Jessica Kiger (BM '06) and Nathan Brandwein (BM '02) live in New York City and are on the front lines of the effort to make sure opera remains an important part of the cultural conversation.
When College of Music alumni Jessica Kiger (BM 鈥�06) and Nathan Brandwein (BM 鈥�02) graduated鈥搘ith vocal performance and piano performance degrees, respectively鈥搕hey didn鈥檛 picture themselves off stage and behind the scenes. But one grad school job and a nod from a Juilliard professor later, they鈥檙e working at one of the premiere opera venues in the world.
Kiger and Brandwein freelance for the Metropolitan Opera鈥檚 鈥溾�� broadcasts. Along with a team of videographers, editors, directors and producers, they bring world-class opera to movie theaters around the world. Indeed, they鈥檙e on a mission to keep opera fresh and relevant. 鈥淭he only way the art form survives is if we are entertaining and educating worldwide audiences about what鈥檚 going on at the highest level of achievement,鈥� says Brandwein.
Among the few production staffers at 鈥淟ive in HD鈥�听with an extensive background in music, Brandwein and Kiger are integral to each performance. Brandwein is a score consultant for the live broadcasts and audio edit supervisor during post-production. As a production associate, Kiger prepares musical scores for 鈥淗D鈥� directors, and works as a script and score reader. 鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 taking the text and making it musical in my head,鈥� says Kiger. 鈥淪ometimes you have to go off script, and it鈥檚 important for the script reader to be able to follow along, so the associate director knows what鈥檚 next.鈥�
Brandwein, who earned a doctorate in collaborative piano at Juilliard, says the success of 鈥淟ive in HD鈥�听鈥撎齣n its 10th season across 70 countries听鈥撎齣s due to the talent and dedication of the crew. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a testament to this vision for opera. What you see is the tip of the iceberg in terms of the work that goes into the broadcast. Everybody听鈥撎齪roduction assistants, camera operators, directors听鈥撎齣s the best in the world at what they do.鈥�
Meanwhile, in addition to her work with the Met, Kiger is also leading the charge in New York鈥檚 new opera scene. In 2012, she became executive director and producer of听, which takes opera on the road, performing pieces in locations that give them new context. For example, the critically acclaimed company has produced Giovanni Paisiello鈥檚 鈥淭he Barber of Seville鈥� in an Upper East Side mansion and Jean-Philippe Rameau鈥檚 鈥淧ygmalion鈥�听at Madame Tussauds New York. 鈥淲e鈥檙e making a case for intimate, immersive opera. More and more, I think that鈥檚 where the art form is going,鈥� she says.
Brandwein continues to teach piano and perform in New York and abroad. He says he owes his education at CU for his success as a pianist ... and at the Met. 鈥淚 studied a lot of theory, which is important in my career鈥揺specially when I鈥檓 working with directors at the Met. I can make sure they understand the music and how it鈥檚 constructed, and that foundation was laid at CU. I鈥檒l always be grateful for that.鈥�
Kiger says she would never have ended up pursuing this path if it hadn鈥檛 been for the support of CU faculty. 鈥淢y teacher, Maggie Lattimore, told me she would support me and she believed in my talents no matter how I used them. That was really encouraging.鈥�
Kiger鈥檚 next project is as a Project Manager with VisionIntoArt, the multimedia production company run by visionary composer Paola Prestini. Kiger continues to evolve with the opera world itself. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been exciting to do a lot of different things, to challenge myself in different ways and see what sticks.鈥�
Read more stories like this in the online edition of Colorado Music magazine.
