There probably has never been a better time to become an opera singer, said baritone David Malis.

Speaking to Westminster College, New Wilmington, students, Malis said it seems that opera is as popular as it has ever been.

"There are more (opera) companies," he said. "There are more opportunities to get training."

Of course, becoming an opera singer is not an overnight endeavor, and requires a lot of hard work to go with natural talent.

Malis, a native of Florida who grew up in Georgia, is the son of church musicians. His father was a baritone singer and music director and his mother played piano. Malis started singing at age 3.

But when he finished high school, his instrument of choice was the tuba. Malis studied tuba for two years at the University of Georgia before he took to heart the encouragement of others to concentrate on singing.

A baritone, Malis studied in the graduate program at the University of Cincinnati, went through the apprenticeship program at the San Francisco Opera and embarked on a career as a free-lance singer, which he has done for 18 years.

Malis, 44, said he was lucky that agents go to the San Francisco Opera looking for new talent, so getting an agent was not difficult for him.

But even for people who aren’t so lucky, landing an agent is "essential," he said. It’s difficult to find work without an agent, whose main job is to find auditions for singers.

"If you get to the point where an agent is interested in you, go for it and see what he can do for you," Malis said.

"If you don’t have an in, you just need to write letters and send tapes."

While the top opera stars such as Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo earn untold millions for performances, most singers don’t make nearly what they do, and many have second jobs.

"If you can type or play the piano, you’ll always be employed," he quipped.

Even the big stars don’t make their money through opera, he said. They earn something more bankable: their reputations.

"The opera houses cannot afford to pay these guys that kind of money," Malis said. "But they need opera to maintain their credibility."

At the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where Malis has performed, the top stars make $15,000 a show at the Met. Malis said he makes $6,000 a show there.

Malis, who has appeared at La Scala, Royal Opera House Covent Garden in Buenos Aires and Theatre des Champs-Elysees, usually earns $2,000 to $9,000 a performance.

He noted that he is responsible for paying his own taxes, his agent’s fee -- 10 percent for opera performances and 20 percent for orchestral appearances -- and lodging on the road.

"You usually end up keeping 40 percent of what you make," he said.

Road life can be taxing in a number of ways. The busier a performer is, the less time he or she has for family and other interests.

"My first marriage didn’t survive it," he said. "I was on the road all the time."

Road life also makes it difficult to maintain the discipline required for singing, said Malis, an ex-smoker and night owl.

"It can be a lonely way of life. You really need to be disciplined because when you’re on the road, you go home to a hotel room."

Malis gave some simple guidelines for being disciplined: sleep eight hours a night, drink lots of water and eat a well-balanced diet.

Malis also recommended singing every day -- while admitting he doesn’t always live up to it -- but added that most people don’t have to sing for hours a day to stay in shape.

"I can keep myself in shape by singing half an hour, 45 minutes a day."

Malis told the students to believe in the validity of their own voices. He said he used to try to sing like Sherrill Milnes and other stars, even though his voice is different.

"The first time I sang at the Met I was mortified. I said, ‘I gotta be this. I gotta be that.’ "

Malis’ father told him to just be himself.

"Whatever you’re singing, sing with your voice. I think we all have a gift, we all have different voices, we all have individuality in our voices."