My name is Devon Guthrie, and I am a professional opera singer and actor. I had the great pleasure of singing the principal roles of the Sandman and Dew Fairy with San Diego Opera in 2020 in our production of Hansel and Gretel and have the privilege to count myself among the company’s Teaching Artists.
My passion for the art of storytelling is the compass of my life. First, I was a dancer, then I discovered musical theater, and then one day my voice teacher introduced me to classical art song and opera, and I was hooked for life. I have always loved performing, but I needed encouragement and guidance as I spent long days and nights in the practice room learning technique. I needed support to try new things and develop my skills. I was lucky to have teachers who understood my enthusiasm. Even when the work was challenging, the challenge felt worthy – even joyful. To this day, I still get that spark of excitement when I find a new song that speaks to me. This joy of the artistic process must continue with the next generation.
And it does! Meet Salma, a participant in the Nancy and Steve Howard Young Voices Program. She began working with SDO Teaching Artists in elementary school. Now I help her prepare for auditions, work on roles for her high school productions, explore new repertoire, and develop her technique as a musician. She is a dedicated and self-motivated student who excels at honing her soprano range, musicianship, and expression through phrasing and dynamics.
And meet Dillon, a Lincoln High School student who began working with SDO Teaching Artists in 2021. Dillon comes to each Young Voices lesson with a curious enthusiasm, intelligent questions, and intuitive observations. Dillon has a beautiful tenor voice that is equally comfortable in the repertoire of the Rat Pack and the greatest hits of R&B.
As an SDO Teaching Artist, I foster young storytellers who bring new perspectives. I shepherd their vibrant inner imagination out into the world through the transformative and expressive power of the voice. This is the spark. This is the future of opera.
Sincerely,
Devon Guthrie
I'M SO BLACK
by Kimara Washington
I’m so black
So black that I have four black grandparents
So black that I collect grocery bags
So black that to this day I still sit between my mother’s legs and let her grease my scalp
So black my cousins made a pallet on grandma’s floor
So black I’m the oldest on my dad side and youngest on my mom’s side
So black that if I stand up for myself I am being defiant
So black that I cannot raise my voice without being labeled as dangerous or ghetto
So black that my grandmother makes black eyed peas every New Years
So black we got food at the house
So black that my hair is considered a part of my identity
So black that my great great grandmother worked
in the fields
So black that my grandma kept a blue cookie tin to keep her sewing supplies
So black that I sleep in a bonnet
So black that NO you can’t touch my hair
So black that I can still hear the sound of my beads clicking together as I play outside
So black that I have scars on my knees
So black that every few years I get sent an invitation to a family reunion
So black that I can still be the first in my family to achieve things
So black that I don’t eat the ends of the bread
So black that I can’t swim
So black that “when we get in this store don’t
touch nothin, don’t ask for nothin, cause you not getting nothin”
So black that my first gift as a baby was gold heart bamboos
So black that I got my clothes ironed every morning
So black that I find it offensive to sweep my feet and put my purse on the floor
So black that ”I’m on my way”
I’M SO BLACK
Kimara participates in San Diego Opera’s Words and Music program at Lincoln High School.
