An Interview With Irene Roberts
Irene was a Palm Beach Opera Young Artist for two seasons and performed the role of Amore in Orfeo ed Euridice last season. Now, she is back in the role of Suzuki in Madama Butterfly.
Palm Beach Opera: Tell us a bit about your hometown.
Irene Roberts: Sacramento has two beautiful rivers running through it and is just two hours away from the Sierras and also the California coastal range. There are cyclists, runners, skiers, snowboarders, kayakers, etc. everywhere. It’s a prime spot for all kinds of outdoor sports. My family and I spent a lot of time exploring the nature around the rivers, and taking ski trips to the mountains so we were always exposed to our beautiful surroundings. Sacramento is developing into a much larger city now, because of it offers a high quality of life and it is just an hour and a half from San Francisco. I plan on moving back to California, perhaps not Sacramento, but very close by.
PBO: What is your first musical memory?
IR: My first musical memory….it’s kind of funny. I was probably 3 or 4 years old, and I was putting on a show for my brothers. I absolutely adored the Disney movie, Sleeping Beauty, and distinctly remember acting out every scene and singing every word she sang (all with appropriate costumes, of course). I had no idea what it would lead to….!
PBO: You’ve recently visited Japan to spend time with relatives. How was your trip and did it in any way prepare you for the role of Suzuki?
IR: The most recent trip I took to Japan was with my mother about a year and a half ago – it was wonderful! I can certainly say that my experiences there have added a lot of depth to my interpretation of Suzuki. There are so many facets of Japanese culture, and especially of Japanese women, that can’t really be conveyed in books or film. Generally speaking, the Japanese have such a precious idea of beauty and simplicity that is unlike any other culture I know.
PBO: What is your favorite role to sing and why?
IR: Carmen. Perhaps it’s not fair to say that since I have not yet performed it, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a great adventure. There aren’t too many title roles for mezzos like me, and I am so looking forward to giving everything I’ve got (in a three hour time frame). I’ve been studying flamenco privately, and also playing the castanets, and I think that being able to engage all aspects of performance in a single role will be absolutely thrilling.
PBO: What career other than singing would you like to try?
IR: I’d be a chef and own my own little hotel or B&B. I love to cook and would love hosting small groups of people at a little hotel in the Bay Area, for example, and going out to tend the garden every morning and pick fresh produce for that evening’s meal. I’m not sure I’d be too keen on slaughtering animals, but I love meat so I’d definitely have an arrangement with the local meat farmers – and the neighborhood winery, of course!
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