Our "Meet our Artist" Series continues with American mezzo-soprano Megan Marino who will perform the role of Rosina on November 14, 17, and 21 in her FGO debut. Marino is a genre-adventurous musician and showman of "impressive clarity", "warm, plummy ton,e" and "considerable range and confidence" [Washington Times]. Whether on the opera or concert stage, she's driven by the glory of the art form, a love of obscure forgotten gems and pure, undiluted moxie.
Her recent appearances include the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Spoleto Festival USA and Caramoor Music Festival. And has garnered awards from the George London Foundation, Gerda Lissner Foundation, Marcello Giordani Foundation, Kurt Weill Foundation, and the Oratorio Society of New York.
To see Megan Marino perform the role of Rosina 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.
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| Megan's terrier Vito. Photo: Instagram. |
Florida Grand Opera: Welcome to Florida Grand Opera, Megan! We are thrilled to have you making your FGO debut in just a few days. Can you please tell us a little about yourself?
Megan Marino: I’m a mezzo-soprano sharing the role of Rosina, originally from the Philadelphia area. I have a scrappy terrier (who travels everywhere with me) named Vito. And, most exciting recent news, I just got married to the best man I’ve ever known, baritone extraordinaire Michael Mayes.
FGO: Congratulations and best wishes! Just to break the ice: What is one unusual fact about you or skill that you have?
MM: I love to play the piano and “sing for fun.” I have pipe dreams of one day accompanying myself in the recital, or even on the opera stage as Rosina in her 2nd act voice lesson scene, or in some weird production as Smeton in the opening of Anna Bolena.
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| Courtesy of Opera Fort Collins, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia |
MM: This will be my 5th time as Rosina. So far they have all been pretty traditional productions. My first time was with the Opera Iowa Touring Troupe in a cut down English version geared towards children... and that was sooooo much fun! That experience got me, hook, line and sinker (thank you DMMO!)
FGO: Wow, 5 times! That's incredible. What is your favorite part about performing this role? Challenging aspects?
My favorite part of this role is the actual music. Rossini is my favorite composer, and I feel so much freedom in this score. I also learn and discover new things about Rosina, and the opera as a whole, every time I come back to it. It’s all there—every bit of it—in the music.
Challenges: Physical and mental stamina. This is a VERY physical production. I venture to say that it's the most physical Rossini production I’ve been involved in.
Also, it is by far the most prop-heavy production I’ve done to date. So, part of the rehearsal process in this version is, for me, to learn a new pacing and internalize what happens when, for instance, I change my shoes, toss underwear at Figaro, or go for a ride on a costume rack, etc. It’s all great fun, but if you miss even just one tiny something, it has a bit of a “domino effect.” It’s challenging, but it’s going to be so great!
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| Rehearsal photo of Barber staging. Photo: Instagram |
FGO: It sounds great and extremely fast-paced! In your own words, how would you describe the updates made to this production?
MM: Our director Dennis Garnham, has re-imagined the action on zany film set. Rosina is now a starlet kept under a strict contract by Bartolo. Dr. Bartolo is essentially the head of the studio. Figaro is the studio’s wig and makeup master. And the Count is, well, still the Count in all sorts of disguises,
Everything makes great sense and it is refreshing and fun to play within the new parameters set by this “alternate universe.”
FGO: That sounds like a blast! Since this is a different take on a classic, do you have any advice for our audience members who may be going to see The Barber of Seville for the first time?
MM: Before going to see any opera, do some basic research on the plot, setting, and key players. Go to YouTube or Spotify and leaf through a few of the musical excerpts to get the musical language in your mind’s eye. That way you’re not going in blind.
Seriously, you don’t need to spend but 20 minutes total, and you’ll gather enough info to not get lost. I do it even when I’m going to see a traditional opera in a traditional setting that I’m already familiar with. I’m a child of the 80’s: “The more you know,” right?
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| Photo credit: Erin Baiano, Weill’s The Road of Promise [US Premiere] with the Collegiate Chorale and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in Carnegie Hall |
FGO: Fantastic advice! One final, fun question to finish up the interview: If you were hired as a director and presented with the task to update another operatic favorite, how would you update the production?
MM: Rigoletto. Modern day, American Congressmen, “House of Cards” style. Or, Marriage of Figaro in the style of "Saved by the Bell," set mostly in a high school cafeteria and that stock locker hallway. The Count would be Zack Morris, shoulder pads, big cell phone, and all ;-)
Thank you, Megan, 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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