For Lyric Soprano Lisa Newill-Smith it is hard to practice German in a city where English is the lingua franca.
This blog continues its series of profiles of young international singers who came to Germany to sing and live. Their answers to a small set of questions show what it takes to move to a foreign place, mainly to Berlin, and pursue the career of their dreams.
Your name:
Lisa Newill-Smith
From where?
Virginia, USA
Your Fach?
Lyric Soprano
Since when in Berlin?
October 2014
Your favorite role:
Gretel
What do you think of Regietheater?
Very interesting.
Best opera production you saw in Germany:
Barber of Seville at Deutsche Oper
Craziest opera production you saw in Germany:
Salome at Deutsche Oper
Your hero in opera:
Donna Elvira
Your hero in real life:
JK Rowling
Two things you like about Berlin:
I love how many different kinds of people you meet and how many inexpensive classical music performances you can find.
Two things you don’t like about Berlin:
It’s so hard to find an apartment and it can be hard to practice German since everyone wants to speak English.
Your most recent performance:
Gretel in Antwerp.
Your next project:
The opera company I have cofounded is in the process of planning our next performances and operas.
Your favorite quality in a singer:
Big dramatic voices
Your favorite German word:
genau
You can find more information about Lisa Newill-Smith at www.lisanewillsmith.com.
Watch Lisa Newill-Smith singing “Wo bin ich”, Gretel’s aria from Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel. The opera was produced by Alltagsoper Berlin, earlier this year.
* Engelbert Humperdinck, the composer of Hänsel und Gretel, lived between 1908 and 1912 in Berlin-Grunewald. He died, 67 years old, in Neustrelitz near Berlin. His grave is on the Südwestkirchhof in Stahnsdorf, next to Filmpark Babelsberg near Potsdam.
