A moment with Melba Mentor – Lyndon Terracini
Lyndon Terracini has enjoyed a successful international operatic career for many years. Appointed Artistic Director of Opera Australia in 2009, Lyndon is one of the mentors working with the Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust’s scholarship recipients. Da Capo caught up with Lyndon Terracini to talk about the importance of mentoring young singers.
Lyndon began by sharing his own experience with mentors early on in his career. “It is extremely beneficial when you are starting out to have mentors that have been in the business – they can suggest things to you and point you in the right direction.”
“In my case, Ronald Dowd [the great Australian tenor who sang at the opening of the Sydney Opera House] took an interest in me – he would come to shows and make suggestions. He was pretty direct and called it exactly as he saw it, with no flowery speech.
“He once said: ‘If I had my time again, I would try to make every sound I made the most beautiful sound I could produce.’ That’s one of the things I will be passing on to the young singers at the Melba Opera Trust.”
Terracini emphasizes that the path to a successful operatic career is long and competitive, requiring not just an excellent voice but dedication comparable to that of an Olympic athlete.
“If you see the way that athletes prepare to win a gold medal at the Olympics, you realise that the amount of preparation is vital. Likewise, singers must prepare, put in the work, and to discipline themselves to perform at their best.
“Having the vocal equipment is God-given. If you are given an exceptional instrument, you have a great start. But natural ability isn’t enough, in this or the sporting field – just look at Steve Waugh. When he was dropped from the Australian cricket team he went away and really worked on his technique. Through hard work allied with natural ability, he became one of our most successful players and captains.”
Terracini plans to advise on the importance of choosing the correct repertoire – having seen some talented singers ruin their careers through bad choices. “Young singers can sometimes take on too much. If you have a light, soubrette voice, it could be suicide to sing the big, heavy roles in Puccini. You have to take advice from experienced people and understand your voice.”
Comparing the situation today with his younger days, Terracini sees grounds for optimism. “There are many more, very talented young people now, and the operatic art is more popular. When I was growing up I’d never seen an opera. There were few opera companies, certainly not one in every state.
“Today, young people know that a career in opera is possible. These days a young singer can begin with Opera Australia or a state company, and if they are talented and work hard they will get roles and begin to build a career. Today you can also live in Australia and work internationally. We have a lot of wonderful young singers coming through.
“But sometimes young people don’t understand just how much they need to sacrifice in terms of a social life, to secure their goal – and the sacrifice continues their entire working life.”
Lyndon speaks passionately about supporting the next generation, and believes that the Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust plays a vital role in encouraging and developing young singers.
But he stresses that, ultimately, it is up to the singers themselves.
“It’s vital for young people that they try their absolute hardest. Do the very best you can, and don’t take short cuts because in the end you only get one shot. Grasp the opportunity and give it everything. If it doesn’t work out, at least then you know you’ve given it your best shot.
“The worst thing would be to look back and think that you could have tried harder.”
Looking back on his own career, Terracini observes: “It’s a wonderful life as an opera singer, working all over the world. Singing releases endorphins – even just singing in the shower! – and when you sing professionally, on a night when it works there’s nothing better. So it’s well worth striving for.”
Opera Australia is a Venue Partner of the Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust and provides generous support by hosting Mentor Program sessions and rehearsals at the Opera Centre in Melbourne. Its support is continued through the involvement of key members of staff and by providing scholarship recipients with the opportunity to access performances and Opera Australia insights.