Amanda Woodbury
Konstanze,
The Abduction from the Seraglio
1. Where were you born and raised?
Born in Phoenix, AZ and raised in Dallas, TX.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
Espionage!
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
Thaïs – in the chorus.
4. My favorite opera is…
La Traviata.
5. My favorite food to eat is…
Tex-Mex.
6. People would be surprised to know…
I lived in England as a kid.
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
Hogwarts!
8. I like to binge-watch…
Monk, Psych, or Alias.
9. What four people would you like to invite for a dinner party?
I have a lot of fun with my siblings so I would probably invite all four of them.
10. Everyone should see The Abduction from the Seraglio because….
It has a little bit of everything! All the love and passion in this piece makes it perfect for Valentine’s Day.
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you.
Ask me about my baby boy Peter!
Don’t miss the chance to see Amanda in the upcoming production of The Abduction from the Seraglio, Mozart’s first major success. Performances are February 9 & February 11 in Capitol Theater. Tickets start at $25; visit madisonopera.org for more information.David Walton
Belmonte, The Abduction from the Seraglio
1. Where were you born and raised?
Nashville, Tennessee.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
Teacher.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
Aida.
4. My favorite opera is…
Aida.
5. My favorite food to eat is…
Spicy noodle/rice dishes
6. People would be surprised to know…
I used to be 240 pounds and played high school football.
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
Japan.
8. I like to binge-watch…
Frasier.
9. What four people would you like to invite for a dinner party?
Stephen Colbert, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, C.S. Lewis, and Benjamin Britten.
10. Everyone should see The Abduction from the Seraglio because….
It’s a thrilling score, funny and charming libretto, and a relatable story about forgiveness and peace.
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you.
Q: What is the one food item you absolutely WILL NOT eat?
A: Raw onions.
Don’t miss the chance to see David in the upcoming production of The Abduction from the Seraglio, Mozart’s first major success. Performances are February 9 & February 11 in Capitol Theater. Tickets start at $25; visit madisonopera.org for more information.
Matt Boehler
Osmin,
The Abduction from the Seraglio
1. Where were you born and raised?
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
Recording engineer. Or a fishmonger. I’m not sure, this is a hard question.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
The Marriage of Figaro. I was Antonio, the gardener.
4. My favorite opera is…
Today? Salome. This answer will be different tomorrow.
5. My favorite food to eat is…
This is intensely bougie, but…my favorite breakfast food right now is avocado toast. (IT’S PERFECT.)
6. People would be surprised to know…
With a height of 6’7″, you’d think I play basketball, right? I don’t – if I had any talent for it, I’d have made my millions already.
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
Xanadu.
8. I like to binge-watch…
Chopped.
9. What four people would you like to invite for a dinner party?
Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Thomas Keller, Alice Waters. (I’m assuming this is a potluck.)
10. Everyone should see The Abduction from the Seraglio because….
Abduction has some of Mozart’s most extreme, ridiculous, and beautiful music.
Don’t miss the chance to see Matt in the upcoming production of The Abduction from the Seraglio, Mozart’s first major success. Performances are February 9 & February 11 in Capitol Theater. Tickets start at $25; visit madisonopera.org for more information.Alison Moritz
Stage Director,
The Abduction from the Seraglio
1. Where were you born and raised?
St. Louis, MO.
2. If you weren’t a stage director, what profession would you be in?
I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of being a story editor or script consultant for television. I think it would challenge my imagination and empathy in a lot of the same ways directing operas does.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
The Thunder of Horses, a children’s opera by Cary John Franklin, at Opera Theatre of St. Louis. I vividly remember playing a scared squirrel in one scene (I was nine years old).
4. My favorite opera is…
It’s hard to nail down just one, but Peter Grimes and The Rake’s Progressare pretty high on my list! I’m also a sucker for Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West, and I’m itching to do my own production soon.
5. My favorite food to cook…
…anything breakfast related! Last summer, there was a period when Anshuman Bhatia (scenic and lighting designer for Abduction) and I were having a series of morning meetings. Every time he called, I was just taking a frittata out of the oven! He says I owe him a frittata now. 🙂 I’m definitely more of a cook than a baker – my former roommates can all attest to some pretty “creative” baking disasters in my past.
6. People would be surprised to know…
I’m an avid fan of the New York Times crossword. I’ve been doing it on and off since 2006, and Fridays are my favorite puzzles.
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
I’m a big fan of museums, and I’ve never been to the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, so I think a cultural tour of Russia would be pretty amazing. I’m also increasingly curious about non-Western forms of theatre and music, which will likely inspire a lot of travel in my future!
8. I like to binge-watch…
Twin Peaks, The Wire, The West Wing, Broad City, and The Great British Bake-Off.
9. What four people would you like to invite for a dinner party?
Oh gosh! This one is hard – I’d honestly probably choose four of my close friends from grad school, because we don’t get to see each other enough. One of the perks of being in this business is that you are constantly making new friends, but nothing beats reconnecting with the people who know you best.
10. Everyone should see The Abduction from the Seraglio because….
In my opinion, the best reason to see a new production of The Abduction from the Seraglio is to feature an ensemble cast of wonderful singing actors. And, yes, we will absolutely have some fantastic talent in Madison!
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you.
Oh, let me turn this around for our Madison friends: what are the not-to-be-missed places in Madison? Recommendations for coffee, cocktails, and culture appreciated! 🙂 Thanks!
Don’t miss the chance to see Alison’s production of The Abduction from the Seraglio, Mozart’s first major success. Performances are February 9 & February 11 in Capitol Theater. Tickets start at $25; visit madisonopera.org for more information.Eric Neuville
Pedrillo, The Abduction from the Seraglio
1. Where were you born and raised?
Waupaca, WI
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I would LOVE to have my own bakery! I’ve been hobby baking for more than a decade now, and my wife tells me my chocolate chip cookies are a force to be reckoned with 😉
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
A student-composed chamber opera titled The Binding of Isaac. Composed by the brilliant Matthew Peterson (Fort Worth Opera, Washington National Opera) and performed with fellow classmate and phenomenal soprano Laura Wilde (Lyric Opera of Chicago, English National Opera).
4. My favorite opera is…
Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd.
5. My favorite food to cook or eat is…
Ratatouille.
6. People would be surprised to know…
I know all the words to The Little Mermaid.
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
Paris during La Belle Époque.
8. I like to binge-watch…
The Great British Baking Show!!!! On your mark, get set, BAKE!!!!
9. What four people would you like to invite for a dinner party?
John Adams, Craig Hella Johnson, Maya Angelou, and George Lucas.
10. Everyone should see The Abduction from the Seraglio because….
Mozart’s writing possesses an incomparable ability to affect its listeners.
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you.
Q: What is your dream role?
A: Pretty much anything Benjamin Britten wrote for Peter Pears: Albert Herring, Captain Vere in Billy Budd, Peter Grimes, etc.
Don’t miss the chance to see Eric in The Abduction from the Seraglio, Mozart’s first major success. Performances are February 9 & February 11 in Capitol Theater. Tickets start at $25; visit madisonopera.org for more information.
