Elise Mark & Marcelle McGuirk

Shows

My So-Called Opera LifeFear, Visibility, & Finding Your Why!Our conversation on this episode kicks off talking about an essay from David Taylor’s ‘The Future of Classical Music’. In the essay, David asks why the CEOs/heads of classical music organizations aren’t visible the way CEOs are in the business world? It’s a provocative question that kicks off a conversation between Elise and Marcelle about fear. We often see fear leading the way at every level of our industry, which directly impacts visibility, for artists, administrators, and organizations. How do we work with the very real fears we often face, and move forward...2023-04-0300 min

My So-Called Opera LifeConnection Through Collaboration w/ Elise & MarcelleYoung opera singers are often advised to “make your own opportunities,” especially while getting their careers established. But what does that actually mean and how do you do that? Elise and Marcelle talk about the importance that collaborations have had in their paths so far, get into the nitty gritty of how they made their most recent collabs happen, and unpack some of the shame that still lurks beneath the surface of deciding to self-produce. We’d love to know your thoughts about collaborating and whether it's been an empowering experience like it has been for us...2023-03-1700 min

My So-Called Opera LifeOpera is Making a Comeback… Thanks to TikTok?! 🧐Elise and Marcelle share the mic today to discuss a recent BBC Article, ‘Gen Z and young millennials’ surprising new obsession’. Spoiler alert: it’s classical music! 🥳 The real surprise is the vehicle supporting this “new obsession”: social media platforms. We take a deep dive on today’s episode into the article’s revelations and share our own relationships with social media, how it supports (or hinders) our artistic lives, and how we find connection in online spaces. We also share some tips and tricks that we’ve learned along the way on how to use soci...2023-02-0600 min

My So-Called Opera LifeBehind the Microphone w/ Singer & Voice Actor Nadia Marshall 🎙️💃🏻We are so excited to welcome fellow singer and voice-over artist, Nadia Marshall (she/her/hers), to the podcast! Nadia recounts for us how voice acting went from being a simple suggestion from a colleague into being a correlating career. Her story is full of practical advice on how to get started, and her commitment to creating a professional, consistent brand for her work is inspiring to say the least! Most interesting is how her work in voice acting has worked to help her feel more grounded in and connected to her work as a s...2023-01-2100 min

My So-Called Opera LifeCatching Up with Your Fav Hosts, Elise & Marcelle 😘You asked for more of us chatting on the podcast and we listened! Marcelle and Elise share some updates about what they’ve been up to since we wrapped on Season 3 and also give their takes on the current news in the opera world. They talk about: Dealing with sickness & self-compassion in this mid-COVID gig life An update on the app fee sitch with some data from the incredible folks at the Soloist Collective for Emerging Artists Our thoughts on the Opera America listserv debacle What’s up in our correlating careers? Learn more about Marcel...2022-12-0200 min

My So-Called Opera LifeThe Creative Vision Behind Jennie Moser’s New Tool- StagetimeSeason Four! Let’s Gooooooo! We’re back and so excited to kick off the new season with Jennie Moser, the creative mind behind Stagetime! As a singer herself, Jennie was often frustrated with how networking tools like LinkedIn don’t quite serve a freelancer’s needs, and saw how her colleagues struggled with their DIY websites. Having a background in design, she saw those challenges and decided to do something to meet those needs, and thus Stagetime was born! Jennie shares with us her journey as she’s bringing Stagetime to life, the underly...2022-11-1800 min

My So-Called Opera LifeCaring for Your Vocal Health with Erin Donahue, Voice Pathologist & Singing Voice SpecialistToday we welcome a very special guest to the podcast: Erin Nicole Donahue, BM, MA, CCC-SLP, Voice Pathologist & Singing Voice Specialist. Erin is a voice pathologist and singing voice specialist at the Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis and Rehabilitation (BBIVAR - in Dayton, OH) and the Professional Voice Center of Greater Cincinnati (ProVoice Center). She also works as the Clinic Manager for both Voice Centers. [Scroll down for her whole Bio!] She talks with us about all things related to vocal health: What a visit to the ENT to get scoped/strobed is...2021-12-3000 min

My So-Called Opera LifeKeeping Collaboration Real with Bea Goodwin & Felix JarrarWe are so thrilled to welcome two amazing creators to the podcast today! They are incredible artists in their own right, but also make a dream composer/librettist team! Bea Goodwin is a librettist and director, and Felix Jarrar is a pianist and a very prolific composer. They both wear many hats as producers, coaches… you name it, they do it! Our conversation with them is so rich with priceless information: About Collaboration being the operative word in crafting your careerHow to find collaborative partners and keep themInsight on commissioning new worksHow to collaborate in...2021-12-2000 min

My So-Called Opera LifeMarketing the Modern Opera Singer with Daniel WelchWe are so glad to continue our third season with this incredible conversation with Daniel Welch of Ideodyssey, New Classical Artist Management (NCAM) and the Opera Biz Podcast. Daniel is a multi-passionate mover and shaker in the opera industry, who is looking to marry modern marketing techniques to the opera biz! He shares his story of being an opera singer entrepreneur with us, as well as the foundational ideas behind his strategies, and how he plans to make a positive impact on singers’ careers and the industry at large. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation and...2021-10-0100 min

My So-Called Opera Life✨Mid-Season Update!✨Hello podcast listeners! Here's a quick update from us about the short hiatus that we are on at the moment. Marcelle needs to go in for some vocal surgery which will prevent us from recording for a short while. In the update, she fills us in on how she's feeling and what's going on, and we talk about our tentative plans for the rest of Season 3! Please join us in wishing Marcelle a speedy and easy recovery and we look forward to getting new content in your feed soon! In the meantime, feel...2021-07-1900 min

My So-Called Opera Life✨Mid-Season Update!✨Hello podcast listeners! Here’s a quick update from us about the short hiatus that we are on at the moment. Marcelle needs to go in for some vocal surgery which will prevent us from recording for a short while. In the update, she fills us in on how she’s feeling and what’s going on, and...2021-07-1900 min

My So-Called Opera LifeEnvisioning an Equitable Future in Opera w/ Veronica Chapman-SmithWe are honored to welcome Veronica Chapman-Smith to the podcast today! Veronica is a Philly-based singer, who is a member of the Opera Philadelphia chorus and is also their Vice President of Community Initiatives. Veronica shares with us her thoughts on what building an equitable future in opera might look like. (Please note: Veronica joins us on this episode in a personal capacity and not as a spokesperson for Opera Philadelphia.) We discuss: Cultivating community by creating spaces of belongingThe importance of self-reflection and awareness as a foundation when working for institutional changeThe challenges...2021-06-2900 min

My So-Called Opera LifeIntentional & Brave Stagecraft w/ Directors Brandon McShaffrey & Rose FreemanWe are SO delighted to share our interview with directors Brandon McShaffrey (he/they) and Rose Freeman (zie/zir)! Brandon and Rose share their thoughts with us about all things acting and stagecraft: What it means to be a Citizen ArtistHow to cultivate an intentional and brave rehearsal spaceWhy it's important to be a self-advocate They also offer their practical advice on the importance of creating pre- and post-performance rituals, of being able to show up authentically as yourself, and of knowing the “whys” of your characters. This interview is filled with lots of l...2021-06-0400 min

My So-Called Opera LifeCultivating “Op Culture” with OSSIA: Op[era] Culture🧑🏼‍🎤We are so excited for today’s conversation with Patricia Westley and Joseph Lattanzi of OSSIA! Patricia and Joseph are two of the founding members of OSSIA: Op[era] Culture, a new media production company, consulting firm, and think tank committed to providing an alternate way to enjoy opera. They talk with us about how OSSIA is trying to cultivate opera culture that is inspired by pop culture, and why they believe that this approach could change the way we experience opera, as singers and audiences alike. Their mission and their approach are so...2021-05-2100 min

My So-Called Opera LifeCreating a Multi-Faceted Career with Zachary James💎CW: there is mention of abuse/sexual assault in this episode. On today’s episode, we are thrilled to welcome bass Zachary James to the podcast! Zach is living the epitome of a multi-faceted career, with credits that include singing at the Metropolitan Opera and on Broadway, acting for film and television, as well as self-producing a visual album, CALL OUT, during the pandemic! He sits down with us for some real talk about finding your voice as an artist, how that helps him to cultivate the different avenues to practice his craft, an...2021-05-0800 min

My So-Called Opera LifeFinding Your Path with Tracy Friedlander of 'Crushing Classical'We are so delighted to have one of our favorite podcasters on today’s episode – Tracy Friedlander of Crushing Classical! Tracy shares her amazing story with us: how she started her podcast to learn more about the musicians she saw forging their own way in the classical music world, how interviewing them helped her to...2021-04-2300 min

My So-Called Opera LifeFinding Your Path with Tracy Friedlander of 'Crushing Classical'We are so delighted to have one of our favorite podcasters on today’s episode - Tracy Friedlander of Crushing Classical! Tracy shares her amazing story with us: how she started her podcast to learn more about the musicians she saw forging their own way in the classical music world, how interviewing them helped her to explore and shift the way she approached her own career, and how she’s now using that process to teach other musicians to boldly build a career path that works for them. Subscribe and listen to Crushing Classical wherever you...2021-04-2300 min

My So-Called Opera LifeRedefining Opera with Helios OperaToday we are so excited to welcome onto the show two incredible women making change happen in the opera industry- Adrienne Boris and Théodora Cottarel from Helios Opera! Théodora and Adrienne are co-founders of Helios Opera along with Julien Rohel and Rebecca Miller. They founded Helios Opera on the foundation of three core values- artist recognition, quality opera, and social responsibility. They dig into what those values mean to them and how it influences their artistic choice. They also speak about how they’ve formed Helios to be a business-minded company, and the ways...2021-04-0900 min

My So-Called Opera LifeBuilding Community w/ Jordan Weatherston Pitts (aka YAC Mom 💖 )We are so excited to kick off Season 3 with an interview with the incredible Jordan Weatherston Pitts! Jordan is a tenor and the creator of the Young Artist Community Tracker or YAC Tracker. He started the community in 2018, and it’s current iteration on Facebook now has over 3,000 members. Jordan is a passionate advocate for transparency in the young artist community and he talks with us about his journey to cultivate a safe space for other young artists, being “YAC Mom,” and his future plans for the community. Check him out and learn more ab...2021-03-2600 min

My So-Called Opera Life🎉 Season 2 Finale 🎉In the Season 2 Finale, Elise and Marcelle reflect on the twists and turns of creating a podcast during a global pandemic. They share how working on this season has changed their thoughts on the industry, helped them to more clearly find their voices, and reaffirmed their commitment to advocating for all singers. Finally, they close out the season with the first ever My So-Called Opera Life Awards. Cue up the drum roll as they reveal the nominees and winners from the Instagram polls! Many thanks this season go to our incredible guests, our amazing sponsors...2020-10-2600 min

My So-Called Opera LifeCreating a Kick*ss Personal Brand with Tara PrioloBranding. We’re all supposed to do it, especially with our work being pushed mostly into the digital realm. 💻 Many of us don’t know how to create a brand. Many of us hate the idea of it because it feels fake or pushy or too “sales-y.” Others, however, seem to find that perfect balance of business and self, and their branding feels personal and authentic, while also serving their business needs. To learn how to find that balance for ourselves, we spoke with Tara Priolo, a Singer, Activist, Teacher, and Coach, who...2020-09-2200 min

My So-Called Opera LifeWe Are Stronger Together with the AGMA Soloist Coalition 🤝 💪“Opera singers need a better (or a new) union.” It’s a phrase that we know we’ve heard -- or let’s be real, said ourselves-- many times over the course of countless conversations about what’s f-ed up in our industry. Insufficient (or no) wages. Unsafe or unhealthy work environments. Exploitative and abusive practices. No health care. Those are just the tip of the iceberg, and what is a lonely solo artist to do about huge, systemic problems? Fortunately, we’re not alone in our concerns, and there are singers joinin...2020-08-3100 min

My So-Called Opera LifeWe Are Stronger Together with the AGMA Soloist Coalition 🤝 💪“Opera singers need a better (or a new) union.” It’s a phrase that we know we’ve heard — or let’s be real, said ourselves– many times over the course of countless conversations about what’s f-ed up in our industry. Insufficient (or no) wages.Unsafe or unhealthy work environments.Exploitative and abusive practices.No health care. Those are just...2020-08-3100 min

My So-Called Opera LifeWhat if Audition Season is a Sh*tty Infinity Scarf?Elise and Marcelle are back on their own this week, and the TEA IS HOT. ☕️ As an industry, we’re facing a delayed audition season, and one that looks like it may be mostly virtual as per the Houston Grand Opera audition announcement (NOTE: in the episode, we incorrectly refer to this as a post on YAP Tracker. YAP Tracker only shared the press release from HGO). However, the real question for us is: will it be worth it? Oh, and what if we have all been hiding behind the audition season this whole time instead...2020-08-1000 min

My So-Called Opera LifeOpera Diaries, Part 1: Chantal Freeman on Finding ValidationToday we begin a new mini-series on the podcast, Opera Diaries, in which we will share first-person accounts from individual artists about their journeys, both professional and personal, in the operatic industry. Our first story comes from soprano Chantal Freeman, who shares with us her path as it relates to validation. Validation is a tricky thing in this business, and Chantal speaks honestly and eloquently to how she has moved through different stages of dealing with it in the context of her academic and operatic career. Her story is uplifting and her message is one that should b...2020-07-2000 min

My So-Called Opera LifeContent Creation in the Time of COVID with Matthew Maisano (aka the FAB drag queen✨Balena Canto✨)🏳️‍🌈 Happy Pride! 🏳️‍🌈 On today’s show we sit down with the fabulous baritone Matthew Maisano to talk about his parallel career as the enchanting drag queen known as Balena Canto. During quarantine, Matthew and Balena have been incredibly active, exploring different ways to produce online concerts, contests, and drag shows. He shares with us some of the creative solutions he’s found to make the online performance experience fun and artistically rewarding. Follow Matt/Balena on Instagram Follow Balena Canto on Facebook We also bookend the interview with our personal reflections abou...2020-06-2600 min

My So-Called Opera LifeDemystifying Management with Stratagem Artists 🧐“Do you have a manager yet?” In opera, we’re often led to believe that management is the Holy Grail, the sign that you’ve “made it” as a singer. Yet, we’re all mystified by the process: How do you get a manager? What does a manager do? How do you know when you’re ready for management? Today we sit down with Justin Werner and Zoey Preston of Stratagem Artists, who pull back the curtain with honest, realistic answers to our questions. They share insight on what good management should look like, why sometim...2020-05-2300 min

My So-Called Opera LifePersonal Growth & Mental Wellness with Dr. Glenn Doyle 🩺As quarantine drags on, we’re faced with a lot of questions as artists and as people: What do I do now that my work is on hold? Who am I when my daily patterns are interrupted? How do I navigate relationships when anxious and stressed out? We are joined by Dr. Glenn Doyle, a licensed psychologist, as we work through these questions. He helps us to explore some underlying beliefs that might be sabotaging us and lays out a path to help us find healthier relationships with ourselves, with our work, and with others. Le...2020-05-1100 min

My So-Called Opera LifeAnthony Barrese of Opera SouthwestOn today’s show we talk to conductor Anthony Barrese, who is the artistic director at Opera Southwest and the music director at OperaDelaware. From the other side of the orchestra pit, he shares his thoughts with us on application fees, audition strategies for singers, and why he sometimes only accepts baked goods as payment for coachings. He also speaks about his committment to making sure that his young artist program serves not only the company, but also the educational and career goals of the singers they hire. And have we mentioned his amaz...2020-04-2400 min

My So-Called Opera LifeZach Finkelstein on the #operalife during and after COVIDSeason two begins NOW and we’re hot off the presses in our first episode, talking to Zach Finkelstein, a tenor, a research analyst, and the independent journalist behind the Middle Class Artist blog. He is passionate about arts advocacy for singers, and he’s been on the frontline of reporting just how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting classical singers (spoiler alert: it’s a dumpster 🔥). We chat with him about a number of his recent articles: how many arts organizations are failing their artists, how others are standing apart from that crowd (and we ❤️ them for it...2020-04-1100 min

My So-Called Opera LifeBONUS EPISODE: COVID 😷 Part 210 days later…. And all sense of time has evaporated. 🤔 We check back in with each other after Philadelphia’s “stay-at-home” protocol goes into effect to talk about how things have changed professionally, personally, and emotionally. We also announce the release of the first episode of Season 2: April 10th! 🎉 We talk about how much community is the key to feeling connected and supported during quarantine and share how we’ve been creating that for ourselves and others. And we want to know, how are you coping? What creative things (or not) have you been up to wh...2020-03-3000 min

My So-Called Opera LifeBONUS EPISODE: COVID 😷 Part 1We’re back and podcasting in the time of COVID! First up on this bonus episode, we share some updates for the podcast! Most importantly, Season 2 is COMING SOON! We’re so excited to be recording again and we can’t wait to share the new episodes with you all. A release date for our first episode will be announced shortly!Our website is newly re-designed and LIVE!Also, Our Patreon is Live! If you’d like to financially support the show, click through to find out how! Also, we mostly talk about what is on every...2020-03-3000 min

My So-Called Opera Life💃🏼 Season One Finale 💃🏻To celebrate the completion of our first season, we invited some opera singer friends to join us for drinks and conversation around some of this season’s topics. We were curious to hear other viewpoints on the opera business and to have a little fun, too! We dig back into rejection, application fees, creating community, and share our personal experiences of the “opera life.” A big thank you to everyone who has listened so far and supported us! We couldn’t do this without you! You’ll hear the voices of: Elise Mark...2019-12-141h 22

My So-Called Opera LifeJessica Fishenfeld Keeps Opera 'Alive & Kicking' 🏋🏼‍♀️💪On today’s show we interview Jessica Fishenfeld, a soprano who isn’t afraid to make things happen! In addition to building her career in opera, she has a branded parallel career in personal training -- JecaFit -- where she helps clients to discover and achieve their own health and fitness goals. If that wasn’t enough, she works to create community and support for her fellow singers through her ARIA SLAMS and she also produces a web series called “Alive & Kicking,” which aims to expose new audiences to modern opera through fun, bite-sized videos. Jessica ha...2019-11-3054 min

My So-Called Opera LifeHacking the Side Hustle🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏾‍♀️Day Job. Parallel Career. Side Hustle. As creatives, we’ve all heard about them and probably have had one (or many). However, we can often be made to feel like we’re not serious about our art if we have to take a day job. A successful singer should be able to make a living only with her art, right? Wrong. In today’s episode we talk about the stigma around having a day job, share ideas about how to make your day job work for your singing career, and get real as...2019-11-1731 min

My So-Called Opera LifeGetting After Those #DivaGoals 🙌🏻Sometimes our dreams can seem impossible to achieve. Sometimes we’re working hard to achieve them and we’re still feeling like we’re just running in place. So, how do we get off the treadmill and actually join the race? We pull back the curtain in today’s episode and reveal the nitty-gritty of our daily routines. Prepare for a deep dive into planners, scheduling, and our favorite tools for effective time management! We also zoom out to take a look at our larger, long-term goals, specifically to talk about how goal setting can be a mea...2019-11-0131 min

My So-Called Opera LifeBonus Episode: Revising the YAP ProcessNot ones to feel defeated by rejection, Marcelle and Elise have a candid conversation about the problems with the current YAP application process and share their ideas for how it can be revised. Opera America's Guide to Choosing a YAP Are you someone on the other side of the table (admin, artistic director, etc.)? We’d love to hear your perspective and highlight any ways your company is trying to improve the application/audition process. If you’re interested in speaking with us, please send us an email: info@mysocalledoperalife.com Music "Bas...2019-10-2620 min

My So-Called Opera LifeRethinking RejectionAudition season can be an exciting time of year, but it also comes with a lot of rejection. And let’s face it, while rejection in any form sucks, somehow form-letter rejections (aka PFOs) double suck. 😩 So let's get down and dirty about REJECTION: (00:50) What is a PFO anyway? (02:25) The many forms of a PFO (yes, there are many... not all are bad) and how to read between the lines! (05:25) Waitlisted? Now what? (06:38) To crash or not crash an audition, that is the question…? 🤔 (09:38) Woah, they told me never t...2019-10-2035 min

My So-Called Opera LifeKristen Seikaly of OperaversityKristen Seikaly is a blogger, content writer, and creative writer. She also happens to be an ex-opera singer. She’s got a MM from Westminster Choir College in Voice Performance and Pedagogy and has performed in venues such as the Kimmel Center and Academy of Music, and has participated in operatic productions with companies such as Opera Philadelphia and Princeton Opera Alliance. In short, until only a couple of years ago, she was on the path of building a career in music and opera. 🎉 Until she decided to QUIT. 😮 On this week’s episode she...2019-10-1234 min

My So-Called Opera LifeRock Your Recordings!The hardest part of audition season can be making those pesky pre-screening recordings! How good does the audio have to be? Do they need to see my shoes? Should I spend hundreds of dollars on them? Short answers: good enough that it sounds like you; yes, if they’re fab; and NO. On this episode, we give you the down and dirty on how to use the equipment you already have (aka your smartphone) to get you good quality DIY recordings! Marcelle shares tips she learned from Ney Mello (during a masterclass given at the Russian Opera Wo...2019-09-2823 min

My So-Called Opera LifeEugenia Forteza of 360 of OperaOn today’s episode we chat with the amazing Eugenia Forteza! In addition to being a fabulous soprano, Eugenia runs 360 of Opera, a blog where she highlights the many facets of the opera world. She’s passionate about sharing her love of the art form, but also works to prioritize her own artistic voice and dreams. She gives us the deets on digital marketing, tips on how to be a great colleague as well as a great artist, and inspires us with her joyful approach to all things opera! You can follow her incredible work at the link...2019-09-1444 min

My So-Called Opera LifeEpisode 2: Do you data?Audition season is gearing up and application deadlines are fast approaching! On today’s episode we chat about how we sift through the mounds (a literal f*ckton, amirite?) of audition notices on YAP Tracker and find the opportunities that are right for us. Mostly, we geek out over the spreadsheets we use to collect audition data and talk about the benefits of being able to use that data to help make audition season go smoother! In fact, we love our spreadsheets so much, we’ve decided to share template versions of them with our listeners! Check out...2019-09-0716 min

My So-Called Opera LifeJust be YOUOn today’s episode we talk about a blog post on the Wolf Trap Opera website that addressed what singers “should” wear to an audition. It caused quite a stir in the opera community recently, though the post was a few years old. We, too, had some strong reactions to the post and discuss the problems of size-ism and sexism in the opera business. Wolf Trap Opera has since amended the post and written an apology letter to the opera community, which we also discuss. We’re grateful for Wolf Trap’s current commitment to help singers feel they...2019-08-2413 min

My So-Called Opera LifeGetting to Know You- Episode 0Welcome to the My So-called Opera Life Podcast! In today’s episode, meet our hosts, Elise and Marcelle, and learn a little about all the operatic realness to come in future episodes! They talk about their musical backgrounds and their hopes to build a supportive community for opera singers!2019-07-1912 min

My So-Called Opera LifeGetting to Know You- Episode 0Welcome to the My So-called Opera Life Podcast! In today's episode, meet our hosts, Elise and Marcelle, and learn a little about all the operatic realness to come in future episodes! They talk about their musical backgrounds and their hopes to build a supportive community for opera singers!2019-07-1912 min