WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WISH YOU COULD OFFER YOUR FORMER, PRE-PARENT SELF?

Have FUN! Enjoy making lasting friendships and traveling the world. Make a lot of mistakes on the way to finding out what your path is going to be.

IS THIS WHAT YOU EXPECTED WHEN YOU DREAMED UP YOUR PROFESSIONAL FUTURE?

I try not to have too many expectations and allow room for possibility. I’ve worked hard to be good and successful at what I do. What I can say is that I am happy and my profession has taken me places and introduced me to things and people I never imagined for my life.

YOU WORK RANGES FROM CLASSIC TO CONTEMPORARY OPERAS. YET, THIS IS YOUR FIRST SIGNATURE ROLE. WHAT DOES THAT FEEL LIKE?

As a singer, you spend years listening to recordings of some of the greatest singers do the classic works and you have to find your voice amongst those interpretations that audiences have come to love. You have to find something special to say. Having a piece written for you in a different feeling. There is no mold and audiences will only know you and what you have to say with the piece. That feels special and heroic.

WHAT DOES BLUE MEAN TO YOU?

Blue is a game-changer for me. I thought about quitting singing before I signed on to do Blue. I just felt opera was a luxury for me, at a time when there was so much violence in the world and specifically against people that look like me. Nothing in opera was speaking to these issues and thought about quitting to do something that would directly impact the cause. I thought of politics and social work and teaching and then I was presented with Blue. It was then that I realized that opera can speak to these issues in an impactful way. Blue became my way of expressing the pain of a community. It became my way, as an Artist to make an impact.

YOU ARE EXTRAORDINARILY TALENTED AND SO VERY LOVED. WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT YOUR GIFTS THROUGH THE PANDEMIC?

This was interesting an interesting discovery. I’m a very introverted person. I’m not the biggest personality in the room or the one screaming for attention. What I discovered was that my ability to make art is my way of being “loud.” What I can’t say as Kenneth, I can scream as an artist. When the ability to perform for audiences was taken away, my soul went searching for a means to express itself. I rediscovered my love for visual arts and started a portrait business.

 HOW HAVE YOUR HABITS SHIFTED AS A RESULT OF COVID?

I understand the value of self-care and time. We often can get pulled in so many directions when you are in the mode of meeting deadlines and expectations Covid has allowed me to slow down and take stock of the things that feed and exhaust me. My habits are now gearing more towards those things that feed my soul and I’m able to cut off the things that exhaust me.

YOU ARE THE FATHER OF THREE AND THE HUSBAND TO AN EQUALLY TALENTED WOMAN. TO SAY YOU HAVE A BUSY HOME LIFE IS PUTTING IT MILDLY. HOW DO YOU MANAGE ALL YOU DO?

I try to make life as simple as possible. I have a very narrow focus on where I put my energy. I don’t try to do it all. All that I do surrounds 2 things, Family and Music. All the extra stuff I do feeds those in some form or fashion. I go to the gym so I can stay healthy to be around for a long time for my family and perform at an optimal level. I volunteer to make the world a better place for my kids. I do interviews to share my love of music and build audiences for Opera. So, there is nothing in my life that feels like work. I enjoy it and there is a purpose to everything. So, when I’m exhausted at night, I know I’ve put my energy into things that are important to me. And, I have a supportive wife who is working for much of the same things for herself and our family

YOU WORK LONG HOURS AND OBVIOUSLY POUR YOUR DEDICATION INTO ALL YOU DO. HOW DO YOU KEEP YOURSELF RESTED AND WELL?

Hahah, not sure I’m good at this. I will say, I get to the gym a few times a week. Keeping active is important to me for my mindset. I also take the time to be quiet and listen, meditate on where I am and what I need to do next. I don’t waste energy on things that aren’t getting me to where I want to be. I would say working with that level of purpose and searching keeps me energized. Rested?? I rest enough to get myself ready for the challenge the next day.

YOU ARE ABOUT TO GET BACK ON THE STAGE AND BACK ON THE ROAD. HOW WILL THIS IMPACT YOUR FAMILY AFTER SO VERY MANY MONTHS AT HOME?

It’s been an unexpected gift to be able to be home for this amount of time. I’ve grown as a father and the bonds have grown stronger with my wife and children. Getting back on the road will be tough for the routine we’ve built during my time at home. My 2 youngest don’t really know the routine of me being on the road. But, a huge part of how I have approached this career is finding that balance. There will be a lot of FaceTime calls, and daddy being silly over the phone. As before, they will travel to visit me occasionally and we will take a lot more family vacations when I’m not working.

IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE AS A FATHER WORKING? IF NOT, WHAT?

Yes and no. Working is how I provide for us, so I do it with a badge of honor and pride. In that sense, it’s not difficult at all. What is difficult is that the need to work means I have less time with them. That is the most challenging part. So I give as much as I can when I am not working.

WHAT PRO-TIPS DO YOU HAVE TO SHARE WITH OTHER NEW OR EXPECTANT DADS?

You are the window to the world for your child. Make sure the view is a beautiful and exciting one.

WHO ARE YOUR MENTORS?

Everyone and everything. Everyone and everything I encounter has something to impart, directly on indirectly.

WHO DO YOU MENTOR?

Anyone who listens or cares to see.

FILL IN THE BLANKS:

As a working parent, I never expected patience would be so hard and stopping to really listen to cues from my child would be so much easier.

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