Meet the Students: Sarah Fleiss

Sarah Fleiss is a member of the 2019 incoming class. A mezzo-soprano, she studies in the voice program and has already performed many roles in opera and musical theatre. When not creating characters onstage, she enjoys being in the audience; yoga and outdoor pursuits are some of her favorite ways to spend her spare time.

What was your first musical memory?
My first musical memory is from when I was about three years old. My parents noticed that I was always singing at home, and could tell that I loved it, so when we went to visit my sick grandfather in a nursing home, they asked me to sing. Not knowing the full weight of the situation, I cheerily sang “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and went along with my life. Looking back now, I see how important that moment was. I never got to fully communicate with my grandfather, and sharing such an intimate part of myself with him—my voice—must have meant the world to him.

You’ve performed quite a bit in opera—and also in musical theater. How would you compare the two experiences?
I grew up surrounded by musical theater. I performed in a multitude of shows every summer at a performing arts camp, and did countless productions in school as well. In a sense, being on stage and inhabiting characters was all I knew, and I loved it with every fiber of my being! I felt most myself when I sang.

The main difference that I felt when I first performed in opera was that, although it reflects the most intimate and primal moments we as humans can experience, these are inherently heightened. I have never felt that opera and musical theater were that different at their core—but that each form simply tells stories and utilizes artists in differing ways. Like an actor does through dialogue, dance and music, the job of an opera singer is to tell a story with their voice.

How did you hear about Curtis?
Last summer, I did a voice program in beautiful Tuscany, Italy, and had the pleasure of meeting Danielle Orlando, now one of the new vocal program heads alongside Eric Owens. Danielle conveyed to me how wonderful a place Curtis is, and how it is almost a safe haven for young musicians. Curtis’s “learn by doing” approach seemed marvelous to me, as I have always learned the most by just going up and doing it.

What was the most interesting thing that happened to you in your first week here?
Some Curtis friends and I attended a jazz concert out in Fishtown. It was an amazing show: standards, experimental sessions, electronic music, and even some jazz violin. It’s fascinating how we can spend all day studying and thinking about classical music, but can go 15 minutes out of Center City and have a musical experience that is on the opposite end of the spectrum.

What are you looking forward to most about attending Curtis?
I am looking forward to the opportunity to simply explore different music, different ways of thinking about music, and the different ways in which I can use my voice. Not to mention the people that fill these halls! They are some of the smartest and most passionate I have ever seen, and are pursuing music out of pure love and joy. The world could really use more of that!