As of this week, I’m officially halfway through my graduate studies! It’s amazing to think how much I’ve learned and grown in the past year, and I’m so excited to keep working on every aspect of this ridiculous profession! Before I get back to school, though (who am I kidding; I’m writing this post at the school), I have a couple of very exciting projects lined up for the summer. I’d like to say a few words about the first here, in the hopes that those of you reading this take the time to learn about this important cause.
I am thrilled and honored to be a part of Opera Parallèle's June production: the American premiere of Adam Gorb's Anya17. This is a work of, pun intended, unparalleled importance to our community, as well as the world. The San Francisco Bay Area is a major center of human trafficking in the United States, and the lack of public awareness on the issue is truly disturbing. This new opera, based on a true story, examines the horrors of sex trafficking and the physical and psychological effects on the victims. As the cover for the role of Elena, I have had the immense pleasure singing her beautiful and disturbing aria at a few events, most recently this week at Grace Cathedral. The audience’s reaction to this work is consistently one of both shock and understanding. The music and text present the realities of victims’ lives in such that their humanity shines through above all else, and it is impossible not to be strongly affected by their stories.
I urge you to come support this incredible production on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd of June at Marine’s Memorial Theater in San Francisco. For more information and to buy tickets, please visit operaparallele.org/anya17.