Ten Questions with Melody Moore

Ten Questions with...

Melody Moore, soprano
Tosca in Tosca

1. My favorite thing about being a singer is:

- being able to express what I cannot express in daily life and daily conversation.

2. The greatest challenge in being a singer is: 

- keeping stability in health and keeping a quiet mind.

3. A live music performance I’ve attended that I will never forget is:
  - Rufus Wainwright’s Judy Garland Show.

4. A few of my favorite films are: 

 - The Hours, Dogville, and any Lord of the Rings movies.

5. Three things I can’t live without are:
- books, hot baths and my stuffed bear, Brutus.

6. My number one hobby is:
Cooking.

7. If you could perform with any singer, retired or deceased, who would it be?

- Renata Tebaldi.

8. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
Neuroscience or Quantum Physics or Chef.

9. What role do you wish you could sing that you could never sing because it’s the wrong voice type/gender?

 That’s why I’m lucky, I get to sing exactly what I love. 

10. Describe your favorite moment on stage. 

- When I went on for Gheorghiu on opening night of Tosca at San Francisco Opera, I could literally feel the grain of the fabric on the dropcloth below my feet. I could feel electricity surging through my body. I didn’t sleep well for three days afterward. Absolutely exhilarating. 

Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).

I don’t desire a specific question, but I would love it if someone actually understood that- although our lives as singers may seem exciting and glamorous - we pay a price. We often do not get to SEE the wondrous surroundings in cities where we sing because we are in rehearsal. We often are away from our homes and families for extended times and we live lonely lives at times. I wish, sometimes, that there was a broader space for that understanding.

See Melody in Madison Opera's production of Puccini's Tosca November 1 & 3 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at just $18– why wait?

Ten Questions with Scott Piper

Ten Questions with...

Scott Piper, tenor
Cavaradossi in Tosca

1. My favorite thing about being a singer is:

Having the ability to travel and perform with fantastic colleagues.

2. The greatest challenge in being a singer is: 

Staying healthy in the midst of the constant travel.

3. A live music performance I’ve attended that I will never forget is:
Ray Charles performing “Georgia” at the opening of the Schuster Performing Arts Center in Dayton, Ohio.

4. A few of my favorite films are: 

La Strada
Kissing Jessica Stein
Avatar

5. Three things I can’t live without are:
Chocolate
Beef Jerky
Marshmallow Peeps

6. My number one hobby is:
Reading.

7. If you could perform with any singer, retired or deceased, who would it be?

Aureliano Pertile.

8. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
Medicine.

9. What role do you wish you could sing that you could never sing because it’s the wrong voice type/gender?

Tosca.

10. Describe your favorite moment on stage. 

The moment before the first downbeat of the score.

See Scott in Madison Opera's production of Puccini's Tosca November 1 & 3 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at just $18– why wait?

Ten Questions with Nmon Ford

Ten Questions with...

Nmon Ford, baritone
Scarpia in Tosca

1. My favorite thing about being a singer is:

The sitzprobe (literally “seated rehearsal”): the first full orchestral run-through of the opera. After days or weeks of rehearsal with only piano, I enjoy the excitement of hearing the instrumentalists tearing into any score that I enjoy greatly, like Tosca or Salome. Alternate favorite thing: singing arias center stage with a spotlight (let’s keep this real).


2. The greatest challenge in being a singer is: 

Not living entirely in the future. The way this career works, and with what’s required to pursue it fully, it’s difficult not to view life in terms of the next rehearsal, or the next gig, or the next season.

3. A live music performance I’ve attended that I will never forget is:
Rachelle Ferrell. Genius--- and I seldom use that word.

4. A few of my favorite films are: 

Aliens. And The Avengers was good.

5. Three things I can’t live without are:
Good weather, ice cream, and Zara.

6. My number one hobby is:
Sleeping late.

7. If you could perform with any singer, retired or deceased, who would it be?

Donny Hathaway.

8. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
Chief Networking Officer at a corporate strategy firm.

9. What role do you wish you could sing that you could never sing because it’s the wrong voice type/gender?

Either the Grand Inquisitor (Don Carlo) or Otello.

10. Describe your favorite moment on stage. 

Most recently, my sitzprobe for Salome in Bordeaux earlier this year. Gave me chills.

Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).

Have you ever been surprised by your love for (or dislike of) a role?

I expected not to enjoy singing the title role in Attila in Italy a couple of seasons ago, but it ended up being some of the most fun I’ve ever had onstage. The entire experience was like singing an opera in Parma circa 1957. Conversely, I thought I’d like Falke in Die Fledermaus; I was mistaken.

See Nmon in Madison Opera's production of Puccini's Tosca November 1 & 3 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at just $18– why wait?

Ten Questions with Ryan Kuster

Ten Questions with...

Ryan Kuster, bass-baritone
Angelotti in Tosca

1. My favorite thing about being a singer is:

the collaboration between everyone that is involved during the rehearsal process. I love exploring the character through the exchange of musical and dramatic ideas.

2. The greatest challenge in being a singer is: 

managing my time in between gigs.

3. A live music performance I’ve attended that I will never forget is:
The dress rehearsal and then final performance of Susan Graham’s Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier. 

4. A few of my favorite films are: 

The Princess Bride, Kenneth Branagh’s Henry V, (it’s not a movie, but) House of Cards.

5. Three things I can’t live without are:
My travel pillow, my headphones and my favorite book.

6. My number one hobby is:
Self-improvement.

7. If you could perform with any singer, retired or deceased, who would it be?

I would love to perform with Jose Van Dam.

8. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I really don’t know. Probably something where I was doing service for others.

9. What role do you wish you could sing that you could never sing because it’s the wrong voice type/gender?

I like my roles. :)

10. Describe your favorite moment on stage. 

My favorite moment wasn’t on stage. It was outside and involved a horsefly and me ending up bleeding while I was performing. Ask me about it sometime. ;)

See Ryan in Madison Opera's production of Puccini's Tosca November 1 & 3 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at just $18– why wait?

Ten Questions with Nikolas Wenzel

Ten Questions with...

Nikolas Wenzel, bass
Sacristan in Tosca

1. My favorite thing about being a singer is:

The ability to go to work every day and pour your soul into something - to work collaboratively with others and create art is the greatest privilege we have as singers.  I am so grateful to be able to do this for a living.

2. The greatest challenge in being a singer is: 

The demands that having a career places on a singer are very high - the time away from home and family, the extra hours, and the travel all take their toll. There are many sacrifices that being in this line of work requires, and it’s a very delicate balancing act.

3. A live music performance I’ve attended that I will never forget is:
When visiting London with several high school classmates in 2001, I had the privilege of seeing the West End production of Les Misérables from the first row of the balcony. That I was finally able to see that show, and through it understand and experience all of the emotions that can be conveyed through live performance, helped galvanize for me that my future lied in music and in the theater. I will never forget that evening.

4. A few of my favorite films are: 

I am a huge Stanley Kubrick fan - so some of my favorite films of his are Barry Lyndon, Paths of Glory, and of course The Shining. Kubrick was an absolute master of the lens, and his work was truly groundbreaking with regard to the visual narrative. But - for me, it’s his incredibly insightful and pointed use of classical music in his scores that make his films what they are. He is able to take elements of existing classical works (he was a huge Beethoven fan) and craft them into their own subtle commentary on the story - even at points allowing them to serve as leitmotif. It’s absolutely fascinating.

5. Three things I can’t live without are:
1 - My beautiful family. 
2 - My iPhone. 
3 - I know this won’t be popular, but - DA BEARS.

6. My number one hobby is:
Most definitely photography. I’ve been shooting on and off since high school, and I’ve definitely been devoting more time to it since the birth of our first child. She makes the perfect subject.

7. If you could perform with any singer, retired or deceased, who would it be?

Without a doubt, I would choose Cesare Siepi. Not just for the sake of actually being able to hear him live, in person -  but to be able to watch and learn from an absolute master of the Italian bass repertoire. If it were possible to sing the Leporello to Siepi’s Don Giovanni - there would be nothing that could ever top that!

8. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I think I would probably be in professional photography - wedding, scenic, sports -  or maybe even cinematography. I think that would be another career field that would be very fulfilling.

9. What role do you wish you could sing that you could never sing because it’s the wrong voice type/gender?

It would be great fun to sing The Queen of the Night from Mozart’s The Magic Flute. It’s one of those dream roles for singers - it features two of the most virtuosic arias in the rep, has minimal stage time, and is an incredibly fierce character. What else can a singer ask for?

10. Describe your favorite moment on stage. 

A few years back, I was singing Dr. Dulcamara in a production of L’Elisir d’amore. As I had begun singing the opening lines of his first act aria, I sort of...well, I let’s just say that I lit my hand on fire. Thankfully, it was quickly extinguished -  and somehow I didn’t miss a beat, and the orchestra and I went on as if nothing had happened. The best part?  The audience, and even some of my colleagues thought that it was a planned gag. Ahhh...there’s nothing like the magic of live theater!

Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).

Where did you grow up?

I actually grew up not too far from here, in a town called Pecatonica, IL, just west of Rockford. I used to travel to Madison quite often to see concerts with my friends, and I’m thrilled to return to the area and make my debut here!

See Nikolas in Madison Opera's production of Puccini's Tosca November 1 & 3 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at just $18– why wait?

Ten Questions with Scott Brunscheen

Ten Questions with...

Scott Brunscheen, tenor
Spoletta in Tosca

1. My favorite thing about being a singer is:

Making art within a genre that has no “delete button”; once you sing and put that sound out into the world, there is no way of taking it back. It’s very exciting.

2. The greatest challenge in being a singer is: 

Convincing friends, family, or complete strangers that opera is beautiful, relevant, and entertaining and not just an elite novelty.

3. A live music performance I’ve attended that I will never forget is:
Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Verdi’s Otello at Carnegie Hall. The combination of artistic forces, acoustics, and excitement those on stage and in the audience created this indescribable energy; everybody knew they were part of something special.

4. A few of my favorite films are: 

Clue, V for Vendetta, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet, Soap Dish.

5. Three things I can’t live without are:
Coffee, a good pillow, and cheese.

6. My number one hobby is:
Cooking - nearly any kind of cuisine.

7. If you could perform with any singer, retired or deceased, who would it be?

Birgit Nilsson - though I don’t think anybody would hear me singing with her!

8. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
If not for my voice teacher in high school threatening to drop me as a student if I didn’t pursue music, I would have gone to study architecture.

9. What role do you wish you could sing that you could never sing because it’s the wrong voice type/gender?

Lucia - or basically anything with a mad scene. (Maybe at some point I’ll get to do a Peter Grimes and go thoroughly crazy!)

10. Describe your favorite moment on stage. 

My most memorable moment on stage was during a performance in graduate school of Ned Rorem’s Three Sisters Who Are Not Sisters (such a bizarre show!). For our staging, Samuel got shot in the middle of his aria and spent the rest of the time “opera dying.” At the end, when I finally slumped over of a very intense performance, there was a moment of complete silence on stage and in the audience- until my 3-year-old niece said to my sister, “Oh no! Did he die?” We had a really difficult time moving on with our macabre quintet of “dead characters” without laughing.

Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).

What book or movie should be made into an opera?

Clue! Of course, Wadsworth would be a lyric tenor. Yvette and Miss Scarlet would be Mezzos; Mrs. Peacock and Mrs. White, sopranos; Professor Plum, a countertenor; Colonel Mustard, a Baritone; and Mr. Body and Mr. Green, basses. Just think of the possibilities for arias and ensembles! During intermission, the audience could vote on what ending for that night…. Brilliant.

See Scott in Madison Opera's production of Puccini's Tosca November 1 & 3 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at just $18– why wait?

Ten Questions with Kenneth Stavert

Ten Questions with...

Kenneth Stavert, baritone
Sciarrone in Tosca

1. My favorite thing about being a singer is:

Getting to travel all around the world

2. The greatest challenge in being a singer is: 

Constantly adjusting to new living spaces.

3. A live music performance I’ve attended that I will never forget is:
Seeing my first opera when I was in high school, at Opera Pacific. It was Dead Man Walking with Maestro DeMain conducting, John Packard and Frederica von Stade. It confirmed for me that I wanted to be an opera singer.

4. A few of my favorite films are: 

Serenity, V for Vendetta, and Star Wars (I'm a Sci-fi nerd).

5. Three things I can’t live without are:My phone, my computer and my travel steamer.

6. My number one hobby is:
Surfing.

7. If you could perform with any singer, retired or deceased, who would it be?

Sherill Milnes or Ettore Bastianini.

8. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
Probably a personal trainer.

9. What role do you wish you could sing that you could never sing because it’s the wrong voice type/gender?

Tonio in The Daughter of the Regiment (only so that I could sing Ah mes amis).

10. Describe your favorite moment on stage. 

My favorite moment was probably the first time I sang Figaro in The Barber of Seville. They added in a confetti cannon without me knowing at the very end of the show. When it went off it was so loud that I jumped really big and had about 3 seconds where I had no idea what had happened. My look of confusion was I'm sure quite apparent but thankfully the curtain was on the way in. The only time I've broken character in opera...even if it was only for a few seconds. It taught me to expect anything.

Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).

What is the scariest part of singing in opera? 

Absolutely the first musical rehearsal. It's when you prove you are ready and that no mistake was made in casting.

See Kenneth in Madison Opera's production of Puccini's Tosca November 1 & 3 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at just $18– why wait?

Blog It! Tweet It! Night

A Night at the Opera
Guest Bloggers and Tweeters joined us for the final dress rehearsal of Don Giovanni. They went backstage and watched the performance, and live Tweeted for three straight hours about the experience. You can find their thoughts here.

The Blog It! Tweet It! Night guests get ready to set off for an evening of opera.

Jeff Turk (@frescoopera):
“Don Giovanni – A High Performance Vehicle” is an excellent recount for opera newbies who might still be a little nervous of diving in. He also offers some funny and simple insights on why he enjoyed it. Read more here. 

Kimberly Aime (@bdgergrl):
"Badger Girl Goes to the Opera" is a must-read three-part series. Part 1 covers her preparations for attendance, Part 2 takes you backstage with her on the Don Giovanni tour, and Part 3 gets you a seat in the audience as she recaps the performance.

Geoffrey Cubbage (@geoffreycubbage):
“Misanthropology at Madison Opera” is perfect reading for those who enjoy a bit of snark with their opera. He enjoyed the performance, and his blow-by-blow recount of the evening will have you in stitches—no hoity-toity literature here!

Chris Lay (@mrchrislay):
You can still check out Tweets from the final dress, but here are hilarious, almost minute-by-minute annotated and aggregated Tweets from an opera newbie.

Mikko Utevsky: Guest blogging for The Well-Tempered Ear, found the final dress performance "irresistibly seductive", "sexy, dark, gorgeous, musically compelling, and brilliantly sung".

Mary Ellen Spoerke:
"Don Giovanni – Seduction, Deception, No Redemption" is a short and sweet overview of the opera, and some of the finer points of staging one (such as the importance of vodka backstage).

Ten Questions with Caitlin Lynch

Ten Questions with...

  Caitlin Lynch, soprano
   Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni

1. My favorite thing about being a singer is:

The first rehearsal with orchestra. All of the singers and orchestra members and conductor coming together for the first time. So much energy— so much fun!

2. The greatest challenge in being a singer is: 

Living out of a suitcase. The constant unpacking and repacking is exhausting!

3. A live music performance I’ve attended that I will never forget is:
Tori Amos at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor. I think it was 1996. Incredible.

4. A few of my favorite films are: 

Simon Birch, Dead Man Walking, What About Bob.

5. Three things I can’t live without are:
My husband, my baby, and my family.

6. My number one hobby is:
Well, I really love scrabble and I'm getting into baking. I also love bargain shopping. 

7. If you could perform with any singer, retired or deceased, who would it be?

I have to go with Corelli.

8. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I think I would like to sell wedding dresses. Or maybe get into real estate. I've also seriously considered going into the family funeral business over the years. My family does such incredible work-- supporting families in their time of grief.

9. What role do you wish you could sing that you could never sing because it’s the wrong voice type/gender?

Hmmm, Canio in Pagliacci.

10. Describe your favorite moment on stage. 

Two favorites: Don Giovanni at Michigan Opera. My husband, Jonathan Lasch was Leporello and I was Donna Anna. It was one of the best performances-- such positive energy on stage and in the audience. And he proposed later that night. :) Unforgettable. 

Also, singing the soprano solos in Messiah at Hill Auditorium in 2010 with my high school choir director, and first musical inspiration, Dr. Jerry Blackstone. The Messiah is one of my favorite pieces ever and I felt that I had come full circle in the most awe-inspiring way. Dream come true.

See Caitlin in Madison Opera's production of Mozart's Don Giovanni April 26 & 28 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at just $18– why wait.