Hip-hop and opera? Hughson native among performers for unique Opera Modesto concert
Opera Modesto brings home a Hughson native as part of its online March concert, “High, Low & Hip Hopera!”
The third offering of the Modesto company’s Festival @ Home virtual series will be available March 12-31.
“High, Low & Hip Hopera!” features three artists, including bass Nathan Stark, a 1996 Hughson High graduate. He’ll be joined in the concert — taped live at the Gallo Center for the Arts — by baritone Babatunde Akinboboye and countertenor Logan Tanner, according to a press release.
The concert was recorded without an audience, with pandemic safety protocols in place, according to the release, and includes “complex lighting, multiple camera angles and quality sound.”
Stark has performed leading roles in opera companies across the country and internationally, according to the release. He currently is an artist in residence with Opera San Jose.
Stark, 43, said in an email interview that Opera Modesto General Director Roy Stevens asked him about performing a recital with Akinboboye. “I thought it (would) be a fun and unique opportunity to work on a program with somebody I enjoyed working with.”
He said he half-jokingly suggested adding a countertenor and Stevens agreed, which led to the “High, Low & Hip Hopera” idea.
Stark believes the program should be “interesting and fun” for a range of audiences. “If you’re not familiar with opera, this would be a great concert for the first time listener,” he said. “If you’re into hip-hop music, you’ll appreciate this. If you’re a fan of old American standard songs, we have something for you, too,” adding there are selections from Handel to Mozart and from Enya to hip-hop.
Trio will put energy into taped performance
While taping is different from performing live, Stark said he’s been doing so for several months with Opera San Jose, as well as filming a performance of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” with Dayton Opera.
“Is taping a performance better than having a live audience? Absolutely not,” he said in the email. “Nothing can replace that awesome connection that’s exchanged between an artist and a live, in-house, audience during a performance … but the show must go on and we’ll be performing just like there’s thousands of people in the theatre and hoping the camera picks up on that energy.”
Akinboboye combined his love of classical opera and hip-hop, the Opera Modesto press release said, creating “Hip Hopera” in a December 2018 viral video with over 10 million views. Born in the United States, he spent much of his childhood in Lagos, Nigeria. He is an advocate for the performance of works written by African, and African-American composers.
Tanner is an internationally award-winning singer who has performed opera and concerts in the United States and abroad, according to the press release. He will make several international debuts in the 2021 season.
Also performing will be pianist Dashiel Reed, a frequent Opera Modesto collaborator.
Stark said in the email interview that most of his family, including his parents, remain in the Hughson area. Before the pandemic, he’d visit for a few weeks, usually during the summer and holidays.
Because 2020 was supposed to be a busy performance year for him, he said he gave up his apartment in Philadelphia to live and travel on the road.
“COVID-19 hit in March and I literally lost all my engagements for the entire year. Every single one,” he said. “I didn’t have a home to escape to.” So he moved back to Hughson for five months and lived with his parents.
Concert will feature diverse selections
Opera Modesto Musical Director Ryan Murray will present “an entertaining and informative pre-show introduction, plus there will be a fun intermission feature of backstage conversations with the artists,” the press release said.
The music will range from well-known to rare selections. Among the unique offerings will be “May It Be” from “Lord of the Rings,” sung by Tanner in the fictional language of the Elves created by Tolkien, according to the Opera Modesto release. Also, Akinboboye will perform “Adura fun Alafia,” a traditional Nigerian prayer, sung in the Yoruba language. He also will perform “Largo (Figaro),” a combination of the “Figaro!” aria from “The Barber of Seville” performed with overlapping Italian operatic and hip-hop styling.
The on-demand online Festival @ Home productions run through August beginning on the second Fridays. Each will remain available for unlimited viewing by ticket holders until midnight on the last day of the month.
Performances include subtitles in English.
Tickets for the March concert are $25. To order, go to OperaModesto.org or call 209-523-6426.
This story was originally published March 10, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
