“My goal for like is to be a working actor, and while opera does come natural to me I’m not so sure spending 4 years of in-depth study is going to help me further my career as an actor. It would maybe give me a better fall-back career, but I want to do theatre.”
A “fallback career” in opera is not going to happen. I think it would be worthwhile to understand what a typical career in opera for a young soprano looks like and what the current market for sopranos is. Four years as an undergrad VP student does not make the cut in the opera world. Add on another four years of graduate study and post graduate study and add to that all the possible physical changes that may or may not occur in your instrument.(IN SHORT–4 years study is not considered “in depth” in the opera world)
I’m not trying to discourage work in VP, but the study of opera might not be the most effective or efficient way for someone who “just want(s) to do theater”.