The sun is now setting before 7 PM (19.00Uhr) and we’re losing several minutes od daylight per day. It’s getting downright chilly at night-into the 40’s (10 Celsius). Summer’s definitely over, so if you’re coming over bring those sweaters and a medium weight coat., preferably water resistant. Umbrellas are not too expensive here and even though the rain is heavier than it used to be, real downpours are still unusual. The thing about Northern European weather is the DAMP. It’s often in the 40’s and 50’s (4-10 or so) it can chill you to the bone, so bring some warm layering because you may have to shed some when the sun comes out. Weather here can also be very chanable and it’s remarkable how warm it can feel when the sun comes out. 16 C.(around 60 F) can almost feel balmy when the sun is out, and chilly when the clouds predominate. Of course it only does that to fool you so you’ll come out without rain gear and the clouds will move in and soak you! Weather apps are great but still not perfect at predicting exactly when and where the rain will fall!
The good news is that the new opera season has begun. Long running productions (Wiederaufnahme) are being flung up and this season’s premiers are being rehearsed. After all, we have to do something exciting to liven up those long dark nights.
It is especially hard these days, so go to test the waters. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: LEARN TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE. This means you’ve got to be able to hold a conversation, understand stage direction and talk with agents. US Americans are notoriously bad at speaking a “foreign” language, and English is widely spoken but to get a job in most theaters you have to be able to communicate, and English is a foreign language here.
On the practical side opera studios are now widespread. They are often merely a source of cheap labor for theaters, so check them carefully for classes, learning and performing opportunities and how singers do after they’ve left the studio. A private agent tole me that singers should not assume that every important theater has a good studio, and an agent in the government run ZAV pointed out that singers who start in studio then might go on to get an Anfänger Vertrag (beginners contract for two years with low pay and little choice of roles. The practical result of this, the agent said, is that singers don’t earn decent money until they’re in their mid 30’s. Besides the years of scrimping, this also means that if they stay in Germany long enough their retirement benefits will be much lower.
This is why singers these days should also consider working in an opera chorus. One of our success stories started out as a substitute, got a permanent position and now is a soloist singing major roles. It is possible and you learn the ropes and get real opera experience. You also build a better retirement income from a young age. Opera chorus’ work hard but have lots of union and contractual protection. If you’re not in the top tier programs and don’t have a top agent you might consider this.
The point is: it was never easy, but it’s especially hard these days. Covid, or Corona Zeiten as they call it here. changed things a lot, and music schools here and all over are pumping out singers all the time.