Getting To Know You: Craig Irvin

How did you decide to be an opera singer? What do you love about opera?

I have always loved music and performing, and I always knew I wanted to do something in music; in fact in third grade when we dressed up as what we wanted to be when we grew up, I came as a DJ. When I was a freshman in high school I ended up going to the Orpheus Festival at Simpson College. The first day of the camp is the last day of the DMMO season and the campers go to the final performance. That year the final opera was The Ballad of Baby Doe, and that was the first opera I ever saw. I enjoyed my first opera, but what really made a huge impact on my life was the week of camp. I remember riding in the car on my way home thinking “I can’t wait to come back next year.”

It's been three years since you sang with us. Give us the highlights of your time since then.

A few months after the 2007 season ended, I was in the finals for a position in the Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Everything went well, and I was offered the position. I’ve spent the last two years in the Lyric’s training program doing comprimario roles and covering some larger roles. In the last two years I have performed Angelotti in Tosca, Doctor/Professor in Lulu, Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly, and Sergeant in Manon; I’ve covered Banker/Theater Manager in Lulu, Innkeeper in Manon, Bonz in Madama Butterfly, Iago in Ernani, Brander in La Damnation de Faust, and Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro. I’ll stay one more season in the Ryan Opera Center with some of my season’s highlights including Sam in Ballo, Zuniga in Carmen, and Escamillo in two Carmen matinees.

Mozart’s Figaro is a debut role for you but will probably become a staple of your career repertory. What excites you about coming to DMMO for this role?

This will be my professional debut of Figaro, but it’s not my first time performing the role. My first time performing Figaro was my last year at Simpson, performed in Pote Theater. So first off, the main thing that excites me is the fact that I’m doing my first professional performance on the stage I did my first ever performance. I’m also excited to do Figaro in a place where lots of my family and friends can come and see me perform. Also, I’m really excited about the rest of the cast. I’ve worked with all of them before and I’m greatly looking forward to working with them again. I always enjoy working with people who are not only wonderful artists, but good friends as well. Lastly, I’m excited that it was decided to perform the show in Italian. I think Figaro is such a well known opera (especially most of the arias), that the audience will really enjoy hearing the piece in the original language.

Has being someone who grew up here in Iowa given you a unique perspective on the opera world?

That’s an interesting question, and I’m not really sure what the answer is. I think growing up in Iowa gives me a unique perspective on lots of issues, and I’m sure it affected my perspective on opera. One slightly humorous way that having DMMO as the basis of my opera education is the fact that when I left for grad school I had the definitions of an opera conductor and an opera director completely messed up. I always thought the words could be used interchangeably because Dr. Larsen did everything! It wasn’t until I left Iowa that I became aware that they are totally different jobs and that, other than Dr. Larsen, there are very few (if any) people who are able to do both.

What is on your iPod right now (in addition to opera)?

On my way to and from work I almost always have my headphones in listening to something. I usually listen to podcasts such as “Fresh Air”, “Talk of the Nation”, “The Story”, “Backstage at Lyric”, “Stuff you Should Know”, “This American Life”, “Sarcastic Gamer”, and a few others. I also have a bunch of music on my iPhone other than opera or classical music. In the last week I’ve listened to Elvis, Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, and Garth Brooks.

You’re a new father! Congratulations. How has the recent addition to the family affected the career?

Thank you for mentioning it. Having a baby son has been a big change, but a very exciting and welcome one. The career was a big issue between my wife and me when we started talking about having kids; with all the time an opera singer spends on the road, it can sometimes be hard to be the kind of father I want to be. Part of the reason my wife and I decided to have a kid now is the fact that I’ll be in Chicago for another year and I won’t be traveling much. As soon as my wife is done teaching (she teaches elementary music and will be returning to finish out the year in May), she and Eli will join me in Indianola for the remainder of the DMMO season. They haven’t actually said it, but I’m fully aware that my family is more excited to have Eli around this summer than they are to have me around. It’s also slightly odd that my parents and brothers have been coming to Chicago to visit more in the last month than they have in the last year. I guess they just miss me.

How did you decide to be an opera singer? What do you love about opera?

I decided to be an opera singer after I sang my first operatic role (Adina in L'elisir d'amore) as a sophomore at Loyola University in New Orleans. It was such a wonderful challenge, and I couldn't get enough of the beautiful music. Prior to that, I had been performing musical theater ever since I started as a dancer. Opera opened up a whole new world to me -- I loved singing in different languages and the work that it took to sing such difficult music.

What is your favorite role? What would your dream role be?

Gosh, it's so hard to choose. I've enjoyed every role that I've sung so far. Most recently, my favorite has been Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte. I loved everything about her -- her strong character, her beautiful music, and so much more. I also loved singing Abigail in The Crucible here in 2003! Dr. Larsen gave me such a fantastic opportunity when I was an Apprentice. Abigail was a true acting test. I couldn't relate to anything about her character, which was tough, but also wonderful! I got to be someone onstage who I truly wasn't. It was the first time that my father told me, "Sarah Jane, I forgot it was you onstage."

My dream roles are Juliette in Romeo et Juliette and Manon in Massenet's Manon. I absolutely love singing French repertoire, and I feel that these roles would really suit my voice right now.

How do you prepare each role? How do you get into each character?

I like to start as far in advance as possible. The minute I find out I'm singing a role, I order the score. Then, I have my highlighting and tabbing rituals where I "prepare" my music. I can't start learning the music until my score is organized. Of course, then starts the translation of the piece so I know what I'm singing about! I also like to listen to and watch as many different recordings and videos of the opera as I can find.

How do you get ready for each performance? Do you have a ritual before going onstage?

I feel like I get ready for each performance by every day life. I do my best to take care of myself physically by going to the gym and eating healthy to keep my stamina up. I do have a "pregame" meal though -- homemade chicken noodle soup! I also love to drink ginger tea and coconut water. I don't ever go onstage without saying a prayer first.

If there were one thing you could tell audience members, what would you want them to know?

I travel around the world singing, and I really love coming to Des Moines because the audiences here are always so appreciative and gracious. Performers feed off the audiences' energy and supportive audiences make such a difference. I'm really looking forward to the show!

What is on your iPod right now (in addition to opera)?

Rebirth Brass Band -- Mardi Gras just happened in New Orleans and I'm in Virginia [at the time of this interview] singing Zerlina in Don Giovanni, so I'm a bit homesick. Nothing can fix that like "Carnival Time" by the Rebirth Brass Band! My other guilty pleasures are Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Tina Turner!