How to Become an Opera Singer

Video Transcript

"Hello, my name is David Kingery, and I am a professional vocal coach here in Miami, Florida. Let's talk a little bit on how to become an opera singer. In my personal opinion, it takes years of professional training and practice to become a great opera singer. It requires a very good understanding of a certain technique that you've learned studying and practicing singing. Also, listen. Go to the opera. Listen to the certain recordings -- Madame Butterfly, whatever your favorite opera is, and really absorb that type of music. Listening is an essential, essential element to becoming a good singer, whether you're a pop, rock, or opera singer, but especially opera. And as you listen, try to sing along. Try to emulate those sounds. In opera, an open throat and a lifted palate and a...and a dropped jaw is very, very important. So all that space helps you become an opera singer. Also, learning different languages. Most operas are in Italian, Spanish, German. So having an understanding of the languages also really is essential to becoming an opera singer. And go to the opera as much as you can. Here in Florida, we have the Florida Grand Opera and they do many wonderful productions a year. And go to as many of those as you can and just observe and, again, absorb that opera technique and that opera feel because it is unlike any other type of singing. And now, after you've had your training and you've gone to a lot of opera, participate in some opera singing groups. There are some semi-professional and amateur opera companies that you can join that want to help people like you who want to become opera singers. They give you the opportunity to perform and coach you and help you through the process, and those...that is my advice."