Getting into Character

It's one thing to have a dazzling voice, and it's something that we all hope to have as we continue to study music. But this is not all it takes to be an opera star anymore. As I mentioned in my "So you want to stay healthy?" post, opera is no longer a park and bark art form. What I mean by that is, that you can't just stand there and belt out an aria without any expression or movement. Audiences expect to see character development and the slight changes of expression on a singer's face. We want to see the overwhelming heartache, the twinge of revenge, or the utter joy on your face. So how do we as singers go about that? You will probably learn many techniques throughout your studies on how to approach singing. However, not everything is going to click with you personally. Here are the things I find to be the most important elements of acting, at least for myself!

Acting = Reacting

I can not stress this enough, acting is all about reacting! You should not expect every night to go the same, and accidents are bound to happen. You need to be able to go with the flow! One thing that was super helpful for me was taking improv classes throughout high school. Because of this, it was a lot easier for me to react to nothing when I virtually recorded The Old Maid and the Thief. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to record our parts individually with nothing but the accompaniment. I learned everyone else's parts in order to react to their inaudible lines. It was hard, but it was definitely worth it in the end!

Sometimes Less is More

One thing we have a hard time understanding is that sometimes, the less you do physically, the more powerful your representation of a character will be. Let's say you are playing a stoic character. Now, would this character come across as more intimidating if they had large gestures and crazy eyes, or if they were almost statue-like, with their hot-ironed gaze fixated on you? You would probably choose the latter, right? Well, as performers, it's sometimes hard for us to pinpoint that for ourselves. Even though we know this, we may still find ourselves moving too much, or shifting our gaze too often. One of the best ways to tell if you are coming across the way you want to is by either recording yourself or practicing before a mirror. This is a hard thing to do, but it will really show you how you actually look to the audience and may save you from embarrassment!

Physicality

One thing that will really set your character apart from yourself as the performer is physicality. While proper alignment is of the utmost importance, it is amazing how physicality transforms you. One of the best ways to think about this is: "How does my character lead?" What does this mean? Think of it this way; when your character walks, do they lead with their head, heart, stomach, or groin? Just this simple question will help you figure out where your character's motivations lie and how they hold themselves. For example, a foodie may lead themselves with their stomach, while a hopeless romantic may lead with their heart. Once again, don't let this get in the way of your posture! Even just playing with arm and leg movements can give you a different feel to your character.

The Danger Zone

So let's say you got your acting down. You're super into your role, and you really did your homework on your character. Now let's say your character is super-expressive and has an aria or two about their rage or sorrow. The biggest trap you can fall into is actually letting the tension and strain of those negative emotions affect you physically. If you let this happen, your neck and shoulders can become tense and make your voice strained and not-so-nice to listen to. So, practice singing these high-intensity arias and songs with proper technique first before adding in the emotion. This way, you are less likely to let those emotions get the best of you. I once heard it put; "Do not emote, rather express." Don't actually embody fury, but express it on the surface!

Becoming the Character

Overall, I find the most authentic way for me to become a character is by simply being that character. Instead of asking myself how I would react to a situation my character is going through, I examine how they are. I look at the lyrics, the hints, and gestures of the music, and go from there. I know when I'm doing very well in a performance because I will actually feel my physical self change in a way. There have been many times during a show I will see myself in a mirror during it, and actually feel like the person in the mirror is not me, because I am the character I am currently representing. This is one of the many reasons I love acting. Each character I perform as embodies a different part of me, and in turn helps me to understand myself all the better!

In Conclusion

Overall, different techniques work for different people. There's no right or wrong way, as long as you stay sane, productive, and healthy! These are just the things that have worked for me over the years!