Soprano Andrea Núñez is still in the early years of her singing career, and out of necessity, she’s already looking for ways she and the industry can adapt. From her base in Prince Edward Island, Núñez answers our Quarantine Questions:
Between mid-March and the present, how have you adjusted to this “new normal”?
“It took some time but I feel like I’ve adjusted to this ‘new normal’; I’ve been finding a myriad of different ways to keep myself busy. Musically, I’m trying to stay in shape by looking at roles that I’ve wanted to learn as well as continuing to work on Susanna for next year with Opéra de Montréal. I’m also revisiting some old hobbies like knitting and indulging my inner 12-year-old with video games.”
Image courtesy of Andrea Núñez.
Aside from your ability to work and perform, what do you miss most right now?
“I miss seeing people in person! I miss going out for cocktails at Bar Pamplemousse with my friends after work, grabbing a big bowl of hand pulled noodles at Nudo in Montréal’s Chinatown, or just hanging out in the Atelier [lyrique] lounge with my colleagues. We can usually be seen (or rather heard) screaming with laughter as we chat about our weekends and the terrible reality TV shows some of us have watched on Netflix.”
What is a prediction you have for the opera industry during and after this pandemic?
“I don’t know if I’m truly qualified to make any predictions, since I’m quite new to the industry proper but I believe that until we have a vaccine, traveling to different countries for work isn’t going to be feasible. I suspect companies will need to hire singers within their respective countries, and if that is the case, I think a lot of singers who might have been overlooked in the past will be presented with different opportunities.”
How do you imagine your re-entry into full-time work will look?
“I really don’t know what to expect since this will be my official entry into the operatic workforce but I’m hopeful that opera, in any form it takes, isn’t going anywhere. Sanitation of rehearsal spaces, props, and backstage areas will definitely be of high importance. I also think allowing people to stay home if they are sick during a rehearsal period might need to be considered as well so as to avoid passing illness around. Our work may not look the same as it did before the pandemic and we will need to be patient in some respects, but I’m confident we will be able to adapt to the changes that need to be made.”
Jenna is the editor and co-creator of Schmopera. She also writes for The Globe and Mail and Opera Canada. She’s a pianist and vocal coach, and working with singers is how she fell in love with opera.
