Dramatic mezzo-soprano Kristin Patterson is a Resident Artist with Music LIVE and the International Opera Center of America, and through the program has grown into her amazingly powerful voice, to the extent that she is now earning international contracts and notices in the national press. Originally from Michigan, Miss Patterson studied voice and piano at the San Francisco Conservatory, and currently teaches piano in Orlando. Central FL audiences have enjoyed her in such roles as Dorabella (Cosi fan tutte), Mercedes (Carmen), Susanna (Marriage of Figaro), Bertha (Barber of Seville), Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) and several others. She has also sung with Des Moines Metro Opera. Her colleague Elise Curran sat down with Miss Patterson recently and discussed her budding career:
ELISE: Kristin, you've recently returned from an exciting trip, singing with a famous conductor. Can you tell us about it?
KRISTIN: It was a wonderful experience having the opportunity to work with Maestro Lorin Maazel who is the conductor of the New York Philharmonic as well as a regular conductor at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala and many other opera houses all over the world. He is an absolutely fantastic conductor and it is amazing what he can do with a cast of singers. The orchestra that played for us was from the London Royal Academy. It was absolutely thrilling to share the stage with so many world-class artists. It was a dream come true. It was also wonderful having the chance to work with his talented staff of colleagues which included Nancy Gustafson who is a singer and coach; and Will Kerley who was our outstanding stage director from Covent Garden in London. We all stayed at Maestro Maazel's 550 acre farm estate where there is also a fabulous theater where we rehearsed and performed. Another highlight was that we had the chance to perform a concert with the great Marvin Hamlish at the Kennedy Center in Washington. What a beautiful theater!
ELISE: I understand that one of your reviews of this performance said something about your 'startlingly rich voice', is that right. What a compliment!
KRISTIN: Yes, the Washington Post Critic Anne Midget mentioned me along with just 4 or 5 other principles in the cast. She said I had a "startlingly rich mezzo voice". She has a reputation of being a hard critic so I was really thrilled she liked me.
ELISE: And Maestro Maazel liked your voice so much that he invited you next year for something else! I guess that's the review that *really* counts! Tell us about that.
KRISTIN: Maestro Maazel talked to me and asked me back to perform the same role, Florence Pike, as part of his Benjamin Britten Festival next Summer at the Chateauville Foundation in Virginia, so yes, that means a lot as an artist; it really tells me that I did a good job.
ELISE: I've sung with you a lot, and all of us who have heard your amazingly large, full, deep voice are not surprised that you are having this success. How much of this success do you attribute to your vocal training as a member of the Resident Artist Training program here in FL?
KRISTIN: I came to Maestro Bill Doherty 5 years ago as a light soprano right out of conservatory. It was the wrong fach for me and Maestro Bill Doherty heard that right away. So he, as my teacher, suggested I train as a mezzo soprano. It was clearly the right way to go. I think it's amazing that he heard that in my voice and knew the direction to go with me. Over the years with him, he has also trained me to perform at a much higher, professional level as a mezzo and that is the main thing, I think, that seems to be making the biggest difference in the professional opportunities that are coming my way.
ELISE: I was also misdiagnosed, as a mezzo, until the Maestro heard me and put me into the category I was born to sing. It's pretty amazing how many teachers can get it so wrong, but we're fortunate that Maestro has such a great ear! Now, I know you had the privilege of singing in Italy this past summer...I'd love to go myself! Would you like to share any experiences from that trip?
KRISTIN: Both this summer and last summer were great experiences for me in Italy with Bill. All the concerts we did were wonderful...an unbelievable experience. He also introduced us to Maestro Merlini and also Maestro Elena in Master Classes. As a result, I was invited back to Milan this past June to perform in the Stabat Mater of Pergolesi for Maestro Merlini....so the networking involved was really helpful in opening doors.
ELISE: Yes, that's one of the great things about the International Opera Center of America that Maestro started last year. Also, the great operas we do here at home. I'm excited to hear and see your Carmen in the Spring 2009. Have you done the role before? Are there any special challenges to the role?
KRISTIN: I've never done the role of Carmen before but I've done the opera 3 times before – once with Central Florida Lyric Opera when I played the role of Mercedes. I also did the opera in Des Moines last summer. I know the opera well but it is a terrific undertaking to learn and perform the title role. Vocally, it fits like a glove. I am really excited about it.
ELISE: It is always interesting to get to watch my fellow singers create a role from scratch, since we have our weekly classes where we all get to sing for each other and work with the Maestro, besides the actual rehearsals for the operas. I know from directing you in Pirates that you have a gift for comedy. Do you think you are more inclined to comic opera or the heavy dramatic stuff, either temperamentally or vocally?
KRISTIN: Thanks so much, Elise! This past summer doing the comedic role of Florence Pike was really fun. I feel comfortable as an actress no matter the type of role...it's a matter of understanding the character and getting into the role. Once I know who the character is, the rest comes pretty natural to me. I think acting's one of the most important aspects of being an opera singer, as opposed to just being a classical singer, and that's why it's such an invaluable experience to actually perform the whole opera on stage, as we do here with Central Florida Lyric Opera.
