[EMILY MARGEVICH singing Sola Perduta Abandonata (Manon Lescaut)]
O’CONNOR: That voice is Opera Delaware's first ever company artist, Emily Margevich. I got a chance to speak with her and their vice president of engagement, Carrie Ann Antonio, about their work with Opera Delaware and their upcoming pop -up events.
I'm Jenny O'Connor with Delmarva Public Media.
Opera Delaware has recently been working towards proving to the Eastern Shore that opera is accessible for the full spectrum of art lovers, from hardcore opera fans to the ones that are mostly motivated by their beer sponsorships.
OTAÑO: They feel like hesitant. Oh, I don't want to, I don't want to impose on my friends. They're not really opera people. Yeah. But are they dogfish head brewery people? There's a connection point that we can provide through pop -up opera and through these more casual experiences.
O’CONNOR: Opera Delaware is working to bring their art to many different locations around Delaware because, as Kerriann would say, there’s no need for the big sets, and props, and costumes when you have amazing performers like Emily Margevich.
KERRIANN: It's still a hike to get up to Wilmington from Kent, Sussex. All that you need for great opera is great opera singers and we can bring them right to you.
O’CONNOR: And for Kerriann, one of the most important parts of opera is creating that community and collaboration.
KERRIANN: It was always performing. It was always collaborating. And for me, opera is like the ultimate collaboration. I think it involves so many creative artists and it's not something that you can do alone.
O’CONNOR: And on September 18th, Opera Delaware is inviting you to become part of their community and a part of their journey to modernize opera.
KERRIANN: Opera is what happens when we collaborate and we create something new together that only exists right now in this moment for these people, for this audience, for these artists. And who knows what it's going to look like 50 years from now, but I do know that artists like Emily and myself are going to be a part of shaping what it becomes. And I think that's the other thing that I love about opera is that it's alive. It's not something stagnant that existed 500 years ago.
O’CONNOR: This pop -up in particular is an operatic flight where you get samples of three Giacomo Puccini operas accompanied by a string quartet. These operas include ‘Tosca’, performed by Emily Margevich, which will be a full -length production in October of 2025. Emily mentioned these events are especially important to crafting her performance as a well -rounded Tosca. This character of Tosca is a singer. She performs all over the place.
MARGEVICH: And so for me to be able to kind of experiment with what the final project will be in October, to have these opportunities to sing these arias outside, inside, different settings, different people, different intimate opportunities, this is making me feel differently about this character when I do it on the stage.
O’CONNOR: And this performance will stand as an example of the modernization of opera, as Emily and her castmates have been given a lot of creative freedom to make Puccini relatable in the current world.
MARGEVICH: Puccini's not going to come in like, oh, excuse me. Oh, what are you doing? We have the opportunity because it is a little removed from our current day that we can make it how it needs to live in 2025. It needs to be inclusive, it needs to be fun, it needs to be cross -generational.
O’CONNOR: And not everyone wants to get dressed up or make the opera a whole evening. So Opera Delaware is allowing you to kick off your shoes and make yourself at home by bringing their Puccini portraits to you and performing at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts in Dover on September 18th and with their Dogfish Head pop -up in Milton on September 22nd.
MARGEVICH: We're flexible. You know, sometimes you like to wear your pajamas. Sometimes you like to wear a little black dress. Sometimes you like to wear a pantsuit. It all is Grand Opera. It's just where you meet us. And you can come see us in Wilmington, but we're absolutely going to come see you.
O’CONNOR: Opera Delaware's production of Tosca will be coming to the Grand Opera House on the 17th and 19th of October 2025.
MARGEVICH: The music is beautiful. The stories are timeless, but it's a perfect clay to be formed into what we need opera to be if we want the music to continue in this time in our world.
O’CONNOR: For more information, visit operade.org. For Delmarva Public Media, I'm Jenny O'Connor.
