Meet Mezzo-Soprano Tamara Mumford,making her Company debut as Britten’s Lucretia 05-28-2009 A graduate of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford made her Met debut in 2006 and since then her star has been rising quickly. Among numerous other Met productions, she appeared in the new children’s version of the Magic Flute, which was broadcast live in HD in movie theaters around the world, and she returned this season as Flosshilde in the Ring Cycle and Maddalena in Rigoletto. She makes her Opera Company of Philadelphia debut as Lucretia, a role which she perfected last year to great acclaim with the Châteauville Foundation in Virginia, the young artist development program of Maestro Lorin Maazel, and returns to reprise there later this summer. After leaving Philadelphia, Tamara makes her Glimmerglass Opera debut in concert performances of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. But we wanted to know even more about this dazzling mezzo. Here’s what she had to say… 1) What is your most memorable on-stage moment?Accidently wearing fluffy baby-blue slippers onto the stage while singing in a production at Glyndebourne. I forgot to put on the sensible black dress shoes that went with the all black dress and overcoat that was the costume in that scene. I soon realized my mistake and kicked them off behind a set piece - deciding that it was less distracting to go barefoot. 2) What do you like to do in your spare time?Running, biking, camping, traveling, picnics in the park and spending time with my husband and 7-month old baby boy! 3) What's your favorite food?Pizza! 4) What do you like best about being here in Philadelphia?In the words of a little girl we heard on the street yesterday: "It's like a mini New York, but there are less people and it smells better!" I also love the Fairmount Park System. There are lots of little places to sit on a bench and enjoy the sunshine.
A graduate of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford made her Met debut in 2006 and since then her star has been rising quickly. Among numerous other Met productions, she appeared in the new children’s version of the Magic Flute, which was broadcast live in HD in movie theaters around the world, and she returned this season as Flosshilde in the Ring Cycle and Maddalena in Rigoletto. She makes her Opera Company of Philadelphia debut as Lucretia, a role which she perfected last year to great acclaim with the Châteauville Foundation in Virginia, the young artist development program of Maestro Lorin Maazel, and returns to reprise there later this summer. After leaving Philadelphia, Tamara makes her Glimmerglass Opera debut in concert performances of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas.
But we wanted to know even more about this dazzling mezzo. Here’s what she had to say…
1) What is your most memorable on-stage moment?Accidently wearing fluffy baby-blue slippers onto the stage while singing in a production at Glyndebourne. I forgot to put on the sensible black dress shoes that went with the all black dress and overcoat that was the costume in that scene. I soon realized my mistake and kicked them off behind a set piece - deciding that it was less distracting to go barefoot.
2) What do you like to do in your spare time?Running, biking, camping, traveling, picnics in the park and spending time with my husband and 7-month old baby boy!
3) What's your favorite food?Pizza!
4) What do you like best about being here in Philadelphia?In the words of a little girl we heard on the street yesterday: "It's like a mini New York, but there are less people and it smells better!" I also love the Fairmount Park System. There are lots of little places to sit on a bench and enjoy the sunshine.
