In the Park with David Blalock

David Blalock

Tenor

1. Where were you born and raised?
   I was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and raised in Burlington, North Carolina.
2. What is in your ideal picnic basket?
   Cheese, cured meats, cheese, wine, and cheese.
3. What has been your most memorable moment performing outside?
   Having performed outdoors many times during the summer months, most of my memories involve lots of sweating!  My favorite memory is of a performance with On Site Opera in New York City. We were performing Paisiello’s The Barber of Seville in a courtyard on the Upper West Side.  Although it was a ticketed event, there was plenty of room for people who were walking by on the street to stop and watch the performance.  Several children, probably between the ages of four and six, stopped to see what was causing all the commotion.  They stayed and listened to the entire act, wide-eyed and smiling.  I think we made some new opera fans that day!  Performing outside is a wonderful opportunity for people to hear and see different types of music for the first time.
4. What is your favorite outdoor performance you’ve attended?
   My wife, Jeni, and I just attended a performance in Des Moines.  We were there to see one of our favorite bands – Lake Street Dive.  They performed in a giant tent right next to the river, and the performance started just as the sun was going down behind the stage.  It was beautiful.
5. What is your favorite summertime activity?
   I absolutely love to play sports, so anything that we can play outdoors during summer is great.  Last summer, the cast of a show I was in got together and played basketball one weekend.  I get really excited to play any team sports or lawn games.
6. Describe your ideal vacation.
   My ideal vacation would have a perfect balance of delicious food, fun company, rest and relaxation, entertainment, and museum visits.
7. Bonus: one question you wish someone would ask you.
   Q: What is your dream opera role that you probably won’t ever perform?
   A: Peter Grimes!  Britten has long been a favorite composer of mine, and Peter Grimes stands out as one of the most iconic roles of the 20th century.  I’d love to sing it.

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Find out more about David and our other Opera in the Park 2019 Artists – and don’t miss the concert on July 20!