Opera Stage To Life Stage
To perform at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New York City - one of the world鈥檚 greatest - is a coup for any singer of classical repertoire. Bradley graduate student Stephanie Chigas has had this thrill since 2010 when she became a full-time member of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus.
But the Met stage isn鈥檛 the mezzo-soprano鈥檚 only venue. Chigas has sung a wide variety of roles all over the U.S., including the Santa Fe Opera, Boston Lyric Opera and New York City Opera. She鈥檚 performed the lead in Bizet鈥檚 鈥淐armen鈥� and Dorabella in Mozart鈥檚 鈥淐osi Fan Tutte.鈥� Additionally, Chigas has served as soloist for masterworks such as Verdi鈥檚 鈥淩equiem鈥� and Handel鈥檚 鈥淢essiah,鈥� among others.
鈥溾�機armen鈥� was really challenging at first, but then it became a part of me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was fun to explore the many sides of that complex character. Each production brought out a new angle to her.鈥�
Despite the joy singing brings, Chigas admitted it鈥檚 not all glamor. The Met does about 25 productions each season and chorus members typically sing 17-18 of them. That includes nightly performances Monday through Saturday and a matinee on the weekend. There are also rehearsals during the day.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really strenuous to be singing in these long operas almost every night,鈥� said Chigas from her home in Astoria, Queens, just outside Manhattan. 鈥淏ut the good thing about it is because it鈥檚 a repertory company, we do certain pieces every year or every other year so they get in your memory.鈥�
While she鈥檚 one of the lucky ones, Chigas knows she can鈥檛 sing forever, so last April she enrolled in Bradley鈥檚 online master鈥檚 in counseling program and its clinical mental health track. The program was the perfect choice for Chigas鈥� empathetic nature.
鈥�(I believe) that music has a place in this world and that it reaches people in many ways, but I felt like there was another way for me to help people. This all kind of hit me on stage one day a few years ago. Then I noticed that family and friends often tend to seek me out as a sounding board and would tell me I was very helpful to them.鈥�
Although she wondered if she鈥檇 be able to be successful given her lack of a science knowledge, Chigas found she was able to draw on her work as an artist.
鈥淎s a musician, our listening skills are on point,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so much connection with history and the stories of the operas, the communications between characters and the psychology behind their relationships. All of a sudden it made sense to me, and it felt right.鈥�
Bradley鈥檚 online program allows Chigas to stay with the Met and be present for her 9-year-old daughter, Zoe. Returning to school later in life allows Chigas to take advantage of the time management skills she learned as a singer for this new role she considers a perfect fit.
鈥淚 think education is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves. But at 18 to leave high school and decide on a major, people can (sometimes) feel stuck. I know music was my passion ... and it was hard to start a career change, but it鈥檚 one of the best things I鈥檝e ever done for myself.鈥�
— S.L. Guthrie
ABOVE: Chigas (center) in her debut solo role at the Met as Georgette in La Rondine in 2013.
Photo by Ken Howard