Benjamin Liupaogo, Tenor
Remendado – Carmen
1. Where were you born? Where were you raised?
I was born in Castro Valley, California and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I would probably go into nursing or a medical field.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
Orpheus in the Underworldby Offenbach.
4. My favorite opera is…
Il Trittico by Puccini or
La Bohèmeby Puccini.
5. My favorite food to cook or eat is…
I love Polynesian Island Food. e.g. Loco Moco, Spam Musubi, cooked green banana, or taro with coconut milk.
6. People would be surprised to know…
…that I like to sit on the sand by the ocean and listen to the waves.
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
…the South Pacific/Polynesia area to visit not only homeland but all the other nearby islands.
8. I like to binge-watch…
House of Cards.
9. What four people (living or deceased) would you like to invite for a dinner party?
Jill Scott, Michelle Obama, Leontyne Price, and Viola Davis.
10. Everyone should see Carmen because….
…of the music and the fabulous cast.
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).
Q: What is your favorite holiday throughout the year?
A: Christmas because I get to spend it with my family and because I am home in San Francisco.
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Don’t miss the chance to see Benjamin 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.
Anna Polum, Soprano
Frasquita – Carmen
1. Where were you born? Where were you raised?
I was born in Everett, Washington and raised on Kodiak Island, Alaska.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I would be a speech pathologist.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
Carmen!
4. My favorite opera is…
La Boheme
5. My favorite food to cook or eat is…
I love Thai and Korean food.
6. People would be surprised to know…
The pupil in my left eye is bigger than the pupil in my right eye.
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
I would love to travel all over Scandinavia – my family is mostly Norwegian and Swedish heritage, so I think it would be really interesting to go back to where my ancestors are from.
8. I like to binge-watch…
The Office and Law and Order.
9. What four people (living or deceased) would you like to invite for a dinner party?
Leontyne Price, Daniel Day Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Marion Cotillard.
10. Everyone should see Carmen because….
I think Carmen is one of those operas that is probably most relatable to a cinematic experience. There’s constant action, movement, and drama, not only plot and character wise, but in the music as well.
Don’t miss the chance to see Anna 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.
Megan Le Romero, Mezzo-Soprano
Mercédès – Carmen
1. Where were you born? Where were you raised?
I was born and raised in Erie, PA.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
A voiceover actor.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
Amahl and the Night Visitors
4. My favorite opera is…
La Cenerentola
5. My favorite food to cook or eat is…
I love taking the day to make my great grandmother’s pasta sauce.
6. People would be surprised to know…
I can solve a Rubik’s cube!
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
Space
8. I like to binge-watch…
The Office, Shameless, Narcos
9. What four people (living or deceased) would you like to invite for a dinner party?
Abe Lincoln, Ellen DeGeneres, Gael García Bernal, Salvador Dalí
10. Everyone should see Carmen because….
The music is something we all know and love!
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).
Q: “Who do you admire most in life?”
A: My mom… because she teaches me to be kind to everyone and be true to myself.
Don’t miss the chance to see Megan 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.
Thomas Forde, Bass
Zuniga – Carmen
1. Where were you born? Where were you raised?
I was born and raised in Chicago, IL on the Northwest side of Chicago. My grandparents emigrated to this area from Ireland and a majority of my big Irish family still lives in the same neighborhood.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I would love to be in some sort of broadcasting. I love morning talk radio, so I think I would steer towards something on the radio side of things. I also love the anchorperson track for a career, so I would have explored broadcasting in another life.
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
The Tales of Hoffmann in college!
4. My favorite opera is…
I go back and forth on this one, but an expertly done “Eugene Onegin” is thrilling and heartbreaking. I love “The Crucible”, as well, as the music is set perfectly to the text.
5. My favorite food to cook or eat is…
I love eating pizza and hotdogs. I am a child when it comes to eating, apparently. I generally cook healthier when not eating those foods. (Cheese curds in Madison!)
6. People would be surprised to know…
As another side of my professional performing work, I work as a professional actor in Chicago, recently appearing in NBC’s “Chicago Fire”, Showtime’s “The Chi”, and a commercial for the A+E network. I also do HR management for a company called Hotel Rehabs.
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy, I would travel to…
My next travel goals include going to Ireland to explore my lineage. Harry Potter world was a very cool fantasy come to life!
8. I like to binge-watch…
30 Rock, The Office, Parks and Rec, Brooklyn 99, Friday Night Lights
9. What four people (living or deceased) would you like to invite for a dinner party?
Hillary Clinton, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and Joan Cusack (I think this would be quite the dinner).
10. Everyone should see Carmen because….
You’ll know the tunes. There’s a lot of action (think sword fights). The plot is easy to follow. It’s a classic, but realistic.
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).
Q: What’s your biggest pet peeve?
A:When people talk loudly in the gym or use cell-phones to talk loudly on cardio equipment. There is nothing that drives me crazier than that!
Don’t miss the chance to see Thomas 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.
Erik Earl Larson, BaritoneDancaïre – Carmen
1. Where were you born? Where were you raised?
I was born in Madison, WI and raised in Evansville, WI.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
I probably would have gone to school for engineering – like my dad. But the older I get, the more I’m interested in law and social justice, so maybe that?
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
…the chorus in Madison Opera’s The Flying Dutchman in Spring of 2010, my senior year of high school. I ended up doing five shows (I think) with the Madison Opera Chorus, ending my tenure with Dead Man Walking in Spring 2014 – which was also my professional debut as the Motorcycle Cop.
4. My favorite opera…
…tends to change on a weekly basis, but The Marriage of Figaro is my proverbial ol’ faithful.
5. My favorite food to cook or eat is…
…chicken fried rice (I’m not a talented cook).
6. People would be surprised to know…
I have a long-standing tradition of getting pedicures with my sisters. My toes are usually painted a sensible red.
7. If I could travel anywhere, real or fantasy…
I would most definitely travel to the Water Gardens of Dorne.
8. I like to binge-watch…
My go-to binge watching show is The Office, but most recently I’ve been working through Sons of Anarchy.
9. What four people (living or deceased) would you like to invite for a dinner party?
This depends on a lot of factors…am I cooking? Are we all cooking together? So many things to consider…BUT, if I had to choose…I would say George London, Carol Burnett (for comic relief), Rick Sanchez (for good spirits), and finally – the love of my life, Bridget.
10. Everyone should see Carmen because….
It is honestly one of few absolutely timeless masterpieces. With a beautiful drama displayed in so many – very human ways – it’s a perfect example how opera can marry several arts into one union.
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).
BONUS! WUBBA-LUBBA-DUB-DUB!!
“I don’t understand the question, and I won’t respond to it.”
Don’t miss the chance to see Erik 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.
