OFM_Getting_Personal_1019_DEPT 9 / 20 / 19 4 : 26 PM Page 1 thrilling . I just love that moment in the show . Rodgers and Hammerstein perfectly and beautifully captured the joy and fear of every GETTING expectant father . 5 . I was born and raised in Apopka , Florida . I went to Dream Lake Elementary School , PERSONAL Apopka Memorial Middle School and West Orange High School , where my dad was the Opera Orlando’s Gabriel Preisser on staging principal . The Marriage of Figaro , the biggest miscon - ception people have about opera and reliving 6 . I wanted to be a star football player when I was a kid . Although , my mom says that I sibling rivalries on the football field . wanted to be president of the United States . Vampire ) , a Romantic German I still secretly would like to have a second career opera . There was something about as a sports broadcaster . the challenge of singing in foreign languages and the athleticism 7 . My wife and I have two kids . Grayson , required to perform on stage for our son , is 5 years old , and Cora , our daughter , several hours that really appealed just turned 3 . They say that no one can prepare to me . you for parenthood , which is certainly true , but I would add that no one can prepare you for the amount and the special kind of love 2 . My career took off when I parents have for their kids . They truly changed was chosen for the young artist my life , and I am ever grateful . program at Minnesota Opera . There I created the role of Lt . Gordon in the world premiere of 8 . My family and I have a special Silent Night , which ended up win - Thanksgiving tradition . Each year , we play ning the Pulitzer Prize and being the Annual Turkey Bowl football game . We broadcast nationally on PBS . That invite anyone and everyone to play , but it really led to landing an agent in New comes down to reliving sibling rivalries among York and booking singing gigs all me and my four brothers . Sometimes our sister over the country . plays , too . 3 . It has been an honor and 9 . I will be performing as Figaro in Opera privilege to carry forward the Orlando’s next production , The Marriage legacy of opera in Orlando and of Figaro . There is a reason that this opera is help introduce a new generation one of the top 10 operas performed every year . to its great stories and beautiful , Of course , the music is magnificent , perhaps rich music . Orlando has a won - Mozart’s greatest work , but I think the reason it derful history of presenting operas is still so often performed today is that the story for over 50 years , featuring stars involves real people , real attitudes , real relation - like Plácido Domingo and Beverly ships and real struggles . To make sure that Sills . When the recession hit in message comes through , we are updating the 2007 , sadly , the city’s old opera piece to 1915 ( think Downton Abbey ) . The show company , Orlando Opera , had to will run from Nov . 1 - 5 at the Dr . Phillips Center close . But in 2009 devoted fans for the Performing Arts . and patrons of opera founded Florida Opera Theatre , which then 10 . The biggest misconception about opera rebranded and relaunched as is the idea that it is a dying art form . It Opera Orlando in 2016 . Opera simply isn’t . There are new operas being com - truly sings to every heart , connecting us to our posed every day on topics as diverse as Anna 1 . Opera was not on my radar until college . history , to our humanity and to our community . Nicole Smith and Stephen King’s The Shining . I always sang , at church and in school shows , I think once people understand that the word probably because I was the youngest of six kids “ opera ” simply describes a musical work with in my family and just wanted to get attention . 4 . If I could witness any performance in words that is , at its core , a form of storytelling , Luckily , my high school teachers encouraged me history , it would be John Raitt as Billy then they’ll understand that opera is all around to audition for vocal performance at Florida State Bigelow in the premiere of Carousel . Hearing us , and while it is a part of our history , it is University , and I was accepted . At Florida State him live and in his prime , singing the high B - flat also a part of our future . the first opera I sang in was Der Vampyr ( The at the end of “ Soliloquy ” would be absolutely 8 ORLANDO FAMILY october 2019 ORLANDOFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM