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But James Dundass is determined to raise enough money through concerts to finance an audition tour in Europe.
"I've done 51 concerts so far," he said.
"The 52nd is tonight in Edmonton. The 53rd will be in Viking, Alta., Thursday. Yellowknife will be the 54th."
Back in Ontario, the London, Ont., based tenor performed 18 concerts in 22 days, a punishing schedule for any singer. But Dundass is confident he and his voice will survive.
"Heavy voices will take a lot more abuse," he said.
Between concerts Dundass doesn't rehearse or do voice exercises to save his voice for the performance. But most important for Dundass is looking after his health. Getting enough sleep is a priority.
"I can't get sick," he said.
Dundass is an opera singer with an identity crisis. At first he was a baritone. Then his voice coach, who is also the father of his accompanist, tried him on some tenor material.
The voice coach discovered Dundass was actually a tenor, but with a baritonal colour.
"At the time I was very confused," said Dundass.
His special type of tenor, called a baritonal tenor or dramatic tenor, is best suited for works by Verdi or Wagner, works that tenors don't usually attempt to sing until they're in their 40s.
Dundass, at 33, wants to go to Europe for the best training he can get to prepare him for such roles.
His program next Thursday night at Northern United Place will begin with hits from Broadway musicals such as Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and West Side Story. The second half will feature a selection of operatic arias as well as traditional favourites like Ave Maria and Danny Boy.
And Dundass and pianist Igor Saika-Voivod are getting along just fine in their motorhome, rolling down Canada's highways. So far they've only had two tire blowouts, and the tenor has learned how to change an RV's tires.
"The first time the CAA did it," said Dundass.
