Beyond the Aria: Artistic Self-Empowerment for the Classical Singer

It is no secret that the opera industry is contracting and that there are fewer professional opportunities. But what causes one singer to be in demand over another is not exclusively a special instrument or exceptional vocal technique-rather, the ability to interpret the music and portray character convincingly plays an increasingly vital role in today's opera industry.Beyond the Aria: Artistic Self-Empowerment for the Classical Singer provides singers with the tools to develop an inquisitive and analytical mindset about the artistic details found in scores. Neal Goren takes singers through a careful reading of clues provided by the librettist and composer, informed by performance practice, and empowers singers to make their own valid artistic choices. Sample analyses of six standard arias and songs are provided as a guide of characterization.Chapters also address artistic collaboration and audition strategies. Also included are exclusive interviews with eight great singing actors of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including Jonas Kaufmann, Christa Ludwig, Audra McDonald, and Barbara Hannigan, who share their individual methods for constructing a character.

Neal Goren was the founder and artistic director of Gotham Chamber Opera, which popularized and legitimized the formerly ignored genre of chamber opera. Goren's newest opera venture is Catapult Opera. Goren has conducted standard operas, non-standard operas, and premieres throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. As a recital accompanist, Goren has concertized extensively with Leontyne Price, among others. He is an associate professor at Mannes College, The New School for Music, and a frequent judge of national and international vocal competitions. His writings on opera and the arts have appeared in numerous books and periodicals.

Introduction
Why you want artistic self-empowerment
Why you have been denied it
Notes to coach-accompanists and aspiring conductors
Part I - Tools for Musical Self-empowerment
Chapter 1: Know Where You're Going
Chapter 2 Where to Begin: Text Analysis and Expression Marks
Chapter 3: Ornamentation and Recitative
Part II - Performance Practice
Chapter 4: Performance Practice: Overview
Chapter 5: Song Interpretation
Chapter 6: Abstract Music and Vocalizes
Chapter 7: Performance Practice: Conclusion
Part III - Musical musings
Chapter 8: Some vexing musical examples
Chapter 9: The (in)validity of tradition in vocal music
Chapter 10: Professional artistic collaboration strategies
Chapter 11: Audition Strategies
Chapter 12: Maria Callas: self-effacing purist
Part IV - Six Example Analyses
Chapter 13: Six Example Analyses
"Mi chiamano Mimi", from La Bohème by Puccini
"Se come voi piccina", from Le villi by Puccini
"All'afflitto e dolce il pianto", from Roberto Devereux by Donizetti
"Va, laisse couler mes larmes", from Werther by Massenet
"Il lacerato spirito", from Simon Boccanegra by Verdi
Du bist wie eine Blume, Lied by Schumann
Part V - Interviews with great singing actors
Chapter 14: Harolyn Blackwell
Chapter 15: Barbara Hannigan
Chapter 16: Audra McDonald
Chapter 17: Diana Soviero
Chapter 18: Christa Ludwig
Chapter 19: Iestyn Davies
Chapter 20: Jonas Kaufman
Chapter 21: Davóne Tines