Don Quixote: Speight's Corner

Most cast members in Don Quixote are Seattle Opera favorites that General Director Speight Jenkins couldn’t wait to bring back to the stage. Hear Speight boast about the returning talent – and preview the voices yourself – as this video is full of clips from the artists’ past appearances here in Seattle.

To learn more about Seattle Opera's upcoming production of Don Quixote, visit the Seattle Opera website.

Seattle Opera Singers at the Ballpark

When Seattle Opera's talented casts aren't busy perfecting their roles in rehearsal, many of them take the time to explore Seattle and all there is to do and see here--which often includes trips to the local ballparks. But even more fun than simply taking in a Mariners or Seahawks game is appearing on the Safeco and Qwest Fields, singing the pre-game national anthem for thousands of cheering fans.

And now that the temperature is dropping and the nights are dark and long, it's a good time to look back and reminisce on the warmer days of spring, summer, and fall with a few photos. Were you at any of these games?

Wesley Rogers, who most recently created the role of the Officer in Amelia, with Shelby Richardson and the Mariners Moose

Adam Klein, who sang Tristan at one of the performances this summer, also sang at Safeco Field

Marcus DeLoach, who covered Greer Grimsley this summer as Kurwenal in Tristan, at Safeco Field with Helen Ralston and Jonathan Dean

Simeon Esper, back in Seattle for Tristan's Sailor and Shepherd, also sang for the Mariners

Young Artist Marcy Stonikas at Safeco Field, cheered on by fellow YAPs Eric Neuville and Erik Anstine (and her husband Brian)

Phil Cutlip, Enrico in Lucia, about to sing the Star-Spangled Banner in front of 70,000 football fans at Qwest Field

A Chat with KELLY KUO

Before our final performance of Viva la Mamma! tonight in downtown Seattle, in the Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall, we have a chance to chat with Kelly Kuo (pictured left en route to the San Juan Islands), coach/accompanist with the Young Artists Program and pianist at these performances.

Kelly, you’ve been living and performing in musical meccas around the US for several years: New York City, Houston, Cincinnati, Seattle, southern California. But you’re a son of the Pacific Northwest, and just returned from Walla Walla, WA, not far from where you grew up. What was it like to go back there now?
Having made my piano soloist debut with the Walla Walla Symphony when I was in the 3rd grade, it felt like I had come full circle with my return to the desert of eastern Washington. Since it has been about 20 years since I last performed in the area, I was happy to have friends and family from my hometown, Hermiston, Oregon, at the show to cheer me on.

You’ve worked with Seattle Opera on Verdi and Wagner (the Ring, ’09, and Falstaff, ’10), on new music (The End of the Affair, ’05) and now on this more old-fashioned opera, Viva la Mamma! Which production has been the most rewarding?
Taking on the Ring in 2009 was the most rewarding because it was my first time working on a full-scale Wagner production.

Do you prefer working on new music or old music?
The thing I really enjoy about working with new music is the process of collaborating with a living composer directly. More often than not, it has been a liberating and rewarding experience for me so, if forced to choose between new and old, I would cast my vote for new.

Erik Anstine as Poet and Kelly Kuo as Pianist in Viva la Mamma! (Bill Mohn photo)

Since you’re visible onstage the whole time, the stage director of Viva la Mamma!, Jeff Buchman, worked you into the show a little bit. What performing experience do you have beyond playing the piano? Is it fun to be a character in the show, as it were?
When I was a student at the Manhattan School of Music, I was a member of a "Music-Telling" ensemble modeled after a performing group named "Tales and Scales." We were a quartet of musicians who acted and performed music composed specifically for a script and story created by the group members ourselves and where the only props we could use were our instruments. My fond memories of performing in the NYC public schools with that group remind me of what I'm doing now in Viva la Mamma!. It is also tremendous fun, as the continuo player, being the "thought bubbles" of the other performers on stage.

With this production of Viva la Mamma!, you are coach/accompanist (and, really, the entire orchestra). But you also have experience working in opera as Artistic Administrator and Conductor. What’s the hardest part of each of those jobs?
The job of pianist/coach is usually centered around realizing the musical interpretation of the conductor and helping the singers sound their best when negotiating the terrain associated with this interpretation. One always hopes to bring something to the table as a musician, but, in the end, it is still someone else's interpretation, which can be hard to deal with--especially when one is not entirely convinced by another person's interpretation or lack thereof.

The role of Artistic Administrator differs in every opera company but I find a common theme that resonates among all AA's is that of balancing the needs of singers (higher fees) with those of the company (lower fees) while getting the best voices possible within budget limitations.

When one conducts opera, there is usually very limited time to work with the orchestra, but this is the time when the conductor really learns the craft. While every other person in the pit and on stage gets to practice with his/her instrument at all times, the conductor is challenged by having far less time to work with his instrument, the orchestra, and foster a situation where everyone involved collaborating and able to perform at their best.

Which is your favorite?
Though there are rewarding aspects of each position, I'd have to stick with conducting as my favorite.

Kelly Kuo in rehearsal (Alan Alabastro photo)

You did your training with the Houston Grand Opera, and are now training young singers with Seattle Opera. Tell us about some of the rewards and challenges of Young Artists Programs, then and now.
As a bridge between the academic and professional worlds, Young Artist Programs can give participants the tools and opportunities to make the transition smoothly by covering principal roles or performing small roles next to more experienced colleagues. It's a win-win situation for both the company and young singers. But because of the necessity of finding more refined singers who are able to step into these responsibilities immediately, it is often difficult for programs to invest in and nurture singers who may have an important talent but aren't ready to perform at a high level yet.

A Chat with Amanda Opuszynski

Soprano Amanda Opuszynski has spent the past two weeks on tour with the Young Artists Program as they made their way around the state performing Donizetti's Viva la Mamma! Opuszynski, pictured right with fellow YAPs David Krohn and Erik Anstine (Bill Mohn, photo) plays the role of the entitled and demanding Prima Donna. Today we talk to her about the tour, her character, and her own development as a singer.

You can catch the final performance of the YAP's production of Viva la Mamma! tomorrow night at Benaroya Hall.


When and how did you get involved with opera?
I started taking voice lessons when I was 11, but I had absolutely no exposure to opera until I was about 16. Until then, I was obsessed with musical theater and wanted to be on Broadway! My voice teacher suggested that I take a break from belting to learn the Habanera from Carmen for an upcoming studio recital. I got a lot of positive feedback, so I entered a couple local and national classical voice competitions and won! Encouraged by my teacher, I went on to study classical voice in college, and I never really looked back. As it turned out, opera was perfect for my skill set and my personality. I love that there is longevity in this career, and that it requires a willingness to continually study and learn. And, of course, the music is gorgeous.

What has your performance and education background been so far?
I did my undergraduate work at University of Michigan, where I actually trained as a mezzo-soprano. Then in the fall of my senior year, I was cast as Musetta in La bohème. My voice began to grow and change until my teacher and I realized that I should make the switch to soprano. Rather than take time off to make the transition, I went straight to graduate school at the University of Maryland Opera Studio as a soprano. At Maryland, I performed the role of Adina in L'elisir d'amore. In addition to formal education, I spent the summers of 2007 and 2008 singing with the Ohio Light Opera, where I learned a lot about stamina and versatility. In 2009, I was a Studio Artist at Wolf Trap Opera, and in May, I went back to sing in a workshop of their newly commissioned opera, The Inspector, by John Musto and Mark Campbell.

Is there a dream role you hope to one day perform?
I am dying to sing Mimi in La bohème, but I think that one is still a few years away! The music is so incredibly gorgeous, and Mimi has such a touching story to tell. I also harbor secret dreams of Violetta, Tosca, and Desdemona, but all of those roles are eons away right now.

The Prima Donna (Amanda Opuszynski) gives Mamma (Daniel Scofield) a piece of her mind (Alan Alabastro photo)

Have you had the opportunity to perform comic roles, like Viva la Mamma!, in the past? Do you find comedy to be easier or harder than drama?
Adina and Musetta definitely have moments of comedy, and I have done several comic sidekick roles in various operettas and musicals. I think that comedy can be very tricky because it has to be played with relative realism to be funny. It can be tempting to play generalities and stereotypes, but that isn't what makes the audience laugh! They want to see real people in real situations that become absurd. On the other hand, I feel like there is less vulnerability in comedy than in drama. In drama, people want to see your soul.

What’s it like playing shows all over the state? The travel is spaced out over a couple weeks, but when you perform two shows in a weekend, does the travel between venues take a toll on your voice/energy?
This is my first time doing a tour like this, and I've certainly learned a lot about what I need to perform well. It's surprisingly exhausting to sit in a van for hours on end! Water and sleep are essential, but not always easy to come by in hotels. The hardest part for me has been maintaining some semblance of healthy eating and exercise with such a crazy schedule. Luckily, my voice has been holding up pretty well, and I haven't gotten sick yet.

Many of the characters in Viva la Mamma! are stereotypes of people in opera and theater – especially your character, which is a total diva. Where did you find inspiration for this role?
I have had the pleasure of working with very professional, kind colleagues, so I can't honestly say that any of my peers have inspired my character. My inspiration has come more from divas outside the world of opera. I think we have all encountered people who feel entitled to better treatment, who think the world of themselves, who relish every opportunity to step into the spotlight. You don't have to be an opera singer to be a real life Prima Donna!

The Prima Donna (Amanda Opuszynski) vamps it up for the benefit of pianist Kelly Kuo (Alan Alabastro photo)

Do you have any plans lined up for after you finish the YAP in the spring? What are your goals for the next couple years of your career?
I'm currently in the middle of auditioning for summer 2011 positions, so you'll have to check back with me after the holidays to see where I end up! I am hoping to sing somewhere this summer and come back to Seattle for a second season, but that isn't up to me. I'm pretty young in this business, so I think I could benefit from a few more years of YAP training, here or elsewhere, as my voice continues to develop and mature.

What would you say is the biggest challenge for young artists beginning their careers today?
You need an incredible amount of stamina and drive to survive in this business. You have to accept that you will have to do several auditions and maybe get one job out of it, and that that job will only last for a finite amount of time. We are constantly putting ourselves out there, trying to figure out the next step, and it's nearly impossible to plan more than a few months of your life in advance. You need to have a deep-rooted belief in yourself and your talent to withstand all of this uncertainty, and to know without a doubt that this is the only career for you.

Weekend at Houston Grand Opera

Last weekend Sue Elliott, Seattle Opera’s new Education Director, and I (I’m Jonathan Dean, SO’s Director of Public Programs and Media) had a great adventure dashing to Houston for two exciting opera performances. On Friday we heard the final performance of Peter Grimes, fourth in a series of Britten’s great operas (the others being Billy Budd, Turn of the Screw, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream) which Houston Grand Opera has been presenting, over the last several years, in partnership with several Australian opera companies. The cast featured Patrick Carfizzi, who will soon be coming to Seattle to sing Dr. Bartolo in The Barber of Seville, as the lawyer Mr. Swallow, as well as Joseph Evans as the Reverend Horace Adams (Evans sang Captain Vere when Seattle Opera presented Billy Budd, in ’01.) The terrific singers in the lead roles were Christopher Purves, as Balstrode, Katie Van Kooten, as Ellen, and Anthony Dean Griffey as Grimes; Griffey, who sings a great deal of twentieth-century and American music, recorded the title role in Peter Ibbestson with the Seattle Symphony some years ago. Patrick Summers, HGO’s Music Director, conducted a memorable reading of Britten’s harrowing score, performed ably by HGO’s great orchestra and chorus.

The HGO Chorus menaces Griffey as Peter Grimes with the song "Old Joe has gone fishing" (Felix Sanchez photo)

Intense and beautiful as that performance was, the next night was just as wild: the sold-out world premiere of Cruzar la Cara de la Luna/To Cross the Face of the Moon, a brand-new opera with music by José “Pepe” Martínez, Director of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, the most important and influential Mariachi group in the world. Created under the auspices of Song of Houston, an ongoing series of new works that uses musical storytelling to engage members of the community who may be new to opera, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna tells a story about family, belonging, and a physical and spiritual journey there and back again between Michoacán, Mexico and Texas. The libretto was written (with Martínez) by Leonard Foglia, who also directed the world premiere semi-staged production last weekend. (Foglia made his Seattle Opera debut in 2005 directing The End of the Affair.) They’ll be presenting a staged production in a few weeks at Talento Bilingüe de Houston. It was a privilege to be in attendance at the world’s first-ever Mariachi opera; the story was deeply moving, and Martínez’s music is justly renowned. To learn more about this exciting new opera, or hear some of its music, CLICK HERE.

Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán was the orchestra at the world premiere, standing behind the singers in this semi-staged performance

Beyond hearing these memorable performances, Sue and I had all sorts of culinary adventures with Southwestern and Mexican cuisine--Houston is a great city for opera and for food!

Cross-Dressing in VIVA LA MAMMA!

Pants roles, in which a female singer plays a male character, are common in opera--but a baritone who plays a woman? That's unusual. Donizetti's Viva la Mamma! has both of these types of roles, and today we hear from the two Young Artists who are currently cross-dressing their way across the state in the Young Artist Program's fall tour: mezzo-soprano Lindsey Anderson (Pipetto), and baritone Daniel Scofield (Mamma).

   

Have either of you had experience in pants and skirt roles before Viva la Mamma?
Lindsey: Pipetto will always hold a special place in my heart; he is my very first pants role! It's a small role, but he's got a lot of attitude. Actually, he is a wonderful character for the pants-role novice because he is more of a caricature of a man than a real one--and upon his exit in the first act you actually find out that he is a she! Up until then, though, everything is exaggerated, from his physical mannerisms to his flirting techniques. Playing this character has been a great opportunity to work on the basics of playing a pants role, like a masculine gait and facial expression, broader gestures, etc.

Daniel: I've never had to cross-dress before in my life, nor had it been on a list of skills I ever thought I would need. There are very VERY few skirt roles for men (others include the Witch in Hansel und Gretel and, I recently discovered, Rosalia in the operatic treatment of the classic film Divorce Italian Style). Since the decline of the castrato, cross-dressing in opera has usually been the domain of women. That being said, this character has been extremely fun to play, and a challenge in many ways.

What was the biggest challenge in playing a woman? You seemed to have lucked out with the orthopedic shoes, instead of heels!
Daniel: The biggest challenge has honestly been discovering how women manage to hold onto their purses so elegantly. As a guy, I always thought those straps magically adhered to women’s shoulders when they moved. It seems I was misled. Also, I wear a skirt through Act 1, and my Act 2 toga is even less reserved, so this show has been a crash course in modesty, resulting from some very embarrassing accidents in rehearsal.

Daniel Scofield as Mamma. Photo by Alan Alabastro.

Has the challenge of handbags and dresses given you any new insights into women?
Daniel: It's been an eye-opening process. I was talking to a female member of the cast, and was summing up the positive and negative aspects of the whole thing, and I think it boiled down to that the dresses are always very comfortable, they breathe well, and are made to make me look better; the bra definitely helped my posture; and the purse is really useful to always have around. But constantly worrying about my wig, makeup, stockings, chest hair (all things women have to worry about, right?) balanced out the good with the bad. I do definitely have more appreciation now for what women have to go through on a daily basis.

How did you both prepare for your characters?
Lindsey: Observation is your best friend when playing a role of the opposite sex. When you play your own sex, it’s easier for your own mannerisms to find their way into your interpretation of the character. When playing a pants role, you completely reprogram your way of movement and expression. All my male colleagues have been very helpful by just being themselves! They helped me find Pipetto's natural stance, just because I could observe them in rehearsals.

Daniel: My first approach to the character was as a guy, and about halfway through I realized that I wasn’t “thinking like a woman.” Once I realized this, the character became (I hope) much more likeable and endearing. I worked very closely with our wonderful director, Jeffrey Marc Buchman, and together we bounced ideas off each other about when to unleash Mamm’Agata’s claws, and when sarcasm and wit would be the better alternative.

Marcy Stonikas (Seconda Donna) and Lindsey Anderson (Pipetto). Photo by Bill Mohn.

Did either of you base your interpretations of your characters off anyone in particular?
Lindsey: To be honest, my inspiration for this character is the type of guy that usually sends me running in the opposite direction! He's a Don Juan minus the ability to be suave. Yes...Pipetto is a bit creepy. I'm sure that Marcy Stonikas can attest to this. She plays the Seconda Donna and is the object of Pipetto's affections.

Daniel: Because of the rarity of this opera, I had nothing to base my performance on, as far as previous productions. Shockingly there are no audio/video recordings of Merrill, Milnes, Bastianini, or any of the pantheon of “Golden Age” baritones performing this, so I had to start from scratch. I did find some similarities in iconic figures, such as Dana Carvey’s "church lady" character on Saturday Night Live, as well as Rosalia from Divorzio all’italiana, which I have to thank Gregory Keller for, as he made the entire cast at Wolf Trap opera watch it together one afternoon. Also, I found inspiration from figures in my family…which I hope they never find out about.

Daniel Scofield as Mamma. Photo by Bill Mohn.

Lindsey, mezzo-sopranos are often cast in pants roles. Is it something you’ve enjoyed and wouldn’t mind doing more of in your career?
Lindsey: I truly enjoy all of the many different types of characters that mezzos play. From powerful and sensual leading ladies like Carmen, Rosina, and Dalila to nurturing supporting roles like Alisa or Flora, mezzos enjoy a wide variety of interesting characters and gorgeous music. Mezzo-sopranos singing pants roles is a wonderful tradition. Whether or not the role was originally intended for a mezzo, pants roles give mezzos the opportunity to explore an even wider range of characters and even more beautiful music. One of the pants roles I hope to sing one day is Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier.

What about you, Daniel? Would you play a woman again (although, granted, there aren’t very many roles to choose from)?
Daniel: The entire experience of putting together this rarely-performed opera has been incredibly rewarding for me. Given another chance to perform this, I would do it in a heartbeat. The freedom the role has given me onstage to be someone/something completely different is such a rush, that I’d be hard pressed to turn down any chance to explore the almost nonexistent canon of baritone “skirt” roles.

Don Quixote Teaser

Explore Massenet's Spanish flare in an opera that's "not unlike Carmen," in this Don Quixote teaser video. Hear music clips, see the costumes we'll be using, and meet Stage Director Linda Brovsky.

To learn more about Seattle Opera's upcoming production of Don Quixote, visit the Seattle Opera website.

David Krohn's Viva la Mamma! Photos: Week 2

Last week we shared some photos from baritone David Krohn, who is currently on tour with the Young Artists Program, performing Donizetti's comic opera Viva la Mamma! in communities around the state.

This past weekend, the Young Artists headed to the San Juan Islands for shows in Eastsound and Friday Harbor, and David was once again busy snapping photos of the trip. Check out some of his pictures below, and see the YAP live and in-person this week at Viva performances in Walla Walla and Seattle.

David Krohn, center, makes new friends while waiting in line for the car ferry to Orcas Island.

Seattle Opera's Education Events Manager, Justina Schwartz, and Coach/Accompanist Kelly Kuo.

Erik Anstine and Marcy Stonikas chill out with books while waiting for the ferry.

Eric Neuville and David Krohn enjoy the ferry ride to Orcas Island.

Adrian Rosas, Joseph Beutel, Marcy Stonikas, Kelly Kuo, Erik Anstine, and YAP Music Director Brian Garman take in the crisp sea air.

A future Captain Vere (Eric Neuville)...

...and his Billy Budd (David Krohn).

Breakfast at the Orcas Hotel before heading to San Juan Island.
From left to right: Marcy Stonikas, Adrian Rosas, Lindsey Anderson, Jessilee Marander, Joseph Beutel, Justina Schwartz, Eric Neuville, Erik Anstine, Brian Garman, Daniel Scofield, Amanda Opuszynski, and Kelly Kuo.

Leaving Orcas Island for San Juan Island.

All aboard!

Erik Anstine thinks of a bowling name for a game in Friday Harbor.

Marcy Stonikas and Brian Garman. It turns out that great musicians aren't necessarily great bowlers.

Heading back to the mainland after two great performances of Viva la Mamma!.

Goodbye, beautiful San Juan Islands!

Laser Opera: Bad is Good!

Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin...and Mozart? Yes, last night was the sixth annual Laser Opera event hosted by Seattle Opera's BRAVO! Club, and this clash-of-worlds event saw another year of success with an all-ages crowd of opera lovers and first-timers alike.

This year's theme was "Bad is Good," and the playlist was a journey to discover the best of the worst - in other words, the best of the evil we see on stage - in the current opera season. Prepared by new Education Director Sue Elliott, the arias presented not only highlighted this year's opera lineup, but showcased the power of opera as exemplified by its use in movies, cartoons, and other means of popular culture.

"Why is evil so interesting?" Elliott writes in her narrative script accompanying each track, "Perhaps one reason is that by its very nature evil is seductive." She goes on to introduce the famous "Catologue Aria" from Don Giovanni, to be performed by our Young Artists this spring. Leporello boasts that the Don has seduced thousands of women around the world, proving that evil, indeed, is seductive.

The show went on to explore how other composers treated the seduction of evil in their work, from Rossini's The Barber of Seville, when Don Basilio sings how to start a rumor in order to help Bartolo win Rosina's heart, to Mozart's The Magic Flute, where amid the Queen of the Night's famous acrobatic aria, she attemps to persuade Pamina to murder Sarastro.

We couldn't feature a playlist where "Bad is Good" without including the Lucia mad scene; however, Elliott cleverly allowed the Laser Opera attendees to experience a different version than what we saw on stage last month: the Fifth Element Remix. In the movie, the aria is sung by a blue alien diva and begins just as creepily as Donizetti's standard arrangement, but the aria progresses and evolves into a techno remix that complements the movie's events - and our laser artwork - in its own eerily beautiful (beautifully eerie?!) way.

Thank you to Sue Elliott for her fabulous playlist and insightful and accessible narrative script that accompanied each track, and thank you to Pacific Science Center and the laser artists who practiced the show for four weeks before presenting their laser art live alongside the music. They even ended the show with a special surprise for us all:

What will we come up with for next year's Laser Opera?! You'll all have to join us to find out! Until then!!

A Chat with Adrian Rosas

Yesterday we shared some photos of the Young Artists Program on tour, and today we continue our behind-the-scenes look at the YAP with a chat with bass-baritone Adrian Rosas (left, Bill Mohn photo). He's currently performing the role of Procolo in Donizetti's Viva la Mamma!, which is in the midst of its six-date tour around Washington state, and we asked him what it's like to be a young singer at the start of his career.

When and how did you decide to get involved in opera?
I decided to pursue opera after my second year of pursuing my bachelor’s degree. I went to college mainly because I liked to sing—not opera specifically, but I just loved singing. I never studied opera or classical music until college. My passions were for choral singing and vocal jazz. After a few semesters of voice lessons, I was nudged into trying some opera repertoire and have stuck with it ever since.

What is it about opera that made you stick with it?
What draws me toward opera above all other types of singing or performance is the fact that opera incorporates many levels of performance. I love to sing solo repertoire, of all genres, but that gets lonely and I long to work with other people. I love singing choral music, but I wind-up missing the solo aspect of singing. I've tried to do some straight theater, but for me it's missing the music.... Opera has it all: solos, ensembles, recitative, and even spoken dialogue sometimes. Opera also requires many skill sets: vocal technique; acting skills; feeling confident with performing in many foreign languages; a strong understanding of music theory, history and aural skills; and the ability to work as an ensemble with the other characters on stage, the conductor and orchestra all at the same time. Performing on the opera stage has many challenges and requires much more preparation than many "non-opera" people might think. There is so much variety and there are endless possibilities for growth and change.

Where have you studied, and what productions have you been a part of in your career so far?
I really didn't have an interest in opera until about 6 years ago, but in that time, I received my bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and then my master’s degree from The Juilliard School, both in Vocal Performance.
As for opera programs, I was part of the AIMS Program in Graz, Austria, for one summer, and I’ve sung with the opera program at the Aspen Music Festival and School for two summers. Now I'm here as a Young Artist and it's the perfect place for me. It offers me the opportunity to keep learning vocally, but also to have many performing opportunities with the other Young Artists, as well as on the mainstage.

Some of my most memorable performances have included singing Figaro in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro with the Juilliard Opera; Bob in Menotti's Old Maid and the Thief at Western Michigan University; Masetto in Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Aspen Music Festival; understudying the role of Willy Wonka in a World Premier of Peter Ash's The Golden Ticket with The Opera Theatre of St. Louis; and now performing the role of Procolo in Donizetti's Viva la Mamma! here with the Young Artist Program.

Adrian Rosas and fellow Young Artist Amanda Opuszynski in rehearsal for Viva la Mamma!; Alan Alabastro, photo

What has your experience with the YAP been like so far?
I have had such a wonderful experience as part of the YAP so far. Because this opera world that we are a part of is so small, I actually knew three of the other Young Artists coming into the program. There are only nine of us, so we all got to know each other fairly quickly and we immediately began spending time together during our down time. It's a great group of people, all with different talents and we can all afford to learn from each other. I couldn't think of a better environment in which to spend time learning and growing.

Viva la Mamma! isn’t frequently performed; had you ever heard of it before you found out it would be the fall YAP production?
I had never even heard about Viva la Mamma! before I was assigned to learn one of its roles. It’s a wonderfully hilarious opera, and perfect for this group of Young Artists. Personally, I feel much more at home in a comedic role than a dramatic one, which might be due to the fact that I haven't had the opportunity to perform many dramatic roles as of yet. But any chance to perform is a great opportunity!

What would you say are some of the biggest challenges for a young opera singer trying to make it in today’s industry?
The opera world is very different today than it was even 50 years ago. Voice training used to be a skill that was learned slowly and methodically, but now there seems to be a pressure on young singers to be ready for a career and vocally mature before they really have the chance to develop in a healthy way.

It's not just a physical pressure, but an emotional one as well. I've encountered too many young singers that, in their early to mid-twenties, are so down on themselves for not getting roles or not being managed, or are depressed because someone has told them they’re not good enough. I often wish that vocal training could be like it used to be where a singer would study with their teacher on a daily basis, working extremely slowly on the fundamental ideas of singing: breath, support, and release of physical tension.

On top of that, the business is becoming much more technologically advanced with live video broadcast performances, which in turn requires opera singers today to be much more skilled as actors and to be in good physical shape. But, in my opinion, these are good challenges for us as performers, because it makes us better in all aspects of our craft.

David Krohn's Viva la Mamma! Photos: Week 1

The Young Artists Program's fall tour of Donizetti's Viva la Mamma! opened last Thursday in Kirkland, for the first of six performances that will present this rarely-performed comic opera to communities around the state. Viva la Mamma! tells of an opera company struggling with a production that is doomed from the start, thanks to the cast's clashing personalities--but the 2010/11 Young Artists don't seem to have that same problem. Baritone David Krohn brought his camera along to this weekend's Kirkland and Bellingham performances, and he kindly agreed to share some behind-the scenes photos, below.

Still left on the tour schedule are performances at Orcas Island, Friday Harbor, Walla Walla, and Seattle, so stay tuned for even more pictures as the tour continues!

Arriving in Kirkland for our opening night, our first stop is the catering table.

Lindsey fuels up.

Getting pumped before rehearsing in the space.

Kelly has to be the entire orchestra for this opera.

Don’t mess with Maestro and Poeta.

Jessilee assembles the set pieces for every performance.

‎"Where did you guys put my costume!?"

Eric helps to load the van after our opening show in Kirkland.

It's not an opera without a shield!

Back in the van for another show – today, Bellingham!

Lindsey reviews some arias for upcoming auditions on the way to a show.

Adrian makes it through the long van ride with help of energy drinks.

Dan reads books on quantum physics.

Erik and I goofing off before a show. I like the dragon's eyelashes, myself.

Adrian has found his costume.

Two shows down!!!

Photos by David Krohn