Opera's Lesbian Divas

they are precious! 

my girlfriend and i are all about "wifing." what empowering role models.  

WOW THIS IS COOL OMG

But seriously. I'm someone who wants to have a career in opera someday, and I've always been a bit wary about my sexual orientation and how it might be percieved. These two fabulous women have done *so* well for themselves career-wise, and to read about that is incredibly empowering. I can't thank afterellen enough for interviewing them. :)

It's great to see an out committed couple in the Biz who are not some fly by night pop singers. Oh sure there's Ellen and Portia/Nikki and Honey but whoa the sordid stories behind their coupledoms make great fodder for the gossipers.

Really nice interview - so good to see a section of the arts covered that wouldn't normally spring to mind when we think "gay women in entertainment".

Thanks! 

Thanks ladies or talking to AfterEllen and telling us about you.

Tristen

I have yet to go to a live production of a full blown opera. Though I almost went to one last summer in the Rockies that had a "pants" role played by a really hot woman! It's nice to know there are lesbians EVERYWHERE! I definitely would want to get tickets if either one of these ladies was singing here in Colorado.

PS. As noted below the "pants" roles are generally referred to as trouser roles in operas.

I love reading articles about couples in the spotlight who have been together a long time. I like a good love story

Alright, I have to admit I don't know a great deal about Opera. It's one of those things I'd love to get into and I've seen some plays on tv, but there are more things I really want to develop a taste for and art, the painting/sculpting/performance kind, came first.

Still, reading this, I will have to look up some of these ladies work. I'm all about supporting the gay community and this was truly a beautiful story.

I wish them all the luck in the world and much thanks for this wonderful interview. 

Who you gonna be if you can't be yourself,
you can't get it from t.v., you can't force it on
anybody else.-- Ani Difranco

Lovely article and yes there are many lesbians in the opera audiences.

One small point. Since when did "britches role" get replaced by the vulgar expression "pants role"?

"The best the we can offer is our honesty"

It's great to learn more about inspirational women, so thank you for your honesty - it means so much to us all.

I've only seen a few operas in my life, but all of them have been incredibly moving and involving. I really should go more often. And just to echo what many others have said, thanks for covering some of the less mass-market aspects of entertainment.

--abzug

Visit http://www.badgirlsannex.com!

I've always loved Opera and now there's even more reason to love it! :)

Do either of them have any recordings out?

Wrt this - I think this may be a little case of American vs British usage;

UK trousers = US pants = UK  *ahem* knickers = US panties...

The article doesn't read to me as though there is any intentional vulgarity.

Interviews I've read on AE, ever.  I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear from beginning to end, reading about these two, they really do seem to be in love and it's so wonderful after 10 years that they are able to still express it. 

What a honeymoon as well, *swoon*.  Seriously, that was an awesome thing to do :).

I'll be honest, I have never been to an opera but I have been interested in seeing one, especially a production of Carmen.   Now I'm more excited then ever.

Thanks again for a fantastic and insightful interview.

"Normal is not something to aspire to, it's something to get away from."

My collection of opera cds is only that of Andrea Bocelli and the Freddy Mercury/Montserrat Caballe duets (the latter being one of the most beautiful albums I've ever heard).

I'm like the other poster, guess I need to go purchase Opera for Dummies.

Congrats to these ladies and I can only imagine Clayton's coming out experience at SMU in Dallas!  Wowsa.

Beautiful article and a very beautiful relationship.

finally feel like it's worth coming here reading an article on my caliber than some lame pop culture crap some staff writers write about and I don't care for.

My brain thanks you afterellen. I am glad you interviewed two beautiful and wonderful famous lesbians who love each other so much and their careers. This one of the more positve and best article I've read in a long time.

Thank you

I am a major opera fan, but id never heard of these lovely ladies. Truly an inspiriration! I always wanted to be an opera singer, but unfortunately during my childhood my voice was all out of whack coz of several reasons so i just kept to violin, but still so amazing to see this. So incredibly down to earth and they seem so happy, plus their careers are still going strong. This gives a girl hope, really truly. Thanks so much for this lovely article, totally brightened my horrible work-filled day :D!

This is a really good article! I appreciate being able to know more about these two, I had heard about them but didn’t really know that much about them. I love stories like this. I’m off to see what is available from them in terms of recordings and CDs.

Thanks, AE!

I am the first to admit I am the last one to buy tickets for an opera performance.  My exposure to opera was through the late, great Beverly Sills and it was through decidedly non-opera tv appearances as a correspondent for the CBS Sunday Morning news program and singing a duet with Carol Burnett.

So now with this article I am very intrigued to learn more about opera and these two divas.

Great article.  :) 

As a major opera geek, words cannot even begin to express how truly delighted I am to see these beautful, accomplished women interviewed here. 

 I'm gonna put on the soundtrack to Farinelli now!

P.S. if you have never seen an opera live, i recommend going to see one as soon as you can.  I still remember my first opera: my last job got free tix for an oepra at the Kennedy Center here in D.C.  Our seats (I brought a friend) were 11 rows from the orchestra.  It was a magical night: all the sets and costumes and everyone dressed in a very grand fashion.  It was a night I will not forget. 

The opera was Lucia di Lammermoor.  Check it out!

Hands down one of the best interviews on AE until this day... Very nice shift from the commonly expected pop culture approach! I love pop culture as much as the next person, but this was incredibly refreshing. :)

Congrats!

ETA: Does Ilene Chaiken ever listen?! (rethorical question, of course)

I really love when i get to read somthing encoureging, and uplifting. Makes a good start for the day. This interview is awsome in my eyes because these two woman still have such an awsome relationship after 10 years. Im with my girl, its only been official for 5 days but.. i could see this being us in 10 years. And thats awsome.

These chicks are bitchin

God helps those, Who help themselves.... In bed.

wow, what a great story! Thanks for passing it along!

Helene

Some time back a friend and I were looking for something to do in while in Vancouver (Canada) and came across some cheap seats for an opera. Completely on a whim we went and it totally changed my view of the genre. It was an old work-horse, so even I kinda knew what the story was, but the best part was that it was titled so everyone could follow the action. What I realized that night was that the opera was originally mass entertainment -they weren't talking physics up there - just a fast paced story of lust, lust and more lust. Along with some snappy swordplay, lots of hanging out in the local bars, doomed lovers and one very, very bad girl. God, it was fun!

Since then I make a point to check to see if there's an opera going when I go to large cities; they are often supra-titled so you can easily read the text and follow the action on the stage, there are usually cheap, last minute tickets and it's a great way to meet locals. Don't be intimidated by all the opear queen snobbery (i.e. the guys who bring the score with them or those who get their undies in a twist over whether it's: "pants", "trousers" or "britches"). Just go and enjoy! And remember to pre-order your glass of intermission wine, those opera fans get awfully thirsty.

Thank you Mr. Tischler for this excellent interview!

"finally feel like it's worth coming here reading an article on my caliber than some lame pop culture crap some staff writers write about and I don't care for."

Amen to that even if you do come off as elitist (Don't be offended so do I).

Although I must say you escaped relatively unscathed whereas I merely cited my credentials as being equal to (at minimum) or exceeding one of the bloggers and all hell broke loose.

96% percent of the "stuff" written on this site is pop culture crap allegedly obtained from "inside sources."

Awesome article!  They're so talented and refreshing and honest and lovely!  *sighs*

What a refreshing article:)!! As an opera fan I enjoyed every bit of it. I hope AE will expand their interest on others areas of showbiz not only tv, movies and pop music.   

It's funny, I know absolutely NOTHING about opera (although I always like listening to it if someone else is playing a CD or something) but I do happen to know of yet another lesbian opera singer. Deborah Cheetham is an indigenous Australian opera singer who is also a playwrite (White Baptist Abba Fan is about her childhood as an adopted child raised in a white family - I first heard of her when that was doing the rounds a while back).

I went looking for a headshot to post here and stumbled over this pic. I'm guessing it was taken at the Sydney gay and lesbian Mardi Gras. What would Mozart say....?

Not Only But Also

I have had the good fortune of seeing both these lovely women in operas AND meeting them and their doggie Sappho in person. Opera is a wonderful way to get exposed to high drama and hot women and those "trouser roles" can't be beat if you like a good butch! Try it, definitely if you haven't before...

;)

Yay! Nice to see AE expanding it's coverage to touch on opera.

I know not everyone likes opera. And, not everyone likes pop culture. Looking down on someone else's thing, though (as maybe has happened a tiny bit here)..seems like that could make a person feel a bit scorned and maybe get defensive and say something like, "No, your thing sucks." I know I feel kinda defensive when someone challenges my preference for instrumental music over lyrical music (ditto, my preference for abstract art over representational art). But, that's just me. ("Because I don't like being told what to think about." :)

The whole looking-down-on practice is overdone, IMO. Tomayto, tomahto? I don't know... I just hope AE's staff and contributors cover as many of the red fruits as possible.

They make such an attractive couple! For us femmes who prefer femmes, this couple gives us hope.

Great interview...what a great couple ... loved the "wifey".... feel the same about 'my sweets  and we have never been to opera but would love to one day :)

My damn teachers thought I was perfect for them....*sigh* Tall, slim soprano with a slightly athletic build...they thought I was PERFECT to play a boy....go figure.

Awesome article. Means a lot to me - I'm a semi-out lesbian classical violinist and could really relate to their lifestyle. Travelling, working in different cities, commuting, performing. I was in one relationship with another lesbian in the performing musical arts and am inspired by their partnership. The lovingness and family quality they seem to have gives people like me hope that others want a life like that too. Thank you.

I love opera singers. There is something about mezzo-sopranos! Lesbians love them!!!!! Thank YOU afterellen!!!