Lied der Terror

July 7, 2009 8:58 AM

First ever opera audition this week and I’m terrified. Help me overcome my nerves and perform like a pro!

I’ve auditioned for musicals before, but I’ve never managed to do so without shaking violently and nearly passing out. I could go into a whole lot of historical & psychological background about why singing auditions scare the everliving bejesus out of me, but I don’t think it’s essential to my question. Suffice it to say that at 26 I’m a latecomer to the awesomeness that is classical vocal training, I have an audition for an opera at the end of the week, and I’m terrified. Oh, and when I say terrified, I mean that when I walk into an audition room my legs quiver so I can barely stand, I can’t breathe (major problem for singing), and little stars dance in front of my eyes.

My vocal coach, confused by my paralyzing terror, said to me, “You just go in there, show them what you have, and hope that they like it,” as though that were the simplest thing in the world. Though, strangely, her pithy statement did make me feel a little better. And now, as the dreaded hour approaches, every time I get short of breath or consumed with worry I repeat her words in my head, and feel better…for a minute or two, anyway.

So I’m asking my fellow MeFites, for any mantras or mind-tricks you may have for calming your nerves in the situations you find most terrifying.

I am also looking for any tips or information to help me through the audition itself. For example: how to communicate with the accompanist, how to introduce my pieces, and any other procedural aspects of the audition for which I should be prepared.

Two more things: I’ve practiced and practiced, and my songs are as good as they’re going to be at this point in my training. So, while I know that preparation is the greatest aid to confidence, there’s little more to be done for that at this point. Secondly, I’ve been acting since I was 12, so monologue auditions are old hat to me and I know general auditioning etiquette, but I would love any music-audition-specific advice you can give.

Sorry for the long question and thanks in advance for your help!

posted by philotes to media & arts (11 comments total)

Are you going to have to audition on a lit stage? When I used to do that sort of thing, I would always feel apprehensive before going out on stage, but seriously, when I was up there the lights were too bright to even see the audience so it was just me and the music. I could kind of pretend I was just by myself and there wasn't much of anything to focus on except singing.

Also, I can't tell from your question whether you've had to do this sort of thing before, but either way... for me, at least, the time I'm on stage passes in a blur. You might calm yourself down by reminding yourself you'll barely remember any of it. It used to amuse me to think of it as being abducted by aliens; just a bunch of bright lights and weird sounds and a strange sense of time and then it's all over.

If you just have to go into a little room and sing, well, maybe make yourself feel better by reminding yourself that it's not a stage or anything? That's a much less formal setting.

Also, if it makes you feel any better, the first time I had to audition for anything I literally just burst into tears and couldn't sing. I was like, 14 though. But after that, it never happened again. Really, it's entirely in your head.
posted by Nattie at 9:07 AM on July 7

Beta blockers? Linked page also has some good general info and links on stage fright.
posted by ottereroticist at 9:12 AM on July 7 [1 favorite]

Showing off my Nerd Colors here, but I can honestly tell you that I have used The Litany Against Fear when having to confront a drunken roommate that had shoved a loaded shotgun at my face.

Nothing magical about the specific words of course, it was simply the first thing that came to mind. I just had to keep from getting locked up and focusing on the fact that he had a gun so I could get what I needed to end the situation. Sort of a deep breath and quick calming meditation.
posted by Lord Widebottom at 9:28 AM on July 7

Oh, and when I say terrified, I mean that when I walk into an audition room my legs quiver so I can barely stand, I can’t breathe (major problem for singing), and little stars dance in front of my eyes.

I don't have to do much public performance type stuff, but I get the same thing. I believe on a physical level it's due to adrenaline. Aside from the beta blockers mentioned above, you should make sure to get a good night sleep and eat well (but don't overeat) before the audition so that you are at your best physically.

Mentally, the strategy that worked best for me was to just accept that I was going to be extremely nervous beforehand, and instead focus on flipping the switch from nervous anticipation mode to performance mode at the last moment. As you said, you're already prepared, and once your actual performance starts you'll basically be on autopilot. So try to focus on clearing your head and relaxing during the performance, and let go of all of the things you were worried about up until that point, because once the performance starts you should just sort of lose yourself in it.

Also, as a general way to confront these kinds of situations, I highly recommend playing poker. If you actually care about the outcome of the game, you'll be presented with a lot of very nerve-racking choices and situations, and over time you'll learn to both get used to those sorts of feelings and control your reactions to them in order to preserve your poker face.
posted by burnmp3s at 9:30 AM on July 7

It's a little late, but mentally rehearsing the audition process would help calm the nerves. The more you rehearse in your mind the steps involved with the audition (seeing the stage from the wings, walking out, saying your name, etc.) the less new stuff there is the day of to deal with.

Are you nervous singing in front of others? If so, you could go around your neighbourhood and sing to them. Tell them you're doing it for charity. Most people won't know the difference between you and Maria Callas (who knows, maybe there's nothing to distinguish the two of you!) and will be blown away to have an opera singer sing for them. If you did that, you'd really get used to singing in front of people real quick, and you'd definitely be less nervous about the audition.

If neither of those things will work, I'd highly recommend planning something the morning of the audition that will occupy your mind completely. This would be something where it involved working or helping out other people and not something you'd do alone. Soup kitchen, babysitting, helping someone move. Anything which really requires you to think of others and occupies your mind.

Finally, if you know who the people are who are auditioning you maybe you can get a photo of them and practice "auditioning" for them where you live. Make it a nice big photo, and practice the whole steps (you don't have to sing the whole song). Walk up to the photo, introduce yourself, etc. Do it a million times. But do it in a way that you believe what you're doing. If you just say it half–heartedly it won't help you the day of.

It's all about getting the ball rolling. Once you hit the first few notes, all of that energy will help your singing and you'll do great. You just need to get to that place in one piece.
posted by fantasticninety at 9:54 AM on July 7

I'm an operatic mezzo with similar audition anxiety problems (fainted once, no lie), so I empathise. Here's what I've found helpful:

Short term: (things you can do for this audition)

Breathe. Beforehand, when warming up, make sure you breathe well. When waiting outside the room, take some slow breaths: in for four counts, hold for four, out for eight. Slow breathing will slow your heart rate and go some way towards calming your autonomic nervous system. If you like, on the inhale concentrate on releasing your abdominal muscles; on the exhale, let your neck and jaw muscles release.

Stay in your body. Do some stretches in the warm-up room. There and during the audition, feel your feet on the ground, especially when you breathe. Feel the balance of your pelvis above your legs (no matter what your knees are doing.) If you've done Alexander technique, that can help you here.

Use the character. As an actor, you know how to get into character for each aria, right? Your character is your most powerful friend. You're not alone onstage; he/she is with you. I believe very firmly in Olivier's dictum that you must love your character to play them well. A bonus here is that you'll find they love you back. You give them a voice and a body; in return, they give you strength.
On a practical level, what you're doing is transmuting that nervous energy into the emotion of the character. Whether that emotion is love, or triumph, or sadness, or anger, or the need to tell your friend something before you die, channel that big shaky mass of fear into the different emotion that the character is feeling. Operatic emotions are bigger than normal emotions, so there's room.
Once you're in character, let the character protect you. (I'll use examples from my own repertoire here, not knowing yours.) Would Carmen be afraid of an audition panel? Would Delilah? Maybe, but they have absolute faith that something greater will pull them through: in Delilah's case, her gods; in Carmen's, her destiny. Both are accustomed to being desired, sought after and obeyed. And both characters have a complete sexual confidence that helps to ground the singer thoroughly in the body.
Cherubino in Voi, che sapete unexpectedly gets to sing a song that he wrote for his beloved Countess in front of her! Is he nervous? Sure he is, but he's also in love, and he hopes that if he sings from the heart, there's a chance that maybe she'll kiss him. This would be awesome.
You get the idea.

Lastly, feel the love. I'm serious here. The first and best reason that you and I, or anyone, acts and sings is because we love it. Love is stronger than fear. So between now and the audition, any time before you sing, take a moment to remember that you love singing. More: you love your voice. It is yours, and no one else has one like it. Remember good things your teachers have said, and know that they are true.


Long term (for future auditions):
Alexander technique. It is the actor's and singer's best friend. You may know it already, but if you don't, it's well worth it.

Read this book. Written by a sports psychologist, it's full of good advice and useful techniques.

If the problem persists, you might want to look into NLP, or find a therapist who specialises in anxiety (I've done both.)

Consider cutting down on caffeine; I don't know how much of a coffeehead you are, but since it's a stimulant, it really doesn't help with anxiety. (I drink a lot of camomile tea.)

If you decide to use something like beta-blockers, it's important to test them out beforehand in a neutral situation such as your practice room. Myself, I like Rescue Remedy: four drops in your bottle of water and you're good to go.

That's about all I can think of for now. Good luck, and remember to breathe. I'll keep checking this thread.
posted by Pallas Athena at 10:41 AM on July 7

This might be too late to apply for this particular audition, but here are some small pieces of advice that might help.

1. Bananas. I've never really been the type to eat before auditions, and I don't know if actors/singers can eat before performing, but some people swear by them.

2. Accept that you will be nervous. It's the natural response, and denying it won't change anything; if anything, it could make the situation worse.

3. That said, you might want to remember: you're there to share your love for your music. Yes, you're performing for a panel of judges, but you're also there because you have a love for your art and because you want to share that with others. Say to yourself, I am choosing to share my love, and I can control what happens.

For the future, read the book recommended Pallas. Greene also has a book called Performance Success, I think, which I haven't read, but it's supposed to be good as well.

I'm assuming this isn't a blind audition; if it were, you'd have to whisper anything to the proctor or to the accompanist, but that probably doesn't apply here.

The only thing that comes to mind at the moment that might be useful, procedural-wise, is that you can take as much time as you need to prepare and compose yourself before beginning your pieces. If you have a false start, I think it's okay to take a moment and ask if you can try again. Good luck.
posted by Busoni at 11:59 AM on July 7

Hi...I too am an operatic singer who struggles with nervousness at auditions. I think the most important thing, that I unfortunately had to learn the hard way, is to BE PREPARED. Specifically:

1) Learn your music inside and out. You should be able to sing your pieces backwards, forwards and in your sleep. Being comfortable with your music will help you feel less nervous and you will have a better audition. This includes knowing your tempos. Your accompanist will ask for them. You don't need to say "Oh, I take the quarter notes at about 90..." but you will have to snap your fingers or tap the piano for a few beats to let them know what tempo you prefer.

2) Make sure you have all the materials you need. Most opera auditions require a resume and a head shot. They will expect you to have these, sometimes more than one copy. If you don't have them, get them NOW. There is nothing as terrifying as scrambling around town the day of your audition trying to find a Kinkos or suddenly realizing the auditors want a head shot and you don't have one.

3) Make sure you know where the audition is and how you are going to get there. Be sure to arrive early and, if you are unfamiliar with the audition location, figure in "getting lost time."

4) There is no position more thankless than that of the audition accompanist. Don't make their lives any harder. Make sure your music is in order and that the page turns are not difficult. I usually bring copies instead of the original score or music books because the spine of some books may be stiff, thus making the page turns difficult. I put the copies in a black binder (also handy for carrying your resume and headshot). This way, the accompanist can either keep the music in the binder and deal with the page turns or they can remove it and spread it out on the piano. If you are auditioning with more than one piece, put a sticky note or notebook divider between each piece so the pianist can easily find them. I once spent a very awkward 5 minutes in an audition waiting for the accompanist to find one of my pieces. It made me more nervous, was painfully awkward, and it made me look unprofessional.

5) Ok, here is what your vocal coach won't tell you: Your first audition may very well suck, just like the first time you do anything sucks. Think about riding your bike. The first time you did that, you didn't jump 10 trucks like Evel Knievel. You probably fell on your ass. And you know what? You lived to ride another day and probably got better as you rode your bike more. So it is with auditions. The first ones may not go so well, and that is OK. You are allowed to learn. The secret is to keep auditioning. Audition as much as you can for as many things as you can. The more you audition, the better it will go.

6) Finally, try to relax and enjoy yourself. You might get cast, you might not. Don't worry about that. This is your first audition, just try to have fun. Singing is great, otherwise why would you go through all the trouble, right? This is just another opportunity to have fun.

Good luck!
posted by firemonkey at 8:27 PM on July 7

Thank you all so much for your help! I had the audition yesterday, and yes, I was terrified, but your advice really made a difference for me, especially Pallas Athena's. I made the huge sacrifice of forgoing my morning coffee, and I strongly considered picking up some Rescue Remedy, but decided to see how I'd do without herbs to help, at least for this first audition. Breathing and feeling grounded helped release a lot of the tension, but by far the most useful technique was using the character: I think of myself as an actor which is partly why singing scares me so badly - it's a definite departure from my comfort zone. But by focusing on the text of the songs and on communicating I was able to forget about some of the nervousness and return to my strength. Granted, it was not a perfect audition - my legs still trembled and my phrases were shorter due to my limited breath - but my preparation enabled me to at least make it through my pieces, and your advice - all of you - helped me give a nearly competent audition.

That is, until I thanked the auditors & accompanist and headed towards the door only to slip on the laminate flooring and fall on my ass. I shit you not. Well, at least they won't forget me! And from now on, any audition I have where I don't end up lying on the floor with concerned musicians leaning over me I will be able to call a success!
posted by philotes at 5:46 PM on July 12

Hey guys, guess what?! I got in!!! My very first opera audition and I have been cast. Sure, it's chorus, but I'm pretty frickin thrilled. Maybe they just felt really sorry for me after my mortifying exit, but whatever their motivation I'm stoked. Be on the lookout for more opera questions to come, as I begin rehearsals and discover the depth of my ignorance.

Thanks again for all your help!
posted by philotes at 6:52 PM on July 17 [1 favorite]

Yay!! Congratulations. I hope you have a fantastic time on the show, and good luck!
posted by Pallas Athena at 11:27 AM on July 21