Possessing a voice described by Brent McMunn, director of Opera at USC and Opera Buffs’ music director, as a “uniquely rich sound combining emotional energy, sensitivity, intelligence, and a sense of ease and mastery,” Victoria Lawal is well on her way – despite the pandemic.
Lawal, who completed her B.A. at Boston University, is pursuing a M.M. in Vocal Arts at USC, and has begun her Banff Centre Fellowship for the 2020-21 season –virtually. Other plans have been altered or postponed due to COVID-19 and the resultant cessation of performances. Her 2020 Aspen Opera Theatre fellowship, where she was to perform in Die Zauberflöte and Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath, was cancelled. Her debut performance of Beethoven’s Mass in C with the Nikkei Choral Ensemble and her workshopping of a new opera, Adoration, with Beth Morrison Projects, have been postponed.
Undaunted, Victoria focused on preparing for All the Truths We Cannot See, a world premiere opera depicting the 1986 Chernobyl crisis by Finnish composer Uljas Pulkis. “I had been looking forward to spending a few months in Helsinki originating the role of Svitlana, the leading heroine,” says Victoria. “Soon after, the project was put on hold due to safety concerns. Suddenly it felt like all my momentum had come to a screeching halt.”
Nevertheless, like so many singers, Victoria adjusted – learning new roles she hopes one day to sing, continuing language study, and taking part in a masterclass with soprano Lisette Oropesa. She practices yoga, breath-work, and other mindfulness disciplines daily. “I reminded myself that this work matters, regardless of an empty calendar,” Victoria says. And in her spare time, she’ll continue to play the ukulele. Or guitar. Or piano. And collect vintage clothing.
For example, the pink dress in her photo. “It’s a recreation of an iconic cupcake swing dress pattern from the 1950s,” she explains. “I’ve been hooked on vintage pieces from the 1930s through the 1960s ever since jazz vocalist and vintage enthusiast Elise Roth sold me my first pieces in Boston. I just adore the style and intricate details! Clothing can be such a beautiful method of self-expression and individuality. Why must we all dress the same?”
Victoria’s independent spirit leads her to balance her opera career with a commitment to social causes. She became a founding member of Aspen’s Racial Equity Committee and joined the Board of Lucas and Irina Meachem’s Perfect Day Music Foundation as secretary. “I look forward to continuing to build a career focused on the intersection of arts and advocacy,” she says.
She’d like to perform iconic roles typically cast using singers with “conventionally accepted, Eurocentric features. I want to be considered for Donna Anna, the scorned yet delicate heroine of Mozart’s Don Giovanni,” Victoria explains. “And, yet, as a dark-skinned, Nigerian-American soprano, I am constantly urged to sing Donna Elvira – the disgruntled, ruthless, hardened archetype of the ‘loud, angry Black woman.’ I’d love to see these casting trends shift. Let’s not forget that Black people can be soft, valiant, brave, beautiful, gentle, and loved, too.” She notes a significant exception – Buffs’ alum Angel Blue made history in 2019 as the first Black Violetta at La Scala. “The Operatic world has painted itself into a corner regarding the diversification of repertoire. Companies often program works like Porgy and Bess and Showboat, or commission new works which revolve solely around the trauma of Black people. Yes, representation matters. But the quality and accuracy of that representation need not be forgotten. I believe our society deserves more than these two standard options of ‘inclusion’ for the arts.”
If you haven’t heard Victoria, or would love to hear her again, you’ll enjoy this link:
To learn more about Victoria Lawal, visit www.victorialawal.com.