Graeme Macfarlane is a tenor seen most recently in Melbourne in the role of Mime in Wagner’s Ring Cycle.  I had the pleasure of first meeting Graeme a decade ago during the rehearsals of Stuart Maunder’s production of “Roméo et Juliette”.  Graeme has been with Opera Australia for over 40 years.

Graeme has kindly agreed to be the subject of my first interview in this series.  I met up with Graeme during the long interval of “Götterdämmerung” on its final day. Amongst other topics, we chatted about his career, his recent operations for rectal cancer, the Ring Cycle, and of course, voice.

How old are you, Graeme?

66

You’re currently working on The Ring with Opera Australia. Have you worked with other companies?

I have, but primarily, I’ve been with the company since 1973 for the first opera at the Sydney Opera House which was “War and Peace” as a chorister. I won the Sun Aria and worked overseas for several years.

I’d gone to the Con [Sydney Conservatorium] and they said why don’t you go down to audition in this building they’d just finished called the Sydney Opera House. So I went down and I did an audition. I received a contract saying I would be paid to sing… bit of a novel way to live (laugh).

So it just sort of evolved.  My teacher put me into Eisteddfods and I won a few competitions… I thought maybe I can do this.

I had planned to go to university to study Science but… it all just fell into place.

If someone had asked me at school what I was going to do and they told me that I would be a singer, I would have laughed.  It was the furthest thing from my mind.

How did you end up in the Con?

 I was singing in a T.V competition called Holden Showcase  with Gordon Boyd. I was learning singing at that stage. Ron Jackson heard me sing in the competition and said, “I want to offer you a scholarship to study at the Conservatorium”.

So, things just kept happening like that. I just followed that path. I discovered how much I liked it. I had started doing part-time work, but as soon as I started singing I thought: this is fantastic. I enjoyed it, it was fun, and sometimes hard work. I was lucky I had people along the way that guided me, without even looking for it.

Did you like opera before you started singing?

I didn’t know much about it. Very little.  I always liked singing; as a kid I can remember singing all the time. Music was always in me. My dad conducted some choirs… dad was musical, but he never had a lot of formal training.  My mother used to recite.  So I guess it kind of makes sense, the combination.

Were your parents proud of your career? 

Initially my dad wasn’t… he thought I should do something… proper.  He wasn’t really negative, but he wasn’t totally supportive.  Here I am, still going at 66.  I feel incredibly privileged and lucky to do what I’ve done. To be able to express yourself is such a privilege.  There’s a great joy in being able to do that.

Have you always been the same voice type?

I started as a baritone. I said to my teacher, “I think I could be a tenor”. I started to experiment.  He said “well, you can’t really go back to being a baritone… but you can always give it a go”. A tenor has all the good things to sing anyway.  It was a good decision because I found that I got more work than I would have as a baritone. I think my voice has always sat in between. A bit like Barry Ryan.  Similar sort of range.  Having said that, it’s not like I haven’t done difficult tenor roles.

Do you prefer character roles, or dramatic roles?

Look, I love the challenge of the Ring.  And especially after having the operations. Lyndon [Terracini] said “How are you going to do this if you want to go to the toilet?” And I said, “Well, I’ve got my padded pants”. (laugh) So it was a challenge, and there was a part of me saying “can I do this?” but I was so pleased I did it, so I can sort of give myself a pat on the back for trying.

 

You had your first operation last year? Did you have to take time off?

I had my first operation in October 2015 and then you have to wait a while. I had an ileostomy reversal in February 2016. I tried to come back for “Turandot” after the second operation, but it had only been 10 days after, so I had to pull out of it. I ended up covering it, rather than doing it.

After the first operation, I think I had a couple of months off and the surgeon said to me: “You know, you need to consider how big an operation you’ve gone through”.  I probably didn’t come to terms with it very well.

Before that, were you a healthy fit person?

I wouldn’t say I’ve always eaten well.  Probably poor eating habits. I’ve never really exercised.  I would say singing has always been my exercise. I used to play a little bit of golf but no, I haven’t really… bit naughty.

Have things changed since the operations?

I have to be so careful with what I eat because of my bowels. I don’t have a rectum any more.  Sometimes it burns if I eat certain things. It wears you down a bit. He [the doctor] said it’s going to take a least 12 months to get some sense of normality.  So I’m still going through that period.

Has this changed your state of mind?

I met this lady prior to me getting the cancer and we started a relationship.  I told her that I needed to have a colonoscopy. I explained to her that I had one three years ago… and she said “well, look, if you had one 3 years ago it wouldn’t be cancer” but it was… and unfortunately she’s a doctor.  Her father died of rectal cancer. So the relationship has now morphed into more of a friendship which is strange because we get along so well. She’s younger than me and I imagine in the back of her mind if I’m going to get sick she’s projecting that she’s going to have to look after me. I understand all that.  So yes, it’s changed the state of my mind in many ways. I have learnt to accept what is. I still crave intimacy, and that doesn’t necessarily have to be physically.  You know, a deep sharing. She’s been lovely and supportive.  It’s funny how these people come into your life with the greatest of timing.

So now, do you do anything to stay well or fit?

I certainly care for what I eat, I haven’t done anything about fitness.  I try and meditate.  Not always successfully.  My brain gets clouded with things coming in.  I’ve always been on a bit of a spiritual journey because it fascinates me. It’s just the mystery of it. I’m so attracted to it. Recently I’ve qualified as a psychotherapist.  I’ve seen clients – I had to see clients as part of the course.  I can remember there was a client who was a bit stuck. Fortunately he was prepared to experiment.  He was working through a marriage break up but couldn’t really articulate it.  I said, would you be prepared to sing…without using any words, just vocalise, what you would like to say to her.  He started with this lament…(Graeme demonstrates with a wail turning into more of a scream) and he just burst into tears.  So the vocalising connected him to his emotions. I thought wow, voice can combine well with therapy which is sort of what you’re doing [referring to my yoga]. So I have ideas about that.

I studied as a Gestalt psychotherapist. Gestalt is open to art medium. It’s very broad in its spectrum for meaningful contact. I really love Gestalt. It’s really fantastic stuff.

How do you prepare for a show? Do you meditate, do other things?

I get in the shower in the morning, have a bit of sing. “Yeah, it’s sitting ok today, I have a voice”.  Then I might just mentally go over what I’m going to do.  I do it for the Ring because there’s so much of it. For a smaller role, I’d just work my voice in the morning, but wouldn’t necessarily go over it musically.  Just depends on what I’m doing. I rest myself when I need to rest.  I put myself in isolation sometimes because I feel I need it. It can be very demanding. In order to bring as much as I can, I need to look after myself in that respect. That can be different from individual to individual. I spent some time with Stefan [Vinke] and… he’s a party boy!  My god, how does he do this?! He’s extraordinary. He’s a machine. He just has that facility.  I couldn’t do that.

Do you sleep regularly?

Well, my bottom was sore one night…Monday? Sunday?  I would’ve slept an hour.  I was up and down, up and down. I’ve got a show on Wednesday, so I got a bit anxious about that. I feel like I’ve been balancing my health at times in order to keep going.

But you look so well!

I know, people say that! I’m pretty tenacious.

 

What do you do on a rest day or to wind down?

I’ve been doing a bit of reading. It’s been nice coming down to Melbourne as I find I can rest more here. Its because I’m away from home.  My father has been a drain on me (he’s just been put into a nursing home).

Do you listen to music when you’re not singing?

No… reading more… no, I don’t really listen to music that much. Whatever I’m doing at the time, I’m totally involved in it.  I can feel my brain switching now from Wagner to Bohème. Which is good, and you bring something from everything you do into whatever you’re doing at the time. Which is wonderful.  I think Mime is a culmination of everything I’ve learn on the way. It’s great.

While you’ve been performing, you’ve been rehearsing during the day?

Yeah, I had a rehearsal today – not very much. It’s pretty good like that when you’ve got big roles they let you rest when you need to.  Next year’s a bit different because we haven’t got a venue (referring to the refurbishment of the Opera House). They’ve asked me to take a lot of long service leave. Which is good. I’m going to tidy up my dad’s house.

What are your thoughts on overweight singers? Do you think losing weight would affect their voices?

It shouldn’t make any difference. But sometimes I wonder about that because I have heard people who lost a lot of weight and their voice didn’t sound the same.  So I couldn’t give you a definitive answer there.  Being overweight shouldn’t affect the sound…anyway, it’s not good for your health.  Warwick (Fyfe) is like a different man. He’s lost so much weight. That shows that you don’t need all that weight to sound great. I do get concerned with people who are overweight as It affects their health.

Do you have any advice for young singers?

I never give advice (laugh). Dean [Bassett] often asks me to come and listen to his singing. All I’ve done is to encourage him to go for it. To follow his dreams.  I haven’t really told him he should do this or do that.  It’s broader, it’s more supportive encouragement to follow your heart.

Do you teach?

I have taught. A long time ago. I don’t see myself as teaching. I see singing more as an expression of the self. For me what’s important is what comes out as a means of authentic communication.  It’s like finding your own true voice which can be very powerful. That’s more what I’m driven by -the quality of expressing the authentic you and all the colours that it brings. You know, you can make ugly sounds some times, and they’re ok. It’s the whole gamut. It’s all valid. I love polarities and I love the idea of embracing both ends of the polarity.

When you prepare for a role, what comes first? Music first?

Yes I learn the notes and the language. Then I explore the character. It was interesting with exploring Mime.  I found a bit of humour in him that I think is part of his humanity. So it wasn’t funny for fun’s sake, it just evolved out of what we created.

I found that your interpretation of Mime is more human.  Even though he has his evil side like wanting to kill his adopted son for the riches, it almost has the sense that Siegfried is the horrible son.

Well, Mime’s been abused by his brother especially in “Rheingold”, and Mime is manipulative. A parent playing the martyr is a very common human expression. I think that’s what you relate to.

Wagner takes you on a journey with him. That’s what I love about it. It’s pretty profound stuff. So I do go internally, but I do that for myself. It’s part of my journey, my individual journey. What I become aware of and what I then bring forward.

You’ve been working with Neil [Armfield] who is known more to be a director of plays – did you work more on the character?  Being such a large production it must be difficult to find time to work on characters.

Yes, more on the character.  It instinctively happens. Once you find the character it just flows. Moffat [Oxenbould] is a bit like that too because he always discusses the character a lot. Which I love.  He does give you direction, but he allows you to take ownership of it in the end, which is really rewarding and that’s why I love working with Moffat and Neil.  They try to go in and look at the true character. I like that with directors. Rather than just being directed to do this and do that. It makes it more real. More believable.

I love Neil.  He’s amazing. He’s very softly spoken. It doesn’t look like he’s doing much but he is. He’s doing a whole lot and he’s got a great eye. He’s been busy with the Adelaide Festival and then he was off to America to direct the Magic Flute.

And Gale [Edwards], she’s interesting, too. She has such a creative mind. So I like her too. They’re all very different.

Did your character of Mime change much from the first time (2013)?

I think it’s grown a little bit more, Neil tweaked it a bit more and we had a more time.

Was it a different experience with a different cast?

Yes, a slightly different dynamic. But I was mostly with Siegfried and Wotan I guess. Stefan’s lovely.  He’s such a good energy. We actually built up a nice relationship working together. He’s really a lovely man.  I don’t know whether you’ve heard but he did a charity concert for a little boy [Lukas Thamm, a young boy in Germany with heart problems]. Lyndon said that Stefan was almost in tears talking about it.  So he has that caring side. I think that’s part of it, you know. It’s connecting to your own humanity.

Do you find you get lost in a role: has a role changed you?

It possibly can make me think about me. That’s a really interesting question.  I guess I’m finding greater depth in myself, so that would be the change. That would be the new awareness. I just love going inside. I’m addicted to it.

What do you consider to be “no no’s” for singers?

Well, you just can’t have late nights and drinking.  You just can’t do that. You’ve got to look after yourself. No wild nights (laugh).  At the end it’s ok.

Considering you were looking at moving towards Science, did you have something you wanted to be when you were younger?

No… I didn’t really know. I love relationship, I love exploring relationships.  In fact, that’s how I learn about myself, through others.  Reflection.

Do you plan to continue a parallel career with your singing and psychotherapy?

I can still see myself singing music, maybe therapy. I’d like to write some songs. That’s another passion of mine. There are these Upanishads which are written in Sanskrit – deep and meaningful philosophy – I’d like to write some songs incorporating the Sanskrit. Yeah, philosophy interests me.

Sound and healing is also a passion.  I read this book by a New York oncologist who uses Tibetan singing bowls with his patients.  A doctor using sound for healing. People like my father with Alzheimer’s, can hear a song from their childhood and they’ll start bursting into song, even though they haven’t spoken for ages. It is deep within us, the memory of song.

There seems to be something about music that relates to body rhythms…

It’s called Entrainment.  There’s something about things coming into sync like two grandfather clocks whose pendulums were out of sync, eventually in the same room they come into sync.  It’s about sound and balancing -similar frequencies that vibrate in resonance with each other. There was an ear, nose and throat specialist who had actually worked with singers. He discovered that by taking out the lower frequencies, he can help children with autism. So that’s sound that heals. They still use that today for children with autism. It’s basically upper frequency Mozart.

The next thing for you is La Bohème?

Yes, and then I think “Tosca”, then I have a break. Then it’s “Parsifal” – concert version – then (Merry) Widow. That’s going to be the New Years’ Eve one.  So I’ll probably be around a little bit longer.  I’ll keep working as long as I can because I enjoy it.  It’s hard to give up.

Thank you very much, Graeme!