Meet Dawna Rae Warren | Opera Singer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dawna Rae Warren and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dawna Rae, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Growing up, I had always been a loud, energetic, dramatic child with a flair for story-telling. I think it’s pretty human to look for a place where you can be your authentic self-without being told to tone it down or be more palatable. For me, opera became that world. When I’m performing, I never have to hold back the level of intensity I feel because in opera, your emotions have to be strong enough to justify singing about- otherwise, you would just be speaking the text. To justify singing an aria when your character is sad, the character has to be devastated, not just upset. To justify singing an aria when your character is overjoyed, the character has to be at the peak of that emotion. Opera is the place where I find my own intensity of feeling to be accepted and not out of place.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a singing actor and a musician. In every production or project, I invest my entire self. Not only do I make my mark in the music world with my independent creativity, I thrive on collaboration. Whether it’s collaboration with composers, instrumentalists, or other singing actors, I believe that you can only receive as much as you’re willing to give. This mindset encourages me to always give 100% and to be open to being influenced and molded by my colleagues in a positive way. Every day is an opportunity for growth.

What you are most proud of or excited about?

To be honest, almost every time I work on a new project or performance, that becomes the thing I’m most proud of and excited about. There’s such a joy in knowing that every time I move on to a new performance, I am coming to the table with new skills and experiences that I didn’t have before. Being able to transfer the knowledge from a previous performance to the new one you’re working on is such an exciting moment because you get to see the hard work paying off.
Additionally, there is so much music to be discovered- not just from the operatic “canon”, but being written by living composers! It’s something special when you’re able to be a part of making new, fresh art.

How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?

I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into when I started my journey. I went into my freshman semester at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music to pursue a BM in Vocal Performance & Opera, but I had never even seen an opera. I grew up doing musicals and plays and improv club and singing in church, and then someone suggested that my voice was much more suited for opera. I took the plunge and blindly auditioned for college programs for opera! I am so grateful to have received that advice and to have taken that leap of faith because it turned out to be a perfect fit.

There is no part of this career that is easy. Like many performance careers, it is 99% rejection. But you do it because nothing else makes your heart feel full in this way. You just have to keep putting yourself out there and risking rejection for the chance to tell stories and make art.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way.

I think I’ve learned a lot about myself throughout my professional journey. The vulnerability of singing is something that encourages self-reflection constantly. It can be a slippery slope to self-doubt, comparison, and self-criticism; but when you persevere despite that, you realize how resilient you are and how desperately your soul needs to make art.

In a lot of ways, I think opera has helped me learn to love parts of myself that I was self-conscious about in my youth. It’s helped me see value in what I have to offer.

On the other side of that, through collaboration I am offered the opportunity to meet new people from different backgrounds and explore and create art with them. In my experience, music expedites familiarity and vulnerability. In a brief rehearsal period you are able to get to know your colleagues on an intimate level because you spend a concentrated amount of time with them, and you’re bearing your soul to bring music and characters to life.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I usually bring my friends out to Boulder. We always start the trip with Gatorade and a hike up Chautauqua Park to help them with the altitude adjustment.

Then a little time on Pearl Street- getting chai from the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, walking up and down the street to visit the shops, and then hitting Jungle for happy hour, grabbing dinner at Bar Taco, and then heading down to License No. 1 for a night cap.

The obvious highlight of the visit would be going to see a production by Opera Colorado!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The two individuals that I feel have been the most influential in my development and commitment to my performance career are: my voice teacher, James Mismas; and director and conductor, Timothy Nelson. I met them both at the very beginning of my operatic journey and they’ve both been a constant source of inspiration, love, and creativity.

Website: https://www.dawnaraewarren.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawnaraewarren/

Image Credits
Bayou Elom, Angelisa Gillyard, Sarah Antell, Christopher McBride, Korey Smerk