Ashly Neumann
Blonde, The Abduction from the Seraglio
1. Where were you born? Where were you raised?
I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Well, Metro-Detroit but everyone from Detroit just says Detroit. Specifically, I was born in Rochester, Michigan (where Madonna grew up) and raised down the road in Royal Oak, Michigan.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I always thought I would go into medicine and become a doctor. Realistically though, I’d probably be a real estate agent since I already have the license in holding.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
…an operetta, The Pirates of Penzance.
4. My favorite opera is…
Maybe it’s cliché, but my favorite opera is La Bohème. I cry every time!
5. My favorite food to cook or eat is…
I’m actually a pretty good cook, and my specialty is the ability to make something delicious out of whatever random ingredients are in the pantry. My favorite thing to make is soup (you can’t really screw it up, or at least there’s nearly always a way to save it!). I LOVE to eat cold treats, especially ice cream, smoothies, and SLURPEES! They’re my guilty pleasure! So, I guess I like really cold and really hot food!
6. People would be surprised to know…
I am the oldest of six children. My youngest sibling is 17 years younger than me. (And I’m 4 inches shorter than one of my little sisters!)
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
I’d love to travel to all the International Dark Sky Places with a big telescope and see the Milky Way and the planets!
8. I like to binge-watch…
Parks and Recreation and Forensic Files.
9. What four people would you like to invite for a dinner party?
My mother-in-law, who I never got to meet; my deceased grandmother, who wanted to be an opera singer and passed away before I became one; my deceased Uncle Mike, who was hilarious and a great cook; and maybe my other grandmother’s father who I hear was the best gentleman that I never got to meet. I love my family and I always want more time with them. (I can invite my husband, too, right?!)
10. Everyone should see The Abduction from the Seraglio because….
It contains some of Mozart’s most beautiful music and it is very fun!
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you.
Q: What do you listen to in the car?
A: If I am by myself, about half the time, it’s nothing! I love having regular time to myself to quietly reflect.
Don’t miss the chance to see Ashly 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.
Aleks Romano, Mezzo-Soprano
Carmen – Carmen
1. Where were you born? Where were you raised?
Born in New Haven, CT, and raised in Hamden, CT. Now live in Greenville, NC.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
My childhood dream was to be the first woman archaeologist on Mars … Opera is close. If I weren’t a singer, realistically, I’d be some sort of physical therapist or sports therapist.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
…the chorus of Zemlinsky’s Der Zwerg during the summer after my freshman year of college at the Bard Music Festival. I don’t remember a single note of the opera. So sad!
4. My favorite opera is…
Carmen, of course! No, really, it’s Carmen. Tied with Werther. #mezzodreams
5. My favorite food to cook or eat is…
I’m fully Italian, so I love all things pasta, but I can’t eat all of that while I’m singing. My favorite thing to cook is lasagna, with homemade meat sauce, béchamel, and homemade noodles. But that happens about once a year.
6. People would be surprised to know…
I was a college volleyball player for three of my four years at Bard College before I had to quit because I was yelling too much. Turns out that is incompatible with singing. Who knew?
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
REAL OR FANTASY!? It’s like you know me. Hmm. I would definitely go wiz around Fantastica on Falkor, and then I’d find myself somewhere in the Star Wars universe, and I’d probably end up back on earth on the Zimbabwe coast or Santorini.
8. I like to binge-watch…
Everything? Is that fair? Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who are my repeat offenders. I love crime shows and anything about superheroes.
9. What four people (living or deceased) would you like to invite for a dinner party?
Leonard Bernstein, Michelle Obama, Marilyn Horne, and Leo Tolstoy
10. Everyone should see Carmen because….
Because your leading lady says to, and she always get what she wants… But also because you already know almost all of it from all sorts of places, and you probably didn’t even realize it was opera. And we have bull fighters. Who doesn’t love bull fighters?
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).
Q: What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
A: Bring food, art, and love to every person on the planet. And then find a way to get to Mars, because childhood dream
Don’t miss the chance to see Aleks in Carmen, Bizet’s breathtaking opera. Performances are November 3 & November 5 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at $18; visit madisonopera.org for more information.
Sean Panikkar, tenor
Don José in Carmen
1. Where were you born / raised?
I was born and raised in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, but I currently reside right outside of Ann Arbor in Saline, Michigan.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I was a double major in civil engineering and music as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan. My goal from a very early age was to have my own construction company, so my plan was to do an undergraduate degree in civil engineering and then a master’s in architecture. All of that went out the window when I started to get recognized for my musical ability. I stayed at Michigan and completed my Master’s degree in vocal performance before getting into the Merola Program and the Adler Fellowship at San Francisco Opera. Since that time, I haven’t had the opportunity to second-guess anything. I made my Metropolitan Opera debut and my European debut at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence as soon as I finished in San Francisco. I have been steadily working since.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
La Bohème. I was in the chorus of La Bohème with Michigan Opera Theater in Detroit. I knew next-to-nothing about opera, and the chorus only sings in act 2 and the very beginning of act 3, so I assumed there were only three acts in the show. At the final dress rehearsal, I went into the auditorium to finally discover once and for all how the opera ended. Act 3 finished and went into Act 4. I was moved to tears when Mimì died and I was hooked on opera.
This is one of the reasons I encourage new operagoers to just experience the show in the moment. So often people think they need to study the show and read the synopsis. You wouldn’t read the ending of a movie before seeing it, so why do it for opera? The shows always have supertitles so you’ll be able to follow along, and you’ll have a better experience if you discover everything live.
4. My favorite opera is…
…whatever opera I’m working on. That sounds like a cop-out, but it is the truth. I sing a lot of new works, some that are gorgeous and some that aren’t so much. The ability to genuinely get excited and love what I’m doing means that I’m always happy regardless of what I’m working on. When I’m working on challenging modern works, I look at it as a test. My goal is to be as accurate as possible and at the end of the rehearsal or the performance there is something tremendously rewarding about accomplishing that task. With classic operas, I get wrapped up in the beauty of the music and I feel a tremendous amount of gratitude just to be singing that piece.
5. My favorite food to cook or eat is…
…sweet potatoes. This is a little inside baseball, but whenever I’m working on a show that requires me to be scantily clad, I live on baked sweet potatoes and cottage cheese. It’s something that’s easy to prepare on the road, and I’m someone who can eat the same thing every day for weeks without getting tired of it. When I’m fully clothed or in between jobs, I have a weakness for desserts, particularly cake.
6. People would be surprised to know that…
…my parents and brother used to accuse me of lip synching at choir concerts. I NEVER sang a note at home. Not in the shower, not “Happy Birthday,” nothing. I was a tremendously shy child and the thought of singing by myself terrified me. I loved choir and I definitely sang in those concerts, but I only started taking voice lessons in order to compete in choral competitions in high school. I was basically looking to pad my résumé for the engineering schools I was applying to. I ended up becoming an All State singer in Pennsylvania and my voice teacher encouraged me to apply to Michigan’s School of Music after I had already been admitted to the engineering program. When I entered Michigan, my parents had only heard me sing once, as a soloist at my high school graduation, which was a requirement of me for being an All State singer.
My first week of school, I almost dropped music, but on the first day of choir I could not stop staring at a girl. I introduced myself and found out that she was a pianist (actually a trumpet major who was multi-talented and also in a voice and piano studio). I was too shy to ask her out on a date, but I needed a pianist for voice lessons. Having her in the room for my lessons made me try harder. By the end of sophomore year we started dating, and this summer we will celebrate 13 years of marriage.
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
New Zealand. It’s one of the countries that I have never been to and I was blown away by the beauty of the country after I saw the Lord of the Rings movies.
8. I like to binge-watch…
everything. Singers are often on the road by themselves for a long time, so binge watching is a thing once shows are open and we are resting our voices in between shows.
9. What four people (living or deceased) would you like to invite for a dinner party?
CS Lewis, Jon Vickers, Franco Corelli, and Leonardo Da Vinci. How’s that for a mixed bag?
10. Everyone should see Carmen because….
It is one of the finest operas ever written. There is a reason that a handful of operas have stayed in the repertory for over a hundred years (the warhorses), and it isn’t because they are bad. Carmen has it all, a great story, great music, and tremendous drama. Plus, whether you realize it or not, virtually everybody will recognize some of the music.
Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer)
I often get asked by younger singers about how I stay connected to my family when I’m on the road so much. Being on the road presents a variety of challenges. Whenever possible I try to travel with my family, but schedules don’t always allow that. We are homeschooling our children, so Maria (9) and Mark (6) have been on the road with me several times individually and together.
A few years back, I made a New Year’s resolution to write a letter to my daughter and wife every day that I was away from home. It is something I have done without fail, and when my son was born, I added him to my daily writing. I write three letters every night and it’s like journaling and therapy in one. They get physical reminders in the mailbox that Dad is thinking of them and they read their letters at breakfast. Email is wonderful, but there is something special about receiving a handwritten letter in the mail.
Technology has also made this job a lot easier than it was years ago. Things like Skype and FaceTime are invaluable to performers who are away for sometimes months at a time. Staying connected takes time and effort, but my family is the greatest joy of my life. Of all the roles I have, the role of a father is my favorite.
Don’t miss the chance to see Sean in Carmen, Bizet’s breathtaking opera. Performances are November 3 and 5 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at $18; visit madisonopera.org for more information.
Cecilia Violetta López, Soprano
Micaela – Carmen
1. Where were you born? Where were you raised?
I was born and raised in Rupert, Idaho. My parents are both Mexican. I am a first generation Mexican-American.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
As of recently, I told myself it would be really cool to be a news correspondent for NPR and/or own and run a winery.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
Gianni Schicchi! I was Nella.
4. My favorite opera is…
La Traviata, Madama Butterfly, Boito’s Mefistofele, and Rossini’s Otello.
5. My favorite food to cook or eat is…
Chiles Rellenos
6. People would be surprised to know…
I am a proud mom, I was a Polynesian dancer, and I started my musical aspirations as a mariachi singer thanks to my mom a LOOOOOOng time ago.
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
Morocco
8. I like to binge-watch…
EVERYTHING!!
9. What four people (living or deceased) would you like to invite for a dinner party?
Mexican Mariachi Singers, Pedro Infante, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Lola Beltran and Jorge Negrete. We would have a jamming session.
10. Everyone should see Carmen because….
MICAËLA IS AWESOME AND THE BEST CHARACTER IN THE OPERA. OBVIOUSLY. 😉
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).
Q: Is opera a hobby?
A: No!!! Someone once told me opera is a hobby. I’ve made it my personal mission to teach audiences what opera is and what it is we do. There are too many people in our lives who sacrifice so much (including our own sacrifices) in order for us to be where we are. We opera singers work so much, so, again – no, opera is not a hobby.
Don’t miss the chance to see Cecilia in Carmen, Bizet’s breathtaking opera. Performances are November 3 & November 5 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at $18; visit madisonopera.org for more information.
Corey Crider, Baritone
Escamillo – Carmen
1. Where were you born?
LOUISVILLE, KY Where were you raised? MARION, KY
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I’d probably pursue acting – I think I’m more naturally prone to acting anyway. I’d love to write and perform sketch comedy and branch into podcasting as well.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
La Bohème, playing Schaunard.
4. My favorite opera is…
Rigoletto; come to think of it, RE: #2, I’d probably be a Duke
5. My favorite food to cook or eat is…
Filet mignon – and my own is hard to beat, especially if my accompanying sauce choron turns out… yeah, if I wasn’t a singer, I’d probably be a chef
6. People would be surprised to know…
I was a couple signed documents away from joining the US Army and being trained as a linguist when I got a call in July that the voice faculty at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music was interested in hearing me for their Artist Diploma in Opera program. Sang for them, got accepted last minute, never joined the Army. So… maybe #2 is translator for the State Department?
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
The past!!! Can I change #2 to time traveller?
8. I like to binge-watch…
So, so many things. My favorite thing to binge watch is something difficult to decipher that my wife and I enjoy together, and can then talk about and attempt to figure out.
9. What four people (living or deceased) would you like to invite for a dinner party?
Oh boy… Mozart, Socrates, Shakespeare, King Solomon
10. Everyone should see Carmen because….
It was a flop in Bizet’s lifetime, and yet has become one of the single most-performed pieces in the operatic repertoire. Several of the tunes are completely entrenched in the ear of the culture. There is much material to explore and unpack regarding libertine and bipolar personalities, and what happens when they collide. Also, about #2 – BULL FIGHTER!!!
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).
Q: What’s your biggest pet peeve?
A: People who bang on about their pet peeves.
Don’t miss the chance to see Corey in Carmen, Bizet’s breathtaking opera. Performances are November 3 & November 5 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at $18; visit madisonopera.org for more information.
