The complete dramatic toolbox for the opera singer – a step-by-step guide detailing how to create character, from auditions through to rehearsal and performance and formulate a successful career. Drawing upon the innovative approach to the training of young opera singers developed by Martin Constantine, Co-Director of ENO Opera Works, The Opera Singer's Acting Toolkit leads the singer through the process of bringing the libretto and score to life in order to create character. It draws on the work of practitioners such as Stanislavski, Lecoq, Laban and Cicely Berry to introduce the singer to the tools needed to create an interior and physical life for character. The book draws on operatic repertoire from Handel through Mozart to Britten to present practical techniques and exercises to help the singer develop their own individual dramatic toolbox. The Opera Singer's Acting Toolkit features interviews with leading conductors, directors, singers and casting agents to offer invaluable insights into the professional operatic world, and advice on how to remain focused on the importance of the work itself.

"... a remarkable collection of observations and reflections on past experiences by many excellent artists and teachers that will doubtless help... those interested in creating 'opera magic.'" -- Tito Capobianco Singing, Acting, and Movement in Opera is designed for use in opera and musical theater workshops and by beginning professional singers. Drawing on years of research, teaching, and performing, Mark Ross Clark provides an overview of dramatic methodology for the singing actor, encouraging the student's active participation through practical exercises and application to well-known works. The Singer-getics method emphasizes integration of the various dimensions of opera performance, creating synergies among vocal performance, character development, facial expression, and movement on the stage. The book presents important information about stagecraft, characterization, posture, historical styles, performance anxiety, aria, and scene analysis. Excerpts from interviews with performers, directors, conductors, coaches, composers, and teachers offer insights and advice, allowing the reader to "meet the artists." An appendix by postural alignment specialist Emily Bogard describes techniques of relaxation and self-awareness for the performer. This lively book will appeal to students, teachers, professionals, and general readers alike.

Written to meet the needs of thousands of students and pre-professional singers participating in production workshops and classes in opera and musical theater, Acting for Singers leads singing performers step by step from the studio or classroom through audition and rehearsals to a successful performance. Using a clear, systematic, positive approach, this practical guide explains how to analyze a script or libretto, shows how to develop a character building on material in the score, and gives the singing performer the tools to act believably. More than just a "how-to" acting book, however, Acting for Singers also addresses the problems of concentration, trust, projection, communication, and the self-doubt that often afflicts singers pursuing the goal of believable performance. Part I establishes the basic principles of acting and singing together, and teaches the reader how to improvise as a key tool to explore and develop characters. Part II teaches the singer how to analyze theatrical work for rehearsing and performing. Using concrete examples from Carmen and West Side Story, and imaginative exercises following each chapter, this text teaches all singers how to be effective singing actors.

The 20th anniversary edition of this celebrated performing arts industry yearbook. This well-established and respected directory supports actors in their training and search for work in theatre, film, TV, radio and comedy. It is the only directory to provide detailed information for each listing and specific advice on how to approach companies and individuals, saving hours of further research. From agents and casting directors to producing theatres, showreel companies, photographers and much more, this essential reference book editorially selects only the most relevant and reputable contacts for the industry. Covering training and working in theatre, film, radio, TV and comedy, it contains invaluable resources such as a casting calendar and articles on a range of topics from your social media profile to what drama schools are looking for to financial and tax issues. With the listings updated every year, the Actors' and Performers' Yearbook continues to be the go-to guide for help with auditions, interviews and securing/sustaining work within the industry. Actors' and Performers' Yearbook 2025 is fully updated and includes a new foreword by Artistic Director and Chief Executive of The Big House Theatre Company, Maggie Norris, and four new industry new interviews, giving timely advice in response to today's fast-changing industry landscape.

Over 150 copies sold!! This is an in-depth and detailed manual on acting for opera singers. Based on 45 years of performance and knowledge of opera, classically trained actor and director Norman Cooley has devised an acting training for opera singers. The book includes theory, supported by exercises, anecdotes as well as observations from operatic performances and rehearsals.Norman believes acting in opera should be completely integrated with the singing and support and empower the work of the singer, and should never hamper nor harm good singing technique. It should be as effortless as possible to provide a safe harbour for the singer to sing at their best while creating a fully satisfying performance.

SINGER AND ACTOR: ACTING TECHNIQUE AND THE OPERATIC PERFORMER

In "What Do I Do With My Hands?" - A Guide to Acting for the Singer, Rhonda Carlson has shared her years of knowledge and success as a performance coach by providing both the singer and the singing teacher the tools that marry the art forms of acting and the singing. Although a solid vocal technique is essential for every singing artist, that technique is a means to a greater end, not an end in itself. Basically, singing is more than just singing. The soulful grimaces, "pick a spot on the wall" stares, and cliché hand gestures that so many singers grow to depend on are simply not enough to move an audience or land a role. "What Do I Do With My Hands?" explores acting from the singer's vantage point and takes into account the specific limitations and needs of the musician. Thanks to the clear and concise explanations, practical tools and exercises, as well as a comprehensive list of recommended practice repertoire, the singer will learn how to develop imagery, draw on sense memory, and merge the form and style of music and acting in a symbiotic, holistic way. This will not only provide the answer to "what do I do with my hands," it will take the singer to new levels of expression that are at the heart of an effective aesthetic experience.

(Amadeus). Opera is a singer's medium, but it comes to life on the stage. Composers write complex and detailed musical scores that are grounded in stories of passion and conflict, suffering and joy, forgiveness and despair. Acting is crucial to the experience audiences have in the theatre. Thanks to surtitles, audiences can now easily follow the dialogue and the story. Therefore, more is expected from the singers than just great voices: we expect them to embody the characters they are singing. Without character, singers' voices are empty, however beautiful they may be. This book offers opera singers a method and the tools that will assist them in developing their roles and the dramatic action of a scene. Musical and acting clues provide the foundation for creating characters. When singers study a libretto for acting clues and the score for musical clues they gain greater insight into their roles and have a better understanding of the music and a finer perception of the dramatic shape of their scenes. The methods and tools are demonstrated in an analysis of key scenes from selected operas. These examples are basic for the preparation for all characters in all operas, voice types, or time periods. The techniques offered will give the singer means to examine characters in depth, plot, and the conflicts in any scene. Singers who have that foundation are more relaxed, confident, focused and able to sing better.

Singing on stage can be a daunting prospect for actors, particularly for those who have not sung before. Yet singing should be an essential part of every actor's toolkit. Singing on Stage: An Actor's Guide gives an insight for the first time into the vocal techniques and practical approaches that have been developed over generations as an integral part of the training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Jane Streeton and Philip Raymond are highly experienced performers and teachers; their book encourages each actor to explore their own authentic voice as opposed to offering a 'one-size-fits-all' or 'quick-fix' approach. Written in an accessible, friendly and enabling style, Singing on Stage: An Actor's Guide is packed with exercises to develop the actor's skills and gives an overview of: • elements of technique • how to work on a song • the process of singing theatrically • how to choose the best songs for you Featuring inspirational listening suggestions and the observations of successful performers and practitioners, Singing on Stage: An Actor's Guide is the must-have companion for complete beginners as well as for experienced actors who wish to develop their understanding of singing on stage.

The New York Times bestseller about a young black man's journey from violence and despair to the threshold of stardom: "A beautiful tribute to the power of good teachers" (Terry Gross, Fresh Air). "One of the most inspiring stories I've come across in a long time."-Pamela Paul, New York Times Book Review Ryan Speedo Green had a tough upbringing in southeastern Virginia: his family lived in a trailer park and later a bullet-riddled house across the street from drug dealers. His father was absent; his mother was volatile and abusive. At the age of twelve, Ryan was sent to Virginia's juvenile facility of last resort. He was placed in solitary confinement. He was uncontrollable, uncontainable, with little hope for the future. In 2011, at the age of twenty-four, Ryan won a nationwide competition hosted by New York's Metropolitan Opera, beating out 1,200 other talented singers. Today, he is a rising star performing major roles at the Met and Europe's most prestigious opera houses. Sing for Your Life chronicles Ryan's suspenseful, racially charged and artistically intricate journey from solitary confinement to stardom. Daniel Bergner takes readers on Ryan's path toward redemption, introducing us to a cast of memorable characters -- including the two teachers from his childhood who redirect his rage into music, and his long-lost father who finally reappears to hear Ryan sing. Bergner illuminates all that it takes -- technically, creatively -- to find and foster the beauty of the human voice. And Sing for Your Life sheds unique light on the enduring and complex realities of race in America.