Today we’d like to introduce you to Catrin Davies.
Hi Catrin, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m a first generation American, and my parents are from Wales. To be Welsh means having a relationship with the arts. Wales is a country where children compete in music, recitation, and dance in local competitions from the age of five, and the football and rugby fans sing in 4 part harmony! Being brought up in a tradition where music was a part of daily life set the stage (pun intended) for my career. But despite that early influence, I took a circuitous route into being an arts professional. Although I was always involved in music and theater, I thought I my “real” job was going to be in academia as a history professor. I received my undergraduate and graduate degrees in history and women’s studies (respectively) and was moving towards that goal when I had a damascene moment. I wanted to create art. And while I am a passionate advocate for avocational artists, I decided I would try and make my way as a professional. I initially entered the classical music scene as a mezzo-soprano, and I still perform professionally as a singer (Wolf Trap Opera, Washington Concert Opera, Live Arts Maryland.) But after a significant time in the business, I decided to try my hand at directing. I loved it and haven’t looked back. Adjacent to performing and directing, I worked in a variety of arts administration jobs – at Creation Theatre Company (U.K.), Opera America, and the Peabody Conservatory. I find it equally fulfilling to help bring an artistic production to fruition as an administrator as to be involved as a creative. I am currently the Vice President of Advancement at Opera Baltimore, where my main focus is stewarding the development, community engagement, and education programs. I continue to be a freelance singer and director, I am adjunct faculty at the Peabody Conservatory, and I am Artistic Director of the Young Victorian Theatre Company, which has been bringing Gilbert & Sullivan operetta to Baltimore for over 50 years.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
While a career opera can be a challenging path, especially in terms of stability and income, it offers deep, soul-satisfying rewards. As a development professional, I feel the responsibility of making opera more equitable with regards to a living wage, which necessitates more funding. I struggle with the tension of raising funds for a cause that some people consider non-essential. It is my job to show them that opera is everyone. The arts nurture empathy, critical thinking, and a shared cultural identity. Artists shape public consciousness, provoke thought, and offer moments of beauty or catharsis—things sorely needed in a fast-moving, fractured world. And opera is about the VOICE – at once deeply personal, but used to connect us to others. This belief is articulated in Opera Baltimore’s vision: Building Community through Opera.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Recently, I was flattered to hear myself described as “open-hearted” in my approach to work. That is how I aspire to approach each project, whether it is directing a show, planning a fundraising event, or bringing opera into schools. I was brought on board at Opera Baltimore specifically for our civic practice project, ‘Opera on the Avenue,’ which amplified the story and celebrated the legacy of African American soprano Anne Wiggins Brown, who was from Baltimore, and went on to create the role of Bess in the iconic American opera ‘Porgy and Bess.’ This project resulted in amazing community partnerships in Old West Baltimore (where Ms. Brown was from), an all-day street festival, and a world premier concert conceived and performed by grammy-winner Adrienne Danrich. ‘Opera on the Avenue’ was a tremendous amount of work, but I can say without hyperbole that it is one of the most important projects I have spearheaded, and that I received far more than I gave. Everyone who participated in ‘Opera on the Avenue’ approached it with an open heart, and the results were profound.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I am always interested in new collaborations and partnerships. Opera is built around collaboration – a full production would never be realized without at least a hundred people participating. And that’s not counting the audience who, in my opinion, is an equal partner in the artistic realization of a show. One of Opera Baltimore’s most successful projects is ‘Fall for Opera,’ our free outdoor concert series. We collaborate with parks all over Baltimore City (Patterson Park, Mount Vernon Place, Parks and People) to offer a spectacular concert in a green space; removing barriers between the community and our art form. This is only possible with partnership. So reach to out to me! I’d love to hear how we might create something together. In terms of supporting me, donate to Opera Baltimore! Or donate to another arts organization that feeds your soul. Or volunteer for front of house somewhere. Or attend a performance of a group you haven’t patronized before. Or consider housing an artist who is here from out of town. Or participate in a community theater production or local chorus. Or call your elected representative about the importance of the arts in the city/state/national budget. Or bring a friend to an event you are passionate about. Or become a board member. Or simply talk about the arts – why it matters to you, to us, and to everyone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.operabaltimore.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OperaBaltimore
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OperaBaltimore
