January began with live and online programming. Mozart was the main edition and I presented his operas Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni in Long Island. Both programs featured live arias performed by me. You probably would like to hear it- I’m working on that. For a long time, I was quite shy about recording and presenting my arias to the world. Now, I’m taking the courage by recording the arias professionally. So they are coming quite soon…

January started with Mozart because that's his birthday month. I presented opera talks on Don Giovanni and Le Nozze di Figaro at Atria Roslyn Harbor and Atria Cutter Mill.

   NORTH CAROLINA: CARY REGIONAL PUBLIC LIBRARY



My “singing talk”: Cotton- The Dream and Hope of the Slave in Spirituals and Slave Narratives began in January online for Cary Regional Public Library in Raleigh, NC. I remember receiving the email from the librarian at that library looking quite surprised. “How did she find out about me?” I asked myself looking at the email. Long story short, I had no idea that there is a private Facebook group for Library Programmers across the United States…and somehow Opera Talks found its way in that group. The online program had a high attendance and I was told that the chat was completely silent as I presented. I was glad to hear that my hard work paid off. As mentioned before, I prepared with voice lessons and I video recorded myself performing spirituals as a part of the virtual lecture. Usually I sing them in a live setting. However, video recording requires much more technical preparation -so I had to work with what I had to successfully deliver a great product. I appreciate that the librarians who assisted the Zoom meeting online were very attentive and professional. This virtual program was also great practice for February where I would present Cotton for more libraries in Nassau County.

MASSACHUSSETTS: WOBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY

Before the Opera Talk

After the Opera Talk begins...

February was a huge milestone for me because Opera Talks expanded to Massachusetts. During the fall of 2023, I received an email from a librarian in Woburn, Massachusetts who was originally interested in Opera in Ebony as a virtual opera talk. A few days later, I received a live request to my pleasant surprise. The three-and-a-half-hour drive from NYC was worth it. When my aunt and I arrived at the library, everyone was so welcoming and kind. I was astonished that so many people attended the program, from opera lovers to first time operagoers. There was even a generational difference in age because afterwards, I spoke to senior citizens, parents and even college students. One gentleman said to me: “I never went to the opera because it seemed intimidating- now you convinced me to go.”

      I met the library director and she told me how honored she was to have a program like mine at her library. It was an experience that I am humbly honored to remember. What stood out the most was the eagerness that everyone had about learning about opera. “This is culture- a library ought to have this!” exclaimed a library employee. The whole time, I was even puzzled by the enthusiasm because I understand that opera is a very niche oriented form of entertainment. Oftentimes, I find myself telling librarians that opera is not for everyone. However, opera is a valuable and magical experience for those who give it a try. In my years presenting, I promised myself to refuse to push my opera product on any location. If one cannot understand and see its value- move on. I’m so glad that I found communities who do appreciate opera as entertainment and conversation. At Port Washington Library, the audience is always so enthusiastic with excellent questions. Those experiences near and far give me the motivation to continue spreading the word about the wonderful experience of Opera Talks.