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Member Spotlight: Grace Lovelass - Mezzo-Soprano
Today our Member Spotlight is British mezzo-soprano Grace Lovelass
1. How do you describe yourself as an artist?
Opera singer, entertainer and IRONMAN
2. What other skills or passions do you have that help shape you as an artist?
Coincidentally, I am actually a long distance cycling enthusiast who loves to cold-water swim!! I’m a two-time IRONMAN triathlete, as well as a yogi and dancer trained in ballroom & latin, street and now flamenco. I’ve written two one-woman shows with the most recent, Disgraceful, billed as the rebellion of an off-duty opera singer. I give talks to Women’s Institutes and other organisations about my life as a singer and athlete.
3. What has been the most memorable and rewarding experience you have had an artist?
Writing, producing and performing my show, Disgraceful. It was the culmination of a lot of soul searching, self discovery and artist enquiry undertaken during the pandemic. It also put to bed the imposter syndrome that I’d felt coming to a professional opera career later in life. More than anything, the most memorable and rewarding aspect was the complete joy that I felt sharing something so honest and personal with my audience on the night.
4. What role, company or performing situation would be a dream come true for you as an artist?
My favourite role to date has been Romeo in Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi. I can’t imagine enjoying a character more but, of course, the ultimate goal would be to perform it at the highest possible level and the Met is my dream opera house. So, in the meantime, I’ll just be here, keeping on manifesting!
5. What do you like most about being a creative artist?
I never know what’s going to happen next. I wake up with a sense of excitement and wonder every single morning. But perhaps most of all, I get to be completely myself in everything I do. I had a previous career in which I was trying to squeeze myself into a mould. I was using my skills but compromising aspects of my personality to fit the environment and industry standards. Now, I have the unequivocal pleasure of showing up as my unique and authentic self every single day.
6. If you could go back in time and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Be unapologetically yourself and listen to your soul. I’ve learnt that my unique talents and way of seeing the world are what makes my work interesting. The same goes for all of us and my favourite mantra is “your mission is not what you do - it’s what happens in others when you do what you do”. I’ve learnt to trust my intuition. Stay curious, open to information and hear advice but then, have faith in yourself to take what you need and throw the rest away.
7. Three words that are the pillars you shape your career by:
Courage, honesty and self-reliance
8. Where can our community come and see you perform?
I’m singing the Sorceress in Dido & Aeneas with Somerset Opera in July and the Witch and Mother in Hansel & Gretel with Opera Kipling at Camden Fringe in August. I’m calling it my ‘hot witch summer’ as I embrace my mezzo hag era!
To purchase tickets for To catch Grace's Sorceress, please visit https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/somersetoperagroup and for Witch/Mother in Hansel & Getel - https://camdenfringe.com/events/hansel-gretel/