American tenor Holden Madagame shares how transitioning impacted his music career and how operas can create welcoming environments for trans performers.
American tenor Holden Madagame is set to make history this week when he takes the stage as the first ever transgender person to sing Mime in a production of Siegfried. Here he looks back at the effect transitioning while pursuing a career in music had on his voice and explores his new position as a trans role model in opera.
The way that testosterone works is unique as far as hormones go. Many effects of testosterone are not reversible, the change in vocal range being one of them. I started taking testosterone in 2014, about a year after arriving in Germany. I had completed my Bachelor of Music at the University of Michigan and my intention had been to get my Master of Music, then pursue a career in opera but deciding to take testosterone changed this.
When I started to take testosterone, there were no role models I could look to to guide me on my journey...Keep reading on Classical Music.
American tenor Holden Madagame is set to make history this week when he takes the stage as the first ever transgender person to sing Mime in a production of Siegfried. Here he looks back at the effect transitioning while pursuing a career in music had on his voice and explores his new position as a trans role model in opera.
The way that testosterone works is unique as far as hormones go. Many effects of testosterone are not reversible, the change in vocal range being one of them. I started taking testosterone in 2014, about a year after arriving in Germany. I had completed my Bachelor of Music at the University of Michigan and my intention had been to get my Master of Music, then pursue a career in opera but deciding to take testosterone changed this.
When I started to take testosterone, there were no role models I could look to to guide me on my journey...Keep reading on Classical Music.