Hedwig Fassbender
Blog
2. August 2023
Summer Holidays – 6 weeks of nothing?
How can I enjoy them and get confidently back in shape?
SUMMER HOLIDAYS
They are here – the summer holidays!
The exhausting season is finally over, and you can relax. I am not writing this article for the freelancers who have to/can/want to hurry to the next festival right after the end of the season, but rather for those freelancers who don’t sing in festivals and for the ensemble members who have holidays like ordinary people.
With the beginning of the holidays, the evil questions already loom in your mind:
„How do I get back in shape afterwards?“
„What if the voice is completely gone after vacation?“
„How do I get back into singing?“
First, just keep your (singing) mouth shut for two to three weeks and think of something else– that’s the best thing to happen to your voice and mind!
Remember the anecdote in the interview with the smoking diva: the reporter: „But isn’t smoking dangerous for the voice?“ – the star: „My dear, singing is much more dangerous for the voice“. Unfortunately, I don’t remember who the lady was, but she was certainly right!
A good break is essential!
After the holidays
Get back into it slowly:
Warm up properly first, then start with shorter, easy pieces, like songs.
On the first day, sing for only half an hour and not the heavy Wagner/Verdi/Strauss from before the holidays, even if the temptation is great because, after the break, the high notes are usually rather effortless.
On the second day, 45 min; on the third day, one hour, then one and a half, and gradually your voice and body get going again.
Then you can/could benefit from the time when you can practise without running to the next rehearsal.
You have time to dedicate to technical questions:
Trills (whole tone and half tone trills): start with alternating tones, i.e. eighth notes, triplets, sixteenth notes, and then trill. A trill means fixing the larynx on a rather „firm“ breath contact. When it works, it’s a somewhat „freaky“ feeling. You have to try it until it works, just like you did as a child when practising the rolled Rrrrrrrr: keep trying; eventually, it will work.
Messa di voce: crescendo and decrescendo – remember: pianissimo needs more support than forte.
Chromatic scales: (if you have more than 12 notes in an octave, something is wrong đ Keep practising, divide into groups of 3, 4 or 6 and check on the piano: there are either three augmented thirds or four minor thirds or six whole notes). Don’t give up:)
Portamento: Sing a note in a healthy mezzo-forte, start a diminuendo and at the very end of the diminuendo, „carry“ your voice to a tone a fifth lower.
You have time to look for new roles and try them out.
The advantage of trying out in your free time: If you make yourself tired singing during the holidays, you can take a break and don’t have to go straight back to the next rehearsal. To find new repertoire, you can search for yourself or check singers‘ information who sang your Fach to see what was on their repertoire list when they were your age – websites, backs of CDs etc.
Some competitions give good repertoire lists where you can get ideas, like Belvedere, Neue Stimmen…
Also, the good old (and newly revised) Kloiber offers an extensive list of roles in the appendix – you don’t have to take the Fach specifications always 100% seriously, but the opera contracts don’t do that either anymore đ
In the meantime, this „piece of gold“ is also available as a pdf, at least at „Weltbild“ – good holiday reading!
And now: have a nice holiday!
– Do things you haven’t done yet
– Eat things you don’t know yet
– Speak a foreign language – if you can’t speak it well – you’ll always learn something.
Or do NOTHING, as long as you can stand it,
whatever you decide – have fun!
See you soon,
hedwig
YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THE NEXT BLOG POST? CLICK HERE
22. Juli 2023
New Blogpost: ENVY – a very sensitive subject
10. Mai 2023
Workshops May – June
25. MĂ€rz 2023
Marking or Singing out?
New Blogpost
27. Februar 2023
Newsletter – keinen Blog mehr verpassen – don’t miss a new blogpost:))
Finally we made it - you can automatically receive a message, when a new Blog pops up:)
https://www.hedwig-fassbender.de/newsletter/
5. Februar 2023
WORKSHOPS IN FEBRUARY
3 workshops and a new format of masterclass
The workshops in February are with my beloved Opera Studios in the houses of Paris, ZĂŒrich and Frankfurt. AND there will be a new format by exzellenz labor oper: a RETREAT for singers 35+, which I give together with agent and ex-singer RenĂ© Massis and Conductor and rĂ©pĂ©titeur Björn Huestege. Alina Shevchenko will be our course- accompanist.
15. Januar 2023
NEW YEAR – NEW START
In January 2023, I can work with three of the Studios which I visit regularly
1. Dezember 2022
Workshops November / December
For the last two months of the year, I have the pleasure to work with those studios which I visit regularly. It is a great pleasure to see the young singers again and continuously help them.
19. November 2022
Blog Post Update
13. November 2022
New Blog Post
8. Oktober 2022
BLOG: QualitÀt / Quality
Wie erhalte ich meine sÀngerische QualitÀt?
How can we maintain our quality?
6. Oktober 2022
Workshops in October
OperAvenir Theater Basel
(abgesagt wegen Grippe)
Hochschule fĂŒr Musik und Theater Hamburg
20. September 2022
New Masterclass!
click on the photo for further information!
4. September 2022
WORKSHOPS SEPTEMBER
Photo: Daniel Blattmann
29. Juli 2022
NEW BLOGPOST – NEUER BLOGBEITRAG
...some thoughts about the summerholidays - ein paar Gedanken zu den Sommerferien
1. Juni 2022
Vocal Coaching/Korrepetition, das mögliche Dilemma / Vocal Coaching/“Korrepetition“, the possible dilemma
Korrepetition und Gesangsunterricht / Vocal Coaching and Voice lessons
Dieser Blogbeitrag widmet sich der delikaten Situation, in die SÀnger:innen geraten können, wenn sie mit Korrepetitor:innen arbeiten, die nicht nur musikalische Arbeit machen, sondern auch gesangstechnische Hilfestellungen leisten möchten.
This blog post is dedicated to the delicate situation that singers can find themselves in when working with accompanists who not only want to do musical work but also provide technical assistance. Â
24. Mai 2022
Podcast: Coaching, Mentoring…
Was ist eigentlich der Unterschied zwischen Coaching und Mentoring und wie finde ich die richtige Person? Podcast mit den wundervollen Frauen von "Der Marktstand", Susanne Petridis und Frauke Meyer:
6. Mai 2022
WORKSHOPS Mai/June 2022
Neue Einladung: Staatsoper Stuttgart:)
23. MĂ€rz 2022
Workshops March/April 2022
12. Februar 2022
Workshops in February
Februar – Workshops / Workshops in February:
National Opera Studio Opera Narodowa Warsaw (cancelled due to COVID 19)
30. Januar 2022
IMPFUNG – VACCINATION
Keine Impfung – kein Unterricht
No Vaccination – no Lesson
Ich bitte um VerstĂ€ndnis dafĂŒr, dass ich keine SĂ€nger:innen unterrichte, die nicht vollstĂ€ndig geimpft sind!
Please understand that I will not teach singers who are not completely vaccinated, thank you!
3. Januar 2022
My January
the New Year starts with my favourite professional activities: Coaching to help colleagues into a better situation and Teaching young musicians in Opera Studios
6. Dezember 2021
Workshops in December 2021
4. November 2021
November
My November is a little bit calmer than the months before. I get to work with the IOS ZĂŒrich before going back to Warsaw in the beginning of December. In the meantime, there is a lot of work to do for krea[K]tiv and for the agencies who have also started to work together for fairer conditions for the artists. Then, there is the preparation for the new edition of exzellenz labor oper . So I won’t be bored:)
4. November 2021
Neuer Blog-Beitrag
Die Sache mit den Agenturen gibt es jetzt auch endlich auf deutsch.
(klick drauf zum Lesen)
The English version is hereÂ
10. September 2021
KURSE IM SEPTEMBER
10. September 2021
exzellenz labor oper 2021
Photo: Daniel Blattmann
2. Juli 2021
PODCAST on Spotify
in German only: zu Gast bei LeĂłn Dreher: ĂŒber Hochschule, SĂ€ngerleben, vieles mehr und die Notwendigkeit der Vernetzung!
Here is the latest podcast of @careers of classical musicians on spotify:
19. Juni 2021
Noch ein Meisterkurs:
25. Mai 2021
New Blog-Post
Have you also started to drink too much during COVID?
9. Mai 2021
Workshops May/June
I feel very privileged to continue my workshops/masterclasses and offering help to young operasingers in „my“ Opera Studios, being finally able to go back to Warsaw, and start a new adventure in Brixen with the www.brixenclassics.com.
9. April 2021
Workshops im April
There was the Easter Break, so only two Opera-Studio-Workshops this month:
IOS and OperAvenir
8. MĂ€rz 2021
MARCH 2021
24. Februar 2021
Meisterkurs Landestheater Detmold
23.-26. Februar 2021
Im schönen grĂŒnen Detmold fĂŒhlt sich Arbeiten wie Urlaub an. Und die Arbeit mit dem Opernstudio und den Ensemble-Mitgliedern ist eine Freude!
18. Februar 2021
krea[K]tiv geht online! (einfach aufs Bild klicken)
6. Februar 2021
Meisterkurs Opernstudio Frankfurt
9./10. Februar 2021
Der erste workshop mit dem Opernstudio Frankfurt 2021. Danke an die Oper Frankfurt, dass sie den workshop live ermöglicht und den jungen SĂ€ngern damit ein wenig NormalitĂ€t zurĂŒckgibt!
3. Februar 2021
online-workshop IOS ZĂŒrich
February 1 – 3
This month’s workshop has to be held online – we sure hope to meet in person soon again. Thank you Opernhaus ZĂŒrich, for making it possible!
28. Januar 2021
Masterclass Académie Opéra de Paris
January 25 – 28, 2021
Happy to be able to work with the wonderful singers of l’AcadĂ©mie and very grateful for the Bastille-Opera to make it possible to work during this pandemic. This gives back a little bit of normality to the life of the young artists.
28. Januar 2021
Meisterkurs OperAvenir Basel
14./15. Januar 2021
Schön, das Jahr mit einem geschÀtzten Musiker-Kollegen zu beginnen!
Danke an Helio Vida fĂŒr die Einladung zum kleinen aber feinen Opernstudio am Theater Basel.
13. Dezember 2020
Neuer Blog-Beitrag / New Blog-Post
11. Dezember 2020
Meisterkurs Opernstudio Frankfurt
Last workshop of the year went to the Frankfurt Opera Studio
Ich bin sehr dankbar, dass die Oper Frankfurt den Workshop ermöglicht hat. Der ehemalige Ballettsaal ist riesig, so dass wir trotz der intensiven Arbeit genug Abstand zueinander halten konnten.
I’m very thankful to the Frankfurt Opera that we could do this workshop. The Ballet-room is huge so that we could work intensely and still keep the necessary distance to each other.
3. November 2020
Opernstudio Landestheater Detmold
9.-12. November
Zum zweiten Mal darf ich mit dem Studio und einigen Ensemble-Mitgliedern arbeiten. Ich freue mich sehr ĂŒber die Einladung ins schöne, grĂŒne und ruhige Detmold!
3. November 2020
Oct. 27/28 IOS ZĂŒrich
The second Masterclass this season for the IOS – now I know all the new singers and pianists – what a fabulous bunch of personalities!
24. September 2020
Meisterkurs Opernstudio Frankfurt
Neue Spielzeit - neue SĂ€nger; new season - new singers
24. September 2020
Masterclass IOS ZĂŒrich
September 15/16: Meeting the new members of Internationales Opernstudio ZĂŒrich - exciting!
11. September 2020
Exzellenz-Labor Gesang 2020
Many hygiene-measures had to be taken and finally we got the "GO".
We were very lucky to be able to hold EXZELLENZ-LABOR 2020.
Thank you, Jeunesses Musicales Deutschland, and thanks to my fabulous team of instructors (from left to right):
Rebecca Meitlis (Feldenkrais), AmĂ©lie Sator (style of clothing), RenĂ© Massis (French bel canto and singing technique), me (German repertoire and singing technique), Mathias Hermann (Audition training), Enrico Maria Cacciari (Italian bel canto and piano technique), Fausto Nardi (Baroque, Mozart, Recitativi and conducting), not on the photo: Petra KeĂler (Mental training), Nadja Akra (Make-up style). See you all in 2021!
31. Juli 2020
Neuer Blog-Beitrag/New Blog-Post
12. Juni 2020
Meisterkurs Opernstudio Landestheater Detmold
15. – 18. Juni 2020
Der fĂŒr Mai vorgesehene Kurs kann nun nĂ€chste Woche stattfinden. Ich freue mich sehr auf die Arbeit mit den jungen SĂ€nger*innen und SĂ€ngern des Opernstudios und des Ensembles des Detmolder Landestheaters
16. Mai 2020
Meisterkurs Schloss BĂŒckeburg abgesagt
Leider musste der Meisterkurs auf Schloss BĂŒckeburg abgesagt werden. Das Exzellenz-Labor wird stattfinden.
13. Mai 2020
Masterclass Académie Opéra de Paris
Mai 19/20/21, 2020
We will have a masterclass respecting the rules of social distancing –  I am grateful that the OpĂ©ra de Paris makes the workshop possible, and I can work with this group of talented young musicians.
10. Mai 2020
Exzellenz-Labor Gesang 2020
Despite of the CORONA-Pandemic, Exzellenz-Labor Gesang 2020 can be held as planned. Besides the founding artists Hedwig Fassbender, Fausto Nardi und René Massis (Photo), the other instructors will also be there, of course! The participants have been chosen and we are looking forward to 11 days of most intense work.
25. April 2020
ABGESAGT Meisterkurs Opernstudio Detmold
11.-14. Mai
Leider musste der Workshop mit dem Detmolder Opernstudio abgesagt werden. Wir arbeiten an einem Ersatz-Termin
25. April 2020
CANCELLED Masterclass Polish National Opera-Studio
May 5-10
Unfortunately, also the second masterclass with the Warsaw Opera Academy had to be cancelled due to COVID19. We hope for better times!
24. MĂ€rz 2020
NEW Blogpost: CORONA
20. MĂ€rz 2020
CANCELLED: Masterclass Académie Opéra national de Paris
April 20-22
The Academy is trying to find another date.
It has been quite some time ago since I had the honour to prepare the singers from the – at the time „Atelier lyrique“ for „CosĂŹ fan tutte“ during a workshop in Villecroze. I’m happy to be re-invited and eager to work with this talented group of young musicians. 2 of them came to Exzellenz-Labor Gesang before they joined the Academy: Andrea Cueva Molnar and Alexander York.
7. MĂ€rz 2020
CANCELLED: Masterclass Opera Academy Warsaw
April 2-6
It’s been almost a year that I have not been to Warsaw and I am grateful to have been re-invited. This week, Rebecca Meitlis (Feldenkrais) and RenĂ© Massis (French Repertoire) will be there with me, so it will feel like a Mini-Exzellenz-Labor.
19. Februar 2020
Meisterkurs Hochschule der KĂŒnste Bern
6./7./8. MĂ€rz
Ein dreitĂ€giger Kurs fĂŒr die Studierenden der Gesangsabteilung der Hochschule der KĂŒnste in Bern. Ich freue mich auf spannende Begegnungen!
19. Februar 2020
Masterclass IOS ZĂŒrich
February 25/26
Meeting the 13 singers and 3 pianists, young and highly motivated musicians from 13 different nations of the ZĂŒrich Opera Studio – always a pleasure and a great privilege!
3. Januar 2020
Meisterkurs Opernstudio Frankfurt
27./28. Januar 2020
I will be happy to work with the 8 young singers of the Frankfurt Opera Studio and their pianist Michal Golawski. Knowing each other enables working efficiently on what everybody needs at this specific point of her/his career. It is particularly nice to meet again two singers who attended the „Exzellenz-Labor Gesang“: Julia Moorman and Karolina Makula.
3. Januar 2020
Masterclass IOS ZĂŒrich
January 22/23 Â 2020
The first masterclass of the new decade will be with the 13 singers and 3 pianists of the ZĂŒrich Opera Studio. I feel very privileged to be able to do regular work with this highly talented and motivated group of musicians.
8. Dezember 2019
Masterclasses 2020
3. November 2019
Meisterkurs Musikhochschule Dresden
4.-6. Dezember
Hochschul-Ăffentlicher Meisterkurs fĂŒr Studierende der Fachrichtung Gesang
3. November 2019
Masterclass Opera Studio Frankfurt
December 2/3
Masterclass with the 8 singers of the Frankfurt-Opera Studio
https://oper-frankfurt.de/de/ensemble-gaeste-teams/opernstudio/
3. November 2019
Masterclass IOS ZĂŒrich
27./28. November 2019
Meisterkurs mit den 12 SĂ€nger*Innen und 3 Pianisten des Opernstudios der ZĂŒricher Oper.
https://www.opernhaus.ch/ueber-uns/opernhaus-zuerich/internationales-opernstudio/
16. September 2019
Lied und Lyrik im Goethehaus Frankfurt / Hugo v. Hofmannsthal (Rezitation)
13. November 2019
16. September 2019
Meisterklasse International Opera Studio (IOS) ZĂŒrich
15./16. Oktober 2019
16. September 2019
Paula-Salomon-Lindberg-Wettbewerb, Berlin / Jury
9. - 12. Oktober 2019
16. September 2019
Lied und Lyrik im Goethehaus Frankfurt / KĂŒnstlerische Leitung
25. September 2019
16. August 2019
Meisterklasse International Opera Studio (IOS) ZĂŒrich
5./6. September 2019
8. August 2019
KunstReGen
18. und 20. Juni im Titania Frankfurt
Vier KĂŒnstlerinnen, drei Sparten, drei Generationen, eine Familie.
Eine OpernsĂ€ngerin, eine Schauspielerin, eine TĂ€nzerin und eine SchĂŒlerin begegnen einander. Sie sind GroĂmutter, MĂŒtter, Töchter und Enkelin. Anhand ihrer Lebensgeschichten und Beziehungen verhandeln sie Spannungen, Konflikte, Konkurrenzsituationen und Machtkonstellationen, diskutieren den eigenen Umgang als weibliche KĂŒnstlerinnen mit der Hierarchie am Theater und fragen sich, ob KreativitĂ€t eher vererbbar oder ansteckend sei. Die Frage nach dem Kunst-Gen wird zur Basis einer Performance, in der das Publikum an Schaffen, Leben und an der Konstellation von vier Frauen aus einer kreativen Familie teilhaben kann.
