Singer Spotlight: Dora Brooks

Singer Spotlight Dora Brooks

Dora Brooks is a featured soloist in our up-coming Minoru Opera Nights Concert. She is a talented, young soprano, currently living in New Westminster.  Dora has been involved in almost every show in DragonDiva's history:  Gianetta in Elixir of Love, The Sandman in Hansel and Gretel, Phyllis in Iolanthe, and Naomie and Cinderella in last year's Cinderella.  She also branched out a bit last year and costumed Cinderella with Lisa-Dawn Kilthau.  Dora also sang in last year's New Westminster Cultural Crawl at the Irving House Museum.  Dora's operatic roles also include Virtu and Drusilla in La Coronazione di Poppea, and Emmie in Albert Herring.  She has performed numerous partial roles, including Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Echo and Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, and the title role in Flotow's Martha, to name a few!  Dora Also was the  female lead in the premier of the musical Stump City Stories, by George Ryan in 2009, and the remount with New Westminster Secondary School in 2010.  Dora is looking forward to the busy musical year coming up.

Dora as Naomie in Cinderella

We had a chance to catch up with Dora
and ask her a few questions.  Here's
what she had to say.

(Q) What is your favorite experience
with DragonDiva so far?

(A) It seems corny, but I've had a
'special' experience (and a great
time) each time I've been invovled
in a DragonDiva production. My
favorite?  Hmm...well, it was super
stressful, but last summer's
production of Cinderella is tops
on my list.  Playing a lead role,
understudying the title role (with
a performance, even!), and
co-costuming the show was about
the craziest thing I've ever done - and I LOVED it!

(Q) What show would you absolutely go GAGA for DragonDiva to produce, and what role would you sing?

(A) Le Nozze di Figaro - full stop.  How awesome would that production be? As for which role - can I choose Susannah AND Countess? Yes? Why not...

Dora as Gianetta in Elixir of Love

(Q) If you could be a different voice type in order to sing a single role what would it be and why.

(A) Lyric coloratura. That might seem strange to those who know me and my aversion to too many notes on a single syllable' (I swear I get hives...), but two of my favorite characters fall into this voice type:  Ophelia in Thomas' Hamlet, and Zerbinetta in Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos. Ophelia has one of the *BEST* mad/death scenes (or should I say 'act'), and who doesn't want to sing Zerbinetta's incredible marathon aria, singing for over 20 mins straight? Or maybe I am just nuts.  If I had to choose between these two, I'd choose, well, both.

Final Thought:  I must admit I was hoping to hear Dora say that she wanted to be a Basso or perhaps a baritone singing Flying Dutchman just for the funniness of it but I am sure glad that she sings what she does because she has one of the most beautiful soprano voices I have heard.  I for one would pay big dollars to hear her sing Zerbinetta.

Don't miss your chance to hear Dora singing at our Minoru Concert in Richmond and be sure to stay-tuned for our next Singer Spotlight Featuring:  Lisa-Dawn Kilthau and for chances to win tickets to our upcoming Cabaret Around the World at the Massey Theatre on May 14th.