Grace for Fellow Singers

I once cared so much about fancy spaces and beautiful opera houses. Don’t get me wrong, they are still a joy to behold. But I find myself caring less and less about the trappings. I sing because of the music. There’s so much of it for every language and more. Music is a spiritual practice regardless of what type of music moves a person. We all feel music in a personal way. But recently, I was saddened by how much ugliness can occur within and around music making.

I will share this recent example. A video came across my feed about a week ago. A fabulous professional soprano with a major company was singing the end of Don Carlo. It’s a famous moment that has been stunningly, and beautifully, sung by some star sopranos. In particular, there is a recording of Montserrat Caballe singing it so excellently that she pretty much set the bar. It’s a high bar!! Well, this soprano in this particular video, in my opinion, was exciting, riveting, quite worthy praise. Was it on par with Montserrat? No. But does that make it worthy of disdain?! Let me help you- No.

I was saddened and also a little angry at some of the comments I read. A few people pointed out that it went sharp. It did. I heard it do that. But it was still exciting and beautiful! Several people went for the low hanging fruit to point out that she didn’t hold the final note as long as Caballe. (Insert my eyes rolling.) “Come on, people!!” Seriously! It was really rather stellar in its own right. Why is there this vicious desire to tear something down that is beautiful? Despite whatever “flaws” may be detected. And yet some people will loudly defend Callas at her wobbliest. It shouldn’t be this way.

We sing for the beauty and magnificence of the art form. Some voices touch you while others leave you wanting for more. It doesn’t necessarily mean one is “better.” Every day us singers reach for an ideal that only a few actually attain. But along the way, so much love and joy and magic does happen. And if we can just appreciate the magnificence of that, the art form might not be in such a precarious state.

I hope if you read this and you are a singer, you learn that there is a difference between noticing that someone is not singing with the best technique but accepting that that’s what they had that day. If you enjoyed anything at all that you heard or saw, just be happy with that. When it is your turn, unless you are a perfect singer, you will wish for that same grace. And if you didn’t like it at all… how is it helping you to tear that person down? Let’s be better.