As we end 2025, I’ve been reflecting on all of the amazing performances I have gotten to be a part of, both at and outside of Oberlin! So why don’t we break it down together (in a format not-so-subtly inspired by our Spotify wraps).
Quick Statistics:
4 operas (2 actually performed… stick around for those stories)
4 concerts
4 final exam performances
1 recital
1 masterclass
Operas
Let’s get into it! This year I was involved in one Oberlin opera (La Finta Giardiniera by Mozart) and three non-Oberlin operas with Chicago Summer Opera and Music On Site, Inc. (Alcina by Handel, La Bohème by Puccini, and Hänsel und Gretel by Humperdinck).
The operas I actually was able to perform in were Alcina and Hänsel und Gretel. Alcina was by far my favorite opera I did this year, as I got to be in the chorus, cover the male lead, and assistant direct. I loved being a part of the creation, production, and performance of an opera. I also was able to perform in the chorus of Hänsel und Gretel. Thirty minutes before the cover run of the show, I was asked to step in as the Sandmann since the cover for that role was sick. It was such a fun challenge, and something I can now add to my resume!
Unfortunately, this year seemed to also be the year of injuries for me as I got a sprained ankle right before my performance as a Super in La Finta Giardiniera and a concussion right before my performance in the chorus of La Bohème. It was still a great experience to learn both of those operas, but a bummer that I didn’t get to be a part of the final product!
Concerts
I performed in two Oberlin ensemble concerts, one church concert, and one Opera Scenes concert in Wichita, Kansas. Two of the Oberlin performances were with the Oberlin College Choir. We performed Rachmaninoff’s Liturgy of St. John and Craig Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew Shepard. I was lucky enough to be an alto soloist in the first and to portray Matthew’s mother, Judy Shepard, in the second. I especially loved the second one since it told such an important story; if you haven’t listened to this work yet, you should!!
Along with most voice majors, I have a local church gig just outside of Oberlin. My church loves to put on a yearly winter concert, and it is a great opportunity for us choir members to try out new genres, and just have fun with a low-pressure performance! I got to sing classical, jazz, and pop solos, duets, and choir pieces. It was a nice break from some of my higher-stress performances.
My other non-Oberlin concert was an Oberlin Scenes presentation with Music On Site, Inc. in Kansas. Part of this company's goal is to make opera more accessible and bring it to the people of Central Kansas, so we performed this in a local nursing home. I got to perform in three scenes as Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen, as Larina in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, and as the chorus in Weill’s Street Scene. These scenes marked some important firsts for me. Carmen is an absolute dream role of mine, but it has always felt out of reach. Getting to try her on for size made me so happy and improved my confidence! I have also always wanted to venture into the land of Russian classical music, and this was my first chance to do so. At first, I really struggled with the language, but once I got it, I loved it!
My apologies, but I must leave you on a cliffhanger now. (Gotta leave y’all wanting more!) Come back in a bit to hear about my final exam performances, recital, and masterclass!
