Opera singer McPherrin returns to Yuba City

Oct. 25—The San Francisco Opera is the second-largest opera house in the United States and has been one of the world's leading opera companies for more than a century.

Acceptance into this company has been particularly exciting for Liesl McPherrin, who has considered opera her dream career since she was 16 years old.

"I used to listen to opera in my car while I drove to school," said McPherrin. "It's a very niche career and a somewhat odd job, but I absolutely love it."

McPherrin grew up in Yuba City and performed in musicals at her alma mater, Yuba City High School, as well as other local theater programs. From there she went to San Francisco State University and then Westminster Choir College in New Jersey before being accepted into the opera right as the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

This past year has elevated McPherrin's success as she continues to progress her career with a handful of solos. Due to a cast member's illness, she stepped into the role of maid, or "Voice of the Crimson Flower," in the San Francisco Opera's 2022 production of "Dream of the Red Chamber" — a contemporary work by composer Bright Sheng. More recently, she was featured as a page in Richard Wagner's "Lohengrin."

Now, after more than a decade, McPherrin's voice will be returning to Yuba City as a featured soloist in the Yuba Sutter Symphony's upcoming Fall Classics concerts.

"This has been a bucket list item for me actually," said McPherrin. "Corey had asked if I wanted to do it 10 years ago, but I had just moved to New Jersey. ... I'm glad it was put off till now because I feel like I've had so much opportunity to grow and develop my singing and for my voice to literally mature with age. I feel like I can do it a lot of justice to the song and give it the quality it deserves. It's a challenging piece."

McPherrin is slated to perform a rendition of "Exsultate Jubilate" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Under the direction of maestro Corey Kersting, the Fall Classics concert will also feature classical works by both Ludwig van Beethoven and Modest Mussorgsky.

"We are so fortunate to have Liesl available to sing this piece with us," said Kersting. "We are very proud of her musical accomplishments and are excited to welcome her back to her hometown. The audience will be thrilled to hear Liesl sing Mozart with such clarity, precision, and brilliance. ... The concert will also include Beethoven's 6th symphony which is a beautiful

example of Beethoven's love for nature. In this sometimes-chaotic world, this symphony which is known as the 'Pastoral,' will provide a welcome sense of peace and serenity."

Filling out the concert will be Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain," which has been used on

television and in popular movies such as "Fantasia."

"This music paints an incredible musical picture perfect for Halloween," added Kersting.

The concerts will take place on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, located at 1390 Franklin Rd. in Yuba City. Both concerts are free and open to the public, however organizers said donations would be gratefully appreciated.

Aside from visiting with family and friends, McPherrin said she also hopes to take advantage of one of St. Andrew's worship services and listen to the church's newly appointed female pastor, Rev. Tiffany Nicely Holleck.

"I'm really curious about her and very excited about their call for a woman in pastoral leadership at their perish," said McPherrin.

McPherrin graduated from Yuba City High School in 2006 before heading off to college. After completing her undergraduate degree, she took a brief reprise in Yuba City again, training under Joaquina Calvo Johnson, who helped her prepare for her graduate school audition.

Her primary focus has revolved around music, voice science, and language — combined passions which have contributed to her love of opera.

"With singing and voice science there's a lot of understanding on how sound is made with the mouth and jaw and tongue," explained McPherrin. "I've always enjoyed learning languages, and the nice thing about learning opera is that I get to dabble in four or five languages a year."

McPherrin believes the training and mentorship she received while growing up in Yuba City helped spark her drive for the performing arts and looks forward to seeing some familiar faces upon her return.

Working in the San Francisco Opera has exposed her to a vast world of technological wonders and dedicated artists. Some of her favorite productions include "La Traviata" for its color and movement, "The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs" for its exquisite set and scene transformations, and "Orpheus and Eurydice," which used MRI scans of the human brain experiencing grief as its visual projections.

"As someone who's always been on smaller sets and has even made my own costumes in the past, to have access to these high-scale productions it's always just magical," said McPherrin.

"Being a full-time chorister, I get to see a lot of different productions and a lot of different staff working on these projects and just knowing how many literally hundreds of people that put their time and energy into each one is astounding. It really makes you appreciate the art even more."