Managing Competition with your Colleagues

Is that singer friend being a good colleague or fierce competition?

This week I spoke with international tenor, Jordan Pitts. We had a great conversation about what it means to be a good colleague. Let's face it, we all deal with it, but we don't talk about it. The conversation on my podcast Harbour for the Arts, made me realize that we need to explore the hidden trust issues that many singers have when it comes to their colleagues.

Opera is a highly competitive industry, with performers and production teams vying for top positions and prestigious roles. While competition can be a driving force for excellence, it can also create tension among colleagues in the opera world. In this blog post, we'll explore how competition affects relationships between colleagues in opera and how to manage it effectively.

Competition in opera is a natural consequence of a limited number of top roles and high standards for performers. Every singer and musician wants to be the lead, and every production team wants to create the most memorable performance. However, this competitive environment can also create conflicts and negative relationships among colleagues.