Gigs – and potential gigs – come and go, I’m learning.
I learned a tough lesson this fall, when the company that had a hold on my schedule for summer 2007 “decided to go with another artist.” Lesson learned? A hold does not a contract assure…
I was disappointed, of course, but my manager was assured that the company continues to “consider [me] for future seasons.” I did a few auditions for summer companies, but I think that by winter, most companies are fairly well cast for the upcoming summer. What I wish I had done was gone ahead and applied for the handful of programs that I would still be interested in doing at this stage of the game, programs like Ravinia or Wolf Trap. But I took a nibble of interest for granted, something that I won’t do again! I might not even mention these holds here anymore, and will certainly do my best to keep them to myself among friends and family. Until the offer is official, mum’s got to be the word…
There are a couple of opportunities in the works for the summer, not the least of which is that potential immersion program in Italy. I got information today about an audition for a very (VERY) exciting contemporary music project, and while I know I’m trying to get my opera career moving along, singing is singing! And this project is really top-notch and unlike anything I’ve done to this point. It’s an invite-only audition, so I’ve already passed one of the usual hurdles, and even just doing the audition would be a good networking opportunity.
But, again, it’s just an audition… and an audition equals a contract even less that a hold on my schedule does!
It’s also been hard over the past two months or so to watch gigs be offered to me and have to pass them up. I know, tough place to be in, but I have to constantly tell myself that these opportunities won’t stop popping up. That the companies and foundations and people will keep calling, and that somehow when they are told I’m unavailable it will make them want me more, not less. In some cases that will (hopefully) be true, and I’m sure that in others it won’t. Let’s just hope that there are more cases of the former…
1 comment:
Eugh - I hate that. I recently had a similar experience... and in the middle of my cursing, I realized that I would have to pull the same stunt on a company this year. A production that I just can't afford to do.... but I would love to work with the company again.
Funny how this business works.
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