5 Questions with "Porgy and Bess" at The Metropolitan Opera's Jarrod Lee
Kevin Ray Johnson
I would like you to meet Jarrod Lee! Jarrod is performing in the Chorus of Porgy and Bess at The Metropolitan Opera. Some of Jarrod’s recent opera performances include Henry in Street Scene with the Maryland Opera Studio, Sacristan in Tosca with Maryland Symphony Orchestra, Marchese in Traviata with Annapolis Opera and the Baron, a Señor, and a Judge in Candide with Washington National Opera. This production of Porgy and Bess is truly important and very powerful. It truly brings me great joy to have the chance to showcase one of many talented artists gracing the stage at The Metropolitan Opera in this Gershwin classic!
1.) How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a Singer?
22 or 23
2.) Where did you study? Are there any mentors that truly helped make you the performer you are today?
I started studying classical music in 2005 as a Junior in college. I had transferred credits for a Music Education degree from Central Alabama Community College to Jacksonville State University, both in AL. After earning my Bachelors, I earned my Masters of Music from the University of Maryland as a member of The Maryland Opera Studio.
I will always remember my first voice teacher Dr. Richard Armstrong who said that if I wanted a career in classical music “it would be fun, but you won’t be rich.” I’ll always remember Dr. Patricia Corbin who passed recently. She told me “you got this, and you will be fine.” I still hear her voice saying “oh you grand now Jarrod.” I’ll always remember Leon Major, founder of Maryland opera studio, who told me after my first professional season of singing and sharing my observations of my reality thus far; said “if I had told you, you wouldn’t have believed me.”
3.) Porgy and Bess is one of the greatest shows ever written. How has your time been in this amazing production at The Metropolitan Opera?
I definitely feel all the energy, importance, and historical value of this experience. The Metropolitan Opera as a whole have been nothing but complimentary of our artistry, our energy, and our presence. Also, as a side note, it’s nice to have been selected to sing a solo in an ensemble of so many beautiful and talented artists and the support from these fellow artists is unparalleled. Everyone is truly rooting for everyone.
4.) Are there any operas, musicals, roles, etc. that you have done in your career that will always be near and dear to your heart?
Two come to mind...I was cast as Joe Louis in a new opera called Shadowboxer by Frank Proto. It was challenging for me mostly because I had never done anything of that scale and at the time I was still a grad student in the Maryland Opera Studio. There were some things I had to work through regarding changing voice teachers, graduating, learning some very difficult music, and learning to apply the skills we had learned along the way in classes. The other role that presently is very dear to my heart is Levi in a new Sci-fi, Afro-futuristic, opera formally known as Afro Punk Ballet, but now with a working title called Cease and Desist by Scott Patterson. I am finding that my ability, and willingness to do new works and being able to speak lines while singing has afforded me some beautiful experiences. This little combination between dialogue mixed with singing has allowed me to perform traditional roles like Papageno in scenes from Die Zauberflöte by Mozart, adaptations like the roles Somarone in Béatrice et Bénédict presented by the Aspen Opera Center directed by Edward Berkley where the music was sung in French and the recitative was replaced with poetry by Shakespeare but spoken as a 1920's radio station announcer, Elviro in Xerse by Handel directed by Tim Nelson with the In Series in D.C. where I switched between the poet Rumi and the opera character Elviro. I'm lucky to have performed works that deal with community outreach and social justice like Just out the Window, and In the Smoke of the Sting both written by playwright Tom Minter, and commissioned by the Washington National Opera.
5.) What advice would you give young artist who want a career in the performing arts?
I would ask them "what makes you happy? How can you develop your art to be in that happy space? What is your definition of success? Enjoy the journey, because its more fun than the what you think is the end...because the world needs your art, and someone is waiting to be touched by what you have to say through your artistry.
To learn more about Jarrod make sure you visit his website at http://www.jarrodlee.com and to learn more about Porgy and Bess please visit – www.metopera.org