GETTING AN AGENT AND/OR MANAGER ... continued
...
My first New York Manager ...
January, 2009
Happy New Year! I spent mine at home, in front
of the fire, talking to friends thither and yon,
rather than being a target, out on the roads,
dodging those who think it is their
responsibility to get drunk on New Year.
After being hired by Julius Rudel, for the NYCO
season, which was to start in about six weeks,
I returned to Tamiment to start rehearsing for
Saturday’s all new show. My contract came a few
days later and I had been given, three
“comprimarios” roles (virtually any singing role
in opera, not a lead). I was given Schaunard, in
La Bohème, Morales--More-or-less—in Carmen and
Count Ceprano, in Rigoletto. I made another trip
into New York, bought a portable record player
and all three opera sets and began learning the
three roles … while learning and performing a
wholly original show each week,
I
arrived in New York, having taught myself the
roles and was delighted to find that my debut
was to be, in the La Bohème. I had only sung in
two operas, previously; chorus in La Traviata,
at the Greek Theater, which got me into AGMA,
and the lead in Venus in Africa, a one act opera
by George Antheil, during my one year at the
University of Denver. While I knew my part, I
had never sung in a production on stage, in
anything other than English … so this was
different.
After about three days, of my wandering about
the stage, wondering why I couldn’t quite get a
handle on the concept of opera, the wonderful
director, Carlton Gault, took me aside and
asked, “Uh ,,, Richard … uh .. would you like to
come over to my place, tomorrow morning and talk
through your role.” Obviously, he was a tad
nervous. “Oh PLEASE,” said I. It was Saturday
morning and Carlton told me the whole story of
Bohème but, while also taking me through the
score, explaining who I was, what I was doing
there … and how to stay in my relative space,
involved in my scene … while the tenor and
soprano were busy hollerin’ at each other, on
the other side of the stage. Carlton had told me
he was born, in Marseille and he really new the
history and flavor of the period, on which I
will expand a bit further, in my forthcoming
book, “It Ain’t Just About the Voice …” He
focused me, opening me to the best that opera
has to offer; great drama/comedy set to
arguably, the worlds best music. Puccini was the
ultimate theater composer … there ain’t a wasted
note. I left his place … in a whole new place.
At the afternoon rehearsal, I owned Schaunard!
Since there was never money, for a stage dress
rehearsal, for existing productions, at NYCO, my
debut was my first time on the stage. I walked
each of my three acts before the curtain and had
the best time of my life for the rest of the
evening.
There were seven Dailies, in New York at the
time … and I got a paragraph in five of them.
Chet Ludgin, the Marcello in the Bohème
suggested that I get a manager and gave me
Ludwig Lustig, his manager. I called him and he
said, “Oh, you’re the new baritone at City
Opera.” He came to a performance and signed me
the next day.
Claramae Turner had her finger in the pot and
suggested that Dorothy Raedler see my Schaunard.
A few days later, I was told the Julius wanted
to hear me sing Giuseppe’s aria, from Gondliers,
a patter song … in three days! I’d never done a
patter song. With rehearsing seven days a week,
I still had to find the time to learn it well
enough while singing it with the score … and
tapping my foot to keep time. When I finished,
my rather mechanical rendition, Julius said, “Uh
… all right, Dick, let me here something in
English.” I knew he meant something operatic, in
English, but I didn’t know anything operatic, in
English.” I only knew four arias. So, having
spent the previous summer doing song and dance
and review work, I suggested I sing, “I Met
Girl,” from Bell Are Ringing, a bright up-tune
with a high ending. I had given my chart to Dean
Ryan, the accompanist, knowing Dean could read
ANYTHING! He spent his summers in the pit at
Kansas City Starlight Theater, as assistant
conductor. Julius said, “Well, I would prefer
something else …” and I gave him the rush, “Come
on, Julius, you’ll love it … It’s a lot of fun.”
He finally gave the nod and Dean started
pounding out the vamp … I started moving, on the
balls of my feet and let out the exuberant cry,
“Yahoooooo …” launching into the song. We tore
up the stage … At the end, Julius just turned
and walked up the aisle, but I thought I
detected a glimmer of a smile. I followed him up
to the office and asked, “Well, did you see what
you wanted, do I get the role.” And … he grinned
and nodded.
So, from my debut in September, I sang my first
leading role in a NYCO production, five months
later, with none other than the great tenor,
John Alexander. The press felt we complimented
each other well and Claramae, who was also in
the production was very happy with her protégé …
She had set up my audition, she had steered
Dorothy to me and I got my chance. In the first
twelve years of my career … Claramae was the
only person, in show biz, who ever followed
through on a promise. I learned a lot from her
integrity and grace. From the Metropolitan to
the City Opera, she was great singer and a great
lady, in all respects. She set it up … and I did
my job..
On the Agent/Management agenda … my career is
not typical. I have known leading singers who
spent years, trying to get management of any
kind, before an agent “took a chance” with them.
I took a singer, Howard Keel had sent to me,
with whom he had done “Camelot,” ten years
before. He name was Margaret (Peggy) Craig. Her
marriage had gone sour so she parked her two
kids with her mother and came to me … with a
shaky G/A flat, spending a lot of time, sleeping
in my daughters bed and eating with the family.
In a matter of six months, she was singing the
“Regnava …” from Lucia, with all of the ringing,
high D’s, in the cabaletta!
I
took her to an agent friend of mine, James
Sardos, who was auditioning some other singers,
at Townhall. She tore the roof off the place and
Jim’s comments were a luke-warm, “Yeah, she’s
all right, but she has no experience.” End of
discussion. True, Peggy only knew two arias and
was working on, “Caro nome …” but she sang them
better than most sopranos worldwide!
A
few weeks later, I called Boston Opera’s, Sarah
Cauldwell, and told her I had a soprano for her.
Sarah protested that she was “ … too busy, maybe
later …” And, that was that … until a week
later, when she called and asked, “Can that
soprano come up here and audition, tomorrow?” I
said, “Yes … if you pay her plane ticket and her
expenses.” Reluctantly, she agreed Peggy flew up
the next day with my bass/baritone, Michael
Burt. Michael sang and was hired and then, a
nervous Peggy got up to sing only her second
operatic audition of her life … and singing,
only one of the most difficult aria/cabeletta’s
in the repertoire. She tossed it off and began
to walk off the stage. Sarah stopped her with,
“Oh Dear, would you sing the ‘Caro nome?’ Peggy
hadn’t ever sung it for anyone, prior to this
and had a moment of panic, saying, “I haven’t
sung it for awhile … do you mind if I look at
the score.” She later told me she was so
nervous, she made a couple of mistakes.
When Peggy finished, she again started to walk
off the stage, when Sarah stopped her with, “O K
… you’re going to sing twelve performances of
Gilda, with Opera New England, in English. Then
you will be covering Beverly Sills for four
performances, with Boston Opera, in Italian.” …
this, for a girl who had yet to sing her first
performance with her new operatic voice! She
felt she needed a new name, so I suggested, “Leigh.” and
Peggy decided upon a family name for her surname
and became, Leigh Munro.
Lest I forget … a week after Leigh opened in
Connecticut, I drove Jim Sardos up to see her,
bought him dinner and tix for the opera. He
signed Leigh a few days later. Sarah loved her
work, and put her in every production and a few
years later … Leigh made the front page of the
Boston Herald and the Boston Globe, and the wire
services, becoming a star overnight, by stepping
for Anna Moffo … But … that’s another story.
Agent/Managers stories abound … this is but one
of them …