Heres a little insight into our cast members and thoughts on their roles! First up: Jaimee Nicole Jensen-McDaniel, Soprano who plays the dual roles of Isabelle and Madeline. How long have you been studying voice? I’ve been studying voice since 2004. I studied at University of Central Arkansas for my undergraduate degree, with Dr. Robert Holden. For my master’s degree I attended the University of Limerick and studied with Dr. Wolodymyr Smishkewych. Currently, I study with Dr. Holden, with my husband Ron McDaniel II acting as my vocal coach as well. What attracted you to this role? Playing the roles of Isabelle/Madeleine in “Face” is on my bucket list of opera roles I want to play. I have a passion for American opera, and I love the aria she has in scene two of this show. It’s quite haunting. In addition to that, the challenge of portraying two different characters in the span of a very short (25 minutes) opera was intriguing to me. I love a good challenge. In what way do you relate to your character? My character is a young opera singer looking for her big break, so to speak. Considering that I’m at a similar point in my life, she’s pretty easy to relate to! There’s also a lot of heartbreak for her in this show, and just about everyone can relate to that. What has been the most challenging thing about this role for you so far? This opera was written in 1978, and true to that, it’s a very 20th century sound. The accompaniment often doesn’t support the vocal line at all, so you feel quite on your own, singing a line that doesn’t seem to match the piano at all! I feel like I have to just pray I’m on the right note a lot of the time. What do you hope the audience takes away from this show? In regards to this opera and the story - I feel like it’s a very short glimpse into the human experience, of what we will do to get to where we want to go. There’s a theme of using whatever it takes, and whoever it takes. All of the characters are pretty selfish in a lot of ways, and the story plays out and shows us where that sort of selfishness will lead. On the whole, I hope the audience takes away that opera isn’t something for the well-to-do, or the “educated” - it’s something for everyone. Opera is not just women in hats that have horns. Opera can be hip and exciting. This particular opera is in English, and the subject matter is distinctly American - it’s set in the West. Our director, Ron, has done a wonderful job of putting his own spin on it, updating it and giving it a bit of burlesque/Vaudevillian flavor. I think it’s a show anyone could enjoy. I’m certainly enjoying it!
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 04:19:53 +0000