LA Opera has given me permission to capture on film the process of creating our opera, The Magic Dream, with an aim to give viewers a look at what it’s like being INSIDE opera. What do opera singers do to prepare for performance? What kind of music do they listen to, besides opera? Are opera singers serious ALL THE TIME, or do they have a sense of humor? Why do we think it’s important to bring opera out of the
theater and into the community?

Click here to see my introduction as guest blogger, and follow the daily video blogs at http://media.laopera.com/news/. Stay tuned for the finished mini-documentary, coming in February!

I hope this January finds you well and happy – filled with satisfaction for the events of 2011 and excitement for the future of 2012. Below you’ll find an update with the latest events and plans for this operatic journey we’re on.

RECITAL IN REVIEW
Last October’s recital, An Afternoon of Opera in Old Hollywood, was a beautiful success. One of the most exciting results of the experience came as a surprise: in my efforts to promote the recital, I discovered the power of reaching out to people through videos, emails, and outreach performances. I can’t tell you how great it was to make new friends in New York, Montreal, Washington D.C., and here in Los Angeles - and to learn about their own musical interests as well.

CAREER EVALUATION
It’s a little ironic, but all of the work I did to spread the word about my Germany trip fundraising recital created so much buzz and momentum that I started getting really excited about what I am creating right here, in Los Angeles.

This sent me back to take a hard look at my professional goals.

In short, I am increasingly realizing that what I am most excited about is carving out a unique niche, one that honors the both the artistic experiences I passionate about in my life – music and drama.

In my ideal scenario, I see myself as the “gateway” for opera; the performer who, through traditional and not-so-traditional means, gets people excited about this art form and leaves them wanting more. These mediums can include traditional recitals and concerts, as well as videos, hosting, theater, and film.

GERMANY
With so many exciting things happening in Los Angeles right now, I have decided to cancel the German audition tour, and reassess and reprioritize what I need to do to contribute to my community, right here in L.A.

NEW DIRECTIONS
Here are just a few of the incredibly exciting events on the horizon:

1. A new recording of opera and oratorio repertorie, which will be used to generate more performance opportunities.
2. This week, I began rehearsals for the opera The Magic Dream, which is an English re-telling of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, for the Los Angeles Opera Education Department. Our show will run in schools and universities in the LA area, as well as in the Grand Hall at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. These performances will take me into early February, which is when I was originally planning my German audition trip.
3. LA Opera has given me unprecedented permission to bring a camera inside the rehearsals to capture in a video-diary-style documentary, the process of creating an opera. My videos will be  featured both as daily video blog posts on the LA Opera website, and as a separate mini-documentary, to come in February.
4. The world premiere of the film The Ghastly Love of Johnny X at the CINEQUEST 22 Film Festival in San Jose. The film, in which I play a major supporting role, began production in 2004 (before I made the switch from film actor to opera singer!) and finally completed principal photography in the summer of 2010, a full SIX YEARS later!

I hope I can convey my excitement to you about this new direction I’m taking in my career: one that is entirely unique, and entirely my own. I hope, just as fervently, that I can continue to bring you deeper into the world of music and drama in a way that enlivens and enlightens the spirit. Thank you for participating, and I’ll see you again soon!

Best Wishes,

-Katherine