5 questions with Lawrence Brownlee
We’re just one week away from the opening production of our thrilling 2024/25 season, Mozart’s virtuosic Mitridate, re di Ponto . If you listen closely, you might be able to hear the vocal fireworks all the way from our rehearsal studios. The superstar cast includes internationally acclaimed sopranos Brenda Rae and Vanessa Goikoetxea , countertenor John Holiday , and tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Mitridate.?
This isn’t the first time Brownlee has graced the BLO stage – previously appearing in two Rossini comedies, as Il Conte d’Almaviva Il barbiere di Siviglia (2002) and Lindoro in L’italiana in Algeri (2004) – and we are thrilled that he is returning to Boston. Brownlee is a leading figure in opera, lauded as “an international star in the bel canto operatic repertory” (The New York Times) and “one of the most in-demand opera singers in the world today” (NPR). His artistry has taken him from his hometown of Youngstown, OH to stages all over the world. In the 2023/24 season alone, Browlee appeared with London’s Opera Rara, the George Enescu International Festival in Bucharest, Grand Théatre Genève, Wiener Staatsoper, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Wiener Konzerthaus, Dallas Opera, La Jolla Music Society, San Francisco Performances, Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, and the Bayerischen Staatsoper. When he has time to sleep, we’re not sure!
This week, Brownlee was generous enough to sit down with us to chat about his favorite roles, his vision for opera’s future, and why audiences are going to love Mitridate, re di Ponto.?
What was your first opera?
The Magic Flute was my introduction to opera. I was actually cast in it before I’d ever even seen an opera!
What is your favorite opera to sing?
My favorite opera is Le comte Ory by Rossini. I just love it because it’s such a fun role to sing — but even more fun to play. Great music, great ensemble, and every time I sing it, I can’t help but smile.?
What is your vision for the future of opera?
My vision for the future of opera is to reinvent but also to respect and retain. Be flexible; let new ideas and new approaches to opera be welcomed, while also respecting and retaining the charm of certain traditions which drew me and many others to opera in the first place.
What do you love most about being an opera singer?
What I love most about being an opera singer is having the chance to be someone else, or being given the chance to try to envision what the composer intended for a specific role. These roles have been written for someone else, but they allow me to try and capture the essence of that character. I can wear these costumes and feel like I’m living in a different time period - it’s a lot of fun. It also touches people in a way that nothing else can - the spectacle of the lights, the costumes, the performances and everything ties together in this really indescribable way.
Why should audiences come to Mitridate, re di Ponto?
This opera has several roles which are truly virtuosic and allow you to see the true mastery of Mozart’s music. I think people will leave the performance not only singing the tunes out loud, but also asking why this opera isn’t performed more often. I so appreciate the opportunity to explore, learn and grow in this role as a performer.?
You won’t want to miss Lawrence Brownlee and the rest of this incredible cast in Mozart’s rarely-performed masterpiece, Mitridate, re di Ponto. Join us Friday, September 13, and Sunday, September 15, for an experience you won’t soon forget!?
Thank you for reading CODA! Coda comes from the Latin word for “tail,” and in music, it indicates an additional passage at the end of a piece of music, a final flourish that complements what’s come before. CODA goes beyond the curtain call to explore this unique and astonishing art form. Whether you’re a first-time opera-goer or a seasoned audience member, CODA is for you. Biweekly, we’ll enhance your experience of opera with behind-the-scenes highlights, educational articles, listening lists, and much, much more!?
Tickets are on sale now for our star-studded 2024/25 season! Featuring Lawrence Brownlee and John Holiday in Mozart’s Mitridate, re di Ponto; Michelle Johnson and Morris Robinson in Verdi’s masterpiece Aida; Anthony Roth Costanzo in Vivaldi’s The Seasons; and Brandie Sutton and Jamie Barton in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s American classic, Carousel.
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