“font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt;”>“I hope they see themselves in me,” opera star Kendall Gladen said of the current class of Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ Monsanto Artist-In-Training Program. “And I hope that they see it’s possible.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>They should. The opera star walked in the students’ musical shoes a generation before them in the early years of the program back in the early 1990s.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Gladen returned to her St. Louis roots last week and spoke with some of the current Artist-In-Training students as a part of an eight-day residency. She taught at area schools and performed at churches, a Roosevelt Alumni luncheon and the Regional Business Council Young Professionals reception.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Her biggest hope was to inspire students – students of color, in particular – to embrace opera. She offered a sample of her breathtaking mezzo soprano voice and gave instruction to Artist-In-Training students after hearing them sing.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Twenty years had passed since Dello Thedford – Gladen’s choir director at Roosevelt High School – pointed out that she had an “operatic timbre to her voice” and introduced her to Opera Theatre of St. Louis.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“Like many of us, I didn’t grow up with opera playing in my home,” Gladen said. “But he introduced me to the art form – and the Artist-In-Training program – and that’s how I fell in love with it.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>She had been complimented on her voice while singing in church and school choirs, but Opera Theatre of St. Louis made her consider a career in music.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I thought I would be a lawyer or an accountant or something like that,” Gladen said. “But as my voice grew I was like, ‘I really can sing this music.’ And I decided this is something I wanted to pursue to expose it to all types of people.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>This spring, the 1994 Roosevelt graduate will fulfill this ambition. In May, she will become the first Artist-In-Training (AIT) alum to headline an Opera Theatre of St. Louis production when plays the title role in the iconic opera Carmen.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I’m trying to find the words to fully describe how this feels,” Gladen said. “I’m sure I’ll have a ‘thank you, God’ moment in my dressing room where I’ll be thinking, ‘Here I was at 16 just being introduced to opera.’”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>After her participation in the Monsanto AIT program, Gladen was selected for Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ Gerdine Young Artists Program, where she performed in the chorus of Carmen during the 2004 season. She went on to sing the role of Carmen in several productions throughout the U.S. and Europe.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“This career is not easy,” Gladen said. “You have the tedious homework of learning languages, of acting and music history. It’s not just about singing. There’s way more homework than that, and the field requires you to be very disciplined.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>She has enjoyed the support of her family, especially her sister Rolanda Gladen, and stayed true to her roots.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I want every one of the AIT students to know I am a hometown girl,” Gladen said. “If I could talk to each one from now on I would tell them, ‘I was just like you and if I could do it so can you.’”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>She had this effect on Kamaria Keely, AIT student and junior at McCluer North High School.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“When she came and sang for us, I was absolutely astounded. I hate to say it, but you’re not used to seeing black women sound like that,” Keely said.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“Just knowing that she came through the AIT program, it gave me hope. It let me know I could do that too. I actually knew it from being a part of this program, but seeing her reinforced it.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Gladen hopes that Keely’s newfound passion for opera becomes the rule instead of the exception.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“It is our art form to – not just a white or an Italian art form,” Gladen said. “Opera should transcend color lines. And that’s what I hope that my career will help people realize.”
