Ten Questions with
Liam Moran, bass
Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet
1. Where were you born / raised?
I was born and raised in Brookline, Massachusetts, but am now a proud Dairy Stater. I live with my family in La Crosse.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I’d want to be a pro soccer player, but that probably wouldn’t have panned out! I suppose I’d be a lawyer or work in the mental health field.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
Falstaff. I sang in the chorus at Tanglewood when I was in high school. I got the bug for sure.
4. My favorite opera is…
…the hardest question to answer. Depends on what day you ask, could be any or some combination of Carmen, Le Nozze di Figaro, L’Incoronazione di Poppea, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Don Carlo, Eugene Onegin, you get the idea.
5. My favorite pre-show / post-show meal is…
My favorite pre-show meal is light, roasted vegetables or an omelette. Post-show I love a salty snack and a beer. This is Wisconsin, right? Ha!
6. People would be surprised to know that…
I’ve never joined Facebook. Well, people who know me aren’t surprised, they just roll their eyes. But nope, never did.
7. A few of my favorite books are…
…also hard to narrow down. Today let’s say: Anna Karenina, All the King’s Men, Catcher in the Rye, The Blind Assassins, Thinking: Fast and Slow; The Rest is Noise… I could go on!
8. What do you like to binge-watch?
Lately I’ve been binge-watching both of the OJ Simpson projects, the miniseries The People vs. OJ Simpson (outstanding) and the ESPN six-part documentary, OJ: Made in America. Both are extraordinary. Talk about operatic…
9. What four people (living or deceased) would you like to invite for a dinner party?
Again, I’m sure if you ask me later today you’ll get three new answers (I’d always say my grandma). But for now let’s say: Mozart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Einstein, and my grandmother. Lots of people I‘d like to meet, but suspect they’d be downers at a dinner party (Dostoevsky, Kant, Beethoven…).
10. Everyone should see Romeo and Juliet because….
It’s a different way to experience a piece we all think we already know. There are several departures from Shakespeare, but the central story remains intact. But more important, with opera the music gives the audience a chance to experience the emotional undercurrent of each scene at the same time, adding a visceral element to the narrative arc of the piece. Plus there are loads of great tunes and, really, do you ever need an excuse to come to the Overture Center?
Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer):
We have two kids under the age of five, so….
Q: Would you like some coffee?
A: Yes, yes I would.
Don’t miss the chance to see Liam in Romeo and Juliet, as Shakespeare’s classic work comes to ravishing operatic life. Performances are November 4 and 6 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at $18; visit madisonopera.org for more information.
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