. So we're breaking different ways to get the cash and ditch the shame around fundraising for you artistic dreams. Join Our Discord: Discord Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Listen, we couldn't head into 2023 without dissecting the GOSSIP from 2022. Jonas Kauffman's never-ending Christmas Album, a Yoga sex-crime ring, and a certain leaked email chain that gives us the ICK-- 2022 was a year of weird music news. So come laugh, commiserate, and cringe at all the crazy last year brought us. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

As we wrap up the Messiah Season™, we enter the classical period of reflection that is the short week leading us into 2023.  We've gathered a couple pieces of advice as you set out on your new goals and adventures next year, but we can't do it alone so we've brought on friend of the pod Tiffany Soricelli to help us learn how to set better financial goals and tell us a little about a great new resource for artistic financial literacy. Sign up for The Academy: The Virtuoso Academy Follow Tiffany: Instagram Website Hear Tiffany's Opera Offstage Episodes: 73: Budgeting and Saving with Tiffany Soricelli 56: Taxes for Musicians with Tiffany Soricelli Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

The holidays are a time for thankfulness, so today we are exploring something we can all be grateful for: Good Colleagues! In the world of classical performance we are in a state of constant competition and judgement which can leave friendliness, camaraderie, and support by the wayside. So today we're jumping into all the ways we can be better to each other as musicians and a few of the ways we can at least avoid being the worst.  Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle  

Today we're excited to speak with flutist, photographer, web designer, and friend of the pod Taylor Rossi. Taylor shares her journey from student musician to the many hats she wears today, the importance of the artist's website, and finding passion and balance in your work. In the episode, Taylor shares her best tips and advice for musicians looking to have a website that feels authentic and converts! We loved speaking with Taylor and hope you learn as much as we did.   Follow Taylor: Instagram Website NR Media Website Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Opera Offstage has risen from the dead to share more spooky classical tales filled with haunted opera houses, ghostly composers, and spirits writing music from beyond the grave! Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle   Music: Echoes of Time v2 Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Art and politics have always been intertwined, but these past few years have opened up the conversation about what exactly that means for performers and theaters. It is not simply about political art onstage but also about the political affiliations and ideologies that artists hold offstage. This has led some to question where the line between art and politics lies and what exactly do artists owe the communities that support them. In today's episode we open up that discussion and and explore recent news as well what it really means to separate the two. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Every musician has at some point dealt with Imposter syndrome. In a subjective field with intense scrutiny, how could you not??? So today we're diving into exactly what causes musicians to be so susceptible to it and how we can reclaim our sense of purpose in our field. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Classical Music has always been a little crazy, but there are some pretty strange moments that get left out of even the most detailed music history books, and that's what we're jumping into today. You sent in your weird stories and we picked a few of our own to share how truly wild music history can be. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle  

Today we're bringing in our most loveable guests yet: our Boyfriends! We talk all about how Jessie found a boyfriend via the podcast, what really is the difference between a Daddy and a Zaddy, and which instrument has wronged most of our audience. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

We are very excited to have John Brancy on the podcast!    Grammy Award-Winning Baritone John Brancy‘s intense musicality and communicative power place him among the finest of baritones of his generation. Brancy skillfully switches between leading opera roles, and award-winning art song interpretation. In an article of Opera News, legendary baritone Gerald Finely says, “I look at John Brancy, a young artist who's got his teeth in it, who loves the challenge of art song."   In the episode we do a round of rapid-fire questions like, "What is your favorite food before an audition?" and "If you could be a different voice part, what would you want to be?"   We deep dive into what it's like to transition from student to working artist, the importance of taking your cover roles seriously, and what it feels like to attend the Grammys!   SoCal residents, you can catch John Brancy in San Diego Opera's upcoming production of Così fan tutte February 12th, 15th, 18th, and 20th!   Follow John Brancy Instagram Website Spotify   Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Does Milk Thicken Mucus? Will Caffeine Dry You Out? Is Vaping Safe For Vocalists? Join us as we dive into all the many faceted myths, lies, and half-truths that we've all heard more than once around the practice rooms! Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

We are so excited for the amazing guests we have on the podcast today! We're discussing the world premiere of Fat Pig with Soprano and Fat Activist Tracy Cox, Director and Librettist Miriam Gordon-Stewart, and Bass and Composer Matt Boehler. We talk about the intricacies of bringing a new and in someways controversial work to the stage as well as the many changes and compromises that happen along the way. Follow the Show! Tickets Film Fundraiser VHO Instagram Follow Our Guests! Tracy Cox Miriam Gordon-Stewart Matt Boehler Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

We're back with another set of stories from music history and our good friend Alex Papandrea. Today we talk about the curse of La forza del destino, why you should never double text (or send 700 letters) like Janáček, and how Russian opera composers faked it til they made it. If you've got a great music history story make sure to send to us and we may cover it in our next episode! Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Can a 26 year-old pull off playing a 16 year-old in a movie? Or better yet, should they? And how many shows can really pull of the "13 Going on 30" aesthetic (We're looking at you Grease) Today we're talking about the Dear Evan Hansen debacle and comparing it's issues to the very obvious age gaps in musical theater and especially opera.  Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Murder at the Met, a cult leader who performed at Houston Grand Opera, and a murderous soprano, today's episode is packed with all things spooky. Buckle up and join us as we explore some of the most haunting events from major opera houses and musicians with murderous intent.   Today's episode contains some dark topics, so listed below are the time stamps for each story along with appropriate trigger warnings: Story 1: 4:32 Death Story 2: 8:43 Cults, Religious Trauma, Homophobia, Suicide Story 3: 21:50 Murder Story 4:  30:26 Murder, Kidnapping, Sexual Assault Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

We're excited to welcome Laura Brooks Rice to the podcast! Mezzo-soprano Laura Brooks Rice has won acclaim on the opera and concert stage for her rich, warm voice, musicality, charm and sensitive acting ability. A sought after voice teacher and masterclass instructor, Laura Brooks Rice's private students are currently singing as regular principal artists in major opera houses across the globe. Today we discuss the behind the scenes details of planning summer programs and what audition panels are looking for in a singer. We also take a look at her private studio and discuss the qualities her top performing students have in common. From the Episode: Laura Brooks Rice's Website Sewanee OperaFest Master Class Registration Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Looking for apartment can be wildly stressful, and it only gets harder if you're a musician, and no one knows that more than we do right now, just weeks after our most recent moves. From budgeting to finding musician-friendly roommates to avoiding scams, it can be a lot to handle, so we put together this handy episode with all the advice and lessons we wished we had known before our move.   Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Audition season can be hectic, stressful, and confusing. With all the mixed up deadlines, lack of guidance, and the joy that is trying to navigate YAP tracker, it's easy to see why. Today's episode is all about how to make Audition Season a little bit easier and a little less stressful. We'll talk you through how to design and prep for an audition season you can be proud of. SCYA audition list: YAP list Audition Episode: Prepping an Audition Package with Nathan Troup Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

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We're back with another minisode! This week we have way too much fun reading 1 star reviews of famous opera houses from around the globe. The audacity and stupidity is baffling, but makes for some great laughs!   If you enjoyed this episode, you can unlock access to our full vault of minisodes on our Patreon for as little as $2 USD a month! New minisodes released every Thursday.   Join Here: Opera Offstage Patreon   Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

It's Back to School season!! New school supplies, class schedules, and a million upcoming auditions makes for an exciting yet hectic time!   If you're headed into another year of music school, we've rounded up our best tips for setting goals, organizing your schedule, brushing up your audition skills, and taking charge of your progress. We also share all of the things we wish we had known in school!   Here are the other episodes we mention for further listening:   New Year, New Opera ( On goal Setting )   Making a Resume   Prepping an Audition Package   Building Motivation   Shop Opera Offstage: Performance Resume Template https://www.opera-offstage.com/product-page/performance-resume-template   Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Being a classical musician is hard. In an industry that stresses performance practice, tradition, and an academic hierarchy that often creates conformity, it's easy to lose your sense of self as an artist. It's so important, especially as we head back into auditions and school, to take a step back and do some searching on who we are as artists and why we make music.   In this episode, we talk about what it means to know yourself as an artist and some really great questions to begin asking yourself to gain a deeper understanding of yourself as a musician.   Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle  

Happy Birthday Florence Foster Jenkins!   Today we are celebrating one of the most notorious sopranos in classical music.   This week, we discuss the highlights of her unorthodox career and how she pursued her love of music to the fullest. How does a woman who lacked any sense of pitch or rhythm go from performing small productions for her prominent social clubs to a sold out recital at Carnegie Hall? Whether what brought her to the stage was delusions of grandeur or a genuine desire to make music regardless of others' opinions, Florence Foster Jenkins's story is filled with many valuable lessons on being an entertainer, the meaning of success, and faking it until you make it!   Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

If you ask a classical musician where the best operas are made, almost no one would say the US. The US is a major power house of entertainment in film, music, and theater, so why is American opera so unpopular, not only abroad but also in the US itself? Today we're diving into the how history and perception has shaped opera in America. We talk about our favorite American operas, whether or not English is an ugly language, and how the beginnings of opera in the US might have spoiled it for everyone. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

On June 9th, 2020, we released our first Issues In Opera episode covering the ugly truths of opera's long (and current) history with racism. Now over a year later, we're checking back in on the progress we've made, and all of the up's and down's we've had along the way.   In this episode we circle back to cover some of the incredible progress key members of the opera community have made in the pursuit of making our industry more equitable, diverse, and inclusive. We cover Black Opera Alliance's pledge and the work they are doing to keep opera companies accountable and actionable, and discuss the dangers of advocacy for show. We also reflect on the ways advocacy has grown and changed over the past year and ways we can all stay active towards making change after we return to life after the pandemic. Lastly, we celebrate some joyful projects and news from the past year.   Review the BOA's Pledge Central City Opera's IDEA overview We See You, White American Theater's list of demands Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Today we are so excited to get to interview Spencer Britten!   Chinese Canadian triple threat Spencer Britten is a multi-talented performer with the resume and sparkling personality to match. Spencer is currently a member of the International Opera Studio at Staatsoper Unter den Linden and has previously performed with Opéra de Montréal and in the Glimmerglass Festival. This year he will join Staatsoper Berlin as a Studio artist and be performing in Ariadne auf Naxos, Tannhäuser, Rigoletto, Die Zauberflöte, Der Rosenkavalier, La bohème, La Traviata, Salome, and La fanciulla del west.    We got to ask him all about being a content creator, moving to and performing in Germany with his fiancé, his thoughts about the ongoing conversation surrounding racism and exoticism in the opera industry, and what advice he would've given himself as a young artist.   Follow Spencer: Instagram Website Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Now that things are opening up again and we're looking at a season of possible live auditions in other cities, we've got an important question to answer: How can I travel better and cheaper? Luckily, we have some tips and tricks to make your next audition trip cheaper and a whole lot less stressful. We cover how to find the best deals on flights and hotels, which airlines have the most hidden fees, what you should (and shouldn't!) be packing, and lots of advice to make your next trip as smooth as possible. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Happy Pride! The LGBTQ+ community has always been an integral part of the classical music community, and today we're celebrating by sharing some queer music history and figures you may not know yet! We also talk about an exciting new documentary celebrating the first transgender singer to sing a lead at a major opera house and some LGBTQ+ musical groups and societies you should know.  The Documentary: The Sound of Identity Follow ChamberQUEER: Instagram Website Follow Queer Opera: Website Instagram Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

We've all had good and bad days on stage, but some performances are truly and memorably horrendous. Today, you shared your best performance horror stories and that honestly put us on an emotional rollercoaster. From voice cracks and forgotten words to faulty music stands and broken noses, clearly we've all had some wildly bad luck on stage. So join us as we share your stories and ours in all their mortifying glory! Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

People often assume singers must like the sound of their own voice. After all we spend hours every week hearing ourselves sing, listening to recordings of ourselves, and have committed to hearing our own voice over and over again as a career. But the reality is that most singers have a lot of insecurities around the natural traits of their voice, whether its speedy vibrato, a naturally smaller voice, a smaller range, a large voice that doesn't  blend, etc. Combine that with the negative self talk that permeates music departments and you've got a recipe for major self-confidence issues. So today we're talking all about learning to love your voice and all its traits and stop wasting your time pining after a voice you don't have, because everyone should feel confident and excited to share their unique instruments with the world. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Between the travel, audition fees, clothing, music, and ongoing education, music can be a very expensive career to pursue, which is why almost every musician has a second job that helps finance the first.  But finding jobs that pair well with pursuing music can be super tricky. You have to find a job that has major flexibility for you to travel for auditions and gigs, pays well enough to finance that travel, and doesn't take a major toll on your voice and body. Which is why today's episode is all about breaking down the typical and not so typical side gigs for musicians and all the benefits and drawbacks to each type. From the service industry to retail to teaching and administrative work, we'll help you find a job that suits you and your music career. Plus, stick around at the end to hear about the one side gig you should NEVER take. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

The history of classical music is filled with some pretty crazy collaborations, but what about some of the more modern ones? How about a Bel Canto soprano and one of Rock and Roll's most famous front men? Or an opera composer an indie singer-songwriter? Or one of film's most famous composers re-orchestrating many of his works for a classical violinist? Join us as we explore some of classical music's craziest pairings and all the ways music reaches across genres. As a  bonus, we have a little rant at the end on why everyone should love John Williams and why "How do you feel about John Williams?" is a great first date question. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Oh, gap years. We love you and love to hate you. The world of academia tells us silly myths about gap years like “Taking a gap year means you don’t take your career seriously” or “Taking a gap year is just one step away from quitting music.” But is taking a gap year really as career-shattering as it seems? NOPE. Not even close. Here’s the thing. Sometimes you need to take a break from school. Everything is going to be ok. In fact, things will probably be awesome! So whether you’re thinking about taking a gap year, are in the middle of one (uh, hello covid), or are just taking a break from music in general, we’re here to give you the honest pros + cons, and help you come up with a game plan. PSA: This episode topic was suggested to us by dear friend of the podcast + listener, Lauren! Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

April 30th is International Jazz Day, so today we're celebrating Jazz and all the ways it's contributed to classical music! We talk about some of our favorite artists, how being a jazz musician is different from being a classical musician, some wild moments from jazz history, and even a few jazz operas! So join us as we celebrate the unique and extraordinary style of Jazz. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Usually when you say the word artist, people picture someone free-spirited and intensely individualistic and for good reason, a lot of great art is based on innovation and freedom from convention. So why do we as classical musicians face such constant pressure to conform to standards that no longer suit us, our industry, or the modern world? Today we're talking about being yourself and breaking the "good musician" mold. We tackle some of the biggest myths we all believed, why individuality is so important, and what being yourself really looks like throughout school and your career. So join us as we shake off old expectations and get ready to make the art we really came here to make. Apply for a Position: Join the Team Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

From watching operas in pajamas, to practicing in our cars, to virtual audition catastrophes— making music during quarantine is WILD. This week we’re reading your quarantine performance stories and you guys DELIVERED. These stories are hilarious, unfortunate, and everything in between! If anything, listen to this episode to hear about the time Jessie split her pants.  We also share a major announcement during the episode: our team is expanding! If you’re interested in joining our staff as a Writer, Content Creator, or Audio Editor, you can find more information down below. Apply for a Position: Join the Team Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

It's officially tax season! As musicians we receive tons of training and education, but unfortunately very little of it is usually in personal finance, so along with tax season usually come tons of questions for musicians. What should I do during the year to prepare for tax season? How do you file income from multiple states? What are qualified business expenses? Luckily we have some very qualified help to answer your questions and ours. Our guest Tiffany Soricelli of Virtuoso Advising is a licensed financial advisor who serves as the Business and Financial Coach to the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at The Metropolitan Opera and the Cafritz Young Artist Program at Washington National Opera. She has worked with artists at Minnesota Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, San Francisco Opera and regularly serves as a speaker for OPERA America programs and events. With her unique journey from music to the world of finance, Tiffany answers all of our questions and then some, so that we can all go into this tax season a little less stressed and a lot more certain. Follow Tiffany: Virtuoso Advising Facebook Instagram Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle  

Behind every great musician are a lot of really incredible teachers, but how do you find a good teacher? And what do you do if you realize your teacher just isn't the right teacher for you, because the only thing harder than finding the right teacher can be figuring out how to leave the wrong one. We're here to show you where you should be looking for your next teacher and how to make sure they really are the right fit for you. If you're already with a teacher and not sure it's working for you, we'll also go through the signs that you and your teacher just aren't compatible or, even worse, the signs that you might be with a toxic teacher. We'll walk you through how to leave the wrong teacher and all the benefits that come with finding the right one. Whether you're a student, a teacher, or both, this episode will help you navigate the tricky space of private lessons. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

Everyone knows that classical music is filled with drama, but most of it is actually happening offstage. Today we're talking all about some of wildest unknown scandals in opera and orchestra. From the sugar baby who couldn't sing to fruit throwing audiences to the slap heard round the concert hall, there is a story in here for everyone. So join us as we take a peak into classical music's not so classy reality. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle

In the wake of the closing of many parts of our industry and the ongoing revelations about the people and institutions involved in it, many musicians are questioning the viability and rationality of continuing a career in music. Music is a career where work and identity are deeply intertwined, which can make these questions really difficult to deal with and very isolating. So today, we're talking about leaving music and everything that does and doesn't mean. We'll walk through some important questions to ask yourself to help you find some clarity about what a future inside or outside performance can look like. Being a musician is hard, but considering the alternatives can be just as difficult, so if you need some guidance or just a friendly ear, we're here to help. Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosts: Jessie Michelle