BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
So you’ve been to see the opera.
Maybe you were a concertgoer, taken aback by the majestic staging and tales of love and tragedy. Maybe you rocked up as a musician or singer yourself, and listened out for the quality of timbre from leading stars and chorus alike.
It doesn’t matter who you are or why you see the opera, because opera is for everyone. But not everyone knows how much work goes into the production of a show – from the rehearsals to the individual training and practice from each singer who is working hard in their part. Working to be the best they can be.
That’s why in 2018, we’re teaming up with the West Australian Opera to shed some light on what happens behind the curtain.
Rebecca Castellini is a Wesfarmers Arts Young Artist 2018. The singer made her professional West Australian Opera debut earlier this year in The Cunning Little Vixen and then performed in Carmen. Now, she’ll take the role of Zerlina in Don Giovanni – a young peasant about to be married before she’s tricked into abandoning her love.
Rebecca studied at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, and has since 2015 performed in the WAO chorus.
Tell us about Zerlina! What part does she play this opera?
Zerlina is a wonderful character to unpack, because she can be portrayed in so many different ways. Although the text and music will never change, her level of intelligence, wit, and cunning can be altered to suit the story each new singer wants to tell.
Is she just a simpleton, overwhelmed by the glorious visage of the Don? Is she an opportunist willing to take the risk to boost her status? Is she actually acting in ways to protect her husband from a notoriously selfish and sometimes violent man? I think the role serves a purpose: to make us, the audience, question the myriad motivations in our own lives and unpack the complexities that drive us to do, say, and be.
What’s your favourite memory of singing on stage?
This would have to be in my last year of university. I was performing the most challenging role I had ever tackled at that point, and I was fortunate to be surrounded by a cast of truly wonderful friends and peers. It was the first time I proved to myself, and those who had supported my journey thus far, that I was capable (despite many an emotional evening) of doing this.
It was a struggle at the time, but I look back now with a sense of pride.
What is a typical day in rehearsal like for you?
My day always starts the night before. I revise the material that will be covered in the rehearsals the following day, and triple-check any sections I am a little concerned about. I have to be my own parent and set a bedtime so I can get enough sleep before a full day. This also allows me to get up early with time to warm up the voice and centre myself before the day.
Rehearsals for West Australian Opera are held at His Majesty’s Theatre, and my day is peppered with the frustrations of trying to find the cheapest parking spot in the city. What happens in the rehearsal room can really depend on the plans the director has for that day; blocking, running through scenes, allowing time for revision of musical material, etc. It can be full of character exploration, theatrical deconstruction, or a bit of banter between colleagues.
Once time in the studio is complete, I return home, jot down notes from the day and begin revision for the next day. Rinse and repeat.
What style do you feel best suits your voice as an instrument?
I think this can come down to preference as well as a natural aptitude for a particular style. The voice can be pretty malleable so long as the core of your sound has been identified.
I enjoy dabbling in some jazz and contemporary in the shower, but prefer the complexities and challenges of classic music. I originally came to singing through musical theatre in high school and then discovered a passion for opera in university. In that way, I’d say preference has had an influence on ‘style’. However, when it comes to the Fach system in the classical singing, one requires the expert ears of coaches and vocal teachers to help identify the best path for your individual voice.
I talk more about this part of the journey in one of your later questions. But my teacher and I have been able to identify that repertoire from the realms of soubrette, and lyric coloratura is the direction my voice is set for.
What are some of the vocal warm-ups that you find are most effective or enjoyable?
I use the same ones every day. Lip trills from tonic to dominant to tonic. Arpeggios. Descending dominant to tonic on the word ‘zoo’. Ascending thirds to an ‘ooo’. Then, a mix of flexibility exercises from the Marchesi books. I always try to make sure I’ve warmed up a full two-and-half-ish octaves, even if I’m not going to use that full range.
How do you like to protect and nurture your voice throughout the week, when you’re not on stage?
Oh, this can be a hard one sometimes! While not performing or learning music, I teach at a couple of private schools in Perth. I absolutely love teaching, because you get to witness first-hand the positive affects of singing on other people (especially tiny people – they’re the best)! However, teaching requires a lot of energy and I have to make sure I am always supporting my spoken voice with the breath I’d use for singing.
Most other vocally taxing activities are easy to avoid when it’s close to a performance or a rehearsal. But I still need an income for the week, so how I teach (using my voice and my body) is crucial to maintaining vocal health.
What are some of the skills you’ve developed throughout your singing career that mightn’t be so obvious?
Of late, harmonic analysis to better understand how my part functions as separate from just being a melody I must learn.
Keeping physically fit so I can manage the demands of the stage and sing for long periods of time.
Learning to turn memorisation into different games; keep it fun, keep it light!
What has been the biggest struggle in your career and how did you push through?
For a number of years, I struggled with correctly identifying the core sound of my voice. I didn’t know what it ‘should’ sound like, so I tried to manufacture one. The results of this exercise were not good. I developed an edge, carried a lot of tension, and lacked flexibility.
For a while, this also had an impact on my creative side, because singing became a struggle for technique alone. I seemed to believe in this unspoken rule that one should know their voice inherently, which led to a rather negative inner dialogue about my future prospects in the world of opera: ‘If I can’t identify my voice, then who is going to employ me?’.
Through blind hope or stubborn tenacity, I have persisted to work through this negativity, finding teachers and coaches who have helped me to slowly but surely close that gap between knowing and not knowing.
It is still a work in progress, and that’s the chestnut of this question. I don’t think the struggles ever go away. They just change as you get better. ‘The more you know, the more you realise you don’t know!’
What advice would you give to other young singers looking to embark on their careers?
Take care of your health: physically and mentally. Your professional goals will always be waiting for you, and by taking the time to look after yourself, you will be able to enjoy the journey of artistic and creative fulfilment.
My favourite mantra at the moment is: ‘In the end, all we have left are the relationships we’ve made along the way’. So, slow down. Nourish yourself, nourish your people, and watch how these relationships help you become the best artist you can be.
Rebecca Castellini will perform in Don Giovanni with the West Australian Opera this 20-27 October.
We’re excited to team up with WAO throughout the year, so that we can give you an exclusive look into how opera works behind the curtain.
Tune in for our next interview to learn more about life as an opera performer, educator, or director!
Image supplied.
