Help! I got my Masters! …Now What??

Iris Luypaers & Gijs Van der Linden

7th of November 2015

Introduction
Welcome
Become an Opera/ Concert Singer
Build a career as a singer
Job description

✤ Perform pieces which combine libretto and score

✤ Costumes, Scenery, Stage Acting and Dancing

✤ You are Your own product

✤ Trying to Advance until You retire from the stage

✤ Always working even when not paid

✤ Be Flexible
Advancement

✤ Depends on what kind of artist You want to be

✤ More prestigious Companies

✤ Earn More Money

✤ Build Yourself up to certain roles

Education & Training

✤ Never ending story

✤ Learn in different environments

✤ Build a team

✤ Take regular lessons

✤ Healthy mind in a Healthy body

✤ Steel with Your eyes

✤ Working knowledge of popular languages in Opera

✤ Build links with local opera companies

✤ Young Artists Programs

✤ See as much as You can on stage

✤ Do understudies

✤ When financially difficult find a sponsor or a job

✤ Stay self-motivated
Experience & Skills

✤ Build a resumé

✤ Watch Rehearsals (like free singing lessons)

✤ Do as many performances as You can

✤ Do not underestimate Yourself

Personality

✤ Be Driven

✤ Learn how to work with other people

✤ Take care of Your body

✤ Love to learn

✤ Be as versatile as You can

✤ Create Your own opportunity

✤ Look beyond walls of Your school

Being a Diva or Divo
Playing Characters onstage and Offstage
Lifestyle

✤ During the season do as many gigs as possible

✤ Long days

✤ Audition season is between October and December

✤ Take a period to recover after an intense one

✤ Expected to travel and be away from home

Employment

✤ Sing, audition and network as much as possible

✤ Once working make people come and see You

✤ Stay Positive

✤ Get a manager

✤ Commit Yourself to the art form

✤ Always do Your homework

✤ Be a good colleague

✤ Stage Fright
Auditions
✤ What NOT to do: film “Climbing uphill” uit The last five
years
Auditions

✤ Audition to do list:

✤ Pick audition repertoire

✤ Coach audition repertoire

✤ Update resumé

✤ Get/print headshots

✤ Clean/buy audition outfit

✤ Make accompanist binder

✤ Mentally prepare

✤ Now you’re ready: ENJOY!

✤ Stick to the plan, the plan is good

✤ Audition smart

✤ Purpose of audition

✤ you (seller) to showcase your “product” to opera

company (buyer)

✤ Don’t seek validation

✤ It’s not personal, it’s business

Financial Overview

✤ What does an opera singer really earn

✤ Belgian legal forms as artists

✤ Finances when working Abroad

Social Media

✤ Always be Positive

✤ Keep Everything updated

✤ Network, Network and Network

Getting Started

✤ Again Networking on top of the list

✤ Study and prepare

✤ Italian French and German

✤ Become Polished

✤ Education