Character Discovery

The opera world is filled with great traditions. From fabulous singers who redefined roles, to conductors who re-envisioned scores to composers who evolved the musical language of music theatre, there is a wealth of information available to an artist venturing on the formidable task of recreating a role.

As opera singers we are called upon to take these great works with their myriad of traditions and reinvent them for a modern audience. Of course our first step is to know the traditions so that we can honor the past and pick and choose what things to carry over into our performance. Often we get all the information from the past and try and integrate it into our current selves. The best performers are those who seem to easily meld the past with the present giving us a whole new future of a particular role.

I have been thinking about this quite a bit as I discover the role of Jake. This is my first Porgy and Bess and while I know the music so well that I am humming it all the time (literally all the time!) I am still discovering the "secrets" of the characters of Catfish Row. I am fortunate that this particular production affords the luxury of a long rehearsal period. I am also lucky that there are two singers for each Porgy and Bess and that the other singers range in experience from many productions of Porgy and Bess to novices like myself. Everyone brings their A-game, but it's also really fascinating to watch those who know "share their knowledge" and those who are just learning, discover.

Part of my process for the role of Jake has been creating relationships with the other characters. How does Jake feel about Porgy, Bess, Serena, Lily, Peter, Crown, Robbins etc...Just as I come up with a concrete idea, I find that it changes when another singer steps into that role. An example of this is when Jake pokes fun at Porgy about being attracted to Bess. With one Porgy, I find that his take on this ribbing runs very deep and it causes my character to feel quite remorseful. With another Porgy, I find that Jake takes on a less remorseful vibe and has more of a conflict with the members of Catfish Row who think his joking has gone too far. While these interactions are probably too small for the audience to pick up on, they help create a realism for me and the other actors and keeps me on my toes and in the moment.

Another interesting journey has been discovering the relationship of Jake and Clara and not only how they feel about each other, but what they mean to the neighbors of Catfish Row. I am very fortunate that both the Clara and Clara cover like creating a through line for this adorable husband and wife who are able to laugh and love while maintaining a deep bond.

It reminds me again of the great challenge of being an opera singer. Just as we practice and practice to get our voices to do the exact demands the composer wished for, we must also spend time to uncover the meanings of the text and the dramatic situation. Our ultimate goal is to create characters who are vocally and dramatically thorough. Of course the composers and librettists have given us many clues into the minds of these characters, but there are also great interpretations to be studied and learned from. Finally we have our own sensibilities that lead us down the road of discovery and closeness with the characters whom we inhabit for three to five hours. What an extraordinary profession we have, indeed!

Peace,
Eric