Our Story

Two weeks ago, B and I started working on Le nozze di Figaro at Virginia Opera, our first time singing an opera together since we met five years ago. Today we got the chance to sit down with a reporter and tell her “our story.” How we met, how we fell in love, how we started our life together and how that life is influenced by our careers as opera singers. It was wonderful to spend an hour traveling down memory lane, and it gave me the kick I needed to sit down for the first time in quite a while and write.

I’ve been wanting to start (another) blog for a while now but have been waiting for inspriation to strike. I don’t want to write a “mommy blog,” and I don’t want to write about my career any more, but - let’s be honest - what else do I have passion about and energy for these days? So when B and I started working together this month, an idea started to form. What about us? How about a blog about our crazy life? And not an Instagram-filled polished presentation of an idealized version of our life, but a real look at the way we (somehow, miraculously) make it all work. The agony and the ecstasy. There is plenty of both in our lives, as there is in anyone’s life who is truly and fully living, and we’d like to share some of that with you here.

So, welcome to MOM & POPera, the internet’s first parenting-opera-travel-food blog! I hope we can share our story in a way that is appealing to opera lovers, parents, and opera-loving parents. Here is a bit of what I hope we can share with you over time:

The Agony
Logistics, logistics, logistics.
Separation.
Maintaining top vocal form and performance energy
Creating a new infrastucture for Henry in each new location
Eating well and staying fit on the road
Travel: planes, trains, and automobiles

The Ecstasy
Lots of time with our son, our extended family, each other
Opportunities to experience incredible food, wine, parties
Limelight and personal validation
Making new friends
Creating art for a living, being surrounded by incredible artists
Travel: longterm stays in cities around the world

Come along for the ride - and let us know what you want to know! We’re writing new chapters daily around here.