I was having a conversation with a friend the other day and we reminisced about career beginnings and opportunities.
At age twenty seven I apprenticed two seasons at the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists in Chicago and then moved to New York City.
I was lucky to have found a manager at Columbia Artists Management Inc. (CAMI). At the time, CAMI was one of the top agencies in the world.
My manager was new and didn’t’ have a lot of power, but one thing he did was fight for me to sing for Ioan Holeander. Herr Holeander at the time was the most powerful manager in Europe, based in Vienna. He subsequently took over and ran the Vienna Staatsoper for 20 years.
At age twenty seven I apprenticed two seasons at the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists in Chicago and then moved to New York City.
I was lucky to have found a manager at Columbia Artists Management Inc. (CAMI). At the time, CAMI was one of the top agencies in the world.
My manager was new and didn’t’ have a lot of power, but one thing he did was fight for me to sing for Ioan Holeander. Herr Holeander at the time was the most powerful manager in Europe, based in Vienna. He subsequently took over and ran the Vienna Staatsoper for 20 years.
The upper management at CAMI wanted to present the top artists for guest contracts. My manager was wise enough to know that although I had abilities, I needed experience.
Europe was (and still is) the best training ground for singers.
At the audition Herr Holeander asked me if I could speak German. I truthfully told him ‘nur ein bischen’. He then asked me in German when I was born and luckily I was able to answer with, “ich bin zwei und zwanzig Dezember Nineteen Fifty Six geboren…” He laughed and said I would be fine. He invited me to audition in Europe with a 90% guarantee of a contract.
In Europe I sang two auditions, in Vienna at the Volksoper and in Luzern, Switzerland. I was fortunate enough to get two offers and took the offer in Luzern.
Europe was (and still is) the best training ground for singers.
At the audition Herr Holeander asked me if I could speak German. I truthfully told him ‘nur ein bischen’. He then asked me in German when I was born and luckily I was able to answer with, “ich bin zwei und zwanzig Dezember Nineteen Fifty Six geboren…” He laughed and said I would be fine. He invited me to audition in Europe with a 90% guarantee of a contract.
In Europe I sang two auditions, in Vienna at the Volksoper and in Luzern, Switzerland. I was fortunate enough to get two offers and took the offer in Luzern.
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