# Is there a place for big dramatic voices in today’s industry?



## DramaticColoratura (Nov 28, 2021)

Hello everyone! I’m so glad that I’ve found this forum! I’d like to ask you a question that have been bothering me for some time. 

Do you think there’s a place for big dramatic voices with old technique in today’s opera industry? 

Story time - I’m a dramatic coloratura soprano with a strong chest voice and I’ve been learning the old bel canto technique, not the current placements one. I’d love to be an opera singer one day but I’m afraid that my voice is… too big and too dark. I had tried to get into conservatoire but after having some consultation lessons I gave up because I heard some strange things like "your voice is too dark" and "we don’t know how to teach you", etc. It was obvious for me that they want to teach only lyric voices and of course use the new technique of singing. 

This made me think - what if my voice is really not suitable for today’s industry? Maybe I just was born 50 or 100 years too late? Are there any modern opera singer singing with an old technique (I can think only of Saioa Hernandez)? If opera houses use microphones today because singers have small voices, will they want to cast someone louder than them?


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

I am not equipped to answer your questions properly but I would only like to mention that a voice like Joseph Calleja shows incredible signs of the "golden age" type singing, so it can be done. I might also mention the name Jonas Kaufmann as well.
Possibly Lise Davidsen might be a candidate as well but it is too soon to tell about her chest register.
Good luck to you.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Lord, there are so few singers of your type EVER that if you are good you should be able to find employment. My sister has taught voice for 45 years and was a singer herself. She said it is not enough to have a great voice. You need the DRIVE to push you into a successful career. Most opera goers wouldn't know good technique from bad so don't worry about it if you can sing the material successfully. Good luck and I hope we hear from you. You are my favorite voice type.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Yes there is. Are you familiar with Dolora Zajick's Institute for Young Dramatic Voices? Her program was created specifically for voices like yours and the old technique is what she wants to see return to the stage. Like Seattle said, if you're the real deal in that voice type you will find plenty of work.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

DramaticColoratura said:


> Hello everyone! I'm so glad that I've found this forum! I'd like to ask you a question that have been bothering me for some time.
> 
> Do you think there's a place for big dramatic voices with old technique in today's opera industry?
> 
> ...


Go to Poland ...........


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

DramaticColoratura said:


> Hello everyone! I'm so glad that I've found this forum! I'd like to ask you a question that have been bothering me for some time.
> 
> Do you think there's a place for big dramatic voices with old technique in today's opera industry?
> 
> ...


I would be very surprised if microphones are being used much or at all in opera performances. Only at big arena concerts like The Three Tenors.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

We still have big, dramatic voices around. The problem is....they tend to be pushed into lower rep. Generally, you have singers singing 1-2 voice types down from their natural, most resonant range. It looks something like this

- your average dramatic soprano/tenor singing today is really a lyric tenor/soprano trying to sing heavier rep
- your average baritone/mezzo singing today is really a dramatic tenor/soprano being pushed down (often even higher. the made up "coloratura mezzo" fach is really a bunch of friggin soubrettes who are too lazy to sing high or get rid of the potato-in-the-throat sound resulting from a constricted throat)
- your average bass/contralto is really a baritone or mezzo 

singers don't sound properly dark/resonant when singing music that is too low for them. you have to push them into the range of peak formants for their true potential to come to life.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Also, it is as you said, teachers today are afraid of chest voice. In fact, outside of African American culture, western civilization is pretty much afraid of chest voice, and you can hear it in how people speak.


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## DramaticColoratura (Nov 28, 2021)

Bonetan said:


> Yes there is. Are you familiar with Dolora Zajick's Institute for Young Dramatic Voices? Her program was created specifically for voices like yours and the old technique is what she wants to see return to the stage. Like Seattle said, if you're the real deal in that voice type you will find plenty of work.


Yes, I've heard of Dolora Zajick's Institute and I would love to learn something there!



HenryPenfold said:


> Go to Poland ...........


That's interesting so I just have to ask - why?



Seattleoperafan said:


> I would be very surprised if microphones are being used much or at all in opera performances. Only at big arena concerts like The Three Tenors.


I thought the same but this topic makes me wonder.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

DramaticColoratura said:


> Yes, I've heard of Dolora Zajick's Institute and I would love to learn something there!


I think you should definitely audition for her


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