Rise to the Occasion of Your Opera Career with Chandler Johnson, Director of the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program for Singers

We love an encore! And this one's got it all: audition trends, futurecasting, and pragmatic advice for young opera talent. Key Change co-hosts Anna Garcia and Olga Perez Flora also serve up plenty of musical memories, behind-the-scenes intel, and a little love for the Santa Fe Opera as a venue as they continue their visit with Chandler Johnson.

When we last met Chandler, he had introduced us to career paths less traveled. "There's more to this business than just singing," he continues. Chandler knows this truth better than most. After discovering opera in his early teens, he pivoted from singing to arts administration. Chandler credits his years spent auditioning and performing for exposing him to career opportunities beyond the stage. 

"Singing was my path to get to this place," he confides, before launching into an impressive list of creative, collaborative opportunities within the opera ecosystem. "You can go into development, marketing and PR, media and AV. You can go into costuming and set design," he says, adding, "Having the experience of being a singer informs where you pivot in your life and in this art form."

As for the art form in question, Chandler is not one to tinker with what works. "I wouldn't change anything about opera. I truly love the glitz, the glamor, the opulence, the stories, the chaos. I love it all!" he muses before offering one final piece of advice. "We just have to keep doing good art––keep doing good opera!––and the people will come." 

KEY CHANGE RECOMMENDED PLAYLIST

Taking Care of the Art with Chandler Johnson

What's Opera to a Bunch of High School Students? Young Voices, "The New Crop"

Harmony in Process: The Young Voices of the Santa Fe Opera with Amy "Process" Owens

FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE

Chandler Johnson, Director, Apprentice Program For Singers | Santa Fe Opera

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Apprentice Program For Singers | Santa Fe Opera

Preview Dinners | Santa Fe Opera

University Of New Mexico Opera Theatre | UNM Music Department

Cincinnati Opera

The Maryland State Boychoir

Atlanta Public Schools Choir

The Baltimore County Honor Choir

Leontyne Price 

Messa di requiem | Giuseppe Verdi

The Defiant Requiem Foundation

Fach System

Rigoletto

Lohengrin

Verdi's Macbeth 

Berlin State Opera

Bavarian State Opera

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Key Change is a production of The Santa Fe Opera, Department of Community Engagement & Education.

Share your favorite opera moments and questions with Community Engagement: agarcia@santafeopera.org

Produced and edited by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios

Hosted by Anna Garcia & Olga Perez Flora

Audio Engineering: Collin Ungerleider & Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe

Technical Director: Edwin R. Ruiz

Production Support from Alex Riegler

Show Notes by Lisa Widder

Theme music by Rene Orth with Corrie Stallings, mezzo-soprano, and Joe Becktell, cello

Cover art by Dylan Crouch

This podcast is made possible due to the generous support of the Hankins Foundation, Principal Education Sponsor of the Santa Fe Opera.

To learn more, visit SantaFeOpera.org/KeyChange.