10 Questions with Pish-Tush

Chris Carr

Chris Carr recently took some time to answer 10 questions about his life as a opera singer and student.  Mr. Carr, who will be starring as Pish Tush in The Mikado, is in his second year in the Lyric Opera/UMKC Apprentice Program and has some exciting plans after he finishes at UMKC this spring. Read below as Mr. Carr talks about how his interest in opera began and why he probably knows how to ride a horse!

1.  How did your initial interest in the art form of opera begin?
Mr. Carr: My interest of opera grew during college. I had begun college as a performance major in saxophone and was taking voice lessons for scholarship money. I was put in a production the first semester and I haven’t looked back.

2.  Where did you grow up?
Mr. Carr: I grew up in Quasqueton, IA. A small town in Eastern Iowa with a population around 500-600 people. My mother is a horseback riding instructor so we moved there when I was young to start our own farm.

3.  What is an average day like for you? Do you have a set routine?
Mr. Carr: An average day for me consists of just a few key things. Rehearsals/practicing, workout, and keeping social. I have no set routines, but I consider it an good day when all three of those things happen.

4.  What is your favorite opera to watch/experience?
Mr. Carr: Tough question, but probably Pagliacci. It was the first opera I ever saw that made me realize that I wanted to be an opera singer.

5.  What was the first opera to watched/experienced?
Mr. Carr: I believe the first opera I saw was The Magic Flute, when I was probably 12 or so. Funny thing is I hated it! I had no interest in opera and I remember spending the night being fidgety and bored.

6.  What language(s) do you speak fluently?
Mr. Carr: Just English

7. What have you learned or experienced during your apprenticeship with the Lyric Opera that has been most helpful? Alternatively, what do you hope to get out of your apprenticeship with the Company?
Mr. Carr: I have been fortunate enough to have the time to understudy several roles in my time here. It gives me a great chance to see how the professionals work on a daily basis and more importantly to me, I get to meet them and connect with people I don’t know. Meeting new people is one of my favorite parts of this job.

As far as what I hope to get out of it, this season is giving me those things. I have some good roles this season and I’m getting to work pretty much full time as a singer. Steady work is a great thing to have.

8.  What facts about you would our audiences be surprised to learn?
Mr. Carr: Growing up on a horse farm in small town Iowa, I was trained and competed on horses. I didn’t start singing until college. I had originally intended to be a jazz musician in my life time.

9.  The opera role you haven’t performed, but would like to perform the most in your career?
Mr. Carr: Pelleas from Pelléas and Mélisande and Macbeth from Verdi’s Macbeth.

10.  If you bumped into me at a coffee shop and learned that I had never been to an opera before, what would you say to entice me to give it a try?
Mr. Carr: I would say that opera would surprise anyone that goes to see it. It’s still entertainment written for everyday enjoyment. The stereotypes of opera are old and outdated. If you give it a chance, you’d probably be surprised. I have yet to meet someone who went to the opera for the first time and didn’t walk out happy.

For more information about the upcoming Lyric Opera production of The Mikado, click here.

10 Questions with The Mikado

We recently had a chance to ask Dale Travis some questions as part of our 10 Questions Series.  Mr. Travis, making his Lyric Opera and role debut, will star in the title role of the upcoming Lyric Opera production as The Mikado. Read below as Mr. Travis explains how a football injury changed his life and why he should probably teach stage techniques.

1. How did your initial interest in the art form of opera begin?

Mr. Travis: I always loved to sing and was quite involved in choirs, musicals, and even was in a rock band in high school and college.  I did my first opera as a senior in high school, singing Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors. I was still not sure about what I wanted to do so I went to Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania to play football and major in Geology.  Because of a football injury, I suddenly had a lot of free time, so I auditioned for the university choir.  After hearing me, the choir director took me immediately to the voice faculty.  After singing for them, I was accepted into the music program as a Vocal Performance major.  That’s how this all started.

2.  Where did you grow up?
Mr. Travis: Pennington, NJ

3.  Do you have a significant other? Children? Pets?
Mr. Travis: I’ve been married to my wife, Lisa, since 1984, so next year we celebrate our 30^th anniversary. She is a flautist, pianist, and is the Music Director at our church.  She taught elementary music for 12 years and now teaches flute and piano privately.  We have a son, Zachary, who graduates from high school this year and is continuing on to college as to major in Music.  He is a French horn player and enjoys conducting and writing music.

4.  What is an average day like for you? Do you have a set routine?
Mr. Travis: I like to read the paper first thing in the morning, work out for an hour, and then work on upcoming repertoire for a few hours.  If I am working, then it’s off to rehearsal or a performance.  If I’m home, I take care of whatever needs attention: wife, son, parents, in-laws, house, etc.  If I have free time, I love to play golf or fly fish.

5.  What is your favorite opera to watch/experience?
Mr. Travis: I have no favorites – there is so much wonderful repertoire and styles, each have something to offer.  If I had to pick one, I guess it would be Puccini or Janacek.

6.  What language(s) do you speak fluently?
Mr. Travis: I wouldn’t say I’m “fluent”, but I am pretty comfortable speaking German and Italian, and can function quite well when I’m in Europe there singing or traveling

7.  What story about your professional life do you wish reporters would tell when promoting your work for a producing Company, but have not?
Mr. Travis: I have been singing professionally for 28 years and have developed a stage technique that was taught to me from some of the greatest Italian singing actors of the 20^th century – Italo Tajo, Paolo Montarsolo, and Renato Capecchi.

8.  What facts about you would our audiences be surprised to learn?
Mr. Travis: My favorite singers are Elvis and Frank Sinatra.   I used to perform a lot of Elvis tunes in my rock bands and Sinatra songs as a singing waiter.

9.  The opera role you haven’t performed, but would like to perform the most in your career?
Mr. Travis: Baron Ochs from Der Rosenkavalier.

10.  If you bumped into me at a coffee shop and learned that I had never been to an opera before, what would you say to entice me to give it a try?
Mr. Travis: Go to a comic opera first – they are the most accessible and enjoyable for a first timer.  After that, try Puccini for gorgeous melodies and heartfelt emotion.

For more information about the upcoming Lyric Opera production of The Mikado, click here.

The Mikado Scenery – Week 3

The Mikado Scenery, a set on Flickr, Week 3 construction and painting photos.

Work continues full force on the set for The Mikado. This week metal work for the trellis’ continues, with work on the smaller of the two progressing. In addition painting has started on the second set scrolls, the sky scrolls, as well as on a number of screen panels that will be seen on stage during The Mikado. In addition to construction and painting, prop work has begun in the form of an ax for the executioner and stage management prepared for rehearsals which begin this weekend. Keep up the hard work everyone!

For more information about the upcoming Lyric Opera production of The Mikado, click here.

10 Questions with Yum-Yum

Sarah Jane McMahon

We recently spoke with Sarah Jane McMahon, Yum-Yum in the upcoming production of The Mikado, as part of our 10 Questions Series.  Mrs. McMahon is making her Lyric Opera debut and talked about her favorite operas.  Read below to learn more about this talented Soprano who we hope you can see on stage at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in April.

1.  How did your initial interest in the art form of opera begin?
Mrs. McMahon: I was not interested in opera until college when I had formal voice training and my voice teacher suggested I audition for L’Elisir D’Amore. I was fortunate to be cast as Adina as a sophomore, and I’ve been hooked ever since!

2.  Where did you grow up?
Mrs. McMahon: New Orleans, Louisiana

3.  Do you have a significant other? Children? Pets?
Mrs. McMahon: Yes! I got married last year, and it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me!

4.  What is an average day like for you? Do you have a set routine?
Mrs. McMahon: Fortunately, I have been busy performing, so a rehearsal day is usually about 6 hours a day.  But right now, I’m working on recording my new album, Blessings and Silver Linings, so I’ve been in the recording studio, rehearsing with musicians, and working out all of the other many details that are involved in the recording process.

5.  What is your favorite opera to watch/experience?
Mrs. McMahon: To experience, my favorites are La Traviata and La bohème.  My favorite to watch is Roméo et Juliette.

6.  Have you performed your role in The Mikado before? If so, do you have any interesting anecdotes you can share about the experience?
Mrs. McMahon: I have performed it once before with the Colorado Symphony.

7.  What language(s) do you speak fluently?
Mrs. McMahon: English and almost French!

8.  What facts about you would our audiences be surprised to learn?
Mrs. McMahon: I can juggle and do the splits, cartwheels, and high kicks.  Also, my favorite place to sing is at church.

9.  The opera role you haven’t performed, but would like to perform the most in your career?
Mrs. McMahon: I would most like to perform Mimì in La bohème and Juliette in Roméo et Juliette.

10.  If you bumped into me at a coffee shop and learned that I had never been to an opera before, what would you say to entice me to give it a try?
Mrs. McMahon: You don’t know what you’re missing! Don’t be daunted by the foreign languages because there are titles to read. It will be some of the most beautiful music that you’ve ever heard!

For more information about the upcoming Lyric Opera production of The Mikado, click here.

An Introduction to The Mikado

Kansas City Lyric Opera Guild member Don Dagenais sat down for an informational video about The Mikado.  Watch the video below and learn about Gilbert and Sullivan’s instant classic:

For more information about the upcoming Lyric Opera production of The Mikado, click here.

The Mikado Scenery – Week 2

The Mikado Scenery, a set on Flickr, Week 2 construction and painting photos.

This week painting has begun on the first set of scrolls and form and welding work has begun on the trellis, which will be a central part of The Mikado set. See how hand-made stamps are created, then used to paint designs on the scrolls.  You can also see the early form of the trellis as metal tubing is placed in jigs and welded together.  This won’t been a normal garden trellis though, so check back over the next few weeks to see how the work has progressed.

For more information about the upcoming Lyric Opera production of The Mikado, click here.

Local Lyric Opera singer featured in KC Studio preview of The Mikado

Robert Gibby Brand

Kansas City actor and baritone Robert Gibby Brand recently sat down with KC Studio to discuss the upcoming Lyric Opera production of The Mikado.  To explain the Gilbert and Sullivan’s perennial appeal, Brand noted, “What’s the appeal? There’s really nothing else like it. It’s creativity and nonsense thrown together with biting commentary that is truly amazing.” Click the headline below to read the article.

Lyric Opera: The Mikado
by Kellie Houx for KC Studio