As Jean Valjean asked in Les Miserables, “Who am I?”
It’s a question I’ve asked myself often in my life. And I’ve had to reinvent, redefine, and reintroduce myself a few times in my life.
Twelve years ago, I moved to Baltimore and decided to take Thomas back as my performing name and hyphenate it with O’Meally for teaching. The explanation of why I did that is here in my blogpost “Only the names have been changed.” (Note – the format of this is an absolute MESS because it came from a previous platform, and I was trying to clean it up but I would have to retype it and … the content is there and that’s what counts.)
Since my performing is winding down somewhat – I’ve decided not to return to Washington National Opera for a variety of reasons, some logistic, many political – I’ve decided that I’m going to go back to my legal name – Christine O’Meally.
I told someone that and she said, “Oh – did you get divorced?”
Well, yes. 30 years ago. (And, coincidentally, my ex died exactly one year ago today – weird.)
Everything else is the same. Just fewer letters to type and fewer syllables to speak!
You’ll find that there are still a few websites, platforms, and graphics that will say Thomas or Thomas-O’Meally on them. I’ll change them as I find them. I’ve fixed them on the website and most of my socials.
I may need to reinvent and redefine myself a time or two more in my personal and professional life.
But as far as reintroducing myself, this should be the last time I have to answer the question, “Who am I?” – at least in terms of my name.
Nice to meet you (again!)
*****
Looking for summer lessons? Fall lessons? Home for the summer and want to keep your technique up? Planning a longer-term commitment? I have a few spots open – find out how to work with me!
Christine O'Meally, a mezzo soprano and voice teacher currently based in the Baltimore-DC area, has performed everything from the motets of J.S. Bach to the melodies of Irving Berlin to the minimalism of Philip Glass.
As an opera singer and actress, she has appeared with companies such as Charm City Players, Spotlighters Theatre, Chicago Opera Theater, Opera Theater of Northern Virginia, Opera North, the Washington Savoyards, In Tandem Theatre, Windfall Theater, The Young Victorian Theater of Baltimore, and Skylight Opera Theatre. She created the role of The Woman in Red in Dominick Argento’s Dream of Valentino in its world premiere with the Washington Opera and Mary Pickersgill in O'er the Ramparts at its world premiere during the Bicentennial of Battle of Baltimore at the Community College of Baltimore County. Other roles include Mrs. Paroo in Music Man, Mother Abbess in Sound of Music, Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte, Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro, both Hansel and the Witch in Hansel & Gretel, and many roles in Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. Her performance as the Housekeeper in Man of La Mancha was honored with a WATCH award nomination.
Ms. O'Meally received an M.M. in vocal performance from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. She regularly attends master classes and workshops in both performance and vocal pedagogy, and is certified in all three Levels of Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method. Her students have performed on national and international tours of Broadway productions, at prestigious conservatories, and in regional theater throughout the country.
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