As I took my seat at the Academy of Music for opening night of Opera Philadelphia’s production of The Anonymous Lover by the Chevalier de Saint-Georges last month, I was curious to see how this performance would recreate an opéra comique created for an 18th-century French salon. What struck me the most throughout the evening was a sense of camaraderie among the musicians onstage and in the pit. It was clear that conductor Kalena Bovell had created an atmosphere of collaboration and mutual respect — a feeling made manifest at the curtain call.
Bovell is an educator, conductor and poet. A versatile musician with wide ranging interests, she was awarded the 2024 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, the highest honor granted by the organization. Her open-minded approach to learning and creating music has brought her some groundbreaking opportunities — as the first Black woman to conduct an opera in Canada (Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha); directing the Chineke! Orchestra at the BBC Proms; and as a featured conductor on Coleridge-Taylor, an album featuring the music of the late 19th-century African-British composer.
A tireless advocate for music education, Bovell was the Music Director of the MSO Youth Orchestra for several years, and will lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s first ever presentation of Carnegie Hall’s Link Up program, working with students from grades 3-5 as well as appearing as a clinician with youth ensembles around the country.
She is the former Assistant Conductor of the Memphis Symphony, and has appeared as a guest conductor with the Minnesota Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, and Orchestre classique de Montréal. Opera Philadelphia welcomed Bovell to town last month to conduct Joseph Bologne's The Anonymous Lover. We talked over Zoom between performances; here is an edited transcript of our conversation.
You said this was your second opera. Can you talk to me about the difference in preparing for an opera versus working with symphony orchestras?
I feel like opera is a whole separate beast, because you're adding voices on top of it, you're adding text. And you're adding emotion.There's staging, there's drama. So what I have slowly been learning is that it all comes back to the text, because the music was written to enhance whatever that text is saying. When I did my first opera, I was emailing and contacting a lot of colleagues to be like: “Hey, I need you to teach me how to opera.” A lot of people said to start with the text, but what does that mean? Well, you should read the text like it's a poetry book or a story, and just get to know the drama and what's going on behind the words. Then once you figure that out, start singing through every single vocal line, which takes time — because yes, I can sing, but I'm not a classically trained singer. I don't play piano, and most conductors who do opera are pianists; my first instrument was violin. But I sang through every single line both vertically and horizontally. And then I had to go into my translation so that I could understand what was being said. Once I had all of those pieces, it was OK. What's happening musically? And now what's the tempo that's going to help to really bring out the drama of what's going on within this text? I think there are a lot more layers in opera, compared to a symphonic work.
Yes, timing is there as well, especially in Anonymous Lover. I thought it was really interesting that they made the choice to do the dialogue in spoken English, and sometimes over instrumental accompaniment. As I was listening, I wondered if that was a recitative that was just turned into dialogue.
Dennis Whitehead Darling (the stage director) made that conscious choice to have the music underneath. One, to help propel and keep that story moving. But then also to set up the drama of what was about to happen with the aria. All of the dialogue that you've heard was in the original composition. But the way that it all fits together, I think it works beautifully.
It really does. At first, I wasn't ready for that much dialogue, but by the end you felt like you were back in an 18th century French salon, which was pretty great.
I think what's also cool is that everything was really relatable. Yes, you were transported to the 18th century, but we've all felt love, loss, desire, fear. Letting someone know, “Hey, I have feelings for you,” but not knowing how they're going to react. I felt that every audience member could really relate to what was happening.
Definitely. So does this mean you're an opera convert?
I wouldn't go that far. I just want to be a well-rounded conductor. The way I think of everything is: why limit yourself? So I would love to be able to do more opera, more symphonic stuff, more films. But I just want to be able to do everything, because you only have one life. Why not stretch yourself?
Absolutely. What's your next dream project?
Honestly, I really would love to conduct metal bands. I'm a huge death metal head, really. And so to conduct for Evanescence on tour with her band, and then take a work trip. Or form an orchestra, you know like the stuff that Metallica did. There is a band in England called Bring Me the Horizon, and they have this great concert online with an orchestra. If I could do that and then, two weeks later, go conduct a Brahms symphony, I’d be into that.
I love this plan for you. So a combination of death metal and then Brahms symphonies, and maybe a little bit of Chevalier. I did want to make sure we came back and talked about your first opera: Scott Joplin's Treemonisha. That's a pretty epic work, and problematic in certain ways, right? The score, specifically. That's quite a way to jump into opera. What was it like to be given that score?
Honestly, it was daunting, because that was my very first opera. And so to be presented with a re-imagined version of the score…I mean, Gunther Schuller’s (edition) premiered with the Houston Grand Opera in the ‘70s. As I was listening back and just really sitting with that piece of it, it was vastly different compared to what Jessie Montgomery and Jannina Norpoth had done with our reimagined version. So for me, it was almost like I had to take what had been done and leave it in the past, because it wasn't as relevant to what they were doing with the music currently. The way that we did our performance, the first act, the third act are Scott Joplin. But it's the second act that is completely Jannina (Norpoth). You know: how do we tell the story musically and make it authentic? Because this is something that no one's ever going to hear before. The fact that our score contained folks from musical theater, it contained people who actually were rock musicians, pop musicians, plus classical singers. How do you bring all of these people together in one room and try to get them on the same page for this work? So it was a lot of juggling. And musically, it was a beast of a score. You're trying to pull out all that drama and all of that text and trying to understand what's going on. I absolutely love the production that we did.
If you could distill that Treemonisha production, what was your takeaway?
Personally, it was seeing the storytelling of opera that I didn't know existed. I didn't know how much acting and performing and repetition went into the opera process. And so for me, that was really eye opening. And as a learning experience, it was something that allowed me to become a little bit more comfortable with myself on the podium — that it's okay to have this flexibility in music. Musically, I just love the fact that we were able to blend so many different styles and genres in our production. It affirmed that, yeah, I believe this is the future of classical music. For me, being a conductor who loves classical, who loves death metal, who loves R&B, the fact that we were able to blend all of those things into this production, that was just so affirming for me.
That's pretty extraordinary. Now, can we turn that same question to Anonymous Lover? What will you take away from this experience?
You really do get to see Bologne's genius and take the music for what it is. And I'm excited to learn more about Bologne the man because obviously there's a story there that not many of us know. And personally, I just felt so welcome. That's hard as a conductor, because you live such an isolated life. So to just feel so welcome during this production, to feel like it really was a collaborative process all around. It was absolutely beautiful.
You said you found your people in this production. That's so wonderful. I'd love to hear more about your journey as a conductor. How did you begin?
It was by accident, honestly. I mean, my entire music career was an accident. I accidentally started singing when I was nine, because in elementary school, the choir teacher, Ms. Carlisle, went to every classroom and gave everyone a test because she was trying to fill the chorus. And I was like, I can sing? Really? Because honestly, before then, I never had any affinity or interest. All of a sudden, I discovered this thing and then I couldn't stop doing that thing. I got to middle school and I really wanted to be in choir, but it didn't fit in my schedule, so I was put into a beginning strings class. I went to the counselor and said, “There's been a mistake, I don't play instruments. I sing.” And they're like, “Yeah, no, now you play instruments.”
So I got into this beginning strings class and my teacher told me, “You play violin.” After four weeks of just putting fingers to strings and plucking and learning about the instrument and how to care for it, once I finally put bow to string, I was like, “Yeah, OK, this is what I want to do. I love this.” But I was behind. I mean, I’m self-taught. My parents didn't know anything about classical music or the resources that existed. They assumed that what she's getting in middle school and high school is great, and that's all she needs. But once I became serious about it, there was no one to tell them about private teachers or conservatory programs or what the next steps would be. So I was very behind.
When I got to college, I thought that I was going to be a violinist, a performance major. When I took my first audition and I heard all of my friends practicing, I was like, “I don't play like them, what's happening? This is a whole different world that I had never heard before.” Because now I was listening to people who had started playing when they were three or four. I thought I was good. And then I realized I actually am not. So I went to college for music education and we all had to take a year of instrumental conducting. The first time I stepped on the podium and gave a downbeat, I was just like, “I don't know what this is, but this is it for me.” I knew then that conducting was what I wanted to do.
So here you are as an undergrad giving a downbeat on the podium. How did you get here today? It's probably not been an easy journey.
Oh, no, no, not at all. I decided I wanted to conduct probably about 2008 or 2009, and I started taking private lessons. In 2010, I saved up enough money to attend my first conducting workshop at the Conductor's Retreat at Medomak. That was a really transformative experience, and I always say that is when my conducting life started. That's when I found my confidence, that's when I really found that if I believed in myself, I could actually do this thing. After that, I started taking auditions for grad school programs. When I got to the aural skills evaluation, they wanted me to identify these intervals, do some dictation, all these different things. And I was sitting there looking at the paper and I was like, “I can't do any of these things, because my ear hasn't truly developed yet.” So going into the interview, one of the professors asked me: “How do you explain this?” I was like, “I can't.” And he just looks at me and says, “So if you can't hear that your fourth horn player is flat, how are you supposed to fix that?” And that was an eye-opening thing for me. I realized that I still had many holes in my education and that if I were going to be a competitor, I needed to really fill in those gaps. So I actually went back to school and took ear training and theory again, to really strengthen my ear.
I always tell that story, because it takes a lot of grit, you know. Some people might have said. “I don't want to do this anymore.” And I've had those moments, but I've always tried to take those moments and think: “OK, what went well, what didn't go well, and how can you make those weaknesses into a strength?” And that's how I've always tried to approach everything. So I ended up auditioning at four different schools the second time around, and I was accepted at The Hartt School, which was my dream school. I moved 3,000 miles to go study with my teacher. And it was the best decision that I could have made for myself.
I love that. So when we first started speaking, you said you were a conductor, an educator, and a poet. Can we talk about the education piece of your career and how you feel about music education?
I'm really passionate about music education because I am a product of music education. It's always so frustrating when music and music education are always the first things that are cut. You know, I think about my elementary school. Yes, I got to sing in choir, but my brother got to play the accordion. He was not happy about it. I mean, he really wanted to play the saxophone, but he got to play a musical instrument. By the time I got to fifth grade, that program had been cut because the funding had been cut. So there was no longer access to musical instruments. I think about all the people that I know who were able to play music in elementary or middle school or high school, and how it showed them different avenues that they could follow.
My conducting teacher, Edward Cumming, always says music is a thing that saved his life. Music gave him focus. For me, first finding singing, then violin, then finding conducting — that is because of music education. I try to make it a point to do some type of educational outreach every season, whether it's working with a youth ensemble, a university group, doing clinics or residencies. I think it's important to show devotion to a cause, and it's also important to show students that music can have a positive impact on their lives.
Just as an example, I started sponsoring a young violist in Memphis. This came out of the Sphinx Medal of Excellence Award that I won earlier last year. After I received that award, I thought, OK, I really want to do something for my community. What can I do? I've been sponsoring a child from the Dominican Republic for the past three and a half years. What if I sponsored a young student who's really talented, who may not have as much support? So I pitched the idea to the Memphis Youth Symphony. I said, “This is what I want to do and this is my criteria. Do we have anyone who fits this model?” They did. And I’ve told her, “I want you to know that outside of your parents, you have me as a support system. I'm going to be your biggest cheerleader to let you know that you can achieve your dreams. You’ve just got to work towards it.” That's why I think education is such a valuable tool.
I couldn't agree more. If you could wave a magic wand and change things, from an educational standpoint, what would you like to do?
The first thing we have to do is provide access at a younger age, and that access has to be consistent. I have learned about programs where students have chorus or Suzuki or even Orff in elementary school. And when they get to middle school, they still have access to string instruments. But then they get to high school, and it's only access to band instruments. And, well, what about the kid who's serious about violin or viola or any of the string instrument families, who now will lose four years because their high school doesn't have resources? And so for me, it's about creating that access from a very early age and maintaining that access all the way through.
Do you think we as performers have a responsibility here?
That word, “responsibility.” I think that's a very difficult word because, and I'll give this example, as a Black Latina conductor, someone once asked me if I feel it's my responsibility to program works by composers of color. I said no. And they took a real issue with that. I don't want to program something for the sake of saying that I did this. I don't want to program a concert of all Black composers because I'm a Black person. That's not my responsibility. But I do think my responsibility is to give voices to people and to present these voices to an audience who didn't know they need to hear these voices. And so when I say, is it our responsibility? No, but I think it comes down to a choice. For me, I live strongly by, “People can't be what they can't see.” And that the best thing that you can do for a child is show devotion to a cause. That's what I feel responsible for. And so that's how I try to live my life as an educator in this world.
That's a good reframing, I appreciate that. Last but certainly not least, let’s speak about you as a poet. Were you always writing?
No, no, no. Poetry was another happy accident. Well, happy or sad accident, I don't know how you look at it. People may not know that I battled depression for five years between the ages of 19 and 24. Poetry for me, at that time, was just a way to get all of my feelings out. I’m very introverted, which many people don't know because of my job. I used to keep everything in, and I just would not open up about many things. So things would fester, until my depression happened. Poetry was a way to get at my feelings without being judged. But then that eventually kind of switched, which was interesting. About two years into my writing, I remember thinking, ”You're really selfish.” Because there are people out there who feel as though they're not allowed to have a voice. And what if you wrote from the perspective of being the voices for those people and letting them know that it's OK? That's actually how I write to this day. Poetry for me was catharsis, and later it became connection: me and you.
Thank you for sharing that. I know that's a tender thing.
It is, but I also find sharing that because I think a lot of people look at musicians, creatives and artists and think, “Oh, everything is great.” That life is fantastic. No, we all go through these things. And actually, when I've done some residencies and I've talked about my life and my depression, a lot of students will say, “I have felt the exact same way.” It's still taboo to talk about mental health, and I am such a huge mental health advocate. Because, pardon my language, I've gone through hell and back, and I'm still here. I think it's so important that we talk about those things, because it is a part of life.
It's true. And as you alluded to earlier, you can't be what you can't see. So to know that people out there doing it in the business, actually making it work — have gone through the things and are still here to speak, to make music, to create, to make community — that's important.
One thing that I do as a conductor is, I try to show the transparency of it. Yes, we post the pictures, look at this amazing opening night. But I try to show the other side. “I haven't seen friends in two weeks because I'm studying for this concert,” or “Today was a really difficult day because of X, Y, and Z.” To document all of those things, I just want to show people that yes, I'm a conductor, but I'm also human and we should celebrate being human. I mean, yes, the glitz and the glamour is fantastic, but conducting and just life are more about the glitz and the glamour.
One last question: what do you see for yourself five years down the road?
I would love to be a music director somewhere. I would love to have a home base, meaning an orchestra within a community. A community that I can grow with, that we can build together, that we can really have an impact on the surrounding communities and people around us. But I also want to continue my career conducting internationally and around the U.S., and continue working with young students. And, you know, I want to do everything, because like I said, life is too short to just kind of limit yourself. So why not just go all in?
Kalena Bovell conducts the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on March 26 and 27, the Victoria Symphony on April 6, and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic on April 12 and 13. See her website for more dates and information.
