Ten Questions with Alan Dunbar

Ten Questions with...

Alan Dunbar, baritone
Owen Hart in Dead Man Walking

1. My favorite thing about being a singer is:

Feeling a solid connection and line of communication with the audience.

2. The greatest challenge in being a singer is: 
Consistently making that connection in each performance.

3. A live music performance I’ve attended that I will never forget is:
The 2008 performance of Frigg (look them up, they're from Finland) at the Lotus World Music Festival in Bloomington, IN.

4. A few of my favorite films are: 
Tampopo (best food movie EVER!), Top Gun, Amadeus, and Stranger Than Fiction

5. Three things I can’t live without are: 

My family, my music, and books.

6. My number one hobby is: 

My number one hobby is impossible to pick.  I like to do too many things - gardening, woodworking, cooking, home brewing, cider making, metal working, etc.  The list could go on and on...

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

 If I could perform with any singer, it would be Fischer-Dieskau.  Not that there are too many duets for baritones, but hey, you said any singer.

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

If I weren't a singer I would be a luthier, building violins and guitars (which I do in my spare time)

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

I wish I could sing Lensky because I love Eugene Onegin, and "Kuda, kuda" is one of my favorite arias.

10. Describe your favorite moment on stage. 

My favorite moment on stage would probably be the Act II finale of Don Giovanni.  It's such fun!

See Alan in Madison Opera's production of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking April 25 and 27 at Overture Hall. Tickets start at just $18!