Audiences and staff aren’t the only ones excited for opera’s return to the desert this season. Jane Trembley chats with soprano Teresa Perrotta and bass Allen Michael Jones, two performers in the 2021 Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program for Singers.

Teresa and Allen Michael take listeners inside this “summer camp” for singers which is internationally recognized as one of the first, and most exceptional programs of its kind. They share stories about the audition process, performance opportunities, and the moments that make singing in front of live audiences again so special.  

Teresa Perrotta is busy. When she’s not hiking desert trails (a first for this native Floridian) or training for her fight scene as Helena in SFO’s production of A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Teresa’s collaborating with the Apprentice Program’s world-renowned guest artists and instructors. “We get to work with a lot of different people and make new connections,” she says. “So, very busy. Lots of singing! But there's a combination of performing and really learning about our craft which is really nice.”

Allen Michael Jones agrees. A relative newcomer to opera, he’s quickly cultivated a love for the endurance, emotion, and vulnerability that this art form demands.

In addition to his Santa Fe Opera Chorus duties, Allen Michael performs the role of Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin. Although the Apprentice Program’s class and performance structure is intense, the rewards vastly outweigh the rigors. “You know, [it’s] a lot to do in a little amount of time and there's no better feeling than knowing that I've actually accomplished something,” he says, adding, “I always say to myself, ‘I don't know how I'm going to pull this one off this time, but I know I will.’”

Even with the added work of preparing scenes for the Apprentice Scenes showcase, Teresa and Allen Michael have both found time to sample Santa Fe’s glorious cuisine. So, which one made a secret confession in the great chile debate? 

CREDITS

Destination Santa Fe Opera is a Santa Fe Opera podcast, produced and edited by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios.

Mixed by: Edwin R. Ruiz

Hosted by: Jane Trembley

Featuring:

Teresa Perrotta, Soprano

Allen Michael Jones, Bass

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