Martin Luther Clark (Opera ’20)
Interviewed by Ali King
Director, Marketing and Business Development
Curtis Institute of Music
December 10, 2020
AK: Can Yoshi the dog make a cameo appearance today, and will you share his origin story?
MLC: Here’s Yoshi! He’s going to the groomer today for a much-needed refresher. Yoshi randomly showed up on my parents’ doorstep when I was back home in Marshall, Texas on May 1. I remember hearing a small dog barking outside my window — and keep in mind my parents live in the country where there are coyotes, owls, buzzards — and I thought, “This is not going to end well!” He didn’t have a tag or any chips, and we took him to the vet because his fur was all matted and he had fleas. When I first was petting him and looked into those sweet eyes, the name ‘Yoshi’ just popped into my head, and so that’s how Yoshi became my Yoshi.
AK: You’re currently a tenor with the Ryan Opera Center Ensemble at Lyric Opera of Chicago, a two-year program you started this spring. Tell me about moving to Chicago during a pandemic.
MLC: The program started virtually in May, but I didn’t move to Chicago (with Yoshi!) until June. It was a little stressful because I had to find a place to live in Chicago while hiring movers to transport my stuff from Philly, but Lyric Opera was always so gracious. The people there are really wonderful and nurturing. I’ve grown a lot in my artistry, mental development, and understanding of the professional world in the last few months.
AK: Is the program still running virtually?
MLC: By the end of June we were back in the theater, following CDC guidelines for in-person coachings. This means we rehearse in large rooms and everyone has their own music stand, dressing room, and sanitization station. There’s a form we fill out every day that asks about exposure risk and symptoms. People have been very creative to make sure that this art form still exists — adjusting room capacities, adding plexiglass and cameras, monitoring social distance, etc.
AK: You mentioned cameras. What has performing for the camera, rather than a live audience, taught you as a musician?
MLC: When you’re on stage performing live, you can kind of get away with some things because you’re being observed from a distance. On camera though, viewers see every micro expression; it’s almost as if they can read a performer’s mind. The intimacy of video has made me more mindful about heartfelt musicality and genuine facial expressions. I think I’ll carry that back on to the stage.
AK: Was this realization something you discovered, or were your coached differently for camera?
MLC: A bit of both — I was challenged by my teachers with the task of finding true authenticity in my artistry — to really be and show myself. This can be scary, and there’s a trust and boldness that comes with doing it. I had to remind myself that I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have if I hadn’t drawn upon that creative source within. It’s always been there. The pandemic has certainly given me time to get to know myself on a deeper level and be more spiritually aware.
AK: In the midst of so much forced isolation this year, it’s encouraging to hear stories of folks finding inspiration in the opportunity for introspection!
MLC: I’ve had to confront hard things too, like how past and current relationships have changed. I’ve turned off notifications for social media because I felt like I couldn’t be my best self with the negativity there. I tell people to email, text, and call if they need to reach me. I think it’s important as an artist to reflect inward in order to better serve humanity.
AK: When you finish your program at Lyric Opera, what do you hope to be doing?
MLC: I’d ideally like to be signed on to an agency, getting gigs, starting to freelance, looking at European fest contracts…I don’t think the pay in Europe is as high in the U.S., but the fringe benefits are more substantial than those typically offered here. It’s a dream of mine to become fluent in another language or two and travel extensively for my career.
AK: Who are some of your role models from the Curtis community?
MLC: Eric Owens, Karen Slack, J’Nai Bridges, Juan Diego Flórez…Curtis was a pivotal moment for me. I still consider it a utopia for musicians and feel warm feelings towards and from Curtis. I’d love to come back for masterclasses or Q&As with the next generation because I think there needs to be a better bridging of the gap between the academic and professional worlds. Young artists in my position could be key factors because we’re not so far from being full time students and still learning about the working world.
AK: It sounds like you’re describing a mentor relationship.
MLC: Yes, I think that’s right. Certain students might be more ready for it than others too, the closer to graduation they get.
AK: As we approach the end of the year, what project in 2020 excited you most creatively?
MLC: I just finished an opera workshop called The Factotum by Will Liverman here at Lyric Opera, which is based on the story of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville and set in modern day South Chicago. I love seeing operas for people of color that tell our stories in a more uplifting light, because the main reference in the opera world is Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, which is not 100% representative of the Black experience in America. This opera filled my heart and spirit to the brim because it incorporated the genres that I grew up listening to and got me started with singing — gospel, r&b, jazz, and rap. I’m looking forward to that work getting out into the world.
