Butterfly star takes young singers under his wing
By: Brittany Mazzurco
Public and Media Relations Manager, Florida Grand Opera
As an old adage goes, “those who can’t do, teach.” This antiquated saying is not only insulting but downright inaccurate—American baritone Todd Thomas proves it.
In addition being nationally recognized by opera companies and critics alike as one of the true Verdi baritones gracing stages today, Thomas is quickly gaining recognition for his efforts in developing the careers of young singers, particularly in South Florida.
Over the last few weeks, while rehearsing and performing the role of Sharpless in FGO's production of Madama Butterfly, this new local favorite has been leading master classes and mentorship sessions for members of Florida Grand Opera’s Young Artist Program and singers throughout Miami-Dade County, as well as donating hours of his free time towards developing these young talents.
Why?
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| Todd Thomas as Rigoletto |
“I always wanted to be in music,” Thomas shares. But in his hometown of Elmira, a small city in upstate New York, Thomas admits that both his exposure to opera and his career prospects in the arts were limited. Believing that the only way to have a career in music was through a teaching degree, Thomas enrolled as a music education major at a local university. It wasn’t until he found himself singing in the chorus of a production of Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea when his perspective changed.
“I will never forget this,” Thomas recalls in a recent meeting he had with members of Florida Grand Opera’s Young Artist Studio. “I was singing in the choir of The Coronation of Poppea. And I remember very vividly…when we all sang ‘Do not die Seneca,’ I felt this overwhelmingly powerful, visceral response. I am not sure which element gave me chills: singing this fabulous music, the lights and set of Roman columns, Seneca about to slit his wrist in the Roman Bath, or the breeze wafting under our togas… It was incredible—I couldn’t sleep the entire night! That was it for me.
The next morning I went to one of my professors and asked him if he thought I had “what it takes” to become a professional singer… He told me: ‘It doesn’t matter if I think you have what it takes. If you can’t imagine yourself doing anything else, you have to do it!’”
With those words of encouragement, Thomas dropped his music education degree and went on to earn his Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance and eventually his Master of Music degree in Opera Theatre from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. After years of training, artist residencies, and national tours, Thomas now performs with eminent companies like the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago and is a favorite artist for Seattle Opera, Arizona Opera, and Florida Grand Opera.
But Thomas has never forgotten how the encouragement from a mentor changed his life, and today he dedicates his free time towards mentoring the young artists in residence at the opera companies he performs with. Just take a look at the six weeks Thomas spent with Florida Grand Opera this fall.
From November 15 through December 6, Thomas performed the role of Sharpless in FGO’s production of Madama Butterfly. In the two weeks prior to opening night, Thomas was scheduled for daily music and staging rehearsals for his principal role in the production. Caitlin McKechney, a Young Artist who performed the role of Suzuki, mentions that even in rehearsals, Thomas made himself an asset to the young singers in the cast.
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| Thomas and McKechney in FGO's Madama Butterfly |
“I first met Todd while singing the role of Kate Pinkerton in Opera New Jersey's production of Madama Butterfly in 2011,” recalls McKechney. “I was very new to the professional opera world and a bit nervous. Todd impressed me from the first moment with his voice, but also with his kindness towards me and encouragement during rehearsals and performances. I felt the same during this production, performing Suzuki for the first time. Todd was an incredible colleague and always encouraging and helpful…Todd was not only helpful in his technical suggestions regarding vowel modification and the use of legato and breath, but also was able to say to me ‘just have confidence in yourself, because you can do it.’”
Yet even off the operatic stage, Thomas strives to make himself available to his younger colleagues.
On one of his few days off between performances, Thomas hosted a master class at the Steinway & Sons Gallery in Coral Gables. On Wednesday, November 19, two local undergraduate singers and two Florida Grand Opera Young Artists had the opportunity to perform an aria for Thomas and receive invaluable feedback on the dramatic, musical, and technical aspects of their performance.
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| Thomas coaches FGO Young Artist Isaac Bray in a masterclass at Steinway Gallery, Miami |
A few weeks later, on Tuesday, December 2, 2014, Thomas conducted another, more intimate workshop with the members of Florida Grand Opera’s Young Artist Program. The workshop, entitled “Inside the Opera Studio,” was modeled after the popular TV program “Inside the Actor’s Studio.” Thomas candidly answered the young singers’ questions, where he shared personal anecdotes surrounding his music education, performance career, and the performance/family balance. Additionally, he imparted knowledge which could only be shared by a highly-experienced opera performer, such as finding your vocal niche and standing up for artistic integrity. That same evening he took a handful of the Young Artists out for dinner to continue their discussion.
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| Thomas hosts "Inside the Opera Studio" with Florida Grand Opera Young Artists |
“He is a normal guy,” FGO Young Artist tenor Daniel Bates remarks. “We just chatted for about four hours… He talked to us about his career path, the twists and turns, and his balance of career and life. He’s very candid about everything. He even asked us about our career and life goals, and really helped motivate us in this early stage of our careers.”
On top of all this, Thomas is actively working to expand his influence beyond the cities in which he performs. To increase the opportunities for flourishing musicians in his hometown, in 2013 Thomas founded the Todd Thomas Music Scholarship. This $1,000 prize is awarded annually to an outstanding high school senior musician from Chemung County, NY.
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| Thomas with FGO Young Artist, tenor Daniel Bates |
“There aren’t many opportunities like this in Elmira,” remarks Bates, who coincidentally is also from the same small town as Thomas. “This scholarship is a first for our community. He genuinely cares about giving back and getting people involved in music.”
Once FGO’s production of Madama Butterfly closes, Thomas will head back to his hometown to perform a benefit voice recital, the proceeds of which will go towards his scholarship fund. This year, Thomas has invited Daniel Bates to perform with him, along with a special appearance by the 2013 recipient of the scholarship. The recital will consist of popular selections from operatic works as well as some seasonal tunes to roll in the holidays. ‘Tis the season for giving, after all!
To learn more about Todd Thomas, please visit his website at www.ToddThomasBaritone.com. For more information on Florida Grand Opera’s Young Artist Program, and the rest of its 2014-15 Season, please visit www.FGO.org.
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