Omar at Oberlin

At the end of last semester (my second semester at Oberlin overall), I found out that I would be in my first ever opera this semester, Cendrillon. I was already insanely nervous, especially since I had been cast in a role, and wanted to be as perfect as possible. (No such thing exists by the way!!!) But, a couple of weeks into this semester, and opera rehearsals, I learned I would be involved in not just one, but TWO operas this semester. I was initially very overwhelmed, but then took a step back and realized just how exciting this was going to be. You can imagine how much my excitement grew as I learned more about the project (who was involved, where we were performing, what other programs this would bring to Oberlin, etc).

It was a seriously star-studded line up of Oberlin alumni: Limmie Pulliam ‘98, Michael Preacely ‘99, Daniel Okulitch ‘99, Daniel McGrew ‘15, AND the composer of the opera herself playing the leading female role, Grammy Award and Pulitzer Prize Winner Rhiannon Giddens ‘00. These were all people that were currently leading the careers I hoped to have, and they all started in the same place I am starting in right now. Needless to say, I was starstruck when I walked into the first rehearsal and saw all of them there, casually singing giant arias in their sweatpants and t-shirts. There was so much to be learned from this talented group of people. From their vocal stamina and technique to their acting choices to the way they embodied the full meaning of the story of Omar, it was a lesson that could not be learned sitting in a classroom. (For my wonderful prospies out there, these are the kind of experiences that seriously only Oberlin can provide!)

Because this opera was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for not just everyone involved, but also for Oberlin itself, Oberlin decided to turn the weekend of our run into a full weekend of events called “Omar at Oberlin.” Since I was so busy working on the opera, I didn’t have time to attend many of the events, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ones I was able to make. One of them was a panel discussion called “Expressions of Identity in the Music of Omar” held by three music theory professors: Andrew Pau, Sylvie Tran, and Christa Cole ‘17. I had definitely done my research prior to getting involved with this production since I knew how important it was to be educated on the story, but this lecture gave me a whole new perspective, especially on the role I played as a chorus member. The history and culture of Oberlin makes this campus a very safe and welcoming space to have difficult conversations, and they did not shy away from that with Omar. Another event I attended was a post-show talkback with the cast. It was so special to hear them all say how Oberlin helped them get to this point, and then to hear what steps they had to take in order to tackle this mega-important opera. I’m sure I looked like an overly excited cartoon character with stars in her eyes as I was watching this talkback.

We performed Omar at both Finney Chapel in Oberlin and at the Maltz Center for the Performing Arts in Cleveland. Since we did a concert version of the opera, it really wasn’t too difficult to move our show to different locations. I was a part of the onstage chorus, so I watched all of the action happen right behind the orchestra and the stars of the show. I found it difficult to focus on my own singing entrances when this literal magic was being created right in front of my eyes. This truly was an experience that I could only envision happening at Oberlin, and I was so unbelievably grateful to be a part of it. I cannot wait to see what other amazing musical programs I will have access to for my next five semesters here!!