By Stefanie Taylor
The only sound that was able to drown out the beating of her heart in her ears was the sound of the applause after the introduction of her name, Dawn Padula. As she stepped foot onto the stage, everything went into slow motion, and all she could see was the spot light. She finds that there is a certain warmth in that light. She cannot see the faces; she cannot hear the voices. All she focuses on is her presence on that empty stage. The feeling consumes her, and the first note escapes her mouth. She is a mezzo opera singer.
Knowing very little about vocal range, I asked Padula to explain what a mezzo singer is in plain English. According to Padula:
“The term ‘mezzo-soprano’ comes from the German fach system of operatic voice classification. In a choir, there are four voice-types arranged from highest to lowest depending on gender. The highest female voice is the soprano, the lowest is the alto; the highest male voice is the tenor, the lowest is the bass. In opera, the classifications are far more specific because particular roles were written for very particular voice-types.”
With the most influential people in her life being operatic performers who also teach, Padula found her inspiration and passion to teach others. Padula describes those mentors in her life as being “amazing mentors and teachers who have pushed me to reach my potential…” The decision to become a teacher came early in her college career when her performing experiences gave her such enthusiasm that she just had to share the knowledge with others.
After the decision was made that Padula would become a teacher/performer, she worked very hard to complete a Doctoral degree at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music and perform in many upstanding and amazing shows. A little sliver of Padula’s performing experience would show that she has performed as Maddalena inRigoletto, a personal favorite of mine, Isabella inL’Italiana in Algeri, and Erika in Vanessa. There are almost too many performances to speak of, but most of them are listed on Sam Houston State’s School of Music Faculty and Staff website.
Before her arrival to Sam Houston State, Padula was a Teaching Assistant/Fellow at the University of Houston Moores School of Music. This job allowed her to teach a studio of undergraduate voice majors, Class Voice and Voice Pedagogy classes. Padula was also able to serve as an administrator to the Voice Studies Faculty. Padula also ran, and still runs, a private voice studio in Houston. She has also gained teaching experience from Bridges Academy of Fine Arts and St. Agnes High School in Houston. Upon completion of her Doctoral degree, Padula “began seeking out a University teaching position.” Luckily, there was an adjunct position available here at Sam Houston State, so she applied, and I’m sure with no reluctance, was hired. Another reason that Padula chose this school is because of location, you know everybody loves Hunts-Vegas…Just kidding. The proximity of Huntsville to Houston allowed Padula to sustain her performing contacts. She knew from the beginning that Sam Houston State would be the right place for her and it seems she was right. In the first three years that Padula has been here at Sam Houston State, she has been promoted each year. After her first year, she was given the visiting assistant Professor position, and this past year, she was granted tenure. Padula explained, “Teaching positions are all about finding the right ‘fit,’ and Sam Houston was certainly that for me.”
An interesting question asked to Padula was regarding the comparison of the competition of opera to the competition of other art forms. There are many forms of competition in the operatic world, but here the success determining factors will be discussed. Operatic singers do not use amplification, so they are first judged on volume. Secondly, a voice has to have beauty, which Padula explains as the “color/aesthetic beauty of the instrument.” Next, Padula tells that the days of the heavy-set opera singer are gone. Nowadays, to get a part, you must look the part as it is in theater and films. Another factor in this big scheme of opera is that one must be able to move and act well, as this is part of the show. Innate musicality is what Padula explains as being “able to learn quickly notes, rhythms, and diction and to memorize these things.” Last, but certainly not least is uniqueness. “Conductors/directors are looking for a voice that has a unique quality to it that is discernible from others with the same voice type,” says Padula.
Shakespeare once said, “If music be the fruit of love, play on.” Dr. Dawn Padula, teacher and performer, has shown that where there is passion, there is knowledge, and where there is knowledge, there is a lesson to be taught.
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