The Comprimarioof an O pe r a t opoli Kevin Rawlings, The Me tr Kevin Rawlings, Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s multi-Grammy-and-Emmy-winning, Guinness World Record holder John Easterlin transforming his way into another supersized role as a captivating musical theater and international performer.

By Julia D. Berg Bebreda of El Mundo in a review of Easterlin’s performance as The Shabby Peasant in Shostakovich’s hile meeting with char- Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at Teatro acter John Easterlin, B.M. ’84, Real in Madrid. at a café near Lincoln Center in New When Easterlin was cast as The York on a rare day off, the mild- Magician in a Glimmerglass produc- mannered Miami native seems a far tion of Menotti’s The Consul, he cry from his larger-than-life roles took character preparation to a new as the arrogant Adolfo Pirelli in level. He learned and incorporated Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, the lustful 54 David Copperfield-level magic Monostatos in Mozart’s The Magic tricks, garnered a Guinness World Flute, and the colorful Andy Warhol Record for the most magic in an in Philip Glass’s The Perfect American, opera production, and was inducted John Easterlin made a role he premiered to critical acclaim into the professional magicians’ his Houston Grand at English National Opera. Circle of Magic. Opera debut this Hailed for his work in “com- Anthony Tommasini of The New year as Goro in primario,” or supporting roles, the York Times said, “John Easterlin as Madame Butterfly amiable Easterlin traces much of his The Magician delivered a show- and returns to singing success to the early 1980s stopping performance. A gleaming San Francisco with the UM Chamber Singers tenor voice, which never varied as in fall 2015 for under the direction of late music he performed an unending array an appearance professor Lee “Doc” Kjelson. of world class tricks and illusions, in Sweeney Todd. “Vocal versatility was manda- Easterlin should be the go-to person Last season he tory,” Easterlin recalls. “Doc insisted for this role.” performed as his students adopt the motto ‘We Larry King in the do it all, we do it well.’ We had to Under the U.S. premiere of learn how to produce completely Fingernails of Anna Nicole for different sounds with our voices. a Character We performed every style from John Easterlin’s interest in the Opera, and as madrigal to pop, rock to jazz. We theatrical world started at age 5, Andres in not only performed, but we did all when Met opera star Joy Clements, at Covent Garden of the marketing, publicity, set de- ’56, took the young boy to a Greater in London. sign, scenery, load in and load out. Miami Opera dress We produced the show.” rehearsal of Hansel and In the process, Easterlin dis- Gretel. (Clements had covered he had a knack for selling studied voice at UM, advertising to local businesses, which where she was a best helped pay for the group’s choral friend of Easterlin’s tours. He adds, “Doc always said, mother, Virginia.) ‘We’re in the business of music, and “In the second act, our focus is to entertain. It’s called she took me backstage show business, not show play.’ ” to see the stagecraft, Today Easterlin traverses the and how the witch world performing in major venues flew,” says Easterlin, and productions. “It’s like watch- who now regularly ing a great film actor who is also a plays the witch as a world class opera singer,” said Marco character tenor role.

Spring 2015 SCORE MAGAZINE { 29 } The Easterlin fam- Fox-TV, then at A&E. He enjoyed ily, which also included it but sometimes wondered, “What a younger sibling Janet, would happen if I moved to New moved to Richmond, York and tried a career in theater?” Mississippi when father Six years later he was asked one Merrill Easterlin, a Sunday to sub as a soloist at church. commercial realtor, “Out came a voice way beyond “had a mid-life calling college!” He subsequently sang for to the ministry” and friends at a dinner party where became a preacher in Robert Wright and George Forrest, a nearby church. John composers of “Stranger in Paradise” Easterlin took elocu- were in attendance. They strongly tion lessons with a local encouraged him to consider turning

anadian O pe r a C o m pany teacher, Lola Barrett, pro. Easterlin called a Chamber who discovered he had Singers chum, Steve Mitchell, B.M. the ability to pick up ’85, now a church music director in

Michael C oope r , dialects easily. Hartford, Connecticut, for advice. By age seven, puppetry had “She introduced me to a book, “What’s holding you back?” asked become his passion. “It was my very Life Studies by Tom Powers, which his friend. “What’s the worst thing first creative outlet. My parents contained published radio mono- that could happen? Once you know bought me an FAO Schwartz pup- logues depicting various regional the answer, you’ll be ready to go.” pet stage with eight hand puppets: a dialects of the United States,” recalls Easterlin realized his worst fear hillbilly, old maid, princess, alligator, Easterlin, who entered and won a was that nothing would happen, and dog, clown, and so on. After two local, regional, then national talent decided he had nothing to lose. “I months of doing shows in my garage, show as one of the Tom Powers bought a one-way airline ticket on I started charging admission.” characters. “It was Mrs. Barrett’s love Delta that departed at 10:10 a.m. on When he was 10, he presented of language, her love of a character, Saturday, September 15, 1990.” a series of puppet shows for the that helped me ‘get under the fin- While he was making the audi- children’s ward at Baptist Hospital. gernails’ of a character.” Because for tion rounds in New York, he discov- His kindness came to the attention radio monologues, the vocal has to ered he had a countertenor exten- of Miami Herald writer and senior evoke an entire character, you can’t sion, meaning he could sing higher editor Jean Wardlow, who featured see the character.” than most . He landed a part him in a front-page story titled “The The family returned to Miami as radio gossip columnist Mary Spirit of Christmas” on Christmas during Easterlin’s high school years. Sunshine in the musical Chicago. It Day. He eventually amassed 400 When he completed his studies at earned Easterlin rave reviews and a puppets and a large stage, which he UM Frost, Easterlin recalls several quick succession of bookings. now keeps in cold storage and visits joyful months singing and touring His debut at The Metropoli- from time to time. “They’re doing with the professional choral ensem- tan Opera came 14 years later, in fine,” he reassures. ble Fred Waring and The Pennsyl- a production of ’s “My parents supported my cre- vanians, who were “huge, huge, huge . He’s also appeared on PBS’s ativity. I tried many different things. in their day.” Unexpectedly Waring Great Performances and Live from If something didn’t work out, they passed away that late July. Needing Lincoln Center, as well as a telecast, would never make me feel like a fail- a way to support himself quickly, CD and DVD of Los Angeles Op- ure or stupid, they’d just ask, ‘What Easterlin moved back to Miami and era’s acclaimed production of Kurt else do you want to try?’ ” landed a job as an advertising exec at Weill’s The Rise and Fall of the City

{ 30 } SCORE MAGAZINE Spring 2015 “We’re in the business of music, and our focus is to entertain. It’s called show business, not show play.”

John Easterlin, center, as Andy Warhol in the opera The Perfect American by Philip Glass. t ional O pe r a t h, E nglish N a Richa r d Sm i

Spring 2015 SCORE MAGAZINE { 31 } of Mahagonny, for which he received viewed Warhol’s brother and friends, television special…I have the original 2008 Emmy and Peabody Awards, and studied hundreds of still photos orchestration, and every single time I and two 2009 Grammy Awards for and video of the enigmatic man. sing it, audiences are on their feet and Opera Recording of the Year and “I painstakingly stood in front of in tears when I’m done. It taps into Classical Album of the Year. a mirror to figure out his gestures, something core, the song transports from his pinky to his neck,” Easterlin me, lifts me out of myself.” People Person says. “The wan look. I dialed it all Easterlin ends the interview Adapts to the Road down to the bare essence.” saying, “The School of Music is a big As much as Easterlin is drawn to the During the show’s run Easter- part of who I am. I want to pass it smell of the greasepaint and the roar lin went to the gym every day, “to forward. I’d like to come back and of the crowd, he quietly shares that exercise, sit in the steam room and talk practically to singers, and to the hardest part of life on the road sauna to sweat and drain every drop perform on the Gusman stage again.” is “the loneliness factor.” Staging and of water weight from my body” in He’s getting his wish at Festival blocking a new opera production can order to fit into a body suit that was Miami 2015, accompanied by take three or four weeks, and singers part of the costuming. pianist Mitchell Cirker, along with often end up rehearsing the music To bring some balance into his Frost School of Music students and for only a few hours a day. He re- touring schedule, Easterlin recently faculty. flects, “I’m a family person, a people developed a solo show entitled, What person. I find it hard to be by myself; a Character: John Easterlin, which Alumni interested in performing I’m always eager to meet people.” he enjoys tremendously. “I love to at Festival Miami in future years Easterlin busies himself on the sing in the ‘pops’ format in concert may submit an online proposal at: road with focused study about his work. I love John Williams, especially www.festivalmiami.com. Alumni characters. When preparing for the the piece he wrote with Alan and interested in attending Festival Miami role of Andy Warhol, for example, Marilyn Bergman, “If We Were in can receive a discount promo code for he read seven books, watched five Love,” which I first heard Pavarotti select concerts by emailing fmtickets@ documentaries, personally inter- perform on a Barbara Walters miami.edu.

John Easterlin as talk show host Larry King in ’s American premiere of the opera Anna Nicole, by Mark-Anthony Turnage. og r aphy t ephanie Be r ge P ho St

{ 32 } “You Have hile John Easterlin, B.M. ’84, to be able to make a career and a living with our voices. In my to Wshared his insight on the art of experience, most every singer starts out wanting to be a ‘star’ character roles, Score asked other Frost or leading singer. There are many jobs in opera, but not so Jump School alumni and faculty members to many stars. If a singer has the ability to make it on the inter- Right chime in. Here’s what they said. national opera circuit, the singer usually will start out singing In” “It takes a good actor to play the supporting roles, though not necessarily what is considered to comprimario roles,” states Tony Boutté, be ‘character’ parts. Some go on to bigger parts, some drop out, assistant professor of voice at the Frost and some find the path of being a character singer.” School of Music, a renowned tenor who also premieres new Sarita Rachelle Lilly, M.M. ’01, performed as Sister Rose in roles frequently. “When you step on stage, you have to imme- the New England premiere of Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking diately connect. When you play the lead, you can pace yourself. and for an extended run as The Strawberry Woman in both the You have a certain energy, and journey, onstage. But for charac- Tony Award-winning Broadway production and the First National ter roles, you have to jump right in.” Tour of The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess. She enjoys the musical Recent grad, tenor Justin John Moniz, M.M. ’13, performed theater environment because it “promotes collaborative artistry in numerous Frost Opera Theater productions while a student at immediately, even from the learning stage.” She adds, “The Frost. He landed his first professional gig right after graduation, tour life gave me a chance to focus on one thing consistently for nine months. That included creating

t in N a m on friendships that are life lasting. We cre- Jus ated history together.” Like Easterlin, Lilly and Boutté also reflect upon the loneliness factor of being on the road, as well as other discomforts. Lilly suggests, “I think loneliness can become a factor on the road because you aren’t always plugged into a home Justin John Moniz Sarita Rachelle Lilly routine. Things are constantly changing so you have to adjust to something new, cast in dual roles as Cinderella’s Prince, as well as The Wolf, different, or strange almost weekly. Some travel days meant in Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods at the Adrienne Arsht that you were on a bus for 8+ hours with no WI-FI or electrical Center in Miami. outlets, while others included nail-biting moments praying your “These roles are traditionally played by the same actor, luggage wasn’t over the 50-pound limit.” which is quite clever,” Moniz shares. “Both characters parallel Boutté shares that for some singers, the longing for a more one another, continually encouraging those they encounter to regular home life leads them to choose to do more concert or stray from the path, later leading each to question their own oratorio work, which tend to be three- or four-day run-outs, morality and ideals.” He says his training at Frost “assisted my rather than longer . “It’s less glamorous,” says Boutté, facility and flexibility, allowing me to tackle each of these roles “but suits some singers better.” with confidence and ease.” Despite its challenges, Lilly advises aspiring singers to “Character parts are most often associated with tenors, but “Never stop learning or dreaming beyond where you are pres- sometimes with mezzo-sopranos,” explains Assistant Professor ently. Limitations are always present but you don’t have to take Robynne Redmon, who performed recently as Madame Larina notice of every one of them. Once you have finished your degree, in Eugene Onegin with Arizona Opera and has performed at The take time to fall in love with your artistry again. It’s surprising Met and other major opera companies for decades. “I guide how critical and comparative we become in academia. Musicol- and advise my students to go in a direction that I think will ogy proves that you have to embrace your own contribution to most likely lead to their ability to get a J - O - B. The goal is art even while paying homage to those who came before you.”

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