VSU Opera singer brings 'Carmen' to life

VALDOSTA – Kimbery E. Milton is getting a taste of her coming career as a performing mezzo-soprano.

She's been performing, auditioning, traveling and she plays the title role in Georges Bizet's "Carmen" later this week with Valdosta State University Opera.

She and fellow cast members spent the fall semester in intense rehearsals for the performance. Each cast member was responsible for individual rehearsals during the past few weeks of holiday break. VSU classes returned Monday; the first performance is Friday.

For the VSU graduate student, such preparation fits into the nature of her coming career as a professional performer. Lone preparation followed by a day or two of rehearsal with a full orchestra then the performance.

Still, with the entire cast and orchestra being on break from VSU for about a month, the feeling is exhilarating, she said.

"It's a little terrifying, I'm not going to lie," Milton said, "but exciting because this is what I've been preparing for."

Milton is a Lakeland, Fla., native, and a graduate of Florida Southern College. She has studied with Dr. Dorea Cook as a candidate for a master of music performance degree at VSU.

She has earned many scholarships through competitions such as the Grady Rayam Scholarship in Sacred Music, the Tuesday Music Club Scholarship, Lakeland Choral Society Scholarship, the San Diego Musical Merit Scholarship, VSU Concerto Competition and the John Alexander National Vocal Competition of Mississippi Opera. 

She placed first in the Advanced College Division of the 2012 Southeast Regional NATS competition in Montgomery, Ala. 

She has performed operatic roles such as Ma Moss in "The Tender Land," Miss Todd in "The Old Maid and the Thief," Kate in "Pirates of Penzance," Salud in "La Vida Breve," Dido in the opera "Dido and Aeneas" and Savitri in the opera of the same name. She has performed in the Polk Theatre Cabaret productions: "The Music of Johnny Cash," "British Invasion" and "Elvis Returns."

She said she has been performing as a freelance singer since the age of 14. She sings opera but also rock, jazz, country, etc., she said.

She attended a performing arts high school then studied classical voice at Florida Southern.

"About my junior year, I took it seriously and realized this is what I want to do," Milton said. "And really what I'm called to do."

Performing her first "Carmen" meets a career goal, she said.

"There are no words," Milton said. "This is one of my dream roles."

"Unlike many of the operas that VSU presents, this year we get a true operatic tragedy that tells the story of an ill-fated love that ends in murder," said Tamara G. Hardesty, assistant professor of voice at VSU and "Carmen" producer.

"Carmen" follows the story of a gypsy seductress. Don Jose, a soldier, falls in love with her. The soldier leaves his lifelong love and his military career for Carmen and the gypsy lifestyle. But when Carmen rejects the former soldier for a bullfighter, Jose falls into a violent jealous rage.

Milton described the concert as a "biggest hits" performance. 

"Audience members may recognize Carmen's famous aria, 'L'amour est un oiseau rebelle,' in which she explains that her heart is a wild bird that can never be captured, as well as the Toreador – bullfighter – song that features Escamillo and the chorus," Hardesty said.

VSO presents a concert version of "Carmen," meaning no sets, no costumes, no stage movements, Hardesty said. The orchestra will be on stage instead of the pit; the singers will perform in front of the orchestra. 

They will sing the original French, she said, with the English translation projected on a screen at the back of the stage.

"There's no actual movement," Milton said, "so it's challenging, acting with just my voice, just my face."

But Milton can handle it, Hardesty said. "She has a world-class talent."

A talent she shares this weekend with South Georgia, before she graduates in May and jets off to a singing career she hopes will take her here, there and everywhere.

THE CAST: Kimberly Milton, Joshua Mazur, Thomas Potter, Makinsey Rosser, Hilary Lee Brooks, Katelynn Jackson, Isaiah Ricks, Rafael Sanabria, Karlee Causey, Katherine George, Marcus Desir, Akila Dixon, Nathanael James, Jordan Layne, Zackary Serrott, Natalie Shell, Elesia Thomas.

DIRECTION, PRODUCTION: Tamara Hardesty, producer; Kenneth Kirk, conductor; Carol Mikkelsen, assistant music director; Angela Duncan, rehearsal pianist; Joseph Muncy, technical director; Brant Pickard, sound/projection engineer; Nathan Calvert, assistant projection engineer.

CONCERT

Valdosta State University Opera presents "Carmen: A Concert of Highlights" by composer Georges Bizet.

When: 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 18, youth performance; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19; 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20.

Where: Whitehead Auditorium, VSU Fine Arts Building, corner of Oak and Brookwood.

Tickets, more information: Call (229) 333-2150 or visit https://www.ticketreturn.com/prod2/team.asp?SponsorID=12276.