Opera Singer Julia Dawson On Taking Creative Ownership

For this episode of Creative Space, we have the pleasure of speaking with opera singer Julia Dawson. She’s a  Canadian opera singer who has been hailed by Opera News as “radiant and riveting” and by the NYT as “beautiful in face and voice.” She’s the winner of the George London Award for a Canadian Singer and the Anny-Schlemm Prize from Oper Frankfurt. Her debut solo album, Girl in the Snow, is available on all streaming platforms and her stunning film, Obscura Nox, makes its premiere at Opera Philadelphia’s O22 festival.

You can watch Obscura Nox at this link.

For more on Julia Dawson, you can visit her website: juliadawsonopera.com.

To sign up for the weekly Creative Space newsletter, visit: eepurl.com/h8SJ9b.

To become a patron of the Creative Space Podcast, visit: https://bit.ly/3ECD2Kr.

SHOW NOTES

0:00—Intro

1:15—What’s a coloratura soprano? 

2:50—How Julia discovered opera

4:45—Maria Callas in the Attic

6:00—The schooling of an opera singer

8:45—Julia’s definition of creativity

10:33—Relaxation and learning a new role

12:14—Julia’s interests outside of opera

13:20—The move to Germany

15:28—Overcoming people pleasing 

17:50—Learning to listen to her inner voice

19:15—The stiffness of “note perfect”

21:50—Taking pleasure in creativity

23:18—The never-ending journey of an artist

24:30—Julia’s first opera film: Obscura Nox

27:14—Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and the pandemic

29:33—Is there a Latinist in the building?

31:20—Pandemic challenges in the production process

34:08—The most important message of Obscura Nox

35:26—Performing onstage vs. performing on-screen

36:32—Learning by doing

38:38—The magic of collaboration

40:43—What’s next

Transcript

Jennifer Logue: 0:10

Hello and welcome to another episode of Creative Space, a podcast where we explore, learn and grow and creativity together. I'm your host Jennifer Logue and today we have the pleasure of chatting with opera singer Julia Dawson. Originally from Canada, she has been hailed by Opera news as radiants and riveting as by the New York Times as beautiful and face and voice. She's the winner of the George London award for a Canadian singer and the schlemm prize from Opera Frankfurt, which is awarded once every five years by the way. Her debut solo album, Girl in the snow is available on all streaming platforms and her film obscure inox makes its premiere at opera Philadelphia's Oh 22 festival. I am so honored to have Julia Dawson on creative space. Welcome, Julia. Thank you so much for having me, Jen. I'm so happy to be here. Oh my gosh. So one thing I wanted to talk about first is your coloratura soprano. And we have all sorts of listeners. Do you want to tell our listeners what a coloratura soprano is in opera? Sure. So not to get too nerdy. I'm actually I'm a soprano. And I happen to sing coloratura, which are a lot of little notes. So a voice teacher once said it's like fly shit on the page. And

Julia Dawson: 1:47

it's like when you just have to sing a lot of runs. And so that happens in other styles as well. And when people will talk about coloratura sopranos, they often think of people singing like the queen of the night. So that all the really, really high stuff. And I don't think so hi. But I do like to, I think a lot of music, with scales in it. And that also comes in the film, which I know we'll talk about later in in Mozart's music. And he wrote a lot of really giddy happy scales to show this sort of bubbly celebration and music.

Jennifer Logue: 2:26

Oh, I got chills. It is beautiful, though, when you have a tremendous, tremendous voice, Julia. So I'm so grateful that you're here on creative space. So I'd like to start by going to the very beginning, you know, and Opera is such is something that I didn't discover for myself until later in life. But when did you first discover your love for music? And how did you make that discovery of opera? Was it always a part of your life or?

Julia Dawson: 3:00

Well, I discovered music really early. My dad is a classical double bass player in the Toronto Symphony. And so he and my mom were always playing music, always playing classical music. And they had a recording it was called Classical kids. And it was exactly that it was really short snippets of classical music in English for kids. And they had the Magic Flute. And it was done by Yeah, it was done by a bunch of Toronto singers. And they had somebody saying the Queen of the Night. And so at four years old or so I would run around the housing. And I just didn't really get enough of it. I was so happy. And my mom used to say I knew when you were sick, because it was the only time that you'd shut up and not be saying that you were feeling terrible. So that was really the first introduction. And then, you know, we used to go to concerts at the Toronto Symphony all the time. And I sort of fall asleep and I think it kind of went in somewhere and singing in choirs and teach it I got to teach a little bit and conduct a little bit when I was a young teenager. But I really wanted to do musical theater. And I started Yeah, and musical theater just seemed like what all the cool kids were doing. And I was like, Oh my gosh, this is it. Which would have been great except I really started dancing super late. Very shy with my body. I was like, Oh, I don't know this. This is gonna work. And around that time. I went up into my attic of our house and there were all these boxes of records. And I pulled out a record of Maria calles singing Belcanto and I I turned it on. And this other worldly sound came out. And I didn't even know that humans could make that sound. And I had no idea what she was saying. No idea what it was about. And I went that, I need to do that. And I need to figure out what's going on here.

Jennifer Logue: 5:21

How old were you at the time?

Julia Dawson: 5:24

I think I was 14. Wow. Okay. It

Jennifer Logue: 5:27

was just that eureka moment.

Julia Dawson: 5:30

Yeah, it I think I had this sense that there was so much to discover. And even then this kind of feeling like woof, I think I probably will never get to the end of exploring this. And that was really appealing to me.

Jennifer Logue: 5:51

Oh, my gosh, so what were next steps after that you had that moment? Did you change how you're training? What happened?

Julia Dawson: 5:59

Well, I was in Ohio at the Oberlin Conservatory. Oh, cool. And I was at at Rice and Houston, and then a VA in Philly.

Jennifer Logue: 6:09

Okay. Yeah. Very cool. Yes. I mean, what is schooling? Like when you're an opera singer? I mean, is that traditionally the trajectory?

Julia Dawson: 6:20

Ah, it's getting to be more and more. It's quite a lot of school. I have a girlfriend, wonderful soprano. And she always says, Yeah, you know, if I hadn't been studying opera, I would be a doctor if i No. training that we know, which is very silly. I think you don't have to, there's definitely you know, other. There are many ways to boil an egg. But, but for me, it happened that way.

Jennifer Logue: 6:50

That's wonderful. I mean, there's so much to learn so much. Well, not just Italian. But

Julia Dawson: 6:57

yeah, I mean, Italian, German, French are the basics. And then often now, people is not studying the language, they'll study the diction, like the pronunciation of Czech and Russian. And then music, opera singers, you know, we start later, in comparison to our instrumental colleagues who maybe started playing when they were four. And if an opera singer only discovered they had a voice when they were 17, then they start learning their music theory from age 17. So the violinist you know, has a good 12 years Headstart often. So often for for singers, there's, there's a lot as you say, to sort of cover in university.

Jennifer Logue: 7:47

That's cool, though. I mean, you're studying what you're passionate about. So it's like, Bring it on,

Julia Dawson: 7:52

bring it on. It's, it's incredible. I, I refuse to go into the library at Oberlin College, and I would just grab scores, and then I would go and they still had CDs. So I would go and I'd order to get the CDs from the clerk at the desk, and then just sit. I know, crazy.

Jennifer Logue: 8:12

CDs way back going retro here. In minor. Feel you?

Julia Dawson: 8:22

But yeah, and there was just this portal into other worlds of creation, and of music. And yeah, it was sort of addictive.

Jennifer Logue: 8:37

Oh, my gosh, and you can never get enough. It's this whole universe that opens up. Once you find your calling. Now talking about creativity, because this is creative space. And I love asking this question, because everyone has a different perspective on it. But how would you define creativity?

Julia Dawson: 9:01

I would define it as the purest expression of your soul in that moment. So I think it's a very childlike Act, in that even as adults, we're able to open up with incredible vulnerability and, and express something without the fear responses that maybe in day to day life would restrict that expression.

Jennifer Logue: 9:37

Okay, so it's the most pure expression. How does it manifest when you're assuming a new role? You know, I always find it so interesting.

Julia Dawson: 9:49

Well, I think I think learning a new role is not so creative. I think that's really the the woods typing, you know, like, if you get a block of wood, you have to shape it. First, you know, you have to sort of cut down the I don't use woodworking do woodworking, I don't know why I use that analogy, but it's all

Jennifer Logue: 10:15

good. I don't

Julia Dawson: 10:19

know, you know, so we have to learn the rhythm, we have to learn the notes, we have to, you know, often translate the score. So there's a lot of just kind of downloading all the information. Yes. And so that's step one. And then, as we do that, seeing, as I do that, my challenge is to kind of stay relaxed, so that I can really absorb that information with ease. Because I've noticed sometimes if I absorb it in a hectic way, then later I have to sort of unlearn the hectic energy with which I coaching the information.

Jennifer Logue: 11:01

So you have to be in the right place to receive the information. So you will translate that in the actual performance down the lines bedded in the that's so interesting.

Julia Dawson: 11:14

That's sort of a new thing that I'm exploring, but it's been really helpful, this idea that allowing myself to be really present, kind of like if you're meditating, and you can have a little bit of distance, and so you're just learning and observing whatever your brain, like wants to say about that process. Without a bit of, you know, system. So if that makes sense.

Jennifer Logue: 11:42

Totally makes sense. Because when we have the monkey brain going on, it's relaxing, to have that pure expression of anything. Because totally be your and the hectic energy. It's just it's almost like static on a radio. Yeah, a static illness on a track like that. What is that? It's not quite there. It's close, but it's not. Okay. That's so interesting. Thank you for sharing that. In life do you have apart from Opera? Like you have certain practices that you have to stay creative? Or do you have other interests outside of what you do in the opera world?

Julia Dawson: 12:29

Yeah, I think one thing that's really important to me is my meditation practice. That's been a real grounding for us, especially during the pandemic. And I love to read, I love to walk. I have a dachshund. She walks with me everywhere. I can come up with really exciting other interests. But mostly I read, meditate, walk the dog and listen to music.

Jennifer Logue: 13:01

That's No, but that's beautiful. That's how you're able to receive all this great energy. And in keep that relaxed state. It's so important. I'm also a big fan of meditation. So like, yes. Oh my gosh. Now back to the creative life. And what is the greatest challenge? Would you say in terms of unleashing your full creative potential Have you had? Have you had any specific challenges in your career so far? Where you're like, Hmm, okay, how am I gonna work on this?

Julia Dawson: 13:40

Yeah, I have, I think one big one was my move to Germany. So, after my studies in the in the States, I got a job at the opera, Frankfurt in Germany. And it was pretty short notice. And I did not expect the culture shock that I experienced moving to Germany. I really took it for granted. I just thought it would be fine. You know, I spoke not a word of German Euro. My repertoire is mostly Italian. It's mostly French. So I had never had occasion to think about learning German. And I got there and really struggled with what I perceived as from my paradigm, as a coldness and a disconnect. As well as communicating on the level of a three year old. So that was really challenging for me, because I felt like I had, you know, when I got the job, I was so ecstatic. It was my first big job as a singer and I thought, oh, yeah, okay, this is I'm cooking with gas. here, and then it was like, in a way, hitting this wall and going, Oh, this is a challenge not being able to express myself day to day, as well as in rehearsals. And so that, really, I think it, it made me think about the things, the paradigms in which I had functioned in North America, and one of which was as a female, a lot of sort of people pleasing. Mm hmm. And I did not notice this, until I came to Germany, and I tried, I had not been ever conscious of it, of doing it, really. But as a girl in North America, if you need to get something done, there's you know, you can sort of smile and be pleasing generally. And often that will elicit a positive response that helps you to accomplish whatever you need to get done. Right. Ah,

Jennifer Logue: 16:18

it's not the same way in Germany. No

Julia Dawson: 16:22

way. I love it. It was amazing. It taught me so much. I would go in and not understanding the form. Also, having missed the deadline, not knowing what was going on. And just thinking it's fine. We'll we'll work it will work with it. Right. And I'm so sorry, I didn't understand that. I just don't know. And they said, You missed the deadline. Nope. And I sort of sit there, and I hit this wall. And honestly, I noticed a lot of indignance in myself at this. Because I had been unaware of how I was functioning. And then suddenly, this this silent system that had been working my whole life, yeah, was no longer functioning.

Jennifer Logue: 17:13

So interesting. It's like forced you out of a comfort zone you didn't even know you had.

Julia Dawson: 17:20

Exactly. And I think that's a really long story to say. It helps me to mature as an artist, because I think also in singing, I was used to doing what everybody else told me to do, because that got me positive feedback. And I understood that as success. And the past few years here, and then over the pandemic, I have really redefined that, and started listening to myself more. And listening to that inner voice that's telling me what I'm really interested in singing, what kind of stories I want to tell, which, as an opera singer is not always possible. You know, one singer is a very small part, often of a full opera production. But that's why it's also nice to do these, these other projects, like obscure anoxic film that that were we'll talk about or, or album, because you can really decide on the repertoire and really take ownership and have agency in in your creative creativity. And I think the nature of educating an opera singer, as we talked about, there's so much to learn. And it's a really foreign thing, right? It's not just the foreign languages, that it's this style of music that is not something we hear every day, unless you turn to the right radio station or you hear it on the internet, you don't really encounter it. And I think for me there was this sense that one had to be a perfectionist, to get it perfect to to be exactly what the composer had wanted. Because, you know, you forget that Mozart is dead and we don't exactly know what he wanted. We think we have an idea of it. But so it can, I think for for many people and for me definitely I go through periods where it can get quite stiff my music making or my singing because there's this sense that you want everything to be note perfect, we say so every single pitch completely exactly as you want Of course, as soon as that starts happening, we're not present. We're not in the moment. We're not allowing ourselves our being to come through and express the music and the fun. And the drama, which is actually what audiences want. And I have to remind myself, the audiences don't care. If you make mistakes, the audience cares if you're boring, or if you're interesting.

Jennifer Logue: 20:29

Yes, I don't know, much, much lower, like, you know, aspiring singer songwriter scale, I struggled with that. Like, I wanted to be a perfect singer. Like I always, yeah, people would say, Oh, what a great show. And I think, oh my gosh, like, I didn't quite hit that know the way I wanted to. And like, and now when I think about my favorite artists, like, I love Bob Dylan, he is he just all my favorite artists that comes from the heart, they don't, they just let the creative spirit just completely overtake them. And you know, and then when you're skilled at your craft, when you're, when you do the studying the rest of that, almost, it becomes natural to you. So you can let it rip. And just that I totally hear you with the stiffness like that focus on perfection. It, it can be a wonderful performance. But it's like that slight move to the left or right to just let yourself be lost in it. That's what makes like a tremendous like, oh, my gosh, everyone gets Yes. Oh, my goodness.

Julia Dawson: 21:50

Yeah. I think it's, for me, it's taking pleasure in and, and for me, that's been not that I was raised particularly strict, but that idea seemed almost naughty, was somehow, you know, irresponsible. And, and I think this idea of just really just allowing that to what I'm doing to be pleasurable. And, you know, then the audience feels that as well.

Jennifer Logue: 22:33

I love that. That is like I needed for that quote on my wall somewhere. Like pleasure in your creativity, like, savor it. Yeah, that energy just feels so good. I love that. That's brilliant. Julia. Yeah, that's awesome. That's,

Julia Dawson: 22:55

I mean, that's a lean into cliche, right? But it really is. It's like radical self love, and self acceptance. In the moment, even with, you know, mistakes and all and just kind of really just accepting that this is wonderful. Like, what what we're doing and in each moment, it's like an how we

Jennifer Logue: 23:17

grow as humans. Takes the art further. Yeah. Like there's Yeah, like, once you become a master of craft, there's this whole it never ends.

Julia Dawson: 23:29

Yeah, who is that who's that was it Pablo Casals. Who, I'm going to misquote it, but he was at the end is the end of his 70s or the 80s. And someone said, Well, why why do you still practice every day? Somebody who's performed as a soloist everywhere in the world? And he said, Well, can I think I'm really making progress, I

Jennifer Logue: 23:54

love it. If we just have to keep going. Like, there is no other option. And I think when you don't do the things that make you tick, then you start like having some emotional problems. Like if I don't create for a while I'm, you know, I start getting sad. And that's, that's why we have to have to We can't just, you know, consume and just,

Julia Dawson: 24:21

yeah, the sort of stagnant energy, I think, for sure can be really detrimental. Yeah.

Jennifer Logue: 24:31

But you're definitely the opposite of stagnant because beyond performing at opera, Frankfurt, and all around the world, you do your own creative projects, which helps you feel even more empowered. So I'd love to talk more about obscura Knox because it is so cool. There's so many layers to it. That I mean, so basically, it's an opera film. That's a modern retelling of Plato's allegory. of the cave, which the Phyllis philosophy nerd in me was like, Oh my gosh, this is wonderful. But how did this project come about?

Julia Dawson: 25:13

Well, this was real labor of love. And so in 2020. I had partnered for a few smaller film projects, with the wonderful director, Mary Birnbaum, She's based in New York, she teaches at Juilliard and direct all over the world. And a friend of mine, Alex presents of he's an audio engineer and a producer in Frankfurt. And so the three of us had done some sort of fun things, we did a duet from Don Giovanni with a wonderful baritone in New York. And, you know, it was all this when everyone was doing the core Intune. So people would film on their cell phones. And then someone would edit it all together. And so, you know, we've done a few of those, and it was getting really fun. And, and it, you know, we weren't sure what live performing was going to look like for the next while, and a grant came up. And Mary said to me, Well, what would you absolutely love to same. And at that point, I thought immediately of Mozart's exhale, Tata UV latte, which is this incredible, joyful piece of church music. And it ends with Hallelujah. And this is when the singer just seems a bunch of scales on Ali Lujah. And it's just the happiest, most joyful thing. And I think everyone was just so kind of exhausted. And I just thought I would love to, to make a piece that culminates in this something that's sort of hopeful and joyful. And I had oddly done a sixth grade book report on Plato's Allegory of the Cave. It's very dear to I don't know how I understood it, though, but it's very dear to me. And it's just a journey of knowledge. And so it's this story of, of someone, you know, tied up in a cave, and they're watching the, the wall, right, and they see all these shadows moving, because people behind them in the room in the real world are moving and, and so they, they're watching the wall and enjoying their lives and thinking just this is great, this is it, got it, and then somebody, one of them, gets free of the chair and goes up into the world and is totally blinded and can't even see anything. And it's really painful. And then as they acclimate, they're just struck by this incredibly beautiful 3d world. And that, and then it goes on, but that's sort of what I was really passionate about, showing. And I thought it would be so cool to do that, sort of, in the context of the digital world. And for so many of us, especially during COVID, we had just been so much on our screen. And I think there will be a lot written about mental health and in that period, you know, and US consuming these really, really addictive pieces of technology, that were also very helpful and also, you know, designed to be quite addictive. And, and this longing for community and to come together, IRL as it were. So, so the the most art is in three movements, happy movement, a sad movement and a happy movement. And so then I thought, how are we going to get some drama in there? And so that was enter the wonderful Canadian composer, Iranian Canadian composer, Imam habibi. whom I had met only during the pandemic over zoom, and we started developing this piece. And as we were doing this, the Mozart is sung in Latin. And I was thinking, okay, what are we going to do? Is it going to be an English? It would be kind of cool if it were all in Latin, but how am I going to get Latin text? And then it dawned on me, I know someone who is a Latinus.

Jennifer Logue: 29:56

Our listeners, what does the Latinus and me know So I'm gonna be honest here.

Julia Dawson: 30:01

Someone who's, you know, has studied Latin, and is proficient enough with the, the grammar of Latin that she can write a song text. Wonderful. And so my my friend, my dear friend, Ellen Rumble is this genius brilliant woman. We went to college together. And so I phoned her up. We were in a book club at the time is it Elena, because you some one poem, but Plato's Allegory of the Cave, and she was like,

Jennifer Logue: 30:36

Oh, my gosh, she was so excited to do it.

Julia Dawson: 30:40

This woman translates Lady Gaga songs into Latin and Then sings my karaoke. Like, it's just

Jennifer Logue: 30:49

yeah, I feel like I need I need to meet this woman. She's really cool. Everyone needs to meet her. That is amazing. Yeah.

Julia Dawson: 30:58

So Elena, and I would just sort of get on get on Zoom. And she lives in Seattle. And we would just laugh and make really bad puns. A lot. And then she created this, this text that we sent to him on and in Monroe music. And then meanwhile, I was in Frankfurt, Germany at the time where I was living. And so we got some wonderful, wonderful players from from the local opera houses in that area. And they came together, we recorded the music in February 2021. And that was really touch and go, because the restrictions of Corona Corona were still very much an effect. And so there was this rule that if the gonna get it wrong, but if the numbers per sort of area, reached a certain level, then there was going to in Germany, there was a restriction about traveling. And we were really worried about this, because one of our horn players from out of town. And so I remember, we were just, we were checking these numbers every day be like, oh, gosh, I hope we're gonna have a firstborn. Oh, but it happens. Cool. Yeah. And then Mary Birnbaum, our director was going to fly over to direct the film park, but she was seven months pregnant at the time. And we all sort of had a reality check moment. About a month and a half before the shoot, we realized that would not be a good thing for her. So she ended up directing it all by zoom. And, yeah, and our incredible choreographers, Claudia Trier, she's wonderful. She was in Atlanta at the time. And she, they both got up, I think, for our group dance shoot. They stayed up all night. And they were on zoom as we were in a field with with our cast. And they were just such champions, doing that virtually for us.

Jennifer Logue: 33:17

That is so cool. I didn't realize your director and your choreographer were remote, you're able to wow.

Julia Dawson: 33:24

Yeah, yeah, rehearsals were really funny. Because I just had my iPhone, we were in rehearsing in a warehouse. And it had Wi Fi that we were using from a neighbor. But it didn't reach the whole space. So often, I'd be rehearsing with myself and easy or dancer, and I would just be holding the iPhone as we rehearse. And then we would go out of range. And we would just hear from the computer. I lost you. Where are

Jennifer Logue: 33:58

you like a behind the scenes? Yeah. Oh my gosh. And now. Gosh, we talked about the social disconnect. During the pandemic, what would you say the film's most important messages for you?

Julia Dawson: 34:16

Hmm. Well, all of this came up. Because I had a really wonderful, I went to a meditation retreat that was really wonderful. And I just had this moment of such it sounds so silly, but I had this moment of just wonderful clarity. Looking at a blade of grass, you know, and this sort of silent moment. And I just thought, oh, there's, you know, I think as human beings we can make life so hard for ourselves that we kind of let cloud this week human experience. And so I think this idea of Have rebirth, you know, going through a challenge and coming out the other side and really being able to experience gratitude for just the small things of being with each other or being with loved ones, you know, and community.

Jennifer Logue: 35:24

So with obscura Knox, what was it like translating your performance from stage to screen?

Julia Dawson: 35:34

It was a really interesting, because we didn't do a live performance of it. So we recorded the music in a studio recording, and then we did the video about a month later. And I think one thing was thinking about acting for film rather than the stage. There were definitely times when I thought I was being very dramatic. And I would make, I was like, ya nailed it. Here the drag? Yeah, actually, uh, can you do about 90%? Less? Yeah, great. So that was sort of fun, and taught me a lot actually, about kind of being in my body, and allowing stillness to have power. And then I think one of the things that I really noticed was that because I was co producing, as somebody who only has experience as a live theater performer, for us, you know, you prepare, prepare, prepare, prepare, you have your performance, and then it's done. And like, that's it. And in film, as I learned, that is, in fact, not the process. But because the producer did not know that one of the producers, I really learned later that my post production schedule was quite ambitious. Because we finished filming, and I said, Great, so my thing is done. Can I see the Edit next week? Oh, yeah. Like, ah, but I mean, it was, it was great, because it actually got things wrapped quite quickly. But yeah, learning about you know, it was very much learning by doing. And, and that was amazing, I think, fitting in with Taylor Jaeger was our wonderful cinematographer and our editor, and sitting in the Edit booth with him. And realizing the depth of creativity, that is a video edit. And, and someone said, I think it was Mary had this wonderful quote that the film that you plan is not the film that you shoot. And the film that you shoot is not the film that you edit. Like it's constantly changing. And you really don't know what you mean, you have a sense, and you try to plan as much as you can. But then in the end, you have the footage you have. And, and using kind of all of your creativity and problem solving skills to put that together. And there were moments where I would say, No, no, it has to be like this. You know, we planned it like this. And then you go, but it's just not, it will not work like that. And wait at that moment of intense frustration, you see this other solution, which is actually way cooler. And so it taught me a lot about just being open to possibility and being flexible in good faith and, and finding, finding new ways.

Jennifer Logue: 39:15

Being open. That's what I love about the collaborative process, because you never know where it's going to take you. And what you envision in your mind, the end product just is always a million times better because everyone's put their magic dust on it. Like

Julia Dawson: 39:34

that's really true. We had for this film. We just had such an amazing team from from all over the world. And a lot of really, really generous, creative people. Oh, I just wanted to say I'm just so I'm so incredibly excited that it's being shown in Philadelphia with opera Philly. This is just One of my favorite cities and I had such a good time as a student at the Academy of liberal arts there and was privileged enough to be able to work on some new music with opera Philadelphia while I was there and it's really a dream that that obscure knocks can be part of the first film

Jennifer Logue: 40:18

festival. Oh, it's it's so exciting Opera Philly is just tremendous

Julia Dawson: 40:23

as to where is that? Amazing? Yeah, I

Jennifer Logue: 40:27

mean, I've always been blown away by every production. Like it's always the productions are always just next level. And it makes me so proud to be from Philadelphia. So city ever love it. So what is next for you, Julia?

Julia Dawson: 40:46

Living out? I am I am. I'm in living in Berlin. And I'm studying right now preparing for my next gig is Cinderella by Alma Deutsche with Opera San Jose, and I'm playing one of the wicked stepsisters. Yeah. So I'm looking forward to that.

Jennifer Logue: 41:08

Julia, thank you so much for taking the time to be part of creative space. You were abounding with creative energy. And just You're such an inspiration. Seriously, I'm honored to have you as guest.

Julia Dawson: 41:22

Jen, this was such a pleasure. Thank you so much.

Jennifer Logue: 41:26

Oh, my gosh. For more on Julia Dawson, be sure to visit her website Julia Dawson opera.com and follow her on social media at Julia Dawson opera. If you'd like to watch her film obscura Knox. I've included a link to it in the show notes. And thank you so much for tuning in and growing in creativity with us. I'd love to know what you thought of today's episode. What you found most interesting what you found most helpful. You can reach out to me on social media at Jennifer Logue or leave a review for creative space on Apple podcasts so more people can discover it. I appreciate you so much for being here in the beginning stages of this. My name is Jennifer Logue and thanks for listening to this operatic episode of creative space. Until next time,