Opera in the home of the Blues

Finding myself living in Tennessee for 4 of the next 6 months, a state I have never spent time in let alone expected to live in for awhile, I felt that my experiences were worthy of restarting this blog.  Because, without a doubt, it has already been an adventure.

As a singer and artist, I have found myself surrounded by liberally minded people for much of my adult life (save for my quasi-conservative town upbringing... though Lake Bluff, IL did go for Obama in '08, despite being historically Republican).  And that has been one of the greatest gifts I have found in this operatic lifestyle, to be able to experience different parts of this country first hand and not just as a weekend visitor.  When you live somewhere for a month or three, you have the time to venture beyond the tourist traps and main drags to find where the cultural truth of the place resides.  And, let's be honest, it's usually in the dilapidated cheap-eats restaurants and dive bars.

This month I am a part of Opera Memphis's cultural experiement "30 Days of Opera"(http://www.operamemphis.org/2012-2013-season/30-days-of-opera).  The brainchild of General Director Ned Canty, #30DaysofOpera has four singers and a pianist popping up all over Memphis performing opera that is free to the public.  Some of the concerts are publicized and draw big crowds, other performances are more "gorilla" style, like our appearance at the Overland Bark Park (yes, that is a dog park... adorable name, no?).  The goal of the project is to bring opera to people who might not otherwise seek it out or have the opportunity to hear it, making it both accessible and fun.  I'll post more info at the end of this entry.

For me, being brought to Memphis, the home of the blues, holds a certain amount of significance because it was really through the blues music that my dad use to play for me and teach me as a kid in junior high was really what made me fall in love with singing.  The blues, by nature, is music that pours straight from your gut.  The music isn't tonally or structurally complicated, especially to a classically trained musician's ears who has studied Debussy and Berg and was forced to listen to Futurists during a semester of grad school, but there is something truly beautiful in that simplicity.  Something honest.

I haven't listened to the blues much recently, having been entrenched in opera world for many years.  But hearing it coming from every orifice of this city is very welcome.  This music speaks to the most basic parts of the soul... the ones that just want to feel, to hear the words, to have a vessel for emotion that is raw and uncomplicated.  Derived from the spirituals and work songs of slaves during our country's ignorant adolescent years, the blues still holds equal parts hopelessness and drive, the conflict between which I think the spark of this music ignites from.

I started to sing because it made my soul feel good to make these sounds.  Being brought to Memphis is a poignant reminder, on this long and winding road of turning this passion into a career, that music without soul is pretty pointless.

I am utterly grateful to be in Memphis making music... and reminded of why I do so.




So much more to write about the culture here, the adventure of bring opera to the people... I have an entire post/article written in my head about the civil rights museum (which is amazing and everyone should go at some point in their lives).  BUT, for now, if you want more info on 30DaysofOpera or Opera Memphis, go to their website (http://www.operamemphis.org) or follow us on twitter as we bring opera to the home of the blues (#30daysofopera, @operamemphis).