Rena Harms in Conversation with Christian Baldini

I recently sat down with soprano Rena Harms to discuss her upcoming performance of Poulenc's Gloria which she will perform as our soloist with the Camellia Symphony Orchestra in Sacramento, together with the Sacramento City College Choirs. The performance is this Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 7:30pm. Below is our exchange:

Christian Baldini: Rena, it will be a pleasure to make music with you for the first time. Tell me, what are some of the moments you love the most about Poulenc's Gloria, and why? What should people listen for in this piece?

 

Rena Harms: I love Poulenc. The first full role I ever sang was Mere Marie in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites in college. Poulenc has such a distinct sound and I love the moments in the Gloria that make me say “wow, that was so beautifully and quintessentially Poulenc.” I also love his use of dynamic contrast. 

CB: How were your beginnings with music? Who have been your most important mentors, and why?

 

RH: I grew up in a musical family and always knew I wanted to be a performer. I did my first play when I was 4 and acted, sang and danced all the way through high school. I went to Manhattan School of Music for my undergraduate degree and fell in love with opera. My most important mentor is Marilyn Horne. She has been my biggest advocate, hero and friend throughout my career. In my early career I was in the young artist program in LA and was hand picked by Placido Domingo. He definitely played a big role in my career as well. He conducted my first Mimi in La Boheme, which I jumped in for with no rehearsal on stage or in costume. It was a life changing experience!

CB: Which composers inspire you the most? And which works suit your voice the best? Somewhat connected to this: how has your voice changed over time, and has that influenced your repertoire choices?

 

RH: I love to sing Verdi and Strauss the most. The way they wrote for the voice is unsurpassed. Puccini sings to my soul and is my favorite to perform. He writes ever emotion into the score. It is an actress’ paradise! I think my voice is especially suited for Czech composers but those operas are unfortunately not programmed so much so I have not gotten to sing some of my most coveted roles (Rusalka and Jenufa!) All voices mature and change but one of my biggest challenges in my early career was having to say not to things my teacher and Marilyn Horne thought were too soon. I said no to 5 Toscas before I was 25! I worked very hard in my career to say yes to things that I could sing with integrity in my voice. 

CB: You are both active in the concert stage, as well as the operatic world. What are some of the main differences in your view, and what are your personal preferences?

 

RH: The main difference for me is that in a concert you get to concentrate much more on the music because that is the totality of what is being asked of you.There is nothing I love more than singing a role in an opera, to tell a story and take an audience on a journey but there are so many other things going on that I find sometimes the importance of enjoying the beauty of the orchestra and voices can be forgotten.  In a concert performance one gets to put all of the energy into the making music together. 

CB: Thank you for your time Rena, I look forward to bringing this beautiful music by Poulenc to life with you as our soloist!

 

RH: I can’t wait! 

Praised by the San Francisco Chronicle for a “winningly liquid” voice as well as for her “dramatic vividness and vocal flourish,” Santa Fe native Rena Harms recently brought the role of Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly to productions at English National Opera, Arizona Opera, and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Current and upcoming engagements, include her role and company debut with Pocket Opera as Mrs. Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor, a return to Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera as Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro and debuts with the Auburn Symphony as the soprano soloist for Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 at the famed Mondavi Center in Davis, Poulenc’s Gloria with the Camellia Symphony and a series of Holiday Concerts with Music in the Mountains.

In the 2022-2023 season Ms. Harms made her role and company debut at Opera San José as the Stepmother in Alma Deustcher’s Cinderella, returning later in the season for Tosca. She also made a company debut as Nedda in I Pagliacci at the SP&O.

Ms. Harms’ “breathtaking intensity” (NDR Kultur) was on display in her recent French debut as Amelia in Simon Boccanegra at Opéra National de Bordeaux, and in her return to Florentine Opera for a role debut as Beatrice in Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers. She also reprised her interpretation of Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at Opera Santa Barbara, a role she has performed in Milwaukee, Basel, and San Francisco. Her performance as Nell Gwynn in the regional premiere of Carlisle Floyd’s Prince of Players at Florentine Opera was recorded live for international release and received two Grammy nominations.

Ms. Harms recently joined the Seattle Symphony as the soprano soloist for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, the Seattle Chamber Music Festival and Opera America for their New Works Sampler, and Seattle Opera for Don Giovanni. She has appeared as Helmwige in Die Walküre and covered Freia at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, Desdemona in Otello with the Oldenburgishes Staatstheater, and as the title role in Sigfried Matthus’ Judith with Staatstheater Braunschweig and Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg. Additional credits include the Baden-Baden Festspielhaus covering Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Florentine Opera as Micaëla in Carmen and Liù in Turandot, and Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte for Staatstheater Braunschweig. She sang the title role of Fibich’s Sárka, Marenka in The Bartered Bride, and Contessa in Le nozze di Figaro, all in new productions with Staatstheater Braunschweig.

Ms. Harms made her English National Opera debut as Amelia in a new Dmitri Tcherniakov production of Simon Boccanegra and joined Theater Basel for Contessa in Le nozze di Figaro, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, the High Priestess in Calixto Bieito's Aida, and a Flower Maiden in Parsifal. In the U.S. performances include Micaëla in Carmen with Opera Santa Barbara and Opera Southwest as well as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Ericlea in Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria with Wolf Trap Opera. She sang Mimì in La bohème with Los Angeles Opera, where she was a member of the company’s prestigious Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program. With that same company, she sang Barena in Jenufa, Erste Magd in Der zerbrochene Krug and Zweite Magd in Der Zwerg in a double bill conducted by James Conlon and released on DVD, Sylvaine in The Merry Widow, as well as their Grammy Award-winning production of The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. Ms. Harms was a participant in San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program and was a proud member of the apprentice artist program at Santa Fe Opera.

On the concert stage, Ms. Harms made her Mexican debut with Gustavo Dudamel conducting the Orquesta Sinfonica Simón Bolívar in a program of opera arias, and sang Strauss’ Vier letzte Lieder with the Burbank Philharmonic and Santa Fe Community Orchestra. She twice joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic for a series of concerts for children, and was the soprano soloist with Music Academy of the West for Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915.

Ms. Harms is a Grand Finalist of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, winner of the Hennings-Fischer Foundation Competition, second prize winner of the Marcello Viotti International Vocal Competition.

 

Alexandra Simpson in Conversation with Christian Baldini

On Sunday, March 19, 2023, I will have to pleasure of conducting a program featuring two wonderful Rising Stars on works for violin and orchestra (with Ani Bukujian), and viola and orchestra (with Alexandra Simpson), to crown the program with both of them together in Mozart's beloved Sinfonia Concertante. This will be with the Camellia Symphony Orchestra in Sacramento. I had the chance of asking Allie a few questions, and below are her answers:

Christian Baldini: Allie, what a pleasure it is to be making music with you again! And I am also excited about the wonderful work that you have chosen: the Rhapsody Concerto by Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů. Please tell me, how did you choose this work? What are some of the things you like the most about it? There is an interesting connection between this work and the San Francisco Symphony, and our region. Please tell us, what will people love about this work?

Alexandra Simpson: Such a pleasure to be back!! I have always wanted to perform this piece- it has such soaring, gorgeous melodies but also a lot of emotional depth a virtuosity. There are also some really intense moments that are almost like heavy metal rock! It does have a very interesting connection to SFS- it was commissioned by the Principal Violist at the time, Jascha Veissi. He was from Ukraine originally and his beautiful deSalo viola inspired Martinu with its sound like a human voice!

CB: In addition, we will also get to perform the beautiful Sinfonia Concertante by Mozart with you and Ani as our soloists. What are some of the things you like the most about this piece?

AS: Mozart never wrote a concerto just for viola, so it’s such a thrill to play a Mozart concerto- and this one is just one of the most beautiful pieces ever written. I’ve always loved it- it has such playfulness and joy, like two puppies chasing each other. It shows off the virtuosity of both instruments without being too over- the-top, and the slow movement is just divine. 

CB: How is it to collaborate with another soloist on a concertante piece? What qualities do you look for in such a partner? What can you tell us about Ani and her role in this piece?

AS: As a violist, I’m often serving as a mediator of sound between violin and cello, so it’s so fun to be in a collaborative solo position. Ani is so incredibly inspiring to work with- just hearing her and trying to blend to her sound makes me a better player. She has that rare combination of world-class technical ability and soulful playing that I always love to hear and play with. 

CB: What would be your advice to young musicians who are starting off with a professional career in music? What are some of the challenges we face, and how do we deal with them?

AS: I would tell young musicians that everyone fails, but the people who achieve great things know how to recover from failure and keep trying! So many things can happen thanks to luck, so your odds are better if you’re willing to learn from mistakes and keep working. 

CB: Thank you very much for your time, I look forward to this new collaboration with you!

AS: so excited to work with you and this beautiful orchestra!

 

Alexandra Simpson has traveled the world as a performer and educator: from Bucaramanga, Colombia to Cornwall, England. She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, freelancing as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player- primarily as the Assistant Principal Violist of the California Symphony.

Alexandra has appeared as a soloist with Camellia Symphony Orchestra, Marin Symphony, SFCM New Music Ensemble, and Classical Music Institute Chamber Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Alexandra travels frequently to festivals to perform, learn, and teach. Alexandra has participated in the Prussia Cove International Musicians’ Seminar, Kneisel Hall, Glenn Douglas Memorial Chamber Festival, Bard Music Colombia, Musikiwest Chamberfest in Pebble Beach, and Classical Music Institute in San Antonio, Texas. As an orchestra musician, she has played with San Francisco Symphony and SFOpera, and served as Principal Violist for OPERA San Antonio Fresno Symphony, Stockton Symphony, One Found Sound, and Merced Symphony.

Alexandra performs regularly in the Bay Area, and has given chamber music concerts at Herbst Theater, Old North Church, Berkeley Piano Club, Piedmont Center for the Arts, and with Benicia Chamber Players. She accompanied international superstar DJ Kygo at the closing act of Outside Lands in 2019, and in 2022 at BottleRock in Napa. She has appeared in music videos for Chuck Prophet and Mercury Soul, and appeared in Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's keynote for the 2020 Build Conference, as well as advertisements for Microsoft Teams. Alexandra also joined the string sections for Michael Buble, Josh Groban and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and performed at The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience.

Alexandra earned her Bachelor of Music studying with renowned and Grammy-winning violist Kim Kashkashian at New England Conservatory, with the Donald Green and Lotta Crabtree Scholarships. She received both a Master of Music and Master of Musical Arts from Yale School of Music. While at Yale, Alexandra taught New Haven schoolchildren through the Yale Music in Schools initiative and developed a passion for teaching in underserved communities. Festivals such as Classical Music Institute and Bard Music Colombia have allowed her to develop this passion all over the world. In addition to teaching privately, she also teaches in underserved schools of Daly City through the Harmony Project.

While studying chamber music at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, she received coachings and lessons from world-class musicians, including Dimitri Murrath, Ian Swensen, Bonnie Hampton and the Telegraph Quartet. She had the opportunity to receive masterclasses from Kim Kashkashian, Hsin-Yun Huang, and Milena Pajaro-van-de-Stadt, and participate in residency performances with Tessa Lark, Owen Dalby, Norman Fisher, and Itamar Zorman.