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BECCA MARTIN-BROWN NWA Democrat-Gazette M ezzo soprano Sarah Mesko might not be a household name — yet. But she's only 33, and she's sung with the New York Philharmonic, the Washington National Opera and on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera 27 times, just to name a few. Not bad for a girl from Hot Springs who graduated from the University of Arkansas. And no one is more excited about living the dream than she is. "I majored in both flute and vocal performance at the UA and played assistant principal in the Fort Smith Symphony for four years," she says. "But I eventually chose to focus on singing because it incorporates so much of what I love, all in the same art form: words, drama, dance, costumes. I basically get to play dress-up for a living!" Mesko returns to her alma mater Sept. 7 for a performance at the Faulkner Performing Arts Center on campus. Before her visit, she answered these questions for What's Up! Q. How did you fall in love with opera? Or was there a "gateway drug," so to speak? A. I grew up surrounded by music since everyone in my family is an accomplished musician. Both of my parents are pianists, my sister sings R&B/soul and plays piano and guitar, my brother is a jazz guitarist who plays many other instruments as well — so it was never a question of whether I would play music, but what instrument I would choose. I started on piano for a couple of years and then took up the flute at age 10, which felt much more natural to me. (I now know this is because it incorporates the breath.) Q. How did you make the transition from opera student/hopeful to the national stage? Do you have advice for other young singers? A. Summer programs played a huge role in my career. It's so important to get in front of people who have the power to help you. I basically did one summer program every year for 11 years. Q. What's been the most amazing moment of your career so far? A. My debut at the Met in December of 2016 was pretty special. I had spent two years at the Met already, covering leading mezzo roles but not yet performing on the mainstage, so by the time my debut came around — Second Lady in Julie Taymor's production of "The Magic Flute" — I felt ready for the challenge. Q. What are the dream roles you most want to sing? A. There are so many roles I'm excited about! I would love to sing another Carmen. She is fun, fun, fun! I also love all of the low Rossini pants roles, like Arsace in "Semiramide," which I went on for at the Met last season. The music fits like a glove, and playing male characters is so much fun as an actor. … In 10 or 15 years, I would love to get to sing Didon in "Les Troyens." Musically and character- wise, I tend to gravitate toward queens and warriors. Q. What will you be singing at Faulkner? A. I'm so excited to present my "Through the Years" program at Faulkner. I built the recital specifically for this time and place; that's what's so wonderful about live concerts, the immediacy of the experience. The first half of the program features songs written in 1871 (the year UA was established), as well as songs written when composers were around the age that [pianist] Lyndon [Meyer] and I are now. I included lots of Brahms and Faure on this half; they wrote some really great music when they were 33! The second half is inspired by Hurricane Harvey, which I experienced living in Houston, so there are lots of songs about rain, storms and the sea. lebrate Hispanic Heritage Mon l b t Hi i H it M Ce C ith the NWA Democrat-Gazet w and La Prensa Libre. h yea ea ea ea ea ea ear r r r r th th th th th th th the e e e e e e e e Un Un Un Un Un U it it it it it it it ited ed ed ed ed ed ed Sta ta ta ta ta ta tate te te te te tes ho ho ho ho ho ho h no no no no nors rs rs rs rs rs rs rs the he he he he he he h con on on on on on ontr tr tr tr tr tr tr t ib ib ib ib ib ib i ut ut ut ut ut ut utio io io io io io io ions ns ns ns ns ns ns n La Ea Ea Ea Ea Each ch ch ch ch ch ch ve ve ve ve ve ve v mad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ade e e to to to to to to to our ur ur ur ur cou ou ou ou ou ount nt nt nt n ry ry ry ry ry ry ry wit it it ith h h h Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Nati ti ti ti ti ti tion on on on on on on on o al al al al al al al al His is is is is ispa pa pa pa pa pa pa p ni ni ni ni ni ni n c c c c c He He He He He He He Heri ri ri ri ri ri ri rit ha ha ha ha ha ha hav Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mo Mont nt nt nt nt nth h h h h ce ce cele le le le lebr br br brat at at a ed ed ed ed fro ro ro rom Se Se Se Se Se S pt pt pt pt pt ptem em em em embe be be be be be be be ber r r r r 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 to Oc Oc Oc Oc Oc Octo to to to to tobe be be be be ber r r r 15 15 15 15 15 15 nt nt ntac ac ac ac ac a t t t t t yo yo yo yo yo your ur ur ur u NWA WA WA WA WA WA W DG DG DG DG DG DG sal al al al al ales es es es es es es esen en enta ta ta tati ti ti t ve ve ve ve ve to o o le le le let t t me me me me memb mb mb mb mber er er ers es es esen en en en e ta ta ta ta ta t ti ti ti ti ti ti ti t ve ve ve ve ve to le le le le let me me me me me memb mb mb mb mber er er er ers is s s s im im im im impo po po po po po po p rt rt rt rt rt rtan an an an an an ant an an an an an an an a d gr gr gr gr gr grow ow ow ow ow owin in in in in ing g g g g mun un un un un un un unit it it it ity y y y y kn kn kn kn kn know ow ow ow ow you ou ou ou ou sup up up up up uppo po po po po po p rt rt rt rt rt rt rt m, an an an an a d d d d d to to to to to tha ha ha ha hank nk nk nk nk nk nk the he he he he he h m m m m m fo fo fo fo fo fo f r r r r r pp pp pp ppor or or or orti ti ti ti t ng ng ng ng n you ou ou our r r r bu bu bu bu bu b si si si si s ne ne ne ne ness ss ss ss ss. nth th te at at at at at at atin in in in inos os os os os ta ta ta ta ta tage ge ge ge ge 5. Co Co Co Co Co Con re re re re r pr pr pr pr p e re re re re repr pr pr pr pre of of of of of of of o thi hi hi hi hi co co co co co comm mm mm mm mm mm m th th th th them em em em em em su su su su su s p La Prensa Libre, the region's largest Spanish language publication reaching *42,000 readers weekly, will celebrate by publishing six special issues honoring our Hispanic neighbors, their cultures and businesses. *Based on Latin Insights, a New York-based Hispanic research and strategic communications fi rm. 4 WHAT'S UP! SEPTEMBER 2-8, 2018 FAQ 'Through The Years' With Sarah Mesko WHEN — 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7 WHERE — Faulkner Perform- ing Arts Center on the UA campus in Fayetteville COST — $10-$20 INFO — 575-5387 Five Minutes, Five Questions Mezzo Soprano Sarah Mesko Courtesy Photo "I love curating programs around a theme — a sort of 'This American Life' of concertizing! — and my recital style is very personal," says UA grad Sarah Mesko. "I spend a lot of time talking to the audience from the stage about the music and what I love most about it, but also about personal experiences from my life. I'm hoping that the audience in Fayetteville will walk away from Faulkner having enjoyed some exquisite music that maybe they've never heard before … and more importantly, having shared an artistic experience in a specific moment in time with their fellow Arkansas homegirl." 5X5