Questions for professional opera singers.

I honestly think this is not emphasized enough, that most elite level opera singers and musicians come from money. I wish I had been told that when I was in undergrad, rather than spending 4 years feeling frustrated and hating myself because I was working and going to school and practicing and feeling like a complete zombie and still struggling financially, constantly wondering how all these other sopranos were doing multiple European summer pay-to-sings, going to NYC on weekends to see operas and take lessons with elite teachers and coaches, etc. And looking up artist bios for early music companies that I wanted to sing with, and finding that almost all of the singers in these companies went to expensive elite conservatories for their MM, and just feeling really confused, like I was watching this world that I desperately wanted to be a part of from behind a glass wall that I couldn't break. surely all of these sopranos weren't offered full assistantships to Oberlin, Julliard, Peabody, etc. so how are all these people affording to do masters' degrees at schools where tuition is $35-50k/year? And how was my roommate paying her share of the rent, groceries, car insurance, etc. AND buying a $10k viola da gamba AND not having to work while we were in school? Of course her parents were paying for everything, and I have no idea why i was so naive.

I'm NOT saying that people who come from well-off families aren't also really talented or hardworking, or that I would 100% have "made it" if I had been born into such a family, but maybe realizing that the playing field is nowhere near level might have at least saved me years of hating myself? Even now I still feel depressed when i go to see an amazing Baroque opera or concert.

/r/opera Thread Parent