I am a lawyer, not an opera singer, but somehow, what Joyce di Donato says about self criticism is really helpful not only for my job, but also for my life. She is a really wise woman and, of course, a great singer and actress.

She's incredible, both as a singer and as a person.

This is so beautiful that I have tears in my eyes. So honest and real. She's an inspiration.

Sometimes you just have to re-watch this video!!! Very very glad it's available online.

Thank you, Joyce. I ain't a singer, but your advice knocked some sense into me.

Opera is about everything!!! Love it!

I am a pianist going through a painful period. Seven years later finding this treasure means the world to me. To Ms.Didonato, I wish to personally thank you! Dear Joyce, I have saved this to my library because you remind me in this class of what I need to have front and center at all times prior to, during, and post practice and performance -- even when my audience consists of two- my Pomeranian and myself.

OK, I loved her before - voice, humor, quality. And now I totally ADORE her. She would be the best friend ever.

This video is gold, don't know what I would do without it ! This, by the way, doesn't only work for singers, it's not only about Opera, it's about life.

I LOVE this beautiful artist, musician, human being. She's so humble and magnificant! I wish I could meet her in real life.... Thank you, Juilliard to share this video!!!

Whenever I get sad thinking I will never sing opera on a stage because I'm not trained on reading music and I'm not studing in a conservatory, I come here. Joyce is SO encouraging and lovely... now I ask my "inner voice" to be patient and to remember her words: "I've done a lot of work"... and "I'm working on it" :)

She rocks! great artist, great teacher, wow!

I love her accent. Her voice is so clear and concrete and sturdy and harmonious. Love it.

I've always respected Joyce as a performer. My respect for her as a caring human being just exceeded my respect for her as a singer. She never rushed an answer to anybody. Her opinion/advice was thoughtful and articulate. You can apply her advice to anybody, especially those of us who have that critical voice in our heads.

Wow. What a marvelous woman :) Feeling inspired... Amazing advice. Thank you Joyce DiDonato !

I find I have a similar conversation with many of my students. I also find helping my students recognize these negative voices and to help them leave them behind is a difficult task. Thank Joyce for revealing your truth and helping everyone who is lucky enough to listen.

I greatly enjoyed this Q&A. Excellent advice on keeping positive, and not only for opera students.

Happened onto this talk. Alot of passion and wisdom. Well worth it.

She's so intelligent; a true intellect! She is genuine, funny, and smart! What an inspiration!

She is a great artist and woman. Not only is she smart, generous, humble and genuinely nice, but she also offers intelligent opinions and lessons and knows how to express them in an interesting way both to professionals and "mere" opera lovers like me. In general I find masterclasses too specific and often too technical to bother watching them at YT, but this one really teaches us about art, career and life.

Waiting to get into physics laboratory right now and all I want to do is practice right now. So inspiring. Thank you!

Thank You, Juilliard School, and Joyce, for posting these videos. Wonderful lessons from a brilliant artist and lovely human being, not just for singing, but for LIFE!

I love this, thank you for sharing, and especially thank you to Joyce Didonato for always being honest, wise and inspirational. Gemma

I love you, Joyce. Thank you.

I love the wisdom of your soul Joyce and you have a great voice and talent. I could hear you talk for hours and hours as well as singing. I admire how you are and I especially love your talk about that inner voice. I don't sing. Actually I can't sing. I would probably damage your hearing if I sing. hahahaa! But I just love how you talk. You should become a life coach!! Love you!

Best 32 minutes I have ever spent on KZfaq, hands down. So inspirational!

Thank you dear MS DiDonato! Great inspiration!

She is an amazing woman.

Thank you so much for your wonderful advice.

Wow, I am a 28 year old lyric soprano. I needed to hear this.

Thank you! This is fantastic.

when she is talking about the teenage years...i wish i had heard it when i was 17!

Thank you....

Wow!! Thank you so much! I'll spread this! Vielen Dank und Grüße aus Deutschland

Thank you for this Joyce. :-)

Amazing advice I have a new found love for this great singer !

My favourite mezzo-soprano - she shines with her performances. This master calss just catapulted her higher. Her talk is relevant to anyone who is challenged by what they want to achieve. Thank you for posting this!!!

I am so unbelievably grateful Mrs DiDonato about your master classes... through your teachings I managed to correct all my singing flaws, find my central register, strengthen my middle voice, shape up the accuracy of my coloratura and add enormous depth and sentiment to my portraits.. and all that thanks to you! Priceless these teachings are.. endless Superior Singers have been born inside these Master Classes.. you watch them and tsoup! you become No1 !

That really wonderful how she speaks about self practice and self criticism.

I'm in love.

It's wonderful to see someone speak about themselves with such insight, but in a way intended to help younger students.

Wow! Made me cry :)

I am so grateful that she walks on earth and has time to share a bit of herself via KZfaq. She clearly deserves all the wonderful stuff she has accomplish and will accomplish in the future. Thank you, Joyce!

She is so koool - A healthy and respectful reminder about keeping a clear perspective about what it is we do in any career that we choose. - Thankyou for posting most appreciated

Fabulous lady! a lesson in life, that is applicable to any field, not only opera singing. I can't wait to hear her in London in April

What a delightful wealth of wisdom and musicality! Hooray for my alma mater!

THIS IS UNREAL JUST AMAZING

She's amazing.

Literally EVERY single voice student friend of mine on facebook (from all over the world) has shared this video in the last 24 hours! it is so impossible not to love Joyce!

Very good words for anyone who wants to be successful in ANY endeavour in life!!! Great words of wisdom!

Great advice to apply for every "aria" of your life!

"Opera is the combination of everything. It's about life, it's about breath, it's about energy, it's about passion, it's about forgiveness, it's about betrayal! You have to know what life is to put that through. So be passionate about it!" I just LOVE her!

So INSPIRING!

this is very insightful and informative not just for the singers, any artist can relate to the things she is talking about.

what a great teacher and what a great person.

Such a humble, generous and wise person! Thanks Juilliard for sharing this material!

Joyce, I was there during some of your tears and I knew you would rock the world before you knew! I have one word, "Wigmore!"

This is wonderful :) My main classical instrument is violin, but this honestly helps me. She is a wonderful motivational speaker, person and singer. Thank you :)

great!!

Great! I would really like to see a acting masterclass!

I love her life stories. I don't follow Opera but I'm a singer musician and I want my career to be in singing. I am so glad this is out there.

She is an awesome person!

She is beautiful IN and OUT! Enough said.

I don't know much about her work or life yet, but what this Q&A demonstrates of her as an artist is incredible!

Thanks for the advise :)

I totally agree with you T.

Delightfully articulate.

I agree, the work she did with Rachael was truly wonderful. Such a pity that video isn't available anymore... Maybe someone out there reads these messages?:) Please bring it back.

Wow! This touches me in so many ways as a professional fine artist...I am also a composer...singer...KZfaq... the critic within...is so rude..tune it out..be kind and gentle & relax... be in the moment...& let go! Thanks so much!

I LOVE JULLIARD❤️

Wow! Just wow! :D :D xxx

really nice person!

♡

where's largo al factotum part? I was about to watch that, now it's gone

I wish the video had captions, youtube automatic captions are awful......

she's beautiful. as an individual and as a singer

Funny how this video was uploaded on her birthday!

Absolutely! And simply nothing to add to the previous comment!

yes mamma, teach!

She's talking to ME! :)

There's also the reality that there's a spirit there that people want to keep alive.

she looks soooooo much better with short hair. glad she cut it off.

I watched her in "Maria Stuarda." She had NOTHING to worry about!

she's an excellent Rossinian, start with her Rossini roles (Rosina, Isolier etc.). I'm seeing her in June (in Rossini, of course).

does anyone know where she got her accent, I read she's from Kansas

What happened to the other two students, were they not streamed?

Does this mean you could post them?

Joyce isn't Buddha in Gaelic but it should be...

Can you audition with Urban Styles?

The voice is one, no matter what language is articulated. This is precisely why the Art of Singing is NO longer in evidence

two?

If you watched the clips, then maybe you've noticed her insisting repeatedly that she's not a voice teacher and doesn't want to interfere in the students' vocal development. She mostly worked with them on interpretation and dramatic intention. And, in that respect, she did make a difference, especially in the young mezzo Rachael Wilson - unfortunately, that video has been removed. You're being sarcastic for no reason. Nobody claimed she could transform a voice, least of all herself.

ha, yes, I thought the same thing

Haha, I laughed when he asked about personal sacrifeces. Mine: My social life. Mezzo aaaaand pianist doesn't leave time for friends; hey, the piano understands me better than any human anyway.

She didn't have a manager at age 28 and was already worried... 😰

I wish my teachers had infused me with what she has instead of teaching me! Actually I wish she were my teacher.

She bought it on sale at Wal-Mart. What kind of question is that? haha

:)

wow she sang two bel canto roles, she ate two carrots and she is teaching at Juilliard? :)))) Imagine who is teaching at Juilliard these days ! How fast people become Master Teachers in our days... :)))

A mcBain Carnes piano in San Jose 408-248-9200 Kawai Shigeru selections.