On Tuesday night, the Hopkins Center for the Arts hosted renowned opera singer Nicole Heaston for a discussion surrounding her celebrated opera career and her thoughts on the industry overall for her first event as an artist in residence. During the event, Heaston shared notable clips from her past performances and details regarding her experiences in the world of opera with the Dartmouth community.
Moderator Filippo Ciabatti, co-founder of Dartmouth’s Opera Lab, and a few selected students asked Heaston questions on topics including the start of her musical career and the arts community’s obligation to become more accessible and diverse.
Ciabatti kicked off the event by asking Heaston how she discovered her passion for opera. Heaston noted that her musical trajectory was greatly defined by her high school music teacher, who helped her discover her talents as a soprano and encouraged her to explore opera. When Heaston was concerned about the lack of space for Black artists in the field, it was her high school music teacher who empowered her.
