.png){kind=logo}
Sarah Kim sits down with tenor, and 2022 Glimmerglass Young Artist, Fran Daniel Laucerica to uncover some behind-the-scenes of this rising star's life and career.
Sarah Kim: What is your hometown?
Fran Daniel Laucerica: My hometown is Miami, Florida.
S: Did you grow up with any pets or do you currently have any?
F: I've always grown up with pets. Our first dog was named Dorotea, which is Spanish for Dorothy. We had a Dalmatian named Fiona, named after Fiona from Shrek, and my brother got a dog for the family when I left for college, so we've had [Ezio] who's like a lab mix, for I guess… since 2013? But we also had outdoor cats and some fish.
S: What's the craziest thing that has ever happened to you on stage?
F: You mean like unplanned? I guess, in the grand scheme of my life, it's not that crazy, but I've had, because I get them all the time, nosebleeds.
S: Oh no! I always forget that that's a thing that can happen…
F: Yeah, yeah, and especially if you're not aware of how cool it gets very quickly, and if you're not humidifying.
S: Are there crazy things that were planned that happened to you on stage?
F: I was part of this really interesting production, actually with with Donald's group, The Crossing, where the choir was only in 12 minutes of this big devised theater piece. Essentially, we were dressed up as trilobites, like prehistoric organisms, so our costumes were like big and made out of hula hoop tubes that had fabric stretched over them, and we couldn't move our arms because they were like… inside of our costumes… and in front of us were three wrestling mats, with wrestlers actively wrestling in front of us, while we sang like aleatoric music. I’d say that that's probably one of the wilder things. I don’t know if that’s “crazy”.
S: chuckling. That definitely fits the description.
S: What are you listening to this summer? What's your go-to jam?
F: Definitely the new Kendrick Lamar album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. I've been listening to Tyler’s [the Creator] new album, Call Me If You Get Lost – a lot of that. Honestly, my go-to is just my Spotify daily mix – whatever comes up first – which is kind of unfortunate, because I just hear the same songs over and over again. It's fine – ‘cause I like them, otherwise I wouldn't be listening to them – but at the same time, I wish that I could discover a little bit more. Since most of the music that I listen to is like on the way to work, I don't really have time to curate a playlist, or something.
S: I can definitely relate to that.
S: Who is your dream collaborator?
F: Man, that's a question I haven't thought about. Honestly, in terms of somebody I never thought that I would work with, and that I am [currently working with] is Francesca Zambello. She's worked with every legend in this career, and so the fact that she's now my director for the show, and she knows me by name, and we're friends, and we make jokes, and I give her gum in rehearsals [Sarah chuckles] like that's… that's pretty wild. In terms of somebody I actually would like to perform alongside… Hmm… Jacob Collier. That's a very different realm, but I just have so much admiration for him as an artist that I would do anything to be a part of his performances.
S: We'll give them a call for you after [the interview].
F: laughs Yeah, right!
S: What is the single most important thing you do offstage and out of the practice room?
F: Important is tough… I don't know if I should respond as like important to others, important to the world, important to myself… I will say, listening and interacting with new people. I feel like it makes me better every day. I also think that if you can be there for other people, that's like one of the most beautiful ways to show love.
S: Oof, mic drop.
F: Oof, yeah! Yeah.
S: Anything else that you want to add or share?
F: I'm excited about my projects that are coming up, but outside of that… Come see Tenor Overboard at Glimmerglass!
A note from the editor - Tenor Overboard has closed since the time of this interview, but you can hear Fran during the 22/23 season as an Emerging Artist with Virginia Opera.