5 Questions with PORGY AND BESS' Christian Mark Gibbs!
Kevin Ray Johnson
I would like you to meet the wonderful Christian Mark Gibbs. Currently performing in the Chorus of Porgy and Bess at The Met, Christian will soon be making his Principal Artist Debut as Robbins and The Crab Man on February 4th, 12th and 15th performances at The Metropolitan Opera. After that he will be joining the Off-Broadway cast of the World Premiere of Ricky Ian Gordan and Pulitzer Winner Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel Opera with direction by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher and Choreography by Tony Nominee Camille A. Brown. The sky is truly the limit for Mr. Gibbs. Other career highlights include being a district winner and regional finalist at the 2016 Metropolitan Opera National Council Vocal Competition. He placed 1st at the 2017 Grand Junction Symphony Young Artist Competition and received the Shirley and Marlis Smith Award in the 2018 Denver Lyric Opera Guild (DLOG) Vocal Competition. He was also granted the 2017 Pikes Peak Opera League Career Grant for his consistent growth and dedication towards his singing career. It was such an honor and privilege to have the chance to interview Christian before he's too busy talking about them Devil Crabs on the Met Stage!
1. How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a performer?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a performer. I’ve always been enamored by the stage, from church pulpits, concert stages, and theatre productions, to DVD’s of Michael Jackson captivating thousands of people who were screaming at the top of their lungs. They were there to see him. I particularly loved the moment he revealed the moonwalk, his music videos that were like none other, and the way he commanded the stage. If I had to define a moment that solidified my want and need to be on the stage, it would be watching those Michael Jackson concerts. I wanted to do what he did. He entertained and was highly skilled at it. While many kids around the age of 5-8 would say they wanted to be a policeman or firefighter, I knew that if I had said that I wanted to do any of those jobs, I would be lying. Whatever I ended up doing in life, I knew it needed to be in front of people on a stage.
2. Where did you study? Are there any mentors that truly helped make you the performer you are today?
I will answer this question starting with answering the second one first. In each stage of my career and education, there has been at least one mentor who took the time to help me beyond what they were required in their job description. First, I MUST give honor to both my father and mother as my first and forever mentors. Without their consistent guidance, prayer, protection, and encouragement, everything that makes me who I am today, including my performer self, would not be. For my college career, I studied at the Aaron Copland School of Music, at CUNY Queens College for my Bachelor’s degree and Colorado State University for my Master’s degree. A huge influence in my life has been my Pastor Rev. Dr. A. R. Bernard. I’ve learned a great deal from this man. Not only does he edify my faith, but he taught me through his own life and teachings that I should never compromise my values and principles no matter what room I enter into or what level of success I attain. He continues to help me grow on an intellectual, spiritual, and moral way. Another mentor of mine who taught me a great deal during my time in Colorado is my voice teacher, Dr. John Seesholtz (Dr. J). Dr. J helped me through some very tough times in my singing and academic career and he would always encourage me to continue to push forward. He would always reassure that I have the voice for this kind of work. He would take extra time out of his day and schedule to help me and offer his services even when I couldn’t afford him. He has a huge heart and I owe a great deal to him also. The rest of my mentors have been there for a season of my life when I needed them most. Some stuck around and some moved on, but what I learned from them stays with me for a lifetime.
3. Congratulations on making your principal Artist debut in Porgy and Bess at The Metropolitan Opera as well as being cast in Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel Opera Off-Broadway. With all the amazing opportunities coming your way what can you say that you are you most excited about?
Thank you so much!! I am honestly still trying to take it all in. I know that I will look back on this time and remember my level of excitement. I am making my Met principal Artist debut and Off-Broadway debut in the same season. It may sound cliché, but I am most excited about what I will learn during this very important moment in my life. I look forward to being able to use my experiences to share with others and inspire them to continue to pursue their heart’s desire. If I HAD to choose, I remember being an undergrad and dreaming of being on the MET stage. It is the biggest opera house in the world. All of the major operas and opera stars you learn about in school have been on that stage. There is so much history in that building. It seemed so far a dream to realize, but I knew I would realize it at some time in the future. To be 100% honest with you, I didn’t think it would be realized this soon. I can now see my name printed on the marquee right outside of the Metropolitan Opera building. This is all so surreal.
4. Are there any other operas that you have done in your career that will always be near and dear to your heart?
Oh my word, YES. Most productions I do stick with me because I give my all to them and take as much as I can get. I did do a production of Falstaffwith Opera Colorado as Bardolfo. I had so much fun realizing the character, getting to play around with my colleagues on the stage, and learning that last fugue. Anyone who learns that fugue should get a trophy, it’s a beast of a scene and it happens at the end of the opera. I would jump at the opportunity to play that role again. Many of my other experiences on stage that will hold a special place in my heart have been musical theatre works in addition to the operatic ones. The most recent being Denver Center’s all African-American production of Oklahoma.
5. What advice would you give young performers who want a career in this business?
Do EVERYTHING. Study EVERYTHING. Audition for EVERYTHING. Be as versatile as possible. Learn various genres of music. Go see live performances as much as you can. Never compromise your values for the sake of a job. Learn the in’s and out’s of this business. Those in front of and especially behind the table. Be a great colleague both in the room and out. Be genuine, kind, assertive, hardworking, dedicated, and loving. Keep your eyes open. Learn how to adapt to various different cultures. Most importantly, go for it whole-heartedly. If you really want it, whatever it is, go for it. You cannot do so haphazardly. Lastly, take the time to learn who you are as an individual. In a world where you must assume various roles and are surrounded by many different ideologies, in order to survive, you have to figure out where you stand in all of this and know who you are. Things will change as you experience more and get older, but your core values and principles will remain constant.
To Learn more about Christian make sure you visit his official website at - https://www.christianmarkgibbs.com; To learn more about Porgy and Bess please visit - https://www.metopera.org; and to learn more about the World Premiere Intimate Apparel Opera Off-Broadway visit - https://www.lct.org/shows/intimate-apparel/