Bernardo Bermudez – Tenor
Fourth in a Series
“Be prepared” works not only for boy scouts but
also for opera singers – as Venezuelan American
tenor Bernardo Bermudez’s journey through the
recent challenging months reveals.
Contracted to sing the lead role of Diego Rivera in
four productions of the opera Frida by Robert
Xavier Rodríguez, Bernardo took part in only one,
with Anchorage Opera. Due to COVID-19,
productions with Opera Cultura in the Bay Area
and Long Beach Opera were cancelled while the
fourth, with Portland Opera, was postponed indefinitely.
Fortunately, Bernardo had alternatives to fall back on. He holds a B.A. in
psychology from the University of California Irvine and has had extensive
experience with community outreach performances for kids through San Diego
Opera, LA Opera, and Long Beach Opera. And he and his singing partner,
Victoria Robertson, had already created a touring company, Opera4Kids, to
promote live performance for children.
With the onset of the pandemic, Bernardo and Victoria switched gears and
created “Musical Make Believe,” an online learning platform for children on
YouTube, assisted by grants from the Music Academy of the West in Santa
Barbara.
“We have created a series of interactive education videos encompassing topics
from music history and appreciation to music theory, presented by the Princess
and the Fox who are the lead characters from our original opera for kids, The
Enchanted Tail,” Bernardo explains. “We highlight different musical
instruments, employ puppetry, and invite guest professional musicians to
introduce fun facts about their instruments.”
“What sets The Enchanted Tail apart from other children’s programming is
threefold,” Bernardo explains. “We wrote a unique story, composed transitional
music to give the show a sense of Disney-like movement, and hired
established singers who truly love singing for kids. Bernardo explains, “It’s a
pastiche opera, weaving arias, duets, and music from opera, operetta, and
classical music into a cohesive, kid-friendly, engaging story with lovable
characters. We try to give children the highest level of artistry possible.”
Available online, The Enchanted Tail also can be presented live, indoors or
out. Accompaniment can range from solo piano to string quartet to full
orchestra. It requires only two singers. The production runs from 35 to 45
minutes, in deference to children’s shorter attention spans.
The opera and other videos of their Musical Make Believe programming is
available HERE. In The Enchanted Tale, you’ll see Bernardo as the loud-
singing Woodsman who turns into a silent Fox and Victoria as the feisty clever
Princess and bad-tempered Witch.
This past June, The Enchanted Tail was broadcast three times on San Diego’s
education channel, ITV 16. More than 5,000 children from the San Diego
community, most of them attending Title 1 schools, have seen the full
production. It is scheduled to rebroadcast at noon on Friday, October 2,
Wednesday, October 7, and Friday, October 16.
Bernardo has not forgotten the Buffs’ support. “This amazing organization not
only provided me with the financial assistance to meet many of the expenses
that come with a career, but they provided me with incredible performance
opportunities,” he says. “Singing Morales and covering Escamillo in the
production of “Carmen in Concert” – alongside opera superstars Kelley
O’Connor, Charles Castronovo, and Rod Gilfry – was one of my most
important learning experiences. The ability to work with very supportive
colleagues at the peak of their artistry is something you cannot put a price on.”
About this series – It’s a challenge to be grateful to COVID-19, but one good
thing the pandemic has fostered is adaptation and CREATIVITY. Our Opera
Buffs’ singers exemplify this, as our series will reveal. Many have become
solopreneurs par excellence – off on adventures despite sheltering in place.
Through the power and beauty of their imagination, their spirit, and their
voices, our young artists have discovered new ways, often through unfamiliar
terrain, to share their artistry. We look forward to applauding the initiative of
our singers by sharing their stories with you.