When the first-ever Academy of Vocal Arts production of Rossini’s jovial operatic drama, L’Italiana in Algeri, opens this Friday in the Helen Corning Warden Theater, it will feature two mezzo-sopranos singing the title role of Isabella who took different paths to AVA.
Kristine Nicole Lewis is a third-year Resident Artist at AVA. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Ms. Lewis has gradually made her way up the East Coast to the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and then to Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts. A lifelong pianist, Lewis discovered her singing ability as recently as 2007 and won her audition to AVA just a few years later.
Hannah Ludwig is just beginning her first-year as an AVA Resident Artist—making her debut as a title character mere months into her four-year residency. Originally from Sacramento, California, Ms. Ludwig earned her Bachelor of Music at the University of the Pacific and won her audition to attend AVA in March 2014.
Both of these singers are making their career debuts as a lead title character.
“It’s nerve-wracking but it’s also very exciting,” Ms. Ludwig said. “I wasn’t expecting to receive a role like this in my first year at AVA, so it was a nice surprise.”
“This role requires a great deal of stamina and detail,” Ms. Lewis said. “Isabella is on stage throughout the entire show and drives much of the action.”
“I think that’s one of the great things about AVA,” conductor and AVA Master Vocal Coach
Richard A. Raub said. “We throw everyone into the mix. There’s no time like the present…If someone works hard and is good, they should be given a chance.
“There's a lot of work with this title role, and there are a lot of notes and responsibility musically and vocally,” Raub said. “Both [singers] bring a unique set of talents and experiences with them. Even the sounds of their voices are unique.”
Despite taking on the challenging role of “the Italian Girl,” neither singer was fluent in Italian prior to learning the character.
“It has helped me to learn my Italian much better,” Ms. Lewis said. “Of the three major languages—German, French and Italian—Italian was probably my weakest. French and German just come more naturally to me.”
“My university unfortunately didn’t offer Italian,” Ms. Ludwig said. “I’ve done an opera in Italian before, but this is only my second time doing a show in the original language.”
“One of the great things about working with our conductor Mr. Raub is that he teaches us not to miss a single detail in the music—everything is important,” Ms. Ludwig added. “Working with him has made me more aware of things I might not have known previously. He set the bar at the beginning of what he wanted for this show, and it’s been an incredible journey getting here.”
“There’s a lot more detail than I expected.” Ms. Lewis said. “But [Mr. Raub] definitely made me feel that this is something totally doable.”
The “two Isabellas” will each lead half of a split cast that will alternate evenings on November 8, 12, 14 & 15 in Center City; November 18 in The Haverford School’s Centennial Hall; and November 22 at Central Bucks South High School in Warrington.
“The cast has really been fantastic,” Ms. Lewis said. “It’s been such a great experience with all my colleagues. We’re all genuinely concerned with how each other is doing. We look out for each other.
We check each others’ words and pitches. Rehearsal is great, and there’s always laughter involved.”
“Kristina is great,” Ms. Ludwig said. “She’s fun to hang out with and I love working with her. We collaborate together and we share our ideas. If we notice that one of us is doing something unusual, we’ll let each other know. It’s nice that we have that partnership.”
“They're both pleasant people and work well with their colleagues,” Mr. Raub said. “We have been putting in 9-10 days a lot, which is rather intense. [Last Thursday] was another intense day, which is good. We keep adding and adding every day.”
Ms. Ludwig has a very personal connection to her character: “Isabella’s opening aria was my audition aria for two years,” she said. “It’s been with me through college auditions and competitions and it’s very near and dear to my heart. For me to be singing this aria here is very personal.”
Both have a great respect for what the Academy of Vocal Arts does for singers.
“The years I’ve been here, this experience has been quite a journey.,” Ms. Lewis said. “This place really helps you grow both musically and emotionally. This isn’t nurturing in the sense of sugar-coating, they’re here to make you strong and tough. They’re all about ‘tough love’ especially if they believe in you. It’s definitely changed me a lot for the better.”
“It’s been a learning experience in the two months I’ve been here,” Ms. Ludwig said. “It’s intense but we’re given so many opportunities to learn more. For example, I record all of my lessons and afterwards I’m able to listen to different characteristics in my voice I may not have heard before. As an undergrad, it’s more about development as a singer and the basic foundations of being a vocalist. The transition of being an undergrad to being at AVA is more about becoming an artist, building my strengths and learning how to make my voice my own.”
The two Isabellas and their colleagues work on L’italiana in Algeri continues this week, with much more to come before opening night.
“I use the analogy of baking a cake,” Mr. Raub said. “You gather all of the ingredients together you put it in the right order, mix the batter up and you put it in the oven. The cake takes whatever time it needs to bake at the right temperature, you cannot rush that process. Until that magic happens, you don’t have a cake. So if you’re behind and try to crank up the temperature, it just won’t happen. So we have made a lot of progress, but there still is much to do.”
Richard A. Doran is the Director of Marketing and Public Affairs for the Academy of Vocal Arts.
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