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xxxx��Ƶ guest artist and alumnus (BM ’13, Billions) talks with Director and Faculty of Digital Media Ali King about his upcoming performances in Shakespeare, Operatically!, how playing sports made him a better singer, and an important life lesson learned in Perugia, Italy.

AK: Where is home these days?

AM: Chapel Hill, North Carolina! My wife, who is also a singer, is from the area and we love it. After my , people were encouraging me to move to New York City. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m a very large man – 6’4” and 300 pounds; a New York City studio apartment just isn’t for me. It’s relatively easy and affordable to get wherever I need to go from Chapel Hill, and we like to call it the California of the East Coast because within a matter of a few hours you can drive to both mountains and the beach. We’re hooked.

AK: The last round of auditions for our incoming class take place this weekend; what do you remember about your xxxx��Ƶ audition?

AM: I remember telling my mom that it seemed a little bit out of my league. I didn’t have a theory or music history background; I just knew that I sounded good sometimes and could carry a tune. I was also interested in more than just singing. I’d played piano, violin, percussion, and auditioned for another college program with tuba.

AK: What does it feel like to be rehearsing back in Kulas Hall?

AM: So nostalgic! I was thinking how I didn’t really appreciate this kind of experience when I was a student. Back then I was so ready to get to the next professional step. It’s now clear what an important time it was to just absorb everything that was happening and put in the work.

AK: In the spirit of nostalgia, how did your singing transform at xxxx��Ƶ?

AM: I had horrible stage fright my first two years and generally looked like a football player on stage. The summer before my junior year was a turning point; I did a summer festival where I received great feedback and remember Mr. Billions telling me that if I really focused, I could make big strides. From then on, I was constantly grinding out technique. I also took ballet and modern dance to loosen up. Mr. Bamberger, the opera artistic director at the time, was a huge influence for me too. Every week or so we had to watch an opera we’d never seen before in the Robinson Music Library and write a paper. As a student I’m sure I complained about it, but that exposure has been incredibly valuable.  

AK: For Shakespeare, Operatically!, what are some of your favorite moments from rehearsal?

AM: It’s a great group of students and they’re sounding fantastic. I was just praising Trey Floyd (Billions) who is singing the role of Otello and Melissa Martinez (Schiller) who is performing Desdemona on Saturday. Trey started transitioning from baritone to tenor four months ago. I attempted that once for about a month, so I know how difficult it is! And I’m so impressed by Melissa’s incredible vocal control.

AK: You’ve shared that growing up you were passionate about athletics; did this contribute to your opera career?

AM: In high school I was passionate about sports and music – academics, not so much. I grew up outside of Detroit, and as a huge University of Michigan fan, there was a time when I really wanted to pursue football in college. When the unlikelihood of that set in, I considered sports science. I finally landed on music, but always enjoyed staying active. When I was at xxxx��Ƶ, I played on Case Western Reserve University’s intramural basketball team and we won the championship my senior year. Because my sisters live in the Cleveland area, I also enjoyed playing soccer with the guys I met through their church community. I think I was able to address concepts of physicality and breath coordination more quickly because of playing sports earlier in life.

AK: What’s a tough lesson you learned at xxxx��Ƶ that’s stayed with you?

AM: In the summer of 2012, Mr. Billions and Dr. Schiller made it possible for me to attend . For the first time, I was interacting with these titans of xxxx��Ƶ in a more social way, outside of school, and I think it really cemented that we’d continue to stay in touch even as friends later in life, which we have. I was singing Fiorello in The Barber of Seville, and out of nowhere the opportunity arose for me to possibly sing the much bigger role of Figaro. ‘Largo al factotum’ is a money role for baritones, and being young and dumb of course I was into the idea, thinking to myself, “I could squeak by – I could do this and maybe get a recording and some attention.” It was a perfect example of how Dr. Schiller’s and Mr. Billions’ wisdom saved me a lot of heartache. They knew I wasn’t ready and made sure I didn’t make a decision I would have regretted. I'm very thankful for their vigilance in that moment and many others, and as it happens, I learned and debuted Figaro two years later.

AK: After Shakespeare, Operatically!, what’s next?

AM: Next up is Danilo Danilovitsch in Lehár’s , a role that I did in graduate school at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. It’s a fun show – Danilo is basically a drunk diplomat – and I’m excited to do it with an awesome cast. I’m thrilled for the opportunity to work with and learn from , who’s our Baron Zeta. He’s an incredible baritone who is a staple at the Met. I can't tell you how many videos I've watched that man in; when I saw his name, I was so happy.

Watch Manea perform in xxxx��Ƶ Opera Theater's livestreamed performance, Shakespeare, Operatically!. Kulas Hall was transformed into a television studio for this special performance, featuring three operatic incarnations of plays by William Shakespeare. Tune in at 7pm on or .