ARTISTS CORNER: Soprano Kara Shay Thomson

Kara Shay Thomson

Soprano Kara Shay Thomson returns to the Opera House stage this season as Floria Tosca, a role for which she won popular and critical acclaim in 2009. Since that time, Ms. Thomson has performed the role of the jealous diva at opera companies such as Portland Opera, Atlanta Opera, and Dayton Opera. You will remember Ms. Thomson's glorious performances in previous productions at Sarasota Opera both in the title role of Samuel Barber's Vanessa and as Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana. 

Continue reading below to learn more about this artist who is so quickly establishing herself as one of the leading ladies of the next generation of great opera singers.

Q. Where are you originally from and where do you make your home now?

A. As a PK (Preacher's Kid), I moved around the Midwest quite a bit during my adolescence.  I was born in Cininnati, OH but made my home in Rock Port, MO, Fairbury, NE, Terre Haute, IN, and Warrensburg, MO.  I returned to Cincinnati 11 years ago and love living there with my husband and 10 year old daughter. We love our neighborhood and having my Dad close by to support us when I am travelling.

Ms. Thomson as Santuzza in the
2010 production of Cavalleria rusticana

Q. What was your first moment performing in front of an audience on stage?

A. Well, as a PK, I was on stage from a very young age.  Our family offered an evening of song and scripture and it is where I learned how to communicate my message to a congregation. My parents continued to foster my musical talent and I was lucky to perform in various venues throughout my childhood and early adult years. Opera was not a part of my upbringing so my first moment on stage in an opera was as Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi at The New England Conservatory in Boston, MA. It was my first opera – EVER!  

Q. What drew you to become a professional singer?  Was there a specific “Aha!” moment of clarity?

A. I was working in Lynchburg, VA as a Minister of Music and Youth  for Fairview Christian Church and I decided I wanted to find a community chorus so that I could continue singing.  That was a great decision as I met my husband in that chorus and the conductor introduced me to a wonderful soprano, Carol Gutknecht, a soprano with the former New York City Opera soprano with whom I started studying. She gave me "Marietta’s Lied" from Die Tote Stadt and I fell in love with the German Language and the sweeping lines of the piece.  She encouraged me to enter the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions for my region.  I prepared my pieces and went to the audition.  I had a terrible audition and was so out of my element but I stayed to hear my comments from the judges.  One judge in particular told me that if I was happy with my life in ministry that I should embrace it and go back home but if I felt like this music was a part of my soul, then I needed to go get the tools necessary for this art form.  So, Carol  helped me choose The New England Conservatory and I entered the intense Opera Program under the direction of John Moriarty.  In two years I quickly acquired language skills, stage craft, and hours of endless vocal coachings and lessons, working with Patricia Craig, to prepare me for my apprenticeships. I thank Carol, my husband, and the nameless judge who made me realize this what I was created to do.

Q. Did you have other career aspirations in the works before you decided on singing?

A. I had many aspirations other than singing opera for a career.  I started with the idea of Music Therapy and then migrated to teaching music.  I received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education K-12  and thought that I would lead the next  Mid-West High School Show Choir to the State Championship.  But, after I realized that teaching was not right for me, I returned to my roots in the church.  In all honesty, if I had not found Opera, I would have sought out a career as an Activities Coordinator in a Retirement Village.

Q. You have become very well known for singing the role of Tosca, especially in Sarasota. Is it challenging singing the same role over and over again? 

Ms. Thomson as Floria Tosca in
Sarasota Opera's 2009 production.

A. Everytime I arrive for a production of Tosca I know that it will be full of new experiences.  The music is always constant but my colleagues, directors, production teams, and conductors bring something to share. Each one of us arrives with our own interpretations and it is our job as artists to meld those ideas together to fit our own production.  I have carried the same score with me to each production and I like to put in Maestro's comments,  artist choices, and directors notes so that I can call on those ideas in other productions.

But, I will say that for this season, I put away my treasured score and have made a "VDR Only Score!" I have been working from a clean score and putting in only Maestro DeRenzi  notes. This does not mean that I don’t bring my own interpretation and experience to the role, but I really feel that coming back to Sarasota gives me a chance to completely break down the role, get rid of bad habits, focus on the text and Puccini’s stage direction so that we give this audience the most authentic performance of Tosca ever!

Q. Through the many productions you have done, I imagine you have gotten to know the character of Tosca very well. Have you learned everything there is to know about her at this point? 

A. If I thought I had learned everything about this role I would not continue to pursue this character. We are constantly evolving in our daily lives and all of the events that happen to us as people affect us as artists.  I am a different person than I was when I sang here this role in 2009. I have experienced so much personal loss and also amazing moments filled with unbridled joy in my life since then and all of those events color my performance.

Floria Tosca is so much a part of me that I am able to take risks both vocally and dramatically to challenge myself so that I can find the most honest performance each and every show.

Ms. Thomson in Act II of Tosca at Sarasota Opera

Q. What do you want the audience to know about the character of Tosca after the curtain comes down?

A. That I can’t wait to sing it again!!!! I love this role!!! Every performance is unique and alive and the energy from the audience feeds the performance on the stage! So, if they happen to be seeing it for the first time or the 50th time, it will never be the same! I sing each performance as if it may be my last, so I don’t hold anything back. My hope is that they do the same by coming back again and again to Sarasota Opera.

Q. I imagine you are looking forward to performing this role again in Sarasota.  What do you enjoy about singing at Sarasota Opera?

A. What do I not like?! Singing in Sarasota is a gift to every performer. The audience is so supportive, excited, and filled with passion for Opera.  Sarasota Opera offers a place where artists can grow and explore new or familiar roles and multiple performances to fully embrace your characters. But for me, it all comes down to the fact that Maestro DeRenzi and the entire Sarasota Opera Association believe that Opera is not a dying art form.

Baseline:  I love working with everyone here in Sarasota and spending 3 months away from my family is only made better by the gorgeous sunshine and the mutual respect we all have for each other in this company!

Ms. Thomson in Schoenberg's Ewartung at New York City Opera.

Q. So, to sum it up, how many performances of Tosca have you done so far?

A. When I last added them all together, I have done 89 performances in at least 19 different productions.

Q. Thus far, what is the most bizarre experience you have had during a rehearsal?  During a performance?

A. I had a rehearsal for Korngold's Die tote Stadt where I was dancing around like crazy and crawling on the floor and my rehearsal skirt, shall we say, flew off my body.  Luckily, it was not a performance!

In performance, the majority of my mishaps have happened in Tosca.  I have been thrown to my knees and ended up sliding on the gown having to stop myself from saying "hello" to the pit.

In Sarasota, I tripped on a ground cloth and flew into the air where my fabulous colleague, Grant Youngblood,  turned over a chair and rushed to grab me in mid-air.  Everyone thought that it was so exciting but my Dad was in the audience and after the performance said he knew something had happened because for a brief moment he saw scared Kara Shay and not Tosca.

I have had the candles blow-out before I place them at Scarpia’s head and had to go back and relight them. ( it was also a photo night so I was not going to mess up that great final moment in Act II)

During a Student Matinee, I had a young woman who was so involved in the show that when I stabbed Scarpia, she yelled out “Oh No She Didn’t!!"  I loved that she had gotten so caught up in her first opera! It was fantastic!

Probably one of my favorite moments that the audience never saw was when I went to jump in one production, I ran up the stairs, did my quick check of the jump pad and saw that the crew had drawn a dead body outline on the black jump pad.

Ms. Thomson in the title role of
Samuel Barber's Vanessa in 2012

Q. Do you have any pre-performance rituals?  Performance superstitions?  Good luck charms?  If yes, why?

A. I like to be the first one in the Make-up chair.  The calm energy of the being first helps me focus and then it allows me time to say hello to all of my colleagues before down-beat.  I usually don’t eat very much before the show but I always eat a banana before Act II of Tosca!  I don’t know if it helps but it gives me the extra “uumph” to wield my deadly knife!

Also, I always wear my Jade Elephant Necklace that my mother gave to me.  I wear it in rehearsal and always have it with me at each performance in my dressing room.

Q. How do you relax in between performances?  What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”?

A. I am a huge fan of the television show "NCIS" so if there is a marathon on the USA channel then I am ready to get out my needlepoint, a bottle of wine, and sit back and say hello to my friends on the television: Gibbs, Ziva, Tony, and McGee!

When I am home I spend most of my time being involved with my family.  I have been known to throw a few good parties for our neighborhood as well as top-notch sleepovers  for my 10 year old daughter and her friends.

I miss being able to cook in my fabulous kitchen.  Right before I arrived in Sarasota I purchased a brand new professional series range and a Vitamix. I couldn’t bring my oven but I packed up my Vitamix and a couple of my favorite knives and brought them with me.  I find cooking so relaxing and it makes me so happy when I can bring people together for a wonderful meal.

Q. I’m sure work/life balance takes on a whole different meaning being a professional singer who travels.  How do you stay connected to family and friends when you are “on the road?  

A "Welcome Home" sign from
Ms. Thomson's neighbors in Ohio

A. Facetime has been a life-saver for our family. Sometimes we just connect through Facetime while we are doing everyday chores.  I will come home from rehearsal at 3pm and call my daughter Emma Shay. We will do her homework together or just talk about her day. My husband uses Facetime to have me help him re-create a favorite recipe I have left behind for him to cook or just to look into each other’s eyes and say how much we miss each other. Sometimes the days don’t go by very fast and Facetime makes it seem like we aren’t that far apart.

As someone who has been on the road for a few years, I would tell all of the Studio and Apprentice Artists to make sure that you connect with your loved ones at least once a day.  Even if you think that you don’t have anything exciting to tell your family, sometimes it’s just enough to hear that person say “hello”.  We can become so involved in our “Opera World” that we forget to share it with those outside the inner-circle. Connect, share, and make your family a priority because they are the most important support system you have in this career.

Q. As we have people that travel from around the United States to attend performances at Sarasota Opera, are there any towns or cities that you have a strong connection with whether from growing up or attending school?

A. I have had the opportunity to live in many different parts of the United States and would love to connect with them again here in Sarasota.  So, if we lived in these cities together:  Lynchburg, VA, Boston, Ma, Terre Haute, IN, Cincinnati, OH, Rock Port, MO, Warrensburg, MO, Maryville, MO,Enid, OK, or any of the many cities I have had the opportunity to perform in,  please don’t hesitate to reach out and say hello!

After writing down all of the cities I have lived in, I realized that it must have been a grand plan for me to move around so much in my formative years. I never knew that I would be in a career where I spent more time on the road than I did in my own home. Perhaps all of those moves gave me the ability to make a home wherever I go.

Don't miss a note of Ms. Thomson's performances in Puccini's Tosca opening February 7th and running through March 28th. As an added bonus, here is Ms. Thomson singing Tosca's famous aria "Vissi d'Arte" from the Sarasota Opera production of Tosca in 2009.

ARTISTS CORNER: Tenor Rafael Davila

Tenor Rafael Dávila has quickly risen to be one of the most sought after tenors of his generation. The 2015 Winter Festival Season will mark the tenors 10^th season with Sarasota Opera and the return to one of his most celebrated roles with the company; Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca. With almost 60 roles already under his belt, Mr. Dávila just completed performances as Des Grieux in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut conducted by Maestro Plácido Domingo in Valencia, Spain. Other recent appearances include the historic Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Italy, Washington National Opera, Kansas City Opera, Opera de Puerto Rico, and Minnesota Opera. This season, Mr. Dávila will make his debut at the Chicago Lyric Opera in the world premiere of the opera Bel Canto. 

Continue reading to learn more about this dynamic artist. 

Q. Where are you originally from and where do you make your home now?
A. I was born in Chicago, Illinois but my parents moved back to Puerto Rico when I was still a baby. I grew up in Puerto Rico and that’s where I have been living since I finished my Master’s degree in Opera at the University of Texas in Austin.

Rafael Davila at Cavaradossi in 2009
at Sarasota Opera

Q. What was your first moment performing in front of an audience on stage?
A. Because of my choral experience I was invited to sing in the male chorus for the opera Rigoletto and that was my first encounter with opera.

Q. Did you have other career aspirations in the works before you decided on singing?  
A. When I was invited to sing in the local opera productions in Puerto Rico in the chorus I was pursuing a doctorate degree in Optometry. As I began my Optometry practice with patients I realized I could not see myself doing that for the rest of my life and that would rather prefer to devote my life to music.


Q. You have sung many of the great leading tenor roles here in Sarasota. Do you have a favorite production?
A. I am so grateful to Sarasota Opera for all the opportunities it has given me over the years to try so many different and new roles. I have many favorite productions but I would definitely have to say Tosca is one of them along with the beautiful production of Madama Butterfly, Otello, and Cav/Pag.

Q. What do you want the audience to know about the character of Cavaradossi after the curtain comes down?
A. I want the audience to know that Cavaradossi is a man of principles even if it means sacrificing what it is most important in his life.

Q. I imagine you are looking forward to performing this role again in Sarasota.  What do you enjoy about singing at Sarasota Opera?
A. Sarasota has been my second home for the past decade but professionally it has been my first home. It has been the perfect place to try so many new roles in a very friendly atmosphere. A beautiful theater so comfortable to sing and try new things and all the time spent preparing the production with the opportunity of singing so many performances until you feel as a singer you own the role.

Rafael Davila as Des Grieux in
Manon Lescaut in Valencia, Spain

Q. You just performed the role of Chevalier des Grieux in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut in Spain with Placido Domingo conducting. Was this your first time working with the great tenor? 
A. This invitation from maestro Domingo came after I worked with him for the first time in 2013 when I was hired to cover Cavaradossi with Los Angeles Opera. I had to do most of the rehearsals because the tenor who was singing the performances would arrive late due to other engagements. Immediately after the first rehearsals Domingo offered me the Des Grieux which he knew would fit perfectly in my voice.

Q. What is it like being lead by such an iconic figure in opera like Maestro Domingo?
A. Imagine being conducted by someone you admired growing up and whom I have seen singing this type of repertory. He offered many recommendations on all sorts of different topics; vocally, musically, personal, and professional which of course I will follow coming from somebody who has being as successful in this profession as him. But what really touched me about maestro Domingo is his kindness, his energy and how, with all the things he must have in his mind, he could remember every person and every single detail.

Rafael Davila with famed
tenor Placido Domingo

Q. Thus far, what is the most bizarre experience you have had during a rehearsal and/or a performance anywhere?
A. The stage is a place where many things can go wrong with catastrophic results. There are many anecdotes in a performer’s life but for me, so far the worst experience happened as I was singing my opening night of Pagliacci last summer at the San Carlo Theater in Naples. It was a kind of Cirque du Soliel production where the stage was filled with water and they brought a new soprano at the last moment who didn’t have much time to rehearse on stage under those circumstances. Almost at the end of the opera I was supposed to push her and she slipped on the water and fell on her face breaking her nose. Yet she was able to stand with her face full of blood and finished the performance.

Q. Do you have any pre-performance rituals?  Performance superstitions?  Good luck charms?  If yes, why?
A. Not really, just rest well, eat well and warm up as much as possible, often singing the whole opera in the dressing room before going onstage.

Rafael Davila in the title role of
Otello at Sarasota Opera

Q. How do you relax in between performances?  What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”?
A. Because of all the demanding roles I have been singing in the past years, the time between performances are used to rest and recover for the next performance. So I end up watching a lot of TV when I am on the road or going to the movies to catch up with the latest releases I haven’t seen. When I am in a new city I like to explore the city and go to the museums. When I am home I just try to forget about everything and enjoy the most with my relatives and friends.

Q. I’m sure work/life balance takes on a whole different meaning being a professional singer who travels. How do you stay connected to family and friends when you are “on the road?  
A. Now with the internet everything is so much easier. I remember all the money I spent on calling cards on my first trips to places like Italy and New Zealand. I have to talk daily with my wife and daughter to be able to relax knowing they are fine. Now with Skype I can talk with them for hours while seeing each other. I always try to bring my family with me whenever they are free to join me. I try to always schedule my engagements so I can go home in between. Now that my daughter is going to University I will try to bring my wife with me as often as possible.




Q. As we have people that travel from around the United States to attend performances at Sarasota Opera, are there any towns or cities that you have a strong connection with whether from growing up or attending school?
A. As I mentioned before, I was born in Chicago but don’t know the city at all. I was able to go back two summers ago to audition for the Chicago Lyric Opera Company and will be making my debut with them this year, so I am really looking forward to get to know the city where I was born, even if it will be during the cold winter. Apart from that, Austin, Texas where I studied my Master’s degree in Opera Performance and also where I started my career as a young artist for the Austin Lyric Opera. I was then invited as a guest artist for the next three seasons to do my debuts as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, The Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto, and Alfredo in La Traviata.

Don't miss seeing Mr. Davila's performance as Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca opening at Sarasota Opera on February 7th and running for 12 performances through March 28th. Tickets are available at www.sarasotaopera.org or by calling (941) 328-1300. 

As a special treat, here is a clip of Mr. Davila singing the aria "E lucevan le stele" from the 2009 production of Tosca at Sarasota Opera. 

ARTISTS CORNER: Soprano Brenda Harris

ARTISTS CORNER:  Soprano Brenda Harris, who has sung leading roles on major stages around the world, will make her Sarasota Opera debut as Turandot in this season's opening production of Puccini's Turandot which opened February 9th and runs through March 23.  We asked Ms. Harris to answer a few questions about her life as a singer and why she chose Sarasota Opera as the opera company to debut this iconic role.



Brenda Harris, soprano.  Photo by Lisa Kohler

 Q.  What drew you to become a singer?  Was there a specific “Aha!” moment of clarity?

A.  I sang as soon as I could talk and gave “recitals” for my family starting at the age of 3.  That said, I really thought I would be an educator (high school music teacher) and probably had my "aha" moment when, during college, I got into the chorus at Opera Theatre of St. Louis.  I grew up on a pig farm in a town of 400 in Illinois (my parents still live and farm there) which is only an hour away from St. Louis so it seemed like an interesting summer job.  Little did I know I would meet my husband that first weekend of rehearsals AND that he would also be my one and only voice teacher!  From that first rehearsal, I knew I wanted to do this opera thing forever!

Q.  What are you looking forward to most about performing this particular role?

A.  This is my first time with Turandot so that’s a hard question.  I adore the music and I feel sure it will be fun to sing.  I have to admit I also think it’ll be cool to be decked out in her costume and make-up!

Q.  What made you choose Sarasota Opera as the first place to present the role of Turandot?

A.  I’ve heard a lot about the company over the years and so I know that things there are done with care.  My husband and I knew Stephanie and Victor many years ago when we first started singing and I reconnected with Stephanie a few years ago when she directed me in a production of ‘Macbeth’.  I look forward to spending time professionally and personally with both of them.  Also, Sarasota Opera does  many performances.  That’s a big draw to me.  One never really knows if a role is a match without getting to try it out a number of times.  I figured this job with this many performances would really let me know if I liked it and it liked me!

Ms. Harris as Turandot in Sarasota Opera's 2013 production.  Photo by Rod Millington

Q.  Is there something unique about your process when preparing a role for performance?

A.  I think all artists probably have a unique process with regard to preparation.  I’ve talked to many of my fellow artists about it and we all seem to have different paths.  I’m a very visual person so I’ve learned over the years to put absolutely EVERYTHING in my score.  One of my greatest fears is losing my scores.  I have markings upon markings that have been painstakingly gathered through research, lessons and coachings and my score becomes almost an appendage when I’m learning.  The other thing I know about myself is that memory and staging are inextricably linked.  I loathe memorizing without staging and yet, of course, it has to be done.  But, once I have something on its feet, it’s pretty much in my head, too.

Q.  Beyond the musical work, what other kind of preparation/research work do you incorporate in the learning process?  Historical?  Character study? 

A.  I listen to lots of recordings.  I know many singers who don’t but I feel knowing the history and tradition of other singers is absolutely essential.  I have a friend who is a great collector and he provides me with wonderful things that aren’t commercially available so I do a lot of listening to live and/or historical recordings.  I read source material if I can find it, and also read about the composer’s life/mindset at the time of the opera’s composition.  Again, I prepare in advance as best I can but I find there’s nothing like staging.  Once I’m in a room with my colleagues and start to respond to them, the production and the act of singing the role, things move quickly forward!

As Vitellia in La clemenza di Tito at the Metropolitan Opera

Q.  How does your preparation process differ between a role you have performed before and a role you are doing for the first time? 

A.  Greatly!  All the time consuming first work is done and in my very marked up score.  A lot of pressure in the process is removed and I try to apply whatever vocal changes/improvements I’ve made in the ensuing time to that next set of performances.  It’s faster and a lot more fun!

Q.  What knowledge about the character of Turandot do you want the audience to leave with after the performance? 

A.  That she’s a woman.  Just a woman.  She’s a woman who has allowed her fear to drive her to desperate acts and once her heart is opened, we see her and her humanity.

Q.  Thus far, what is the most bizarre experience you have had during a rehearsal?  During a performance?

           

A.  Oh my gosh, I could write a book!  The first that comes to mind was a tenor’s pants falling DOWN to his ankles in the curtain call of a performance!  Yes, true!  Very recently, I was singing Leonore in ‘Fidelio’ and in the final prison scene the gun barrel snapped off during a performance in the final Quartet.  I’ve nearly lost wigs, I’ve slipped and fallen on a raked stage covered in sand, I had the organ fail in the church scene in ‘Faust’ and those are just a few!  And during rehearsals?  Don’t even get me started.  I ADORE what I do for many reasons; the pure joy of singing, the thought that maybe what I’m doing touches people in the audience the way singers touched me when I first started studying opera, but one of the other great things is the fun we have in rehearsals.  I have so many friends and colleagues with whom I enjoy working and most of the time, it’s because we can make each other laugh.  I truly believe great art happens in that atmosphere.



Ms. Harris in the title role of Samuel Barber's Vanessa in Palermo

 Q.  Do you have any pre-performance rituals?  Performance superstitions?  Good luck charms?  If yes, why?

A.  I don’t consider myself to be a superstitious person but somehow, a few years ago, I got into the habit of playing games of Freecell on my computer on performance days and that evolved into a little ritual.  I must win the majority of games before I go to the theater!  My husband and I laugh about it but still, I play until I win!

Q.  How do you relax in between performances?  What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”?

A.  I absolutely love being home!   I love to putter at home improvement projects (I’m a big DIY gal!) and I adore cooking and baking.  I can spend hours in our kitchen and be happy as a clam.  We live near the ocean so beach walks are a big part of our lives, too.  And I’m a crossword and suduko nut!

Ms. Harris as Lady Macbeth in
Edmonton Opera's Macbeth

Q.  How do you stay connected to family and friends when you are “on the road”?  Do you keep a blog?  Website? Facebook?  Twitter?

A.  I am on Facebook but I was dragged into it kicking and screaming by some colleagues at a job a few years ago.  I admit to enjoying it now.  I do have a website (BrendaHarrisSoprano.com if you want to visit!) as well.  But, I’m a big one for e-mail.  I’d say that’s the main way I stay in touch with my friends and family.

Q.  As we have people that travel from around the United States to attend performances at Sarasota Opera, are there any towns or cities that you have a strong connection with whether from growing up or attending school?

A.  I absolutely adore the Twin Cities.  I’ve done a dozen productions or more at the Minnesota Opera and I have many, many friends there.  It’s almost like a second home.  And call me crazy, but I adore winter and all that goes with it.  Most of the shows I’ve done in Minnesota have been in January and I love it!  Also, as I mentioned, I love St. Louis and have fond feelings for my time there.  And I’ve spend the last 4 summers at Des Moines Metro Opera and I go back there this coming summer.  I love being there and getting to work with the young artists as well as perform.

  

Don't miss Brenda Harris' tour-de-force performance as the ice princess Turandot now open through March 23rd.  Tickets are available at www.sarasotaopera.org or by calling (941) 328-1300. 

ARTISTS CORNER: Tenor Jonathan Burton

ARTISTS CORNER:  Tenor Jonathan Burton will make his Sarasota Opera debut as Prince Calaf in this season's opening production of Puccini's Turandot opening February 9th.  We asked Mr. Burton to answer a few questions about his life as a singer and what he is looking forward to in his first season at Sarasota Opera.



Tenor Jonathan Burton

 Q.  What drew you to become a singer?  Was there a specific “Aha!” moment of clarity?

A.  I took a voice lesson at 17 for the school musical. The teacher said I should consider opera. At the time I was a guitarist in a rock band, so it seemed far-fetched.  I suppose it was a recording of La bohème which really set the hook in deep.

Q.  What are you looking forward to most about performing this particular role?

A.  Frankly, everything.  This is my dream role.  Calaf to me is the pinnacle of great Italian tenor roles.  Ever since I saw it at the Met in 1995, and got Corelli's famous recording, it's been the tops for me.  And the fact that my first one is with Maestro DeRenzi and directed by Ms. Sundine is truly a gift!!

Q.  Is there something unique about your process when preparing a role for performance?

A.  Probably not unique among singers. No real tricks, or extra measures.  Mainly, I try to visualize the scenes in my mind.  Make sure I have something to say.  I explore the composers simple and true intention, and work to convey it.

Q.  Beyond the musical work, what other kind of preparation/research work do you incorporate in the learning process?  Historical?  Character study? 

A.  I love to read what great tenors from the past have said about performing the role, get their insights, and also learn what audiences love/loved about it.  At the end of the day, that's why I'm here.  I hope to give fans of opera what they want and need.



Mr. Burton as Don José in Bizet's Carmen

 Q.  How does your preparation process differ between a role you have performed before and a role you are doing for the first time? 

A.  Huge difference!! Learning a new role is a HUGE process.  Translations, acting, characterization, musical searching and defining, exploring multiple options, listening to various interpretations. When I sing a role I have already sung before, there are always new things to consider, but the part already lives inside you.

Q.  What knowledge about the character of Prince Calaf do you want the audience to leave with after the performance? 

A.  That he believed in his mission and would not let anything stop him until he achieved success.  He believed that his great capacity to love could move mountains, and tame the ferocious Turandot.

Q.  The aria “Nessun Dorma” has been sung by some of the vocal greats…  from Corelli to Pavarotti to even Aretha Franklin!  Do you feel any kind of elevated pressure in having to perform such a well known aria? 

A.  Well...now that you put it THAT way!!!  Haha.  No, not really.  Those guys sang every thing else I sang too! This is a very famous aria now, but, to me it is a one aria among many, and an essential part of this opera.  In context it holds no special terror.  In fact I'm honored to be able to present it.  However...in a concert, it can be a touch nerve-wracking!!  The audience starts to murmur as soon as you say the first lines.



Mr. Burton singing the role of Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca

 Q.  Thus far, what is the most bizarre experience you have had during a rehearsal?  During a performance?

A.  Once, while playing Spoletta in Tosca, the fellow playing Scarpia threw me extra hard on opening night and I left the ground.  When I landed, my feet shuffled trying to catch hold and I slid under his desk from where I had to deliver my next line!!​

The following week, another performer missed his entrance and I turned my back and sang his first two lines till he arrived...quite shaken!!!

Q.  Do you have any pre-performance rituals?  Performance superstitions?  Good luck charms? 

A.  No, I'm afraid I don't. Just...pace around and mumble prayers!!

Q.  How do you relax in between performances?  What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”?

A.  My apple electronics are my dear friends. They hold my music, books, tv shows, and movies. I spend time with my ipad and a big pot of tea.  Also, I make wire-wrap jewelry and rosaries, and write fiction.

Q.  How do you stay connected to family and friends when you are “on the road”?  Do you keep a blog?  Website?Facebook?  Twitter?

A.  I do have Facebook and twitter. And try to update them frequently.  With my family, I rely on text messes and FaceTime, which is video chatting.  My kids love it.

Q.  As we have people that travel from around the United States to attend performances at Sarasota Opera, are there any towns or cities that you have a strong connection with whether from growing up or attending school?

A.  I'm from a small town in Ohio, Portsmouth. It's dear to me. The cities in which I've performed all have their own faces and personalities which are dear to me. For instance, Sarasota will always be the home of my debut of my favorite role, and daily here I meet new fantastic people who I hope to retain as lifelong friends.

Don't miss Mr. Burton as he makes his Sarasota Opera debut in this season's production of Puccini's Turandot opening February 9th!  Get your tickets today at www.sarasotaopera.org or by calling the Sarasota Opera box office at (941) 328-1300.

ARTISTS CORNER: Soprano Maria Natale

ARTISTS CORNER:  Soprano Maria Natale will make her Sarasota Opera debut as the slave girl Liù in this season's opening production of Puccini's Turandot opening February 9th.  We asked Ms. Natale to answer a few questions about her life as a singer and what she is looking forward to in the upcoming season.   

Q. What drew you to become a singer? Was there a specific “Aha!” moment of clarity?

A. Well, I knew I wanted to be a singer since I was pretty young. My grandfather sang opera and every time I would go to his house I distinctly remember opera playing. He would usually be playing Tosca, Aida or Wagner. The “ah ha” moment was probably when I was ten years old. My grandfather gave me a CD of Joan Sutherland singing “Casta Diva” from the opera Norma. He always would say that I would be an opera singer one day, so I should start listening to it. I listened to that CD every night to fall asleep. I remember thinking her voice sounded like and angel. Ever since then I was hooked. About that time I started singing in school musicals. I sang Snow White in a production in 5th grade and received a note from the directors which read, “see you at the Met in the next twenty years or so." I came home and remember asking my mom, “What’s the Met?” I keep that note in my wallet to this day.


Q. What are you looking forward to most about performing this particular role?

A.  I have wanted to sing this role for such a long time. It is so emotional and brings so many tender moments to the opera. Every day I feel like I have to pinch myself because I can’t believe that I get to sing this beautiful music! I am also really looking forward to my death scene (not to sound morbid or anything). This is the first time I have ever “died” on stage, I am kind of excited out it!


Q. Is there something unique about your process when preparing a role for performance?

A. I don’t think that there is anything really unique about my process when preparing a role. I first make sure that I read the libretto and translate so I know every word. When I start learning the music, I usually begin from the end of the score and work my way backwards to the beginning. If I start at the end, I tend to memorize more quickly and don’t get to caught up in the first few pages for too long.

Ms. Natale in rehearsal for Turandot at Sarasota Opera

Q. Beyond the musical work, what other kind of preparation/research work do you incorporate in the learning process? Historical? Character study?

A. I always find historical background of the opera very helpful. If there is a play that the opera is based on, it helps me to read it to understand the story and characters even more.


Q. How does your preparation process differ between a role you have performed before and a role you are doing for the first time?

A. Learning roles for the first time is all I really know at this point! Every role I learn has had a different process. I am still trying to figure out what works best for me.


Q. What knowledge about the character of Liù do you want the audience to leave with after the performance?

A. I don’t want people to leave feeling sorry for Liù. She makes a stand for herself, and in some ways, she gets what she wants. In the beginning, Liù wouldn’t have dreamed about even speaking to the Prince as a lowly slave girl. At the end, his fate and the fate of Turandot are in her hands. That’s an impressive accomplishment for a slave girl. For one moment in her life, she has all the power.


Q. Do you have any pre-performance rituals? Performance superstitions? Good luck charms? If yes, why?

A. When I was younger, I used to get wrapped up all on pre-performance rituals, like thinking that I MUST eat pineapple before every performance, like it had “magical powers” to help me sing. Now I just make sure that I am well rested (sleep is key!) I stay hydrated and try to do some sort of physical activity the day of a performance. A nice relaxing walk or yoga helps me get ready for an upcoming performance.


Q. How do you relax in between performances? What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”?

A. I love yoga. It really helps me relax since I can be high strung at times! I also love to cook and entertain for my family and friends. Nothing beats cooking a big Italian meal with a nice glass of wine.

Q. People are sometimes shocked when they find out opera singers don’t just listen to opera exclusively. Do you have other types of music you enjoy? Any other types you enjoy singing?

A. For the most part I listen to classical. I listen to a lot of instrumental music. I could listen to the Brahms symphonies all day long. My husband and I also like to listen to Italian pop music and the old classics of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.


Q. How do you stay connected to family and friends when you are “on the road”? Do you keep a blog? Website? Facebook? Twitter?

A. I always stay connected with my family either through phone, text or Facebook. I am a very social person, so I like to be in contact with my friends and family. It is very easy for me to get lonely! I talk to my mother every morning without fail and my husband and I recently started using Facetime through the Ipad and Iphone.

Q. As we have people that travel from around the United States to attend performances at Sarasota Opera, are there any towns or cities that you have a strong connection with whether from growing up or attending school?

A. A little piece of me will always be in San Francisco. I went to the music conservatory there and it is the place that I first fully immersed myself into music. It is so beautiful there, especially if you can get a day without the fog! Every part of town is so unique and special. Currently I live in Knoxville, Tennessee, which is a drastic change from California, but I find it to be a very charming city. The people that I have met in Knoxville will always be close to my heart. It has been such a supportive place for me to be at this point in my life.

Don't miss Ms. Natale as she makes her Sarasota Opera debut in this season's production of Puccini's Turandot.  Get your tickets today at www.sarasotaopera.org or by calling the Sarasota Opera box office at (941) 328-1300.

Sarasota Opera 2012-2013 Season will feature Regional and World Premieres!

Sarasota Opera is pleased to announce its 2012 – 2013 Fall and Winter Seasons!

2012 Fall Season
The 2012 Fall Sarasota Opera Season will open with Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto [rih-go-leht-to], based off of Victor Hugo’s play “Le Roi s’Amuse” and the opera chosen to be the first performed in the newly renovated opera house when it re-opened in 2008. The story follows a hunchbacked jester as he tries to shield his daughter Gilda from the evils of the world only to have it unveiled that she is in love with the lascivious Duke of Mantua who has deceived her to win her heart. Rigoletto will open on October 26, 2012 and run through November 12, 2012.

In addition, the fall season will include the world premiere performance of Sarasota Youth Opera’s newest commission, Little Nemo in Slumberland, music by Daron Hagen and libretto by J.D. McClatchy.

Little Nemo in Slumberland will be a Co-Production with the University of Kentucky Opera Theater and will utilize a new leading edge, innovative theater technology, SCRIBE (Self-Contained Rapidly Integratable Background Environment), that was piloted at the University of Kentucky. This technology, which has been successfully used in productions at the University of Kentucky Opera Theater and The Atlanta Opera, will help meet the creative challenge presented by bringing such a fantasy based story to life. There will be two performances on November 10 and 11, 2012.

2013 Winter Festival
The 2013 Sarasota Opera Winter Festival will open with the Sarasota Opera premiere of Giacomo Puccini’s vocally extravagant final opera Turandot [too-ran-dough] which features some of the composers most glorious music including the famous tenor aria “Nessum Dorma” (None shall sleep). Set in Ancient China, Turandot is based off an ancient Persian fairy tale which tells the story of a beautiful princess who men travelled all over the world to win the heart of by solving three riddles. Answer incorrectly and lose your head. Answer correctly and melt the heart of the ice princess Turandot.

Following Turandot will be much in demand return of Georges Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers (Les Pêcheurs de perles [lay peh-share deh peh-rl]), a proven favorite of Sarasota Opera audiences. Last seen in 2003, The Pearl Fishers features the famously infectious Act I duet for tenor and baritone “Au fond du temple saint”, in which our two heroes, Nadir and Zurga, reaffirm their pact of eternal friendship despite their mutual love for the priestess Leila.

Sarasota Opera will present the world premiere of a new critical edition (transcribed directly from Verdi’s manuscript) of Giuseppe Verdi’s second opera A King for a Day (Un giorno di regno) [oon jor-no di ray-no]), Verdi’s first comic opera (his only other comedy was his final opera Falstaff). A King for a Day is based on the play Le faux Stanislas by Alexandre Vincent Pineu-Duval. A true Verdi rarity, A King for a Day will be the 29th installment in the company’s continuing Verdi Cycle.

Of this production, Maestro DeRenzi says, “It is part of our artistic vision to present all of Verdi’s rarely performed works along with the more mainstream pieces. Our audience has come to recognize and appreciate the artistic value of these early works, and we are proud to be one of the only opera companies in the United States to present them.” 2013 will also mark the 200th anniversary of Verdi’s birth.

Finally, Sarasota Opera will present Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men as a continuation of the American Classics Series. Premiered in 1969 at Seattle Opera, Floyd adapted the opera from the novella by John Steinbeck and wrote both the music and libretto himself. The opera stays faithful to Steinbeck’s story of two workers, George Milton and Lennie Small, struggling for work during the depression era as they pursue their hopes to achieve the American dream of owning their own farm one day. However, when a hard and cruel world forces them down a different path, George and Lennie are forced to say goodbye to the bright horizon they had envisioned for themselves.

As was done with the first two American Classics Series Operas, the 2011 production of The Crucible and the 2012 production of Vanessa, Sarasota Opera will design a series of education events around this production Of Mice and Men to help familiarize and educate the Sarasota Opera audience about this important work.

The four productions will run in rotation from February 9 through March 24, 2013.

Sarasota Opera's MADAMA BUTTERFLY on ABC 7

Sarasota Opera's production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly, opening tomorrow night, is Linda Carson's and Sarasota ABC 7's pick of the week! Click through to see the video!

SNN 6 Behind the Scenes look at MADAMA BUTTERFLY

If you missed it live on TV, check out this video of SNN 6 and their behind the scenes look at Sarasota Opera's upcoming fall production of Puccini's MADAMA BUTTERFLY opening this Friday, October 28th.