Stephen Brown is Company Manager of New York’s Metropolitan Opera Company, as well as a practicing vocal judge and a trained singer. Since joining the Met in 1979, he has served in numerous roles, including stage manager and marketing consultant, and has participated in the Met’s music education programs. His career prior to coming to the Met included time with the Opera Company of Boston, the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain, and the Royal Court Theatre, London.
Stephen Brown, Company Manager of New York’s Metropolitan Opera gives a master class in opera and singing to a group of students at Loyola University, New Orleans. After giving some insights into the challenges of teaching and judging students of voice, he assesses the work of four students and gives feedback on their performances. Among the topics he addresses are: stagecraft and acting, breath control, focus and projection, and the importance of context to a successful performance.
In this segment of a panel discussion held at Loyola University, New Orleans in 2008, moderator Stephen Brown introduces the panelists: entertainment attorney Kendall Minter, entertainment attorney Carol Guess, producer Benny Diggs, student and street team organizer Ben Brubecker, communications professor Lisa Martin, and producer Mike Moe.
Stephen Brown of the Metropolitan Opera continues his assessment of four voice students at Loyola University, New Orleans with a seminar in acting, as opposed to performing, a part. He leads a student through a dramatic reading of “How to Handle a Woman” from Lerner and Loewe's Camelot, in order to de-emphasize the meter and structure, and bring the meaning to the fore.
Stephen Brown of the Metropolitan Opera continues his assessment of four voice students at Loyola University, New Orleans with a deconstruction of the arts of breathing and phrasing as dramatic devices.
Stephen Brown, Company Manager of the Metropolitan Opera shares the story of his career with a class at Loyola University, New Orleans, and takes questions from the audience about building a singing career.
Stephen Brown of the Metropolitan Opera talks with a class at Loyola University, New Orleans about the special relationship between a music teacher and their student, and the devastating (or life-changing) effects that one flippant remark in a lesson can have on one’s confidence and career.
Stephen Brown of the Metropolitan Opera offers insights to a class at Loyola University, New Orleans into the process and difficulties of judging music competitions – in his case voice competitions. Among the topics he discusses are why judging is practically impossible to do well, what the goal of a great performance is, and how (as a judge or participant) to get through a competition with your wits and sanity intact.
Stephen Brown of the Metropolitan Opera begins his assessment of four voice students at Loyola University, New Orleans with a clinic in breath control, dynamics, and air column support.
Stephen Brown of the Metropolitan Opera continues his assessment of four voice students at Loyola University, New Orleans with a series of exercises meant to emphasize the words that the performer is singing, and strengthen the communicative power of the music.
Stephen Brown of the Metropolitan Opera continues his assessment of four voice students at Loyola University, New Orleans with a deconstruction of a student performance of an aria by Despina in Mozart’s Così fan Tutte, which leads into a discussion of the opera itself and the importance of putting your performance into the context of the piece and its history.
Stephen Brown of the Metropolitan Opera continues his assessment of four voice students at Loyola University, New Orleans with a deconstruction of a student performance of an aria by Despina in Mozart’s Così fan Tutte. He leads the student in reading the text of the aria without musical accompaniment so as to get inside the context, motivations and dramatic thrust of the narrative, and speaks to the class about the critical importance of understanding the context around the music you sing.
Stephen Brown of the Metropolitan Opera continues his assessment of four voice students at Loyola University, New Orleans with a discussion of dynamics, posture and breath placement prompted by a performance of “Der Lindenbaum” from Schubert’s Winterreise cycle.
Stephen Brown of the Metropolitan Opera continues his assessment of four voice students at Loyola University, New Orleans with a discussion of why volume is less important than focus and intensity for singers, and shares his experiences with singers who could sing at a mezzo-piano and reach the back of the house.
