Soprano soloist
Website: tiffanytownsendsoprano.com
Most recent: Crash Out Queens
Soprano soloist Tiffany Townsend played piano and sung choir throughout her early education years, but had no aspirations as an opera singer until a teacher encouraged her to pursue it. To her surprise, she was accepted to The Juilliard School and has since performed roles including Dona Anna (Don Giovanni) and Countess (Le Nozze di Figaro), received the Shoshana Foundation’s 2021 Richard F. Gold Career Grant for her contributions to the art form, and most recently developed Crash Out Queens: A Tiffany Townsend Recital in collaboration with Long Beach Opera
The production was conceived as both a recital and a dramatic exploration of the inner lives of women pushed to their psychological and emotional limits in iconic operatic moments including from Puccini’s Suor Angelic and Menotti’s The Consul. Discussing what inspired the project, Townsend said it’s difficult to think about the oppressive lives women have historically led and what drives them to the brink. “Women’s rights have come so far, but we still have a ways to go,” Townsend says. “And I want people to reflect on their emotions as humans—we’re not perfect, our thoughts can be irrational, and sometimes we have to experience a crashout for things to change.”
Townsend says it’s a misconception that opera is inaccessible or only for the elite—and the way to draw people in is through telling stories that reflect their lives. “There might be elaborate sets and costumes, but opera can be every bit as appealing as a play, or movies or TV, and it’s all about telling stories and looking at topics that are relatable,” she says.
Townsend says the voice aspiring opera performers should listen to the most is their own. “It’s nice to have people give you advice, but your intuition is real and special, and you should listen to that,” she says. “It’s OK to draw inspiration from other artists, but other artists were popular because they knew how to be themselves."
