Artist of the Week 18 Qs for Martina Myskohlid

When was your first singing lesson (and with whom)?
I was nine years old when I had my first private singing lesson with Tessa Springate who grew to be the most popular piano/voice teacher in our community. I tore her contact details off of a telephone pole on my way home from school one day.

Heels or flats?
Either, but they have to be fun.

What’s the strangest/funniest thing that has happened to you on stage?
As part of the staging, I chugged an entire glass of “prosecco” on stage right before a very long duet at the beginning of the act. I felt a little funny after… turns out it was real prosecco. Of course it was - I was singing in Italy!

What’s something most people don’t know about opera life?
That we’re not only opera singers. We’re also rental housing experts.

Which role do you wish you could sing, but is not in your voice type?
DANDINI!!!!

Where did you go to school?
Etobicoke School of the Arts for high school (where I majored in music theatre), University of Toronto for undergrad and Yale University for my master's.

What’s the luckiest thing that has ever happened to you?
Finding the courage to cold-email the Dutch National Opera asking for a general audition and ending up being offered to join the Opera Studio on the spot. I call it organized luck.

Are you a cat person or dog person?
Dog, 100%.

What’s a big investment for an opera artist, but totally worth it?
Getting a dog.

What is happiness for you?
Spending time with my rescue dog, Lucy.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MARTINA MYSKOHLID (@martinamysk_mezzo)

What was your childhood dream job?
To be a pop star. I’m doing my best for little-me.

What book are you reading at the moment?
Una Cenerentola a Manhattan by Felicia Kingsley. It’s an American romance translated into Italian so I can keep up my Italian language. I find it easier to understand because the context, tone and general phrasing is in the style of American English, so it’s more familiar. I highly recommend this approach.

What nickname do your friends call you and why?
In Italy I’m “Marti” (said in an Italian accent - so cute), and everywhere else I’m “Tini,” a derivative of “Martini” (which I also love - extra dirty).

What is one thing that you cannot live without?
My Stanley water bottle. Oh, and the critical Ricordi/Baerenreiter editions.

Do you approach singing and/or upcoming projects differently today than you did at the beginning of your career?
I can proudly say I start learning new roles much earlier than I used to, but I think that comes along with growing as an artist and figuring out how long things *actually* take to learn (and memorize). Being your own boss can be a tricky thing. Don’t procrastinate!!! (…too hard) 

Do you have a funny joke for us?
The other day after our morning rehearsal ended, the production team said “Thank you, see you all at 2:30,” and I replied, “A dentist’s favourite hour!” An audible groan filled the room.

How long do you spend preparing to get into a character?
The majority of the prep happens in rehearsals once I familiarize myself with the director’s concept (having too strong of an idea can be difficult to undo if the director’s interpretation is totally opposite from your own). When it comes to the stage, I like to have a really clear feeling from the moment I’m in the wings before going on to the scene. Some people can “turn it on” as soon as they step out, but I live with my character way before then. I often joke and say I’m always type-cast, but I think I just find the silly, ditzy, mischievous sides in all the roles I sing. I think? 😉

What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken for a production?
I left a training program early because I got an offer to jump-in at a major opera house. I was worried about burning a bridge by terminating the contract early, but doing the jump-in landed me a dream contract three months later. Always consult your mentors and peers, but in the end, don’t forget that you are the product of your business, so take the necessary risks any businessperson would. And sell it.