Good Tuesday afternoon! OperaMetro (OM) has the privilege of interviewing Joshua Stewart (JS), who sings the title role in Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring, which will be performed on Friday, June 17 and Sunday, June 19 at the Princeton Festival in Princeton, NJ. He and I meet in one of the wonderful small luncheonettes off Nassau Street. Cloudy today, might rain…oh well.

OM: Thank you for consenting to this, Joshua.

JS: You’re welcome, a pleasure to chat with you.

OM: I’m eager to introduce you to my readers. Albert Herring is a rarely performed opera, I mean, I heard a radio broadcast of it years ago, but I’ve not seen it staged. Describe your relationship with this work. Had you performed in Albert Herring as Albert before (or in any other role in the opera)?

**Joshua Stewart sings the title role of Albert Herring in Britten’s opera.**

JS: Actually, Albert Herring is the first opera I ever performed in!

OM: Wow! Now that’s a low probability answer if I ever heard one! Tell me more!

JS: I was a young tenor at a summer program and I was asked to step into the role of the Vicar which is a baritone. I was so nervous about the low notes, but it ended up being just the kind of stretch that would define my career. I later went on the sing the role of the Mayor while I was studying at the Curtis Institute of music. Albert, like many other pieces for tenor, was created for Britten’s life partner Peter Pears.

OM: Yes, certainly. Peter Grimes, Captain Vere, Quint in The Turn of the Screw, Aschenbach…I saw Peter Pears perform on stage twice years ago: Aschenbach in Death in Venice in 1974 and Captain Vere in Billy Budd in 1978, both Metropolitan Opera premieres. His BBC film of Peter Grimes in 1969 is a classic.

JS: Exactly! Let’s just say Britten is an expert of the tenor voice and knows exactly where to place every note.

OM: Are there any unique challenges to Albert?

JS: Albert is a very shy, timid, young guy who is incredibly devoted to his mother and her good wishes for his life. But let’s just say she’s a helicopter mom. Albert is maturing, though, and just wants to live his life and make new experiences. Bam…there’s some conflict brewing. For example, when it’s announced that Albert will become the first King of the May, his Mum is overjoyed, but when he expresses his reservations, he’s shy after all, it pushes Mum to threaten him. She sends him to his room, which starts to push Albert over the edge.

OM: Before this we get a glimpse of the range of his fear of Mum: as Albert is cleaning up in their grocery store, he overhears Sid and Nancy, delightful young persons around his age, who are free to be happy, flirt, kiss, laugh, smile…“courting a girl is the King of all sports” Sid sings…but poor Albert trembles with fear that his Mum will catch him listening to their songs.

JS: Exactly!

OM: But then comes the coronation of the King of the May!

JS: Yes, and Albert is totally overwhelmed by the entire ceremony. Just imagine the entire city celebrating you, making speeches in his honor, singing songs to him, giving gifts. It’s like going viral and suddenly being thrown into the public. It’s a tough day for poor Albert…little does he know that his drink is spiked…

OM: As I recall, Sid provides the rum…

JS: Yes, and that drink primes him to go out to take charge of his life. Albert “pinches” a bike and goes to a pub. The crowd fears the worst, everyone lamenting, until he shows up with a big smile. Lady Billows and the town officials and Mum storm away disgusted…

OM: It’s a coming of age tale!

All right, two more questions: first, what are your current go-to roles (opera), two or three current favorites and maybe a goal, a work in progress?

JS: Hmm…let me think, a lot going on…I’m really enjoying singing different styles from dramatic Rossini roles like Antenore in Zelmira or Otello. Also, I recently sang my first Rodolfo, which fits like a glove. I’m learning that an artist should have a collection of “gloves” of expression.

OM: Interesting.

JS: Also, it’s wonderful to be able to keep my versatility from my jazz background and bring it to the classical world. I think the voice is a remarkably limitless instrument. The boundaries are only in our minds, so I actively remind myself of this and push the limits. As artists it is our duty to continue to push the limits of the genre and not become slaves to tradition. This production will be a beautiful mix of the old and the new.

OM: When you are not singing or rehearsing, what do you do to wind down, take a break, chill?

JS: When I’m not singing or rehearsing, I’m out in nature or working on non-classical musical projects. Some amazing things cooking up.

OM: Wonderful. Always open to the new! Thank you, Joshua, for your answers.

JS: Thank you for including me, it’s truly a pleasure to make my role debut here with the Princeton Festival and marvelous Maestro Milanov.

OM: The Princeton Festival is one of my favorites! Best wishes for the performances! I’m a big fan of English opera, particularly Britten.

Best to you all! OM.