Cortland native is feasting on role

YOUNGSTOWN

Michael Young will return to Opera Western Reserve this year for the third time in four years.

The 28-year-old Lakeview High graduate will sing the role of Masseto in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” on Friday at Stambaugh Auditorium.

Young, who appeared in OWR’s “La Boheme” last year and “Tosca” in 2011, comes from a musical family. His father was band director at Lakeview, and his mother was choir director at Mathews High and at their church.

Young started as a drummer in the Lakeview High band, and then joined the school choir on a whim. “The choir director told me I should take voice lessons, so I began studying with Wade Riordan [of Youngstown],” he said.

Young earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, and he still lives in that city.

He is joined by two of his Cincinnati colleagues in “Don Giovanni”: Danielle Messina as Zerlina and Luis Alejandro Orozco in the title role.

For the rehearsal period leading up to the performance, Young is staying with his family in Cortland and enjoying himself.

“I get to spend three weeks with my family, eating my mom’s cooking, while doing what I love to do and getting paid for it. Plus, I get to drag one of my friends down to hell,” he said, a reference to a scene in which Don Giovanni gets his comeuppance.

Young can see himself singing the role of Masetto a lot as his young career progresses. “It’s a bread and butter role,” he said. “It’s not that much of a time commitment, but it brings attention.”

The role is also a career-booster for Young. “Opera Western Reserve is giving me an opportunity to put a big main-stage role on my resume,” he said.

In addition to working with some seasoned professionals in a world-class concert hall, Young also is learning a lot at OWR from the directors.

He had high praise for music director Susan Davenny Wyner, who was an opera singer years ago.

“We are fortunate to have her,” said Young. “She tells you more new things about the role than you knew about it in the first place. She knows so much about the subtleties of the Italian language.”

—Guy D’Astolfo, The Vindicator