sa国际传媒官网网页入口

When most third-graders were singing 鈥淗ot Cross Buns,鈥� Tzvi Bat Asherah wanted to sing music by Andrea Bocelli.

鈥淚t piqued my interest,鈥� the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 bass-baritone said, 鈥�- singing in Italian.鈥�

Soon the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 native was singing in the University of New Mexico children鈥檚 chorus, a position that endured until he graduated from high school.

This year, he was accepted into the Santa Fe Opera鈥檚 prestigious apprentice program. He鈥檒l sing in the chorus in the operas 鈥淟a traviata,鈥� 鈥淭he Righteous,鈥� 鈥淭he Elixir of Love,鈥� and 鈥淒er Rosenkavalier,鈥� as well as the opera鈥檚 apprentice concerts on Aug. 11 and 18.

The Santa Fe Opera apprentice program is internationally recognized as one of the finest programs of its kind. It can lead to contacts from across the country and a professional career.

A recent UNM graduate in music, Tzvi hung out in its opera studio as often as possible.

He performed in the chorus of Gilbert and Sullivan鈥檚 鈥淭he Pirates of Penzance鈥� with the UNM Opera Theatre as a high schooler in 2019. He has performed with them in Benjamin Britten鈥檚 Albert Herring and in Mozart鈥檚 鈥淒ie Zauberfl枚te.鈥� He sang the titular role of Figaro in Mozart鈥檚 鈥淭he Marriage of Figaro鈥� in April.

鈥淚 think maybe I had a passion for music,鈥� Tzvi said. 鈥淚 wanted to follow in the footsteps of of my choir teacher. I wanted to pursue music education.鈥�

Then UNM opera and voice lecturer James Flora encouraged him to pursue professional opera.

鈥淚 think he is one of the most talented students I鈥檝e ever worked with,鈥� Flora said.

In the beginning, 鈥渉e was very raw,鈥� Flora continued. 鈥淗e thought he was a true bass. He鈥檚 a bass-baritone with a high extension His voice has a certain athleticism.

鈥淗e went from being a good, serviceable voice to world-class,鈥� Flora added. 鈥淧eople here don鈥檛 understand the level of the Santa Fe Opera. It is world-class. I wasn鈥檛 surprised that he got in.鈥�

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 understand the depths of the art form until I had that talk with Professor Flora,鈥� Tzvi said. 鈥淗e has encouraged me every step of the way.鈥�

Tzvi first sang at Santa Fe in the auxiliary chorus of 鈥淭he Flying Dutchman鈥� last summer. Impressed, the organizers contacted Flora and asked about him.

鈥淭hey likened him to the man who was star of 鈥楾he Flying Dutchman,鈥� Nicholas Brownlee,鈥� Flora said.

When Tzvi learned he had landed a spot in the apprentice program, he was ecstatic. 鈥淚 think I called my mom first,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hen I called my voice professor because it鈥檚 really a big deal.鈥�

He says he begins by studying the libretto, decoding the subtext to imbue it in his voice.

鈥淲ithout that, the performance doesn鈥檛 land if you鈥檙e not invested in the character,鈥� he said.

Next year, he鈥檒l study for his master鈥檚 degree at Houston鈥檚 Rice University.

Now he dreams of singing the title role in Verdi鈥檚 Rigoletto.

鈥淚 still do admire Bocelli,鈥� Tzvi said. 鈥淚 met (bass-baritone) Nicholas Brownlee last summer. He was performing in 鈥楾he Flying Dutchman.鈥� He鈥檚 someone I can really look up to because our vocal qualities are similar.鈥�

While studying as a vocalist with UNM, Tzvi has won several awards, including the Cris and Marilyn Barnes award during the 2023 Vocal Artistry Art Song Festival.