Lincoln, Neb.--Lauren Breed (B.M.E. 2024) was named a national finalist in the Opera Ebony Benjamin Matthews Vocal Competition.
She was one of six in her age group for the finals of the competition, which is named in honor of the founder of Opera Ebony, the longest continually operating Black opera company in the U.S.
“I simply couldn’t believe it,” Breed said. “It was definitely an unreal experience to find out. I remember sitting in a restaurant with my mom the night I had performed in the semi-finals at the National Opera of America space, and I was just grateful to have made the semis. When we go the e-mail that I would be in the finals the next morning, it was like nothing I had felt before. I felt like my efforts of programming, advocating and performing black composer works had been seen.”
Her vocal professor, Jamie Reimer Seaman, the Richard H. Larsen Professor of Music and Voice Area Head in the Glenn Korff School of Music, agreed that her hard work had paid off.
“It has been such a joy to watch Lauren discover a passion for advocacy through music,” she said. “Her commitment to opera and song composed by African Americans has stoked a fire that inspires her beautiful singing voice and her voice as an educator. I’m so happy to hear that her work is being recognized at a national level.”
For the competition, Breed performed “That Wild Fire” from the opera “Blake” by H. Leslie Adams; “Your Lips Are Wine” by H.T. Burleigh; “Give Me Jesus” by Hall Johnson; and “People Will Say We’re in Love” from “Oklahoma.”
“I gained a whole new appreciation and admiration of the work that I do to advocate for black composers,” Breed said. “My main mission in performing is to tell the stories and experiences of the composers who wrote this wonderful music, and I felt I shared my story and my passion for advocation throughout my time in this competition.”
The judges for the competition included Broadway’s Brian Stokes Mitchell.
“The whole panel of judges was stacked with people of amazing talent, but to get to perform for greats like him and Maquita Lister was truly an experience like no other,” Breed said. “It made the whole experience of performing on a New York City space even more surrel than it already was. It was truly magical.”
Breed is currently teaching K-5 music at Indian Hill, a title one school in Omaha, Nebraska, where she integrates her lessons with the culture around her.
“I want my kids to know as much about Mozart as they do about Boulogne,” she said. “When I am not teaching music, I am teaching voice lessons at SNJ, assistant coaching show choir at Lewis Central, performing in competitions and performing with Resonance choir. I recently started performing with Opera Omaha in their Opera Chorus.”
While Breed had a number of highlights during her time studying in the Glenn Korff School of Music, it was her experience with Reimer Seaman that had the biggest impact.
“Some major highlights for me besides performing in France and with the Danny Elfman concert with the University Singers was my experience with Dr. Reimer,” she said. “Dr. Reimer shaped my path with introducing me to my first-ever art song written by a black composer (“Your Lips Are Wine,” ironically), and it opened my eyes to a world I didn’t know existed, which fueled my fire and my fight to have education within our programs.”
She said Opera Ebony is dedicated to uplifting black performers and composers within the music canon.
“I am beyond grateful that Opera Ebony was able to see my efforts and passion for advocation within performing,” she said. “And for that, I will be forever grateful for this experience.”
