Nancy Yuen: Singapore's soprano supremo

Nancy Yuen has the honor of being one of very few opera stars from Singapore. She graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, London and made her debut with the Welsh National Opera, in the title role of Madama Butterfly. Not a bad first gig.

Now acclaimed as a celebrated recitalist and versatile concert artist, this weekend she takes on the leading soprano role of Mimi in the Singapore Lyric Opera’s (SLO) production of Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème, dubbed by the New York Times as the "world’s most popular opera." She describes to CNNGo how she prepares for performances and how opera can be made more popular in Singapore.

CNNGo: You're a Singaporean in the opera scene, which is quite an unusual occupation. What first piqued your interest in opera?

Nancy Yuen: I have always enjoyed singing and acting and opera is the most obvious choice.

CNNGo: How do you recommend people in Singapore learn more about opera?

Yuen: Singaporeans can go on line to hear tunes, learn the stories and history of the operas at the same time or better still, go to the theaters and watch operas live. DVDs and television broadcasts also help.

CNNGo: How do you prepare for a performance? Do you have a favorite pre-performance drink or meal?

Yuen: I drink a lot of warm water, have a good night’s sleep, do gentle exercises and keep my concentration sharp by just focusing on the text of the opera.

CNNGo: Do you have any superstitions or rituals concerning your voice, such as not having the aircon on or not talking for 24 hours before a show?

Yuen: If I have back-to-back performances, I will keep my mouth tightly shut between shows. Otherwise, I am a very relaxed person, totally emotionally balanced.

CNNGo: And how do you wind down from all the heightened emotions after a performance?

Yuen: I wind down by reading, talking with my husband and chatting with friends online.

CNNGo: Which celebrity dead or alive would you want to sing with?

Yuen: I would have loved to be on the same stage as Maria Callas. It would have been such a learning and fascinating experience.

Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme

CNNGo: How do you respond when people ask you questions such as "What's opera?" or "There's opera in Singapore?" or "Is opera like Chinese wayang?"

Yuen: I would say opera is a story with music, sung by trained singers in the Western bel-canto style, to the accompaniment of an orchestra. It has drama, passion, beautiful music and, at times, dance too. There is opera in Singapore, of course, and everyone should come and support the SLO, who has done so much to promote this art form for the last 20 years.

CNNGo: You've performed all over the world -- what has been your favorite venue or performance?

Yuen: I treat every performance as my last and hence I treasure each and every one of the shows I do. The Royal Albert Hall in London holds a special place in my heart as I have performed over 30 Madame Butterflies there to some 135,000 people in the audience.

CNNGo: What do you sing in the shower?

Yuen: I don't. I only sing in rehearsal rooms and performing venues.

CNNGo: Give us three reasons why we should watch La Bohème.

Yuen: Everybody should come to watch La Bohème because it is one of the best operas ever written, in terms of music, character development, story line and popularity. You will experience passion displayed and share the highs and lows of our Bohemian characters, and you will also go home with the beautifully haunting tunes ringing round your head!

getting there

La Boheme
January 29 & 30 & February 1, 2 & 3, 8pm
Tickets from S$15 to S$130, via Sistic
Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
www.esplanade.com