Q&A Part 4 - Coda

Hey everyone, here we are at the final chapter of our Q&A series!

Thanks so much for submitting your questions. I was really surprised at how many personal questions I got, and I’ll do my best to answer them in this video. The only thing I can’t say much about is my specific calendar over the coming years; I just tried to say which roles I’ll still be singing for a while yet. But there are many new ones on the horizon! You guys know this opera world is quite a roller coaster and things can change on a dime. In this video, I discuss how I got started, my personal approach to certain roles, how I deal with the emotional ups and downs, my inspirations, interests, style, and some other topics, including sexism and the MeToo movement.

MY JOURNEY: 1:28
Here I discuss my earliest career steps, starting from my college years to the Met’s young artist program. I started quite young, so it’s been a long road already!

ROLE PREPARATION: 3:47
From the time I get an offer (and there are some I have had to turn down!) to when the actual rehearsals begin, I break down how I go about getting a role ready. I take a close look at the score to determine if it’s right for me, I do intensive text and book work, I work on the tough parts first, I work back to front, write down text, and listen to recordings sparingly. I always tackle the trickiest parts first. The very last thing I do is go to a coach to sing through the role.

EMOTIONS AND NERVES: 8:07
There is no denying I’m a highly emotional and receptive person! Though cheerful and happy is my “default” setting, there are times when things can affect me deeply and negatively affect my performance onstage. I use breathing exercises, running, and positive thinking to try and pull myself through a tough spot. Nerves are always there, and I don’t try to battle them; I know they mean I care and it’s not easy to do what we do.

ME TOO: 12:41
I consider myself lucky that I have never had a traumatizing experience of violation or even harassment. Sure, I’ve been hit on, and people make bad jokes sometimes, but I have never been put in a situation where I was a victim to anything more. What I definitely have experienced is a sexist worldview that affects every aspect of the workplace. Women who have a point of view, or are opinionated even, are treated differently and unfairly viewed as “difficult,” or a “diva.” Ironically, the “diva” is one of the greatest operatic archetypes and to be a larger than life performer, you will often be a larger than life personality. Even though strong women tend to intimidate people, don’t be a wallflower. Stop apologizing. Stand up for yourself.

LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR: 16:24
Speaking of larger than life, here’s a role that encompasses it all: Incredibly difficult music, this diva is a role about a woman who is done apologizing, who has something to say, who makes a choice, and stands up for herself by going against all conventions. It’s a very challenging role and it takes time to mature and get into the voice. For years I worked on just the mad scene, then added the first aria, and more scenes one by one. I coached the role intensely with Renata Scotto. One of my greatest mentors, she really gave me a lot of schooling in the bel canto method.

INSPIRATIONS: 21:02
I take lots of inspiration from singers of the past and present. I don’t seek to imitate anyone or recreate exactly what they have already done. Out of respect, I try to bring what I learn from each artist into my own practice, but with my own voice color and approach.

OTHER INTERESTS AND MY STYLE: 22:40
I love to run of course, and cooking is a special hobby of mine. I love horror films and books. I enjoy listening to other types of music and my favorite artists are Tori Amos, Bjørk, and Tool.
Lots of you asked about my personal style and I’m very flattered. I try to be practical and pack accordingly. I match the wardrobe to the season and necessity. In general, I stick to basic neutrals: Black, white, gray, brown, navy. I commit to a particular base color each season too and then, maybe add a pop of color. In order to get variety, I pack things that mix and match, and pair well with my chosen base. I don’t like to wear loud patterns or colors so I keep those to a minimum. I try to wear what flatters me and would call my style rather classic.

ROLES: 25:40
In the future, I have more Traviatas, Lucias, Konstanzes, more bel canto coming up, as well as more French roles and Handel as well. There is a lot of new stuff on the horizon, house debuts, and just more exciting projects than I can even dream up! I’m really living my best life and am truly grateful for every opportunity that comes my way!

Chapters:
00:00 Q&A Part 4 - Coda
1:28 My Journey
3:47 Role Preparation
8:07 Emotions And Nerves
12:41 Me Too
16:24 Lucia Di Lammermoor
21:02 Inspirations
22:40 Other Interests And My Style
25:40 Roles