Opera Australia’s stars in the second row
Book review by Anne Sarzin
Bravo Katherine Wiles! This professional opera singer, Kiwi import and long-time member of Opera Australia’s magnificent chorus, has written an entertaining account of her career struggles and triumphs, joys and pains. Along the way, she has made lifelong friends, found inspirational mentors—including Julie Andrews—and, in turn, has shared her knowledge and skills with the younger generation of aspiring opera singers.
Katherine’s book, No Autographs, please! A backstage pass to life in the chorus—The stars who take their bow from the second row, should be required reading for all young opera singers who graduate with high hopes and then seek, often in vain, for principal roles in opera houses around the world, only to discover the cut-throat competitive industry they’ve entered. And should they be so lucky as operatic freelancers as to gain entrée to this rarefied world, their contracts are often for brief periods of time. There are harsh realities, such as financial stress, the challenge of marketing oneself, the countless auditions, the highs and lows that come with the territory. Forever seeking the next job takes its toll physically and emotionally. Katherine has been there, especially in the early days of her career. Her memoir, which traces her professional trajectory across the decades, provides a clear and insightful evaluation of pragmatic career options for opera singers, which should be a real boon for young graduates unaware of the multiple choices out there.
Throughout the book, there is an overwhelming sense of her gratitude for the permanent income, stability and security her chorus position with Opera Australia has guaranteed. In 2007, the company offered her a two-year probationary contract and she’s been there ever since. ‘I’d bloody done it!’ Katherine writes, ‘I had finally achieved my dream of a full-time job in the industry…. I signed the contract before the ink was dry!’
Importantly, Katherine succeeds in destigmatising the role of chorus members, often viewed in the popular imagination as failed opera stars, parked in ‘The singer’s graveyard’ (the provocative title of one of the chapters), unable to secure employment in that rarefied realm populated with celebrated stars. All Opera Australia’s chorus members, in fact, must have the ability to perform principal roles. Occasionally, they are expected to understudy the principals; and often step into the limelight at a moment’s notice, confident in their own vocal skills and acting ability. To meet expectations, chorus members study intensively and have a thorough grasp of the current operatic repertoire, a knowledge of stagecraft, and an ability to sing in a range of languages such as Italian, French and, on occasion, even Russian and Czech.
This is no nine-to-five job, and in a normal opera season up to six operas can be in rehearsal at any one time. The journey from page to stage is rigorous and demanding, never more so than when a chorus member auditions and gets a solo role that might mean, eventually, becoming a principal singer. Younger singers are constantly coming up through the ranks, and this poses a realistic threat to older members of the chorus. Katherine states, ‘It can be a very ageist industry, especially for women…and there is a real fear that you’ll be knocked off your perch. I know it shouldn’t be like this, but it is.’ She also highlights the gender imbalance, ‘There just seems to be more men of a senior age in opera choruses than there are women in the same age bracket, and I would like to see this change.’
Katherine often wonders if being a chorister has made her a better principal, or whether it’s the other way around. The chorus has built her stamina, helped her adapt to any situation or musical genre, reduced vocal fatigue and instilled confidence in her, knowing she can master a variety of characters and get through tough performances. ‘Many of us have been in the industry for many years. We know how to make it work.’
This book teems with insights into personalities we all imagine we know, from Dame Julie Andrews and Sigrid Thornton to Todd McKenney and Jonas Kaufmann. There is a chapter on Katherine’s immersion in musical theatre, cast as Lady Boxington in Opera Australia’s 2016 production of My Fair Lady. Used to rehearsing and performing up to five operas at any one time, Katherine welcomed the break to focus on one score only. ‘Maybe I just really needed a break from opera,’ she concedes. Nonetheless, after the show’s run ended, she returned very happily to her opera family, ‘the place where I truly belong.’
Katherine concludes that she has stood in front of more closed doors than open ones and that her journey has been challenging, ‘But it also taught me resilience and belief in myself…. Finding Opera Australia has been a reward far greater than I ever thought possible.’ Fortunately, operagoers will still see and hear Katherine for the foreseeable future. As she says, ‘I’m not ready to hang up my corset just yet.’ Her honest, light-hearted yet perceptive memoir will appeal to opera lovers, students, singers of all types and ages, and general readers intrigued by what happens on-stage, backstage and off-stage.
No Autographs, Please! A backstage pass in the chorus—the stars who take their bow from the second row
Katherine Wiles
Echo Publishing 2024
