BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Since she graduated from the University of Melbourne with degrees in music performance, Siobhan Stagg has experienced an explosive international career. The Australian soprano joined the Deutsche Oper Berlin as a young artist in 2013-14, and has gone on to perform debuts right across Europe with the Hamburg and Berlin state operas, Salzburg Festival, and London’s Royal Opera House – just to name a few.
Closer to home, she’s performed with most of our country’s major orchestras, won a string of national (and international) awards, and had a debut release Hymne a l’amour nominated for Best Classical Album in the 2013 Australian Independent Music Awards.
Basically, she’s a star. And it’s time to get excited – she’s coming home to tour nationally with Roberto Alagna in July. The tenor has a cult following and is known as a successor to Pavarotti. We had a chat with him, which we’ll also bring you later this month. But now, read on to learn about Siobhan’s flourishing career, as she moves from emerging to acclaimed professional.
Would you like to see Siobhan and Roberto live in your city? Enter into our ticket giveaway using the form below.
You’ve made concert debuts right across the globe in the past few years alone. Which was the most memorable ‘first’ concert for you?
There have been many special experiences in the last couple of years, but one that I’ll always treasure is my last-minute debut with the Berlin Philharmonic in 2015, singing Brahms’ Requiem conducted by Christian Thielemann for three sold-out concerts and a worldwide live video broadcast. I was standing in line at Berlin’s Tegel airport when the call came through so had to quickly cancel my plans and head to the Philharmonie to rehearse. It was a thoroughly enriching musical experience, and the exposure helped open a lot of doors. At the end, Thielemann told me I had ‘nerves of steel’. These nerves have proved pivotal in recent years, with similar jump-in experiences at the Hamburg State Opera and London’s Royal Opera last year. I’ve been grateful for the experiences, but must say I’d be happy to stick with planned performances for a while now. Adrenalin overload!
You’ll be performing with acclaimed tenor Roberto Alagna in a duet – how did you first meet Roberto and come to work with him?
I first met Roberto Alagna in rehearsals for Berlioz’ epic five-act opera Les Troyens in Berlin in 2014. From the minute he burst into the rehearsal room, he was a warm and generous colleague, feverishly passionate about opera and music. It was my first season as a young artist in Berlin at the time and I was playing a small supporting role with Roberto as my father. We have bumped into each other backstage a couple of times since then while working on overlapping productions, but this tour will be the first time we’ve sung together since 2014.
How have you been preparing for this concert together? Do you chat via distance, and plan to rehearse right before the event?
At the moment we are working in different cities. I’m in Berlin working on a new production of Mozart’s Entführung aus dem Serail and Roberto is in Munich preparing La Juive, so most of our preparation has to be via correspondence. We’ll prepare our parts on our own and put our pieces together when we land in Sydney.
Talk us through your repertoire of Neapolitan love songs.
My pieces have been chosen to compliment Roberto’s program. They are classics about new love, forbidden love, the pain of separation, the full romantic circle. Soaring melodies, rich harmonies, floating high notes. It’ll be a beautiful program with the orchestra – I’m looking forward to it.
You’ve won a string of awards, though you’re still so young – do you feel like you’re always growing and changing as an artist, or does your success show the world you’re already ‘there’? What are your thoughts?
I think it’s important to strive for constant improvement and development. Even though I’ve had some helpful breaks so far, there is still a long way to go. Since I began working in Europe, things have been in a constant state of flux. On a day-to-day level, I’m constantly adjusting to the current situation: from new cities and languages, different chemistry between colleagues, technical challenges with the set, to managing illness when it arises. On the other hand, my agents and I are continuously planning engagements several years in advance. It is difficult therefore to ever feel as though I have ‘arrived’. Rather, the challenge is to remain focused on the now while preparing for tomorrow.
You completed your studies in 2013, and you’re often labelled as an ‘emerging’ artist. At what point have you felt the move from emerging to full blown professional?
After two years performing as a ‘young artist’ at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, I have been contracted this season for the first time as ‘soloist’, even though my artistic responsibilities remain unchanged. So-called periods of ‘artistic apprenticeship’ may have a finite end-date on paper, but the reality is that the training never ends, and experience is always relative. I’ve had a busy few years, although when working alongside colleagues who’ve been in the business for decades, I still feel like a novice! I don’t really know any singers who identify themselves as ‘emerging’; it seems to be more a buzz word to describe an artist who’s working professionally but not yet a household name. Such labels can help generate public interest but have little sway on how we perceive ourselves and our artistic endeavours.
What have you learnt through your experiences of working with some of the world’s leading conductors?
The best conductors seem to breathe with you, they know all the words, and have a magical way of bringing out your best performance. They all have their quirks. Some are very officious while others are more human in their interactions, like Sir Simon Rattle who came to each of our dressing rooms to wish us all ‘toi toi toi’ before the first performance of the Ring Cycle. Truly gifted conductors say less with words and illustrate what they want with their face and gestures. Some are inspiring in the rehearsal process, while others shine more in performance. Conductors are a wonderfully mysterious breed!
What advice would you give young opera singers wanting to make it big, like you have?
I recommend thinking less about ‘making it big’ and instead focusing on strengthening your artistic toolbox. Ask questions, learn how to really sing, and be a supportive colleague. A slow-burn career is better than fast fizzle and there’s no such thing as ‘overnight success’. Time is your friend. There’s no place for a high-maintenance ego in the workplace, although you will need a healthy sense of self-respect. Your technique is for you. Working ‘smart’ is more important than working ‘hard’. Trust yourself. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Celebrate the success of others; it’s good for your soul. Remember to enjoy the music. After all, that’s why we’re all here.
Siobhan Stagg will accompany Roberto Alagna on his Australian tour. They’ll perform at the Sydney Opera House on July 21, Melbourne’s Hamer Hall on July 27, and the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on July 30.
For your chance to win a free double pass to see the pair in your city, tell us your favourite love song using the form below. Don’t forget to let us know your name and email address. The winners will be notified via email by July 5.
