Soul soaring, reaching the heights, pure expression, the release of all feeling and emotion: that is the high that music can give. Pouring heart and soul into a voice and singing with almost wordless grace is the elegance of opera. The ability to inspire emotion and bring an audience to tears, as most great operas do, is part natural gift and a lot of training. The way I have always seen it is that one must be born with the ability to sing, but it is training, perseverance, and determination that will allow one to truly have the capability to sing true opera. Unlike regular popular music, opera requires breathing techniques that are complicated and hard to learn. The ability to reach extremely high notes and low notes, and the ability to control the voice and air flow takes time and perseverance.
I have always loved to sing (never on a professional level, simply recreational). Recently, I realized that I would love to try opera lessons. Not for any career move, and not to be able to perform; simply because I wanted to understand the art that I loved so well. Needless to say my family and friends were puzzled. I had never taken voice lessons, or even expressed the desire to, and here I was getting involved in the most intense form of vocal exercise out there. My parents wanted to know if I was thinking of a career change and my friends wanted to know if I could preform for them. I found myself re-explaining over and over that I was doing this for personal development and not for public performance. I found an opera teacher in my neighborhood that was trained all over the world. From Russia and Italy, to Israel and Minnesota, she was just what I was looking for. I was not deluded; I knew that I would not become a virtuoso over the summer, but I was hoping that she could give me an insight into a world that I have never ventured near before. To sum up my experience: sensational.
But more than just an exploration of an art, singing on the level of opera is good for your health. Susan Averback, LMSW, MA, MT-BC, LCAT, writes that “Singing improves one’s physical health…” She explains that the vibrations that singing creates resonate throughout the body putting it back into balance. She says that you should think about the body like a piano. “Go up and down the scale and visualize singing up and down the spine. At the same time, visualize healing light entering the affected body part.” Obviously, she explains that this is not to replace prescribed medication, but just as yoga can ease pains, so can singing.
For me, opera lessons were also more than a journey into a long hidden world — it was a way to build up my cultural IQ. As a Business and Finance major, it is important for me to be able to connect with people on a level that is deeper than a shared need — a shared interest.
I would have loved to continue, but opera lessons are not cheap, and I had finished the allocated amount I had set aside for my foray into the arts. Luckily, I realized that I had an untouched Opportunities Fund. I can now happily say that I was reimbursed for my previous opera lessons and given an advance to continue learning. I would like to encourage you all to find what you enjoy and discover the theory behind the things you love. Don’t be afraid to pursue something that fascinates you — it is always an experience that you can learn from.
