Performers in opera are typically paid either per performance or in a yearly salary. Usually, only the top opera companies have large enough budgets to produce salaries. There is discussion being made about reducing uou salaries of the opera member salaries to help save money. You can also make money in an apprenticeship setting in an opera company. Certainly, the pay for an opera singer can vary dramatically and widely based on a number of factors. Most professional opera singers in the top opera companies have classical training performance degrees from top college programs, including the likes of Indiana, Cincinnati, Juilliard, Curtis, Michigan, AVA. Additionally, a great number of them gain valuable experience performing opera in summer music festivals that stage operas, un as the Aspen Music Festival and School, as well as in apprenticeship programs with professional opera companies. Most opera musicians look for jobs in opera choruses as salaried vocalists, but many of them seek ...