Faith is a strong belief in a supernatural power that controls human destiny. To what extent is faith present in the life and art of an opera singer? How much have we available to give as performers? How much time, effort and hard work? Do we need to add something special to the recipe of a great singer?
I have discovered how essential it is for the making of a singer to self-realise their motivation. Are we making music to have a career, money, position in society, exposure, or are we devoted to a higher purpose, lifting up people’s spirits and spreading God’s love? The latter I have found hugely fulfilling and real.
Singing with faith does not necessarily apply only to religious music - what is important, I think, is the general motivation behind our music making. Faith in our abilities and our higher purpose can be the most powerful motivation; it is unwavering and independent from circumstances. On the other hand, it is not a passive element of the creative musical process; it can evolve and interact within this process and though it. Faith can become lifesaving. It grows in difficulties and suffering. How many times were we on the brink of giving up because of the “tough environment in the opera industry”? Faith is the only thing that keeps me going. The desire of things to “come easy” through money and connections corrupts the very purpose of music making.
By understanding that failures are there to make us stronger and show us the way to our innermost essence, we can enhance and bring new power to our performance. Difficulties make our faith grow, which is not subject to proof. They make us become true to our unique, real self and our Creator and follow our boldest dreams.
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I will never forget a famous opera singer once telling me that she had much more failure than success in her career, and that this is an extremely tough profession. From her mouth this sounded funny but now, after years of hardship and success, I have a new understanding of her words. Being an opera singer is not fun; it is a vocation, a responsibility, a path, and a blessing.
So what does it mean then to make music inspired by faith? We all have had a performance during which we tapped into our inner voice and intuition, to the very source of light and love. This made our body resonate to produce a magnificent sound. It makes us feel humble to realise that we are only a participant in something great and that what we are given is not ours to keep but to pass on. We give ourselves to that feeling. We sing selflessly for the audience in a way that touches all with the magic of God’s love…
The more I advance on my path as an opera singer, the more I am convinced that singing without faith may seem successful but it is bound to be ordinary because of the earthly motivation of the performer. To sing with total faith and devotion is a tough call but the result is worth it. The sound and energy can reach much further than we ever imagined. Music becomes a powerful projection of our elevated spirits. We don’t need a proof of that because we can feel it when it happens. To make such music is surely the goal of a lifetime. Our faith and dedication can transform opera from business to art of great value.
Stanislava Vajarova MA GSMD
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