UGA Opera Theatre Student Spotlight
Christopher Voss
Hometown: Lexington, MA
UGA program/major: Masters of Music in Vocal Performance
Year in school: Second Year
What is your earliest musical memory? That’s hard to say, because so much of my upbringing involved music. With regard to performance, I would say 3rd grade when I played my cello at an “Arts Evening,” though I know there were little recitals and performances before that. As a listener, I would say my earliest memory is from when I was about five years old. My parents are great lovers of classical music, and I have an image of listening to upbeat Baroque sounding music (maybe Brandenburg) on sunny Spring Sunday mornings with them. Quite picturesque, don’t you think?
Does anybody else in your family work in music related business? No, though both my parents were musical when they were younger.
Do you play any other musical instrument? Not really. I dabble poorly in piano.
Do you have any experience, as an audience member, that influenced you as a musician? I remember being an 8th grader going to see the annual musical my local high school presented each fall. I was blown away by how real and authentic the characters seemed to be, and I thought, “I want to be a part of THAT.” For a while I did do musical theater. But singing classically presented such a different challenge from musical theater, between the voice, the languages, the history, and the styles, that I soon decided to head in that direction. Also, the repertoire fit my voice better.
When did you start considering vocal performance? I started singing classically in high school, but not until half way through undergrad did I begin taking the idea of being a vocal performer seriously.
What do you consider as a milestone in your performance career? When I sang in the U.S. premier of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Snegurochka (The Snow Maiden) with a small regional company in Boston called the Lowell House Opera.
What was your favorite scene in past UGA Opera Theatre productions? I really enjoyed Papageno’s last scene, his “Suicide Aria,” and the Papageno/Papagena duet that followed.
What is your favorite scene in the next UGA Opera Theatre production? I love the “Seguidilla,” especially given all the hard work Avery, Evelyn, and Marisan. They look great, thanks in large part to the wonderful direction of Dr. Lisa Fusillo.
Do you have any hobby? When I get the chance/inspiration, I love to bike.
If you could be or do anything else – what would it be? I think it would be great fun to direct!
If you could go back in time, when and where would you like to live? I can’t pick just one. I think Ancient Greece would be fascinating, if only to discover how their music really sounded. I have also found pre-Roman Empire England to be an interesting time. Then Germany at the turn of the 19th century, with all the vibrancy in music, literature, art, and politics went with that time and location. Plus, Beethoven was still alive. Who wouldn’t want to witness that??
If you could have dinner with five famous people from history, who would they be? This is impossible to answer.
What is your dream opera role? Right now, Figaro or Giovanni.
Your career goals: to work, and to be satisfied and fulfilled by that work.
Is there any interesting opera backstage story you would like to share? I would love to, but none come to mind!
What one word would you use to describe yourself? Excited.
Hometown: Lexington, MA
UGA program/major: Masters of Music in Vocal Performance
Year in school: Second Year
What is your earliest musical memory? That’s hard to say, because so much of my upbringing involved music. With regard to performance, I would say 3rd grade when I played my cello at an “Arts Evening,” though I know there were little recitals and performances before that. As a listener, I would say my earliest memory is from when I was about five years old. My parents are great lovers of classical music, and I have an image of listening to upbeat Baroque sounding music (maybe Brandenburg) on sunny Spring Sunday mornings with them. Quite picturesque, don’t you think?
Does anybody else in your family work in music related business? No, though both my parents were musical when they were younger.
Do you play any other musical instrument? Not really. I dabble poorly in piano.
Do you have any experience, as an audience member, that influenced you as a musician? I remember being an 8th grader going to see the annual musical my local high school presented each fall. I was blown away by how real and authentic the characters seemed to be, and I thought, “I want to be a part of THAT.” For a while I did do musical theater. But singing classically presented such a different challenge from musical theater, between the voice, the languages, the history, and the styles, that I soon decided to head in that direction. Also, the repertoire fit my voice better.
When did you start considering vocal performance? I started singing classically in high school, but not until half way through undergrad did I begin taking the idea of being a vocal performer seriously.
What do you consider as a milestone in your performance career? When I sang in the U.S. premier of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Snegurochka (The Snow Maiden) with a small regional company in Boston called the Lowell House Opera.
What was your favorite scene in past UGA Opera Theatre productions? I really enjoyed Papageno’s last scene, his “Suicide Aria,” and the Papageno/Papagena duet that followed.
What is your favorite scene in the next UGA Opera Theatre production? I love the “Seguidilla,” especially given all the hard work Avery, Evelyn, and Marisan. They look great, thanks in large part to the wonderful direction of Dr. Lisa Fusillo.
Do you have any hobby? When I get the chance/inspiration, I love to bike.
If you could be or do anything else – what would it be? I think it would be great fun to direct!
If you could go back in time, when and where would you like to live? I can’t pick just one. I think Ancient Greece would be fascinating, if only to discover how their music really sounded. I have also found pre-Roman Empire England to be an interesting time. Then Germany at the turn of the 19th century, with all the vibrancy in music, literature, art, and politics went with that time and location. Plus, Beethoven was still alive. Who wouldn’t want to witness that??
If you could have dinner with five famous people from history, who would they be? This is impossible to answer.
What is your dream opera role? Right now, Figaro or Giovanni.
Your career goals: to work, and to be satisfied and fulfilled by that work.
Is there any interesting opera backstage story you would like to share? I would love to, but none come to mind!
What one word would you use to describe yourself? Excited.