But sometimes artistic and personal choices run counter to the agent's inclinations. When interviewed, Butterfield was in Christchurch, New Zealand, performing in Tchaikovsky's romantic work Eugene Onegin under the direction of Brian Law, formerly of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Onegin is full of the passion and hyperbole that people most often associate with opera. My agents weren't happy, but I wanted to move to another stage. I'm out in the New Zealand countryside looking at sheep fields and blue sky.
Most singers agree that learning to accept and overcome rejection is critical to success.
In her first year out of school, Nesrallah beat the odds, landing three roles out of 20 auditions. Interestingly, finding roles is considerably tougher for female performers. There are tons of women at auditions, but tenors are booked for years in advance. There simply aren't as many male singers around. Most singers seem to agree that they didn't really have a choice in the matter.