Thursday, April 03, 2014
Two Tenors Talk About Jackie Evancho, Amira Willighagen, and the Child Singer Phenomenon
These guys are brilliant! Toronto-based tenors Chris Mayell and Isaiah Bell talk about the ridiculous nature of how the child prodigy script is more captivating than watching those who actually work at their art for many years:
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I agree with everything you say but to take a positive out of this annoying trend. Isn't there something amazing about it being opera that moves people. The same people who would swear they didn't like/know opera? That's what we need to harness somehow.
ReplyDeleteGreat perspective, Anne! What you say is valid, as long as the operatic experience of these kids actually leads audiences to going to operas and buying recordings. At the same time, the talent and education of these children need to be nurtured, not exploited.
Delete@Anne Kostalas Alas, it isn't "opera" that is moving people. It's little kids trying to sing opera arias. Most of the people who listen to these children wouldn't go near an opera house and vehemently declare their hatred for opera. Read some of the things some of Jackie Evancho's more extreme fans have to say...and read just how nasty they are to anyone who dares to suggest that she will suffer vocal damage if she doesn't get a teacher. She's not going to get a teacher anytime soon. Her controlling mother has stated that they tried having Jackie work with teachers, but the teachers wanted to change the way Jackie sings. She also said that they wanted to make Jackie sound like every other soprano. You bet they wanted to change the way Jackie sings. They wanted to teach her to sing with decent technique, but that would have meant abandoning the way she shoves her larynx down to get that more mature sound her fans all love and are willing to pay millions of dollars to listen to. As for making her sound like every other soprano, that wouldn't have happened. She'd still have had her own voice, but would have been producing the tone properly. These kids are all being exploited, and it's going to go on and on until at least one of them ends up with a voice that is ruined. But even then, it will probably go on because there will still be parents who think that the huge amount of money their kids can earn before the damage sets in makes it all worthwhile...and that is despicable.
DeleteSounds like Cabbagejuice aka Zamyrabyrd. Negative critics, in general, tend to conflate technique with art. Musical art is in the ear of the listener as well as in the voice of the performer (in that a performer wishes to sound a certain way, whatever the price). Visual art is in the eye of the viewer as well as in the desired presentation by the performer. WE might like or dislike it but it is hubris to demand that such performers adhere to our standards of performance IF the performer reaches his or her target audience. That's being true to your art, whether there is a cost or a "flaw" or not, etc. Stravinsky was chased out of theatre, some authors books were banned, art once considered "obscene" by the cognoscenti now sell for millions of dollars. The critic who chastises the fans for being vehemently "loyal" to one point of view might well turn the spotlight on themselves for exactly the same reason.
DeleteTue enough, and I agree with you IF they were adults. But they are Children, and as such in almost every light we as a sicuety believe they don't yet have the ability to make the choice to "sound a certain way whatever the price",or even what it might mean to be "true to your art". Comparing a 9, 10, or even 15 year old to Stravinsky is ridiculous.
DeleteA fundamental flaw in this rant is the assumption that Jackie Evancho ever was, is or claims to be an opera singer. That label was incessantly attached to her by TV news and entertainment reporters. But she herself, even before the end of her America's Got Talent run, repeatedly corrected interviewers, claiming instead to be a 'classical crossover' singer. Still the media wouldn't let go of the attractive myth. That is not Miss Evancho's fault.
ReplyDeleteSay what you will about the nebulously defined CC genre, but it is decidedly not opera. Evancho's instrument took on the ability to sound more mature, and unfortunately, early vocal coaches and a certain producer pushed her into a repertoire that highlighted that.
The good news is that her parents (who by all credible evidence are truly looking after her voice, and her, to ensure as normal a childhood as possible) applied the breaks and distanced themselves from the freak show. No more Nessun Dorma (which she only performed five times in public), and no more 'operatic affect.'
Her second album, a collection of easy listening songs from movies, disappointed many of her fans, but she sang in a much more natural voice. Even though it seemed she still colored her voice, for the most part it was apparent that she did indeed possess unique vocal qualities.
Also good news (to me) is that she began singing safely within her natural range, and pulled her delivery back to 3/4 throttle.
Now, after four years of easy does it, and after navigating successfully to the other side of her vocal break, she is as far from an opera singer as one can get, short of being a rapper. She is a young songbird whose repertoire appeals to a much older audience. She reminds me of a young Doris Day, actually.
I don't know anything about Amira, but I would not even consider her and Evancho contemporaries. Which leads me to another annoyance about this video: Why would anyone try to make hay out of a typical and tired YouTube preference debate. These kinds of back-and-forth contests are useless and irrelevant, and say nothing about the singers. For two seemingly hip guys to base an entire rant (which is riddled with inaccuracies, unfounded assumptions and unfair ad hominem attacks) on this drivel seems as much or more incongruous as a 10-year old girl singing Nessun Dorma.
Great comment. Thanks Anon!
DeleteHow does one says they know nothing of something...then go on to make an uniformed opinion, without feeling foolish?
DeleteSENHOR ANÔNIMO, COMO PODE JULGAR ALGUÉM SEM
DeleteCONHECER?} SUA MANEIRA PRECONCEITUOSA DE SE REFERIR A AMIRA, FAZ-ME PENSAR SE VOCÊ FOSSE CONTEMPORÂNEO DE MOZART. DIRIA O MESMO QUE SOBRE AMIRA. COMO PODE ESSE MENINO(MOZART), COMPOR TANTAS MARAVILHAS?}.
ANÔNIMO - EU DETESTO ANÔNIMOS.SÃO RECALCADOS,INVEJOSOS E INCAPAZES DE CRER QUE O TALENTO EXISTE...
You miss the entire point which is that little kids shouldn't be thrust into careers before they have training. Also, these guys are the first I've seen who talk about how the contestant's "back story" is of great importance and also how the talent shows are extremely formulaic in the way the hosts react to everything in the same progression of emotional reactions. This TV talent show opera craze is going to come to a crashing halt when the first little kid ruins her voice before even achieving adulthood.
DeleteSorry, but good vocal technique is the foundation upon which all singing voices are built, not just the voices of opera singers. Nobody was trying to claim that Jackie was, is, or wants to be an opera singer. Her mother has made sure of that, making pronouncements like "We don't like opera", this insuring that Jackie will never have the chance to find out for herself whether or not she likes opera. Singing classical crossover doesn't mean that the singer can ignore good vocal technique, and singing with a microphone does not protect the voice from damage.
DeleteI agree. While Jackie evancho went to a more contemporary signing Amira is singing with seasoned opera singers in packed stadiums! Both are doing well!
DeleteI'll second that, Chris. Before posting a video like this, its authors should have taken the time to learn something about those they've targeted. Jackie and her family are a class act, have always been honest with the public, and deserve some consideration for putting out a high-quality product while staying true to their values.
ReplyDeleteNo parents who continue after four years to allow their daughter to sing with terrible technique that is going to ruin her voice are a "class act". They refuse to listen to the no doubt countless vocal professionals who have warned them of the dangers of pursuing a singing career without training. Even the opera profession is littered with the ruined voices of talented singers like Jose Carreras, Giuseppe di Stefano and others who thought they could sing with bad technique without consequences.
DeleteThe idea is that Amira learned it all on her own vs years of training. Raw talent. I realise that professionals are better but let me ask...did you sing anywhere near as good as Amira without any training?
ReplyDelete"Classical crossover" is a wide catchall, safe, but not specific enough. Amira, Jackie and a younger Charlotte employ the operatic singing style. But yes, they are not opera singers. And it is a great wonder and joy to behold such youthful innocence tackle highly emotional songs that only trained adults who have gone through real world tragedies can convincingly deliver. It's no different when we delight at kids acting out adult roles with costumes of a policeman, or a doctor, or delivering Lincoln's Gettysburg address from memory, etc. I don't think Amira or Jackie even understood the lyrics or the context of the arias they sing (though there's a hint of that in Amira's O Mio Babbino Cara). They were simply mimicking a Maria Callas or a Montserrat Caballe or other opera singers which abound in YouTube. And how splendidly they mimicked, almost as if they were them. That's the talent unique to very few kids, and which we adults celebrate after picking up our jaws that dropped to the floor when we first heard them.
ReplyDeleteLots of little kids are good mimics. That doesn't mean that we should allow them to have careers mimicking adult opera singers when opera singing by children, without good training and waiting for their voices to mature enough to deal with the rigors of singing opera, can be extremely dangerous to children's voices. I think of these little kids singing opera as child endangerment.
DeleteThey are called prodigies, kids with talent far beyond ordinary kids their age have. I've also seen 6 year old kids playing difficult chopin and liszt piano pieces but no one is crying child endangerment that they might damage their little fingers. You know what, just cite to me a specific medical study to support your claim.
DeleteMany voice teachers don't think children should even begin voice training until at least age 16. They also believe that there is no such thing as a child vocal prodigy for this reason and because it's impossible to know how a child's voice will sound when he or she becomes an adult. A fine voice as a child is no guarantee of a fine voice as an adult. As for the child pianists and other child instrumentalists, that is something very different. A child instrumentalist is not going to ruin his musical ability through using poor technique. A child singer who sings with poor technique can badly damage or ruin his or her voice through using poor vocal technique. Vocal cords only come one set to a customer. A performer can purchase another violin or piano or trumpet if those instruments are destroyed. Vocal cords damaged beyond repair can't be replaced.
DeleteTo the extent that it is impossible to know how a child's voice will sound as an adult, you would have "protected" Jackie Evancho out of a $5 million dollar back account. As a guardian, that is a big decision to make. I do have more sympathy for your position considering Evancho's technique issues. Amira has much better technique and has taken care not to take on challenging pieces. She has placed limits on the notes she attempts and the length of her performances. That strikes me as a good compromise.
DeleteMany other opera stars started young. Placido Domingo won a singing contest at the age of 8. His parents were both singers who had him sing in their zarzuela productions. Carreras sang E Donna Mobile on Spanish National Radio at the age of 8 and sang at Barcelona's best opera house at age 11. Elina Garanca's mother was a professor and vocal music teacher for the Latvian National Opera. There is no telling when Garanca started receiving training.
I realize that the cute factor is hard to compete with.
Well, she's 14 now - and she honestly sounds amazing. She connected with David Foster - and between Mr. Foster, her parents, and whomever is coaching her now - she is doing the "classical crossover" thing in a way that crowds like - but she's not tearing up or forcing her voice. Plus she is a very poised young lady. She's going to have an amazing career - watch out world.
ReplyDeleteDavid Foster is a promoter of rock and pop singers. He knows nothing about opera. He even thinks that popera singer, Andrea Bocelli, is a real opera singer. Bocelli, who sings undifferentiated versions of opera arias in a pop style and who always uses a microphone, is pure popera, not an opera singer. Sorry, but considering the terrible technique with which Jackie sings, she is likely to tear up her voice. The first signs of damage can already be heard. Bad technique damages voices. Calling what Jackie sings "classical crossover" and using a microphone are no assurances that damage will not occur.
DeleteYup, so where are those called "concerned" music gurus warning she will lose her voice for not undergoing the proper training? It's been 5 years already.
DeleteHer vocal technique is terrible and has been terrible all along. I know that you probably won't believe this, but bad vocal technique damages voices, and damages them badly. David Foster is not a voice teacher. He's a music entrepreneur who is interested in making as much money as possible off of his proteges. Jackie has no teacher at all. Her mother won't allow it because a good teacher would make Jackie sing with her natural child's voice...and that voice wouldn't be nearly as pleasing to her musically uneducated fans as the artificial one she uses now. Sorry, but she is forcing her voice...and it doesn't sound good at all. Her poor vocal technique is going to damage her voice and damage it badly. I can already hear the beginnings of this damage.
Delete"Anonymous" sure seems to love being a "critic" that answers literally every comment that smacks of support behind the "anonymous" label. It sounds as if "anonymous" is the same person here and likely one of Jackie's consistent critics who cruises sites to make a critical comment. This person consistently insists that all listeners listen to a voice, any voice but especially Jackie's with the same standards of "excellence" and judge only from technique and not from either the ear or the heart. If we can agree that most performers are to be artists and not merely technicians, then at least on of the determinants of excellence should be how well that artist connects with the public. Admittedly many great artists have been better appreciated posthumously but many not. Can one say that a singer with "perfect" technique who cannot reach and hold his or her audience over time or gain a wider appreciation is a better performer/artist than the "flawed" one who has a large or consistent following? I submit that you cannot though I (as opposed to this critic) will accept that there are those who do not but that is merely their preference which makes them with no less validity than mine. When it comes to technique, there may or may not be accurately accepted techniques, but remember not all techniques are necessarily carved in stone for all performers. There are always the outliers. A Purist may be similar those critics that hated Monet's art because it "wasn't real" or Matisse or Gauguin because their brush strokes were a bit "childlike." These self-appointed "Guardians of Taste" are nearly as tiresome as they are narcissistic.
DeleteSomething else should be mentioned here. When Jackie appeared on AGT, she was immediately adopted by religious nutjobs who --noting she was singing Ave Maria and Oh Mio Bambino --imagined she was sent by God to bring people to the Blood of Christ. There are undoubtedly many people who sincerely believe that Jackie does not NEED vocal training because God himself will protect her voice for the sake of the mission He has given her. As crazy as this is, it is a strong component of Jackie's fanbase.
ReplyDeleteOne of the sad things about this is, those same people will be the first to drop her when she shows 'feet of clay'. They will say that Satan has corrupted her and "We need to pray for her to listen to the voice of God who gave her His greatest gift and is waiting with Infinite Patience for her Great Homecoming."
You've Got to be Kidding! This comment pretty much cements the real identity of "anonymous." Apparently she no longer has the courage to post under her usual sobriquets. If you can't convince a "fan" of the righteousness of your opinion or win converts to your standards, then attack them ad hominem. Pathetic.
DeleteWhat you don't realize is that there is more than one "Anonymous" here. One of the Anonymous comments is mine, but I have no idea who has been writing the others. The one about David Foster is mine. The others aren't. Many people choose to submit comments under the Anonymous label.
DeleteWe play and sing in hospitals and one of the patients was a girl. I knew her immediately she was famous in the press. She was the national trampoline champion at the age of ten. Girls of this age are Olympic gymnasts, athletes, championship soccer and hockey players. Scores of them are now paraplegics. Go ahead Amira sing your little heart out, sing all you can and all you want. Even it it so calls "ruins" your voice. The trampoline champion I was playing for in the hospital was now a paraplegic. This sure as hell will not happen to Amira. God Bless the little angel that sings like Maria Callas.
ReplyDeleteI love it. (your video). What I don't love is Jackie (don't know Amira, don't really want to). I don't like listening or watching her. I am a singer and it almost hurts when I listen. Be a kid Jackie, because no musician is going to be impressed by you. And the people that are, ah, makes me sad.
ReplyDeleteYou sounds like you might be a bit jealous of Jackie's success. It's okay that you don't like her style, but millions do. I don't like rap,but I won't condemn any one who does. I am 65 years old and have heard many of the best female singers. Barbra Streisand, Karen Carpenter and Celine to name a few they all started as teenagers. They never ruined their voices because they were so young when they started. They all matured and adapted to any voice changes. You say that you are a singer but not your gender. It's physical knowledge that females reach puberty much earlier than males. By as much as 4-8 years. When someone reaches puberty their vocal chords mature and thicken and lengthen. So at age 10 Jackie could have already begun puberty. I know it's possible because I used to coach girls aka that age. I had a 9 year old that had already entered puberty. So please don't criticize someone just because you don't like genre. Just listen what you like. And I hope if you pursue a musical career that God may Bless you with success!
DeleteI can't believe all the very hateful posts about these girls. I don't know about any of the other girls except Amira and I was touched by her voice and passion for singing. Some of you really come off as very pretentious.
DeleteAs one who has passionately studied voice for decades, I agree with "Anonymous" that proper voice technique is crucial to the longevity of the voice.
ReplyDeleteHis remarks sounded blunt, but I know he only meant well for everybody concerned. The best voice technique is not Italian, German, French, American, etc. but natural voice technique, i.e. how to make the voice mechanism work as nature intended. That has been my life-long pursuit.
Sounds more like a whole lot of jealousy going on here than anything else from the Nay Sayers. Could it be that the 10 year old little girl, who is now a 15 year old young lady with a great career ahead of her, angers you because everybody knows who she is, but no one knows who you are? Who are you anyways? I could care less about your perfect musical technique, if you have one,or whether Jackie has one or not. The fact is, I enjoy her music and have never heard yours. I think what would make more sense, is that Jackie criticize your lack of success and why? But she likely has too much class to do that. No I don't think it's that you are concerned about her voice or her being abused. There is vitriol in your posts. It's jealousy.
ReplyDeleteSo Anonymous, please post a sample of your singing. I think the problem is, you are a singer want to be and are jealous. Everyone here knows who Jackie is. No one knows who you are. Post your music with your real name. Lets see how technically wonderful you are. Bottom line is, Jackie is listened to and for good reason. Are you?
ReplyDeleteWell, I must say that the video and many comments take Amira completely wrong. First watch some videos about her and her family, please, you can find many on youtube. What matters for her is, that she does that on her own, she has fun singing opera and she has talent in here genes, supported in good sense by her musically educated parents and foremost she has a great personality. I would say her singing is much more about transcendent experience for her and for those who like to listen to her, than anything else. Of course professional singers would not understand that.. it is like the difference between a graphics designer and The Artist. Like a difference between great skill in Photoshop and a genuine painting with pencil..
ReplyDeleteOh my god guys really? Sounds like you are just jealous of a little girl or any other child who is blessed with a natural talent. Probably you have gone through the conservatory, and have therefore fixed the idea in your mind that you can only be long and successful after a well-trained education. I find it really sad for words that you are going to hang up this story with all of his insecurity. Your talent is outclassed by a 9 year old talented girl, and now you feel threatened? Really, too sad for words. Go ashamed.
ReplyDeleteI think this goes to show how important "thinking outside the box" really is in one's career. Just like in any career or job, you have those who punch the clock without fail, thinking that makes them a model employee (these are the 'technical and technique' critics and singers we see in this thread). Then there are the employees who aren't card-board cut-outs, may be spotty in attendance and appearance, but make the company very profitable by their ingenuity and ability to improve processes by not being "satisfied" with the old status quo. When the latter get promoted over the former, the clock-punchers invariably are envious and angry of the of the ones who aren't the cookie cutter image of a drone employee. I've seen this same thing when Lindsey Stirling started to surpass the classical orchestral violin players in notoriety, fame, awards and general success by way of her tours, album sales and invited appearances on late night shows and others like Dancing with the Stars. Meanwhile-the others continue to toil in obscurity while complaining of how much better they are when playing their violin....while sitting....reading written music...with a conductor....in a large group of other musicians....playing a couple times a month, if they are lucky.
Delete
ReplyDelete4:37min.minced grass
Get ready Amira for a diet of sour grapes. Will she wreck her voice or become on of the greats? We'll see. I'm betting on Her.
ReplyDeleteThere is something very magical about the voice of Amira
ReplyDeleteIt does not need interpretation nor criticism.it needs neither adulation or speculation,it just needs to be heard
Jackie is not operatic voice,she used mixed and skilful vocal technic she's not powerful voice but beautiful sound range manipulate..
ReplyDeleteAmira can be opera soon..