And Los Angeles Opera choristers, who perform for a comparatively short season of 56 performances, can make about $18,000 to $20,000 “if they appear in every opera,” says one Los Angeles Opera chorister. Choristers at the San Francisco Opera and the Lyric Opera of Chicago make between $30,000 and $40,000 for their shorter seasons of about 80 performances, say representatives of both companies. The 80 Met choristers earn between $80,000 and $115,000 for their work during a breakneck season of more than 220 performances, which runs from August to May. Each year, open-call chorus auditions at New York’s Metropolitan Opera draw between 300 and 400 hopefuls-"whether or not there are any openings,” says Mary Meyers, a lyric soprano who’s been with the Met opera chorus for 15 seasons. So imagine how enticing an opportunity to sing opera eight months of the year, with salary and benefits, can be. In Los Angeles, classical singers also compete for studio work, commercials and voice-overs. A majority take on “giglets"-paid singing work at churches, temples and private functions. “There are a lot of singers holding down temp jobs,” says Williamson. Although a very few rarefied stars can rake in more than $25,000 per appearance, the vast majority of soloists would be ecstatic to earn that in a year. Very few classical singers can earn living wages as career soloists. Why? The stability, financial security and prestige among singers are hard to match. Despite such complaints, competition for chorus positions at America’s biggest opera companies is intense.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |