Our "Meet our Artist" Series continues with tenor Andrew Owens, who will perform the role of Count Almaviva in his FGO debut this November.
Winner of the Zarzuela Prize at the 2015 Francisco Viñas International Singing Competition, American tenor Andrew Owens has quickly built a reputation as one of the most promising singers of his generation, exhibiting a beautiful Italianate timbre, soaring top notes, and effortless agility.
Andrew Owens is an award recipient from the Marilyn Horne Foundation and the George London Foundation, won 3rd place from the Gerda Lissner Foundation, 1st place and honors at the Mario Lanza Competition for Tenors in New York City and Philadelphia, respectively, and is the recipient of the Iris Henwood Richards Apprentice Artist Award at Central City Opera. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Maryland Opera Studio. Other programs include the Salzburg Festival Young Singers Project and Music Academy of the West Voice Program.
To see Andrew Owens perform the role of Count Almaviva in Florida Grand Opera's exciting, re-imagined production of Rossini's The Barber of Seville from
November 14–December 5, 2015, simply call FGO's Box Office at
800.741.1010 Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm, or order securely online at
FGO.org.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR TICKETS
PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS: - To read our interview with David Pershall, who plays the role of Figaro on Nov 14, 17, 21, please click here.
- To read our interview with Brian James Myer, who plays the role of Figaro on Nov 15, 20, Dec 3, 5, please click here.
- To read our interview with Megan Marino, who plays the role of Rosina on Nov 14, 17, 21, please click here.
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| Photo courtesy of Andrew Owens |
Andrew Owens: Thanks so much! Glad to be here! I'm Andrew Owens, originally from Philadelphia (Note: his Twitter handle is @PhillyTenor) but currently dividing my residence between Vienna, Austria... and my suitcases! I've been living abroad for the last four years and am just this season back to make a number of house and role debuts in the United States!
I am a coffee addict who loves to cook (or, at least attempt to!) and has become a yoga nut as of recent. Also, I just became an Irish citizen this past year!
FGO: So pleased do have you! And yes, we heard you were traveling a lot for performances. What do you miss most now that you’re not living in Philadelphia?
AO: In addition to the obvious comforts of friends and family, I really really miss being able to follow up on my Philly sports teams! I'm a huge Phillies, Flyers, and Eagles fan. Having to travel as much as I do, you feel a bit disconnected from a fan-base that is just so fierce and so "tuned in" with everything going on! However, I've managed to convert my girlfriend into a fan, so I feel I've done my city proud ;)
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| Owens showing his support for the Philadelphia Flyers Photo courtesy of Andrew Owens |
FGO: Ha! It certainly sounds like you've made your city proud. Speaking of city pride, after doing some research, we saw that you were the Winner of the Zarzuela prize at the 2015 Francisco Viñas International Singing Competition. Congratulations! As you know, Miami has a strong love of Zarzuela. Can you explain your love of this genre?
AO: Thank you very much! I was first introduced to this music while performing a concert with the New York Festival of Song. The marvelous Steven Blier put together a program of Spanish song, including a handful of Zarzuela pieces, that we performed at Merkin Hall. The music really appealed to me, as it's very akin to the wonderful songs of the Neapolitan folk literature, which are my favorite pieces of music to sing on this Earth!
I was hesitant to apply to the Zarzuela category, as no American had ever won that prize in the competition's 52 year history. I went to my good friend and colleague, tenor Arturo Chacón-Cruz, for advice and explained that to him, to which he said: "Well then you'll be the first American to win it." He was right!
FGO: That's fantastic, congratulations again! A true accomplishment for a young, American tenor.
Transitioning into your role as Count Almaviva: What is your personal history with this role?
AO: I've done a handful of Rossini roles so far, but this will be my very first Barber! I'm performing the role a number of times in the next few years, so I'm glad to be finally debuting it!
'Ecco ridente' is actually one of the first arias I ever sang, at the ripe old age of 18! It was at that lesson that my first teacher, the late tenor Enrico di Giuseppe, discovered I had a facility for coloratura. I remember it so well: he jumped up and yelled 'THAT'S GREAT!' and began laughing out loud. It was a role he had done numerous times in his long career. There's actually a wonderful MET broadcast from the early '70s with him alongside Marilyn Horne, Hermann Prey, and Fernando Corena.
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| Owens with tenor Enrico Di Giuseppe Photo courtesy of Andrew Owens |
FGO: That's fantastic that FGO gets to experience your Count Almaviva before everyone else! So far, what is your favorite part about performing this role? The most challenging?
AO: Well, the music is just so wonderful and so well-written for the voice. On top of that, you get to be a comedian, not just the straight man! Playing the drunken soldier and the music teacher is a blast!
However, it's a long sing, and you have to pace yourself. Additionally, I'm singing all of the performances, while the other leads are double-cast. So, even the thought of singing a matinee the day after an opening night is daunting, but I'm excited for the challenge!
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| Photo courtesy of Andrew Owens |
FGO: We are sure you'll rise to the occasion and thrill all of our audiences at every performance!
As our audience knows, this production of The Barber of Seville differs from a more “traditional” production. Can you explain some of these changes in your own words?
AO: Well it's been updated a bit, more modernized. We're actually now in the glorious "Golden Age" of Hollywood, and the characters, while true to their personalities, actually figure into the plot a bit differently. I enjoy it quite a bit. Very modern, and often bizarre, takes on classic operas is a trademark of many European houses, and I enjoy giving new life to the old warhorse.
FGO: Sounds exciting! What would you say to someone who is going to see The Barber of Seville for the first time?
AO:I'd say prepare for a really fun evening, not at all "stuffy" or constraining... as some nights at the opera can be, let's be honest!! ;)
Great music (with some memorable tunes!) sung by a wonderful cast, all of whom are really having a blast up there!
FGO: Fantastic! We cannot wait. Let's wrap up this interview on a fun note: If you were hired as a director and presented with the task to update another operatic favorite, how would you update the production?
AO: Oooh... I have two productions actually in my head!
I'd love to do a Così fan tutte where the characters are all children. I find the "game playing" and the disguises to be very childish and I think it would be a very fun idea. I also have a Don Giovanni idea where he's actually not really that villainous but is "set up" by a number of the characters.
However, I believe in being faithful to the libretto, especially with true geniuses like Mozart and da Ponte. There are just some things in there that are hard to twist in the direction I'd like to take it :)
Thank you, Andrew, for taking time out of your busy rehearsal schedule to speak with us. Best of luck in your FGO debut performance!
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