4 Op Culture creators to watch in 2021
Now before we even start, let’s get clear on what it means to be an Op Culture creator. Think more “people creating and innovating using opera as their home base and technology as a vessel to share how opera colors their worldview” and less “famous soprano stares into iPhone camera showing everyone her daily warmups on IG Live with little to no context.” While there is surely a valid market for both, I tend to believe the former rather than the latter encapsulates the OSSIA mission the most clearly, so [at least for today] that’s the definition we’re working with…
SO.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO…I give you the 4 Op Culture creators that we are following, liking, loving, and looking forward to watching in 2021!
MIA MANDINEAU | L’OPÉRA ET SES ZOUZ
We have been following Mia since the summer when she did a full month of bio videos on famous singers old and new. [Her episode on Eric Owens is featured above!] Mia started L’Opéra et ses zouz several years ago with the mission to make short form descriptions of opera plots in a relatable video format that were more fun (and accurate) than the Wikipedia summary. She is a fizzy, bubbly, delight of a human being and I would watch her read the phone book in any language, which is convenient since she now produces many of her videos in both French and English. We can’t wait to see what exciting content she has in store for 2021!
OLIVER CAMACHO | WFMT CHICAGO/OPERA BOX SCORE
Where there is Op Culture there is Oliver. Period. We love his ear for voices and his passion for curating and sharing them with the world. As of this month, you can hear Oliver hosting the Saturday afternoon vocal music slot on 98.7 WFMT Chicago at 4:30 CT or you can check out his podcast Opera Box Score featured above.
EUGENIA FORTEZA | 360° OF OPERA
Eugenia may well be the busiest woman in classical music. From #MariaMondays to the 360° of Opera Awards, Eugenia and the 360 team have their finger on the pulse of what’s trending in opera and are leading the charge in bringing opera to the public through engaging content that’s fun, relevant, and lifestyle-based.
KATIE BROWN & DALANIE HARRIS | CLASSICALLY BLACK PODCAST
We’re so looking forward to more content by the ladies at Classically Black Podcast in the New Year. Katie & Dalanie are string players with a passion for equity & inclusion in classical music. In addition to producing Classically Black, they are both on the executive board for the International Society of Black Musicians which focuses on centering the musical education and restructuring the narrative of young black artists around their blackness in an industry permeated by and anchored in whiteness. Classically Black airs every Monday and specifically tackles classical music from the perspective of black artists currently working in the industry. Also, if titles like “WAP: We Always Practicing” and “Triflin’ Music History” don’t do it for you then I really don’t know how to help you because that is Op Culture at its absolute finest. Check out this episode which features American Opera star J’nai Bridges.
