Meet Susie Gibbons...
An article from N Magazine No.6
Thank you for joining the mailing list of Ireland’s new art magazine.
Every Wednesday and Saturday for the rest of 2023, you’ll meet a new and extraordinary artist in your inbox.
This article was first published in N Magazine No.6, which is still available on our website.
Peace out,
Aoife x
Irish opera is apparently having a moment; the Irish National Opera company has just announced a packed 2023-2024 programme. My curiosity piqued, I caught up with soprano Susie Gibbons one early morning in Stephen’s Green.Â
Susie is an award winning singer, teacher and voice coach. Based between Ireland and London, Susie has worked with many opera companies, independent productions and schools to share her love of all things voice.
Having coincidentally just photographed attendees at the Lismore Opera Festival, I asked Susie about the future of opera.
Susie says that whilst the origins of opera are definitely exclusive, recent efforts of the English National Opera, for example, to attract a younger demographic have paid off. More affordable tickets and newer operas have led to sold out shows in huge venues; it’s an affirming experience for a young soprano to gaze out and see her own generation held rapt by the performance.
Here in Ireland, Opera Collective Ireland and the aforementioned Irish National Opera are bringing opera to towns and villages across Ireland this season, with a particular focus on children’s shows. There’s always the chance that for one kid, that day is particularly important.Â
Originally from Churchtown, Co. Dublin, singing was always on Susie’s radar; at the tender age of eighteen, Susie said she had neither the confidence nor the voice to pursue formal training, so she toddled off to UCD to study psychology. UCD’s Choral Scholars allowed Susie a good deal of performance opportunities which only confirmed her desire to sing.
The inevitable post-graduation panic induced a hasty job search, leading her to an accountancy job in one of Dublin’s consulting firms. After nine months, Susie concluded that there were plenty of people in the world who were going to be wonderful accountants, but she was not one of them. Susie credits her mum for her artistic vision and her father for her logic; fusing both aspects of her personality, Susie decided to pursue her calling.Â
That swift decision led her to the TU Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama; subsequent chorus contracts with the Irish National Opera proved an important introduction to the world of opera. Connections were made, advice was freely given and she was hooked. Not that it was all roses; the life of a creative inevitably entails rejection; Susie says it simply makes the successes even sweeter.Â
Though freelance opera singer is not a phrase I ever thought I would write, Susie is currently freelancing across the UK and Ireland; summer festivals are a fruitful time for freewheeling singers. We like to imagine a certain security for opera singers, but like any other artist, being an entrepreneur is equally important. Susie plans to organise performances in Dublin and London; in the meantime, grants, bursaries and scholarships form an important support network for up and coming artists. Of course, singers with her incredible range and skill are always in demand at weddings; Susie was on her way to one after we spoke.
Teaching is another avenue which Susie is exploring; pairing her love of psychology with singing, she finds great reward within the school environments, helping children to express themselves through song.
It’s a curious thing, the ability to confidently project one’s voice. Susie says connecting with your breathing is key.Â
‘We’ve all forgotten how to breathe. Once I show people how to breathe from their diaphragm, it’s like an entirely different person has walked into the room.’
Even as Susie speaks in conversation, she breathes deeply, bringing a certain calmness to every sentence. Passionate about vocal health for singers, she talks about the importance of checking in with how you feel and letting go of tension before you sing. As a master of one of the most embodied art forms, Susie provides a beautiful example of a woman with an open throat chakra.
Both male and female singers’ voices mature throughout life, with some singers switching from soprano to mezzo, tenor to bass, or vice versa. Susie says her voice has changed in its quality, tone and size. Her full repertoire is still to be explored; one of her great joys is following the path of discovery with her craft.
Susie is open to whatever opportunities arise for her in the future. She dreams of an international career, a career with room for the most important things in life. Speaking of which, Susie hopes to return to Dublin in the next few years; opera’s recent resurgence in Ireland means world class singers and productions have returned to our shores.Â
‘Life is for living.’ she says laughing.
I couldn’t agree more.
You can catch Susie’s performances in Suor Angelica and La Ciociara at the 72nd Wexford Festival Opera, 24 Oct - 5th Nov 2023.
In the meantime, please visit
https://www.susiegibbonssoprano.com/
and connect with Susie on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/susiegibbonssoprano/
Article by Aoife Long.
This article was first published in N Magazine No.6 which is available in print here.
Now that it’s autumn, cosy reads and crackling fires are beckoning.
N might just be the magazine you’re looking for, you well cultured, art lover.
For readers in Ireland, print subscriptions begin at just €45 for 3 months and €66 for 3 months for US readers.
