Meet Our Singers: MICHAEL TODD SIMPSON, John Sorel

In our upcoming production of The Consul, baritone Michael Todd Simpson plays John Sorel, the freedom-fighter husband of the central character, Magda. One of the reasons Simpson is looking forward to portraying John is because the character is so “physically explosive.” When the audience first sees John, his clothes are in tatters; he’s just been beaten up. “You really have to be able to let yourself go on stage in order to experience this guys journey physically and emotionally,” he says. 

 
You’re a Seattleite. Tell me more about your connection with this city. In order to not offend, I would probably have to call myself a transplant to Seattle; however, I first fell in love with this city during my time in Seattle Opera’s Young Artists Program. When I got married in 2010, my wife was looking at grad schools. She decided on Bastyr University. We came out here, and that fall, got a house and planted some roots. Every time I come home after singing in New York or around the country, I’m so happy to be home.

I heard you had quite the Super Bowl party at your house.Yes! My wife’s colleagues from the nutrition world and several other Seattle friends were crowded around the TV. Then you had (The Consul director) Peter Kazaras and The Consul gang. They were in the kitchen talking about anything but football. And I was on the grill slaving away. But as The Seahawks took off, we were all in the living room screaming our heads off. Amazing game!

Michael Todd Simpson as John Sorel and Sarah Larsen as The Secretary in rehearsal for The Consul. 
Bill Mohn photo

What’s it like working with Peter Kazaras? You’ve known him for 10 years now!
He just gets me, in a way that a lot of people don’t. We have a weird, fantastic way of working together ... Peter will sometimes joke that a mad scientist tried to create an evil genius by making him and I share the same brain! I love rehearsals with Peter because he helps us shed all the layers, all the stuff keeping you from ‘just being’ while you’re onstage. He will call me out sometimes and say, ‘Todd, I see you thinking. Stop it' It’s so simple when you stop thinking.

As an opera artist, how important is the acting element?
It's the same importance as in any other genre of theater. I think more than any other time in opera's long history you are starting to see more singers with real acting chops. And a piece such as this demands it. The days of stand and sing are gone. More and more companies around the world are turning to live HD broadcast. As a performer, actor, singer, and even dancer we must be believable in every way. Audiences expect nothing less.

LEFT: Vira Slywotzky as Magda Sorel and Michael Todd Simpson as John Sorel in rehearsal for The Consul
(Bill Mohn photo).
RIGHT: One of Michael Todd Simpson's costumes as John Sorel.  

Classical operas like La bohème or more modern works like The Consul—which is your favorite to perform?
Bohème is the first opera I truly fell in love with and will probably always be my favorite. And, like every piece, I have done The Consul is really beginning to grow on me. We have the amazing opportunity as singers to live with a piece long enough that it becomes a part of us. Also I love the challenge performing in English presents; to be able to really communicate with the American audience.We as singers, as well as the audience, have to work twice as hard to communicate and to truly listen.

The Consul deals with oppression, loss of personal freedom, and the reduction of human beings to numbers. How do you approach such heavy material?
I go back to things in my personal life, dealing with the loss of family members. Most of the people I grew up with including myself have been privileged in comparison and never had to experience that kind of oppression. John Sorel fears for his life, his family and he risks literally everything to save them. I can’t imagine what that’s like. On the flip side, all of us experience tragedy at one point or another. And the loss of someone you truly love is a heartbreak we all understand.

Michael Todd Simpson as Marcello in 2013's La bohème. Elise Bakketun photo

As far as the Young Artists graduates involved in this production, what’s it like being “the old one”? Hey watch it now! (laughs). It actually feels kinda nice to be the "old guy." I spent the first 10 years of my career feeling like the kid in the room. I just feel more comfortable, more grounded in myself as a person and as a singer; and that allows you to go further, take bigger risks as a performer. I always admired how seasoned pros would take these huge risks dramatically and vocally. And I am beginning to know what that feels like, finally. But I will always be a young artists, or, a big kid at heart. Being around this amazing cast of young singers is awesome. We are having a blast! Even though we're singing about death and torture everyday. It's a hoot.

The Consul at Seattle Opera
February 22, 26, 28 and March 1, 5, 7 at 7:30 p.m. February 23 at 2 p.m.
For full cast, more information and tickets, please click here.

Meet Our Singers: MICHAEL TODD SIMPSON, Marcello

Michael Todd Simpson is back for more Bohème! The baritone from North Carolina (photo as Marcello, left, by Elise Bakketun) made his Seattle Opera mainstage debut (as Nathanael in The Tales of Hoffmann) shortly after graduating from our Young Artists Program in 2005, and has returned since then for Marcello in 2007 and Escamillo in 2011. I spoke to him the other day about how his voice and technique have grown since he was a Young Artist, about how he became a Seattleite, and about the youngest member of the Simpson family to grace our stage...

Michael Todd Simpson sings Marcello in a moment from the La Bohéme Act Four duet

For starters, why do you think La Bohème has this incredible appeal? Why has this opera endured as strongly as it has?
I think it’s the music. The music itself tells the story in this incredible way, so much so that first-time operagoers come away going, “Oh, that was amazing, that was unlike anything else.” As for me, I’ve done 6 or 7 different productions of La Bohème, so I know it very well, but I still go to it when I want to relax and just enjoy listening. It’s music that’s easy on your ears, and it sticks in your head and you find you’re still singing it several days later.

From Seattle Opera's 2007 La Bohème, Gun-Brit Barkmin as Mimi and Michael Todd Simpson as Marcello
Rozarii Lynch, photo

You also sang Marcello at Seattle Opera in 2007 (although this time you’re in the opening cast). From your perspective, what’s different this time?
My voice has changed so much since then! It feels like a completely different role. After all, I was only just out of the Young Artists Program at the time, and I really was still growing. I’ve noticed this with Escamillo, too—each time I come back to it, I am different, my voice has changed. It’s easier, with more experience, to relax into the character better; you have more fun. Yes, I do read reviews—with this production, all the reviews have mentioned our camaraderie. When you have really good, seasoned people doing these roles, they can all relax and have fun with each other and still sing, still be true to the music.

Francesco Demuro (Rodolfo) and Michael Todd Simpson (Marcello) in La Bohème
Elise Bakketun, photo

Tell me more about how you feel your voice has changed.
Everybody is always talking about how Wagner singers have to wait a really long time until their voices are finished. I finally figured out, from personal experience, what that means—it means that your voice is one instrument, top to bottom. The listener doesn’t hear any shifts as you climb up the scale—everything has a consistent, open sound. You hear it with Francesco [Demuro, Todd's Rodolfo]—how does he hold that high C for 8 seconds? Holy cow. It’s a healthy sound, you can hear its longevity. People in Seattle have told me, these last few weeks, “Your voice has grown since you sang Carmen here two years ago.” Technically, when I sang Escamillo then, things were starting to settle, but I think I’ll be even more ready for that role in another couple of years. I don’t think I’ll ever say, “I have mastered the technique of the vocal instrument!” but I’m better at playing with it. You have to be flexible—from night to night you may find you have more energy or less, or the sound is not coming out as you expect. When you’re in your 20s, things are in so much flux that you can’t play. Singers are constantly traveling, switching time zones, gaining and losing weight. And anything that can change, with your body, can wreak havoc with your voice.

Michael Todd Simpson as Escamillo in Carmen
Elise Bakketun, photo

Michael Todd Simpson sings Escamillo's "Toreador Song" from Carmen

This Bohème reunites you with Andrew Garland [Schaunard], who was in the YAP with you back in 04/05. Have your paths crossed much since then?
No, but we knew each other even before we were both in the program here! In 2002 we both sang in Dead Man Walking in Cincinnati, when John Packard was doing it. And we did Figaro in school, at Cincinnati Conservatory College of Music—Andy was the Count and I was Figaro, though in another cast. Since YAP I feel like we’ve seen each other here and there, at competitions and stuff like that, but I think this is the first time we’ve actually worked together.

How did you become a Seattleite?
When I was a Young Artist in Seattle I thought, “I want to live in Seattle but have a foothold in New York.” And after I graduated from the program, I was a nomad for a while, then moved to New York, where I got married. It worked out very nicely—my wife was accepted in grad school in Seattle, and we’ve lived here ever since! The market was good, and at the time I was doing lots of Carmens, we were able to put together a down payment on a house. It was actually Jeffrey Jordan—now Seattle Opera’s Music Assistant, but he also sells real estate for Coldwell Banker Bain—who found us a great place up in Greenwood.

And the other member of your family, Stella...
Little Miss Stella! Our mini schnauzer. Yes, we got her when we moved out here. She was 8 weeks old, weighed only a pound. I sometimes feel sorry for dogs in New York, whose owners are never home, and they live in tiny little spaces. Stella has been to New York, but she didn’t like it. She’s a Seattle girl through-and-through.

How did she come to star in La Bohème?
She won the audition by being cute, small, and hypo-allergenic. She has hair, not fur, so she doesn’t make people sneeze. Unfortunately her coat is black, so some people miss her. They’ve given her a big bow, which makes her a little easier to see, but she’s only onstage for a moment. I wish my dog had more time onstage! I suggested she should growl and bark at Marcello.

Stella Simpson (right, carried by Norah Amsellem as Musetta) appears in a photo of the happy Bohemians taken at Café Momus, which then features in the nostalgia of Act Four
Rob Reynolds, photo

Do you have a favorite moment in La Bohème?
Several, most of which revolve around high notes. I love in the first sing when I sing, “Aspetta: sacrificiam la sedia!” and go to break up the chair for firewood. And of course I love the Act 2 duet. It’s the number one challenge for Marcello, in terms of singing. To sing it beautifully, and the way I think Puccini would want. Sadly, Marcello is a bit of a thankless role—he’s the ultimate “responder.” He responds to everyone, and he has snippets of lyricism here and there, but he doesn’t sing his own aria.

No, he’s like Suzuki that way, in Madama Butterfly. Sarah Larsen was our Suzuki last season, and you’ll be sharing the stage with her next year for our Seattle Opera premiere, Menotti’s The Consul. Have you sung this role before?
Never sung it before—brand-new to me. I’m excited about it, I think it’s great.

Do you sing much contemporary work in English?
Mostly I’ve done Britten—I covered Nathan Gunn at the Met last spring, in Billy Budd, which was amazing. And I’m doing Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Met next fall, with an exciting young cast. Only six performances, but it should be a blast. I’ve done several recitals of contemporary songs in English. And at Glimmerglass we did The Mines of Sulphur, by Richard Rodney Bennett...you can get the recording of it.