How do opera singers make a living?!?! | Avi Green

HOW DO OPERA SINGERS MAKE MONEY?!?!
That’s a great question and so are the rest of these.
Here is my cynical reaction to some of my friends and mine most asked questions.
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Friends that helped
Xavier (Facebook) -bit.ly/2y6Vfzc
@astaemiliakristiina (IG) - bit.ly/2xZtMiK
@Operamommy (IG) - bit.ly/2JEGEzv
@Michaldorona (IG)- bit.ly/2LCMGOe
@Rachael_Liddell (IG)- bit.ly/2Jt4nDl
My links
Diva Study Group (Patreon): bit.ly/2Qfx71I
Newsletter: bit.ly/2yNhIz4
Instagram: @avigreen_ - bit.ly/2yyOaWV
Facebook: bit.ly/2yGgvKl
Twitter: bit.ly/2F6x2IJ
Spotify playlist : spoti.fi/2YSKJHn
AA Opera Podcast! 🎙
@AAOperaPod
Theatre Tickets - bit.ly/32Ji9XN
Spotify- spoti.fi/2lG8fFQ
Apple Podcast- apple.co/2lXEnF7
#DivaStudies #OperaTube

[@michelleonuorah7142]

I used to model and would get so annoyed whenever a random person would ask me to (runway) walk for them. Eventually I told people, "sorry, I only walk for those who pay me."

[@VivsGreen]

😂😂😂😂 That's amazing!!! people can be very strange!

[@johndoe8114]

“Why don’t you sing music people like?”...

[@VivsGreen]

True !

[@simplysoulenergy7248]

I get that all the times 😅

[@FionaFlyte]

This was a fun rant. Thank you! Sing for me? Sorry, I'm not at work right now... LOVE IT!

[@VivsGreen]

Haha!! Thank you! I kinda want to film another one of these they are so much fun! 🤗

[@FionaFlyte]

@@VivsGreen Yes, do it! Maybe everyone won't understand, but those of us who do, REALLY do!

[@andity1]

The most ridiculous thing they've ever told me? Actually it was a conductor.. he told me I think you are a soprano, singing mezzo repertoire.. and I was like.. well I am not a soprano, simply because my passaggio is lower than the soprano's. So yeah.. people always think that I am actually a soprano. Yeah I can sing really high, but vocal range has nothing to do with the voice type.

[@VivsGreen]

Hahaha 😂 I can really relate! I get this pretty much on a daily basis 😆

[@laurenj432]

How can Vocal range have no correlation with vocal type? I’m not clear on that lol😅

[@brunapereira4631]

@@laurenj432 every women have a similar vocal range but what defines your vocal type is what is your most comfortable and natural regist... Altos feel more comfortable and sing more easily lower notes, for example... I hope I explained it well.

[@laurenj432]

@@brunapereira4631 Oh ok thanks :)

[@user-he1ce9fs3l]

hi i just wanted to say how much i enjoyed watching your videos. Thanks for making these :)

[@VivsGreen]

Thank you so much! ☺️

[@loganeski]

Truly beautiful eyes!!

[@VivsGreen]

Thank you!

[@sarahsims4801]

Almost every other time I tell someone I don’t know I am an opera singer. I have to explain how Phantom of the Opera is not an opera and dive into the differences between musical theater and opera.

[@ZygimantasA]

Dedicated my whole life to music. Went to one of the best music schools in Europe and had to drop my dreams of becoming an opera singer due to financial difficulties. Private tuition, concertmeisters, auditions, travel etc. Years and years of financial strain and then, in the end, if you are not successful enough to get casted in big opera houses frequently, then you are basically screwed. :/ Still dreaming, but now it's probably a little too late (I'm 28).

[@VivsGreen]

I'm 27!!!!!!! it's not really too late! and everyone is different and everyone takes a different amount of time in order to find their feet in the field. I don't think it's too late, but the financial strain is super real and extremely aggravating. Something I think about every single flipping day!

[@ZygimantasA]

@everyday tenor Yep, hence why I obtained a law degree and am only doing music as a hobby, at least for a moment. It's hard to give up the dreams for now, but the reality is that too many talented singers are simply struggling to survive and the climate is not getting any better. In fact, I'd argue it is getting worse.

[@l.hartmann950]

I think that the most important thing is not to go into any debt to become an opera singer. So, universities are out. Collect money to travel to audition instead. If the parents want to pay for a degree in music, ask them for a condo instead. If you say "well, I could be a professor" if it does not work out, then you do not have the passion to begin with.

[@drakenheart51]

I’m a Verdi baritone but many people think I’m a bass baritone so they always say you’re just a great bass

[@VivsGreen]

I'm a mezzo and get told so often that I have a great soprano top... the struggle is really my friend just smile and wave. "remember cute and cuddly boys, cute and cuddly!" 😂😂

[@absdyna]

#Mezzos

[@madbear3512]

Hay don't all metals sounds the same as well. Death black Doom it all screaming

[@VivsGreen]

HAHAHA!!! Oh yeah I remember those talks from my metalhead days!

[@reehji]

can you please link the first version of l'amour est un oiseau rebelle please? On a side note, opera singers have wayyyy more hurdles to overcome than most other professions. It's too much dedication for little monetary gain all due to the fact that the market operates on demands and supplies (also a lot of luck and connections). This is true to many professions such as ballet dancers, conductors,ect... who want to make living out of the professions. Also, i am learning french to understand more about the lyrics (although Italian or German might've been better -_-). I do sing along to songs from Carmen and i'm aware of the everything, but of course like most people....i'm no opera singer :p Hopefully no one listened to my dreadful vocal :)

[@VivsGreen]

It's all the same version it's from a website that I use called Epidemic Sounds. That's were I get my background music. 'yes a lot of it is luck and connections but you also need to put in all the work! Nah! it's really depends on what opera repertoire you are interested in. For instance for my voice most of the repertoire is French (at least at the moment) :)

[@reehji]

Yea, I'm not saying that there won't be hard work, but if you compared to other professions like engineers, doctor, lawyers, who are always in demand...to be a well known opera singer it takes wayyy more hard work and some more :) At least a good engineer can almost always find work and make a decent living anywhere :)

[@VivsGreen]

very very true! It's really important to be innovative in this perfection cause you are always going to be looking for ways to work. They will not just be handed to you. :)

[@yeah_i_likeCartoons]

I would like to be an opera singer, but I was never able to take any classes and my college path is taking me elsewhere. At this point I feel like it’s too late for me :/

[@VivsGreen]

When your done with college I would say take some classes for fun if you can. cause it's really not too late! I have many friends who came to it when they were in their mid/late 20's after doing very different degrees. I don't know him personally but there is even a doctor in the UK who trained to be a doctor finished his training and then became an opera singer... so I wouldn't close your doors quite yet.

[@yeah_i_likeCartoons]

Avi Green Really?? Thanks, I will!

[@nobaddie-chan]

How do you know if you're good enough to even start studying it? lol maybe a dumb question but I'm like "how do I even know if I'm worth it"

[@VivsGreen]

I hear what you saying but you have to trust and believe in yourself. you can ask around and get advice from different people but you have to believe that you are good enough. I actually made a video about this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqmydqWkjMmSY9E

[@ludovico6890]

That's why I never pursue a professional career. Being an opera lover is sometimes painful enough.

[@carlosios8066]

What languages do you speak?

[@VivsGreen]

I speak English and Hebrew

[@simplysoulenergy7248]

I am fat and so when people find out I sing opera they go "oh that explains it, just like Pavarotti!" 😅😅😅 I'm so used to it tho

[@INOBT100]

Were you an opera singer once? What did you do? I googled you and I found almost nothing

[@VivsGreen]

I am an opera singer currently... I'm still in school and hopefully will graduate once COVID is over.

[@INOBT100]

@@VivsGreen Ah, then good luck!

[@VivsGreen]

Thank you!! ❤️

[@TexasDogShop]

Okay ? 17, Was watching Opera Naples - di Lammermoo, (i'm super novice) and my question watching all these Opera Singers on one stage is, How many years does it take to make it to this level? I don't know diddly about Opera, I was fascinated by how many Opera Singers there was at any given time "singing" Uggg This is such a lame question, but at least it's not like the 16 Before Me!

[@VivsGreen]

HAHA!! All questions are welcome! It's not lame at all its exactly why I am here :) It takes a lot of years and it varies from person to person and voice to voice. The minimum years of study for a bachelors is 4 years but you should come to your bachelors with some prier knowledge when you start your degree. So... it takes I would say minimum of 6 years to start working. but once again every voice is different and every person is different. Some people have really good teachers from the beginning and not many vocal issues and they cruise right through. Others may have a good teacher but many vocal issues they need to work out. And some have bad teachers that create problems and some have bad teachers. So really it all depends! I for example have been singing since I am 12 but only now is my voice coming into it's own. Wow ! long comment, I may make a video about this! Thank you so much for asking that question :)

[@erikuslatinevivit348]

Perhaps slightly controversial. But ”knowing” every word doesnt really mean you understand the language, and translating is not understanding either. And I’m saying this coming from a background in second language acquisition. I think it’s probably a good idea to learn the languages you sing, long term atleast, dont you?

[@VivsGreen]

100% but translations and learning the meanings is sometimes the best people can do especially since operas are in so many different languages you have to figure out the best resources you can. It is definitely better to know the actual language and to learn the main ones used in opera but working with translations and going to coachings and speaking with a language coach is sometimes the most plausible option.

[@erikuslatinevivit348]

@@VivsGreen That is true. Since in auditions and competitions they do value variety, speaking german, italian, french, russian and english fluently might be a bit of a stretch. I’m just getting into singing at the age of 27, so I’m not completely aware of everything and your channel has been very helpful. I’ve been sort of recruited by a teacher who said I have to take lessons because of my ”potential” as you called it in some video. I was wondering if you could make a video elaborating on the private teaching path of becoming an opera singer, or maybe just give a few tips? I still have so many questions. Thanks for the response anyway, have a happy christmas/hanukkah!

[@VivsGreen]

@@erikuslatinevivit348 Welcome to the singing world! yes I can definitely do a video on the private teaching path! it will be in the new year!