Clay Hilley, tenor
Father Grenville in Dead Man Walking
1. My favorite thing about being a singer is:
2. The greatest challenge in being a singer is:
Dealing with rejection.
3. A live music performance I’ve attended that I will never forget is:
Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the Chautauqua Institute’s Amphitheater.
4. A few of my favorite films are:
5. Three things I can’t live without are:
6. My number one hobby is:
7. If you could perform with any singer, retired or deceased, who would it be?
8. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
Law/Politics.
9. What role do you wish you could sing that you could never sing because it’s the wrong voice type/gender?
10. Describe your favorite moment on stage.
There are many, but one comes to mind. While playing King Kaspar in Amahl, I was dressed in a VERY heavy (and VERY HOT) costume. It was so hot that I made a choice to forgo any sort of undergarment (as no one in the audience would ever be able to notice). During the performance I noticed an air-conditioning vent in the stage floor (we were performing in a church chancel), and “altered my blocking” such that I ended up hovering over said vent, enjoying the pleasantly-cooling streams of air while actively engaged in performing. 😉
Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer)
Clay, are you available to sing the lead tenor role tonight at the MET?
A: Yeah.
See Clay in Madison Opera’s production of Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking April 25 and 27 at Overture Hall. Tickets start at just $18!
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