Thursday, January 25, 2018

Ten Questions with Ashly Neumann

Ashly Neumann
Blonde, The Abduction from the Seraglio

1.  Where were you born? Where were you raised?
I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Well, Metro-Detroit but everyone from Detroit just says Detroit. Specifically, I was born in Rochester, Michigan (where Madonna grew up) and raised down the road in Royal Oak, Michigan.

2.  If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I always thought I would go into medicine and become a doctor. Realistically though, I’d probably be a real estate agent since I already have the license in holding.

3.  The first opera I was ever in was…
...an operetta, The Pirates of Penzance.

4.  My favorite opera is…
Maybe it’s cliché, but my favorite opera is La Bohème. I cry every time!

5.  My favorite food to cook or eat is…
I’m actually a pretty good cook, and my specialty is the ability to make something delicious out of whatever random ingredients are in the pantry. My favorite thing to make is soup (you can’t really screw it up, or at least there’s nearly always a way to save it!). I LOVE to eat cold treats, especially ice cream, smoothies, and SLURPEES! They’re my guilty pleasure! So, I guess I like really cold and really hot food!

6.  People would be surprised to know… 
I am the oldest of six children. My youngest sibling is 17 years younger than me. (And I’m 4 inches shorter than one of my little sisters!)

7.  If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
I’d love to travel to all the International Dark Sky Places with a big telescope and see the Milky Way and the planets!

8.  I like to binge-watch…
Parks and Recreation and Forensic Files.

9.  What four people would you like to invite for a dinner party?
My mother-in-law, who I never got to meet; my deceased grandmother, who wanted to be an opera singer and passed away before I became one; my deceased Uncle Mike, who was hilarious and a great cook; and maybe my other grandmother’s father who I hear was the best gentleman that I never got to meet. I love my family and I always want more time with them. (I can invite my husband, too, right?!)

10.  Everyone should see The Abduction from the Seraglio because….
It contains some of Mozart’s most beautiful music and it is very fun!

11.  Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you.
Q: What do you listen to in the car?
A: If I am by myself, about half the time, it’s nothing! I love having regular time to myself to quietly reflect.



Don't miss the chance to see Ashly in The Abduction from the Seraglio, Mozart's first major success. Performances are February 9 & February 11 in Capitol Theater.  Tickets start at $25; visit madisonopera.org for more information.

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