Hello and welcome to the wonderful, beautiful month of February! ♥
I hope you are all having a lovely start to the month so far, and it is impossible to contain my excitement for my special guest for today's Art Appreciation Monday!
A soprano singer who is rising in the spotlight both on stage and television, with a clear and lovely voice... I present to you the talented actress and soprano singer Emily Klassen!
Emily Klassen behind the scenes on the set of NBC's Hannibal, where she performed an excerpt of "Piangerò la sorte mia." in the episode "Sorbet". Her voice has a very clear and light angelic sound, and in this scene from the series you could understand the passion she feels for her music in every word she sings.
Ariana: What's your name?
Emily: Emily Klassen
Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from?
Emily: Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I now live in Toronto, Ontario.
Ariana: Do you have brothers/sisters/only child?
Emily: I do. A brother and a sister, both older. My sister is my best friend.
Ariana: Do you have any pets?
Emily: A gorgeous little black cat named Jet.
Ariana: What is your favourite colour?
Emily: Well, I wear a lot of black so I guess that is my default colour.
Ariana: Favourite movie?
Emily: I don’t know where to begin! I am a huge fan of ghost stories. Some of my favourite movies include the original Woman in Black, El Orfanato, The Innocents, The Others. I’m also a fan of movies about music, of course. The Red Violin is high on my list.
Ariana: Favourite song?
Emily: I can’t even begin to try to answer that one!
Ariana: Favourite book?
Emily: Also difficult. I am an avid reader. I am particularly interested in Victorian Gothic short stories; MR James, Sheridan Le Fanu, Rudyard Kipling, Edith Wharton etc. That said, my two favourite novels at this point are Somerset Maugham’s The Razor’s Edge and A.S. Byatt’s Possession.
Ariana: Currently reading?
Emily: The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton. I am loving it so far.
Ariana: Do you have a favourite food/drink?
Emily: I love an Old Fashioned or a Sazerac. Classic cocktails are my go-to drink.
Ariana: Guilty pleasures?
Emily: Being a singer, I don’t smoke, but on rare occasions I really like a good cigar with a glass of Bourbon. I probably shouldn’t be admitting this.
Ariana: Birthday?
Emily: November 21st.
L'elisir d'amore or The Elixir of Love, a comedic opera which Emily Klassen performed as Adina who is loved by Nemorino (a poor peasant), however, Adina does not share his feelings. Upon hearing Adina reading aloud the tale of Tristan and Isolde, he sets out to find the magic potion that will get him Adina's love. Although, I sadly admit I have not gotten to see Emily Klassen perform live, from the shows I have watched I have been amazed by her remarkable talent. In this photo, the intensity of emotion and feeling is remarkable!
Ariana: What inspires you most to sing?
Emily: Since I can remember, I have been fascinated by tunes and musical patterns - I was always trying to understand these patterns and replicate them. I guess my brain is just programmed for it. There is nothing like the experience of singing with every cell in your body and it’s an honour to be given the opportunity. I feel a great responsibility to the composer and to the audience to convey the intention of the work to the best of my ability.
Ariana: How do you cope with lack of inspiration?
Emily: I shouldn't drink caffeine because it is supposed to dry out you; but when I need a little kick, I’ll often grab a soy latte on my way to a rehearsal. I find the jolt of caffeine sharpens my brain and the soy milk coats my throat if I am feeling a little rough. This might be entirely psychological but we all have our little crutches!
Ariana: Do you ever get nervous before performing anywhere?
Emily: Of course I get nervous! I’ll have some jitters right before I perform but usually I am okay with that kind of nervousness. I can let go and be in the moment, allowing the performance to unfold as it will because really it’s too late to change anything by that point - you might as well go with it and enjoy it! My real nerves kick in a couple of weeks before the first rehearsal while I am still learning the music and getting it in my body. I worry that I won’t know it well enough when the time comes or that I’ll never figure out how to navigate a particularly difficult passage. That’s when I get nervous, the time during the process where I still don’t feel confident I know what I am doing.
Ariana: How do you handle your jitters, and is there anything that might be helpful to young singers/performers to overcome their fear of performing publicly?
Emily: The most important thing is preparation. If you aren't prepared for whatever reason, the nerves can overtake you. I hate that kind of experience so I try to avoid it at all costs. If you have prepared to the best of your ability there is nothing more you can do -, there is a freedom in letting go and trusting in your work but you have to put the work in beforehand.
I also meditate, do yoga, go for runs, find a quiet spot to go through the material. Whatever I can do to still my mind and be engaged in the moment.
Ariana: You have performed in some amazing places; as well as some great operas…do you have a favourite character or performance?
Emily: This past August I got to perform the role of Dafne in Cavalli’s “Gli amori d’Apollo et di Dafne” (The Loves of Apollo and Daphne) in Venice. It was extraordinary to sing this beautiful work in a space even older than opera itself.
Ariana: What would you suggest for someone who is just beginning with singing?
Emily: The most important piece of advice I can offer is to strive to be the kind of person you would want to work with. Be professional, courteous, and generous to your colleagues. Outside of working on your craft, this is the most important thing you can do. The music community is surprisingly small and you will bump into the same people over and over again for years. Every job you do, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is a step farther on your path, another opportunity to build your reputation and establish yourself. If you are flaky or unprepared, or you are snarky to your colleagues, people just won’t hire you again. By the same token, if people like you and trust you, they’ll bring you back and tell their peers about you too. That’s how you build a career.
Ariana: You have gotten to perform in some great television series like the Murdoch Mysteries and more recently the NBC series Hannibal, is the transition from the stage to camera very difficult?
Emily: It is. In opera, your gestures and your expressions are so much bigger. They have to carry over an orchestra and to the back of the hall. On screen your intentions must be more subtle. It is a skill to be able to sense the space you are playing in and to adjust accordingly.
Ariana: Do you prefer one to the other, are there drawbacks or strong points for either that you can think of?
Emily: I am a singer first, in my mind, but I love to do both. I relish the experience of embodying another person and engaging in the telling of a story with other people. In that sense, they are very similar.
Emily: The most important thing is preparation. If you aren't prepared for whatever reason, the nerves can overtake you. I hate that kind of experience so I try to avoid it at all costs. If you have prepared to the best of your ability there is nothing more you can do -, there is a freedom in letting go and trusting in your work but you have to put the work in beforehand.
I also meditate, do yoga, go for runs, find a quiet spot to go through the material. Whatever I can do to still my mind and be engaged in the moment.
Ariana: You have performed in some amazing places; as well as some great operas…do you have a favourite character or performance?
Emily: This past August I got to perform the role of Dafne in Cavalli’s “Gli amori d’Apollo et di Dafne” (The Loves of Apollo and Daphne) in Venice. It was extraordinary to sing this beautiful work in a space even older than opera itself.
Ariana: What would you suggest for someone who is just beginning with singing?
Emily: The most important piece of advice I can offer is to strive to be the kind of person you would want to work with. Be professional, courteous, and generous to your colleagues. Outside of working on your craft, this is the most important thing you can do. The music community is surprisingly small and you will bump into the same people over and over again for years. Every job you do, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is a step farther on your path, another opportunity to build your reputation and establish yourself. If you are flaky or unprepared, or you are snarky to your colleagues, people just won’t hire you again. By the same token, if people like you and trust you, they’ll bring you back and tell their peers about you too. That’s how you build a career.
Ariana: You have gotten to perform in some great television series like the Murdoch Mysteries and more recently the NBC series Hannibal, is the transition from the stage to camera very difficult?
Emily: It is. In opera, your gestures and your expressions are so much bigger. They have to carry over an orchestra and to the back of the hall. On screen your intentions must be more subtle. It is a skill to be able to sense the space you are playing in and to adjust accordingly.
Ariana: Do you prefer one to the other, are there drawbacks or strong points for either that you can think of?
Emily: I am a singer first, in my mind, but I love to do both. I relish the experience of embodying another person and engaging in the telling of a story with other people. In that sense, they are very similar.
Ariana: What is something that you haven't gotten to do yet, but really want to do someday?
Emily: I really want to be in a film about opera. It was such an honour to have so many people contact me about my performance on Hannibal - people who had never listened to classical music before. I was deeply touched and humbled by that. Seeing it on a television series brought opera into people’s homes. You really don’t need an education in classical music to enjoy it. Just sit back and allow it to wash over you. Yes, there is a ‘scholarly’ aspect to classical music but that’s not its purpose. People wrote music to share their stories, their emotions with other people. I worry that audiences are turned off by the idea that somehow this music is not accessible to them. This is why I would love to be in a film about it - to share it. Put it in a human context. Tell a story.
Ariana: Is there anything you would go back and change in your musical career?
Emily: I try not to think about changing the past - we can all think of moments when maybe a different choice would have led to a better outcome - but really, everything I've done has led me to this point and I am happy to be here.
Ariana: When did you decide you wanted to sing?
Emily: I’ve been singing since I can remember. It has been a natural progression for me to keep doing it for as long as I could. My father is a wonderful singer and he used to teach me folk songs when I was a child. We would sing in the car, out camping, for friends when they came over - I was always singing. My mother put me in a choir when I was 8 years old and the conductor of that choir suggested I was good enough to study privately. I started studying classical music when I was 14 years old.
Ariana: Do you have a favorite song to sing?
Emily: Oh, that changes with the season! It’s thrilling to fall in love with a new discovery. I have a few Spanish pieces I’ve uncovered that I am loving right now. My go-to aria is still probably Handel’s “Piangerò la sorte mia”. I suggested it for Hannibal because it was my favourite thing to sing at the time and I thought it would fit with the aesthetic they were going for.
Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of music?
Emily: Cooking and baking. Anything Halloween related. Good books. Travel. History. Meandering walks in whatever city I’m in. I am a natural at getting horrendously lost - so as a consequence I love exploring new places.
Ariana: What would you be doing now, if you hadn't pursued music?
Emily: Perhaps I’d be a dancer, if I had the talent for it. I would love to experience music the way a dancer does.
Ariana: How do you wind down after a day of singing?
Emily: Probably the same way most people do; I watch my shows on the couch with a nice glass of wine in my pjs.
Ariana: Do you have any upcoming performances?
Emily: I have several shows coming up. Check my website for my performances.
www.emilyklassen.com
Ariana: What would your advice to other artists/actors and singers /musicians be?
Emily: Stay focused on your own path and don’t be distracted by what everyone around you is doing. Being envious of others is a waste of time and emotion. Lord knows we all experience it but it doesn’t do a single thing to help you. Also you can never know what people you perceive as successful might be struggling with themselves. We are all just doing the best we can with where we are.
Give genuine compliments to your peers and see how much lighter you feel. I don’t believe there is a limited amount of success in the world. I think the opposite is true. More people out in the world sharing the thing you love means there is a foundation to build on, for you and for everyone else.
Also, it’s worth saying that if it doesn’t make you happy any more it’s okay to let go of it. It’s not a failure to realize a life as an artist might not be what you’d hoped. Any creative pursuit enriches your life, deepens your understanding of other people and broadens your perspective of the world. You can take these insights with you on whatever path you choose.
Emily: I really want to be in a film about opera. It was such an honour to have so many people contact me about my performance on Hannibal - people who had never listened to classical music before. I was deeply touched and humbled by that. Seeing it on a television series brought opera into people’s homes. You really don’t need an education in classical music to enjoy it. Just sit back and allow it to wash over you. Yes, there is a ‘scholarly’ aspect to classical music but that’s not its purpose. People wrote music to share their stories, their emotions with other people. I worry that audiences are turned off by the idea that somehow this music is not accessible to them. This is why I would love to be in a film about it - to share it. Put it in a human context. Tell a story.
Ariana: Is there anything you would go back and change in your musical career?
Emily: I try not to think about changing the past - we can all think of moments when maybe a different choice would have led to a better outcome - but really, everything I've done has led me to this point and I am happy to be here.
Ariana: When did you decide you wanted to sing?
Emily: I’ve been singing since I can remember. It has been a natural progression for me to keep doing it for as long as I could. My father is a wonderful singer and he used to teach me folk songs when I was a child. We would sing in the car, out camping, for friends when they came over - I was always singing. My mother put me in a choir when I was 8 years old and the conductor of that choir suggested I was good enough to study privately. I started studying classical music when I was 14 years old.
Ariana: Do you have a favorite song to sing?
Emily: Oh, that changes with the season! It’s thrilling to fall in love with a new discovery. I have a few Spanish pieces I’ve uncovered that I am loving right now. My go-to aria is still probably Handel’s “Piangerò la sorte mia”. I suggested it for Hannibal because it was my favourite thing to sing at the time and I thought it would fit with the aesthetic they were going for.
Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of music?
Emily: Cooking and baking. Anything Halloween related. Good books. Travel. History. Meandering walks in whatever city I’m in. I am a natural at getting horrendously lost - so as a consequence I love exploring new places.
Ariana: What would you be doing now, if you hadn't pursued music?
Emily: Perhaps I’d be a dancer, if I had the talent for it. I would love to experience music the way a dancer does.
Ariana: How do you wind down after a day of singing?
Emily: Probably the same way most people do; I watch my shows on the couch with a nice glass of wine in my pjs.
Ariana: Do you have any upcoming performances?
Emily: I have several shows coming up. Check my website for my performances.
www.emilyklassen.com
Ariana: What would your advice to other artists/actors and singers /musicians be?
Emily: Stay focused on your own path and don’t be distracted by what everyone around you is doing. Being envious of others is a waste of time and emotion. Lord knows we all experience it but it doesn’t do a single thing to help you. Also you can never know what people you perceive as successful might be struggling with themselves. We are all just doing the best we can with where we are.
Give genuine compliments to your peers and see how much lighter you feel. I don’t believe there is a limited amount of success in the world. I think the opposite is true. More people out in the world sharing the thing you love means there is a foundation to build on, for you and for everyone else.
Also, it’s worth saying that if it doesn’t make you happy any more it’s okay to let go of it. It’s not a failure to realize a life as an artist might not be what you’d hoped. Any creative pursuit enriches your life, deepens your understanding of other people and broadens your perspective of the world. You can take these insights with you on whatever path you choose.
Emily Klassen as Dafne in “Gli amori d’Apollo et di Dafne” (The Loves of Apollo and Daphne), an opera that is based on the god Apollo's love for a nymph Dafne. For this opera Emily Klassen performed in Venice, Italy!
I encourage you to go and like her page on Facebook!
You can also go and see when and where she will be performing as well as her biography, and pictures from past performances on her website!
You can also follow this talented lady on Twitter too!
Thank you Emily Klassen, for taking the time to answer each of my questions with such kind and thoughtful answers! It's always such an inspiration to learn about what each artist does and how they feel. Also sharing their advice which is so incredibly helpful to both seasoned artists and beginners as well! I appreciate her being a part of Art Appreciation Monday, and for sharing her knowledge on her art and profession! Again and again I am inspired by the artists I feature on here, and I am again inspired by Emily Klassen.
Thank you for taking part of Art Appreciation Monday! ♥
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