Where Talent Meets Opportunity: Career Trajectories in Opera with Kristin Ditlow & Jamie Flora

We often say that the road to a successful opera career can be a winding one—and we’ve got the receipts to prove it! Join Key Change co-hosts Anna Garcia and Olga Perez Flora as they discuss career trajectories, academic journeys, and artistic life with two legendary performers and educators: Kristin Ditlow, Associate Professor of Vocal Coaching and Opera Conductor at the University Of New Mexico, and James Flora*, acclaimed American tenor and Lecturer in Voice and Opera, also at UNM. Our conversation sets the stage for an exciting collaboration between Santa Fe Opera and UNM.

“The position that I have (at UNM) has evolved with me,” says Kristin, who has worked around the world as a conductor and a pianist. “That’s a testament to a healthy place that’s willing to grow along with its faculty and allow them to grow in a position.” It’s also a verdant artistic environment where raw talent is refined, and practice leads to proficiency.  

Jamie hopes that the next generation of opera professionals will bring the art form’s epic storytelling and staging to a broader audience. “I’d love for opera to step away a little bit from exclusivity,” he says, reflecting on how the perceived cliquishness couldn’t be farther from the true experience of a live opera. “A lot of people who grew up in small towns like I did didn't understand the opera was for them,” he says, adding, “Opera's for everyone!”

*That surname is no coincidence. Jamie also holds the title of spouse to our very own Olga.

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KEY CHANGE RECOMMENDED PLAYLISTS

Catch up on the full story of Hometown To The World:

Season 1, Ep 6: Hometown to the World: Discovering Postville

Season 2, Ep 9: America Is Impossible Without Us

Season 3, Ep 3: Responding to the World

Season 3, Ep 8: Bridging Communities with Carmen Flórez-Mansi

Season 4, Ep 1: This Doesn’t Happen Without Audience; The Hometown to the World Premiere

Season 4, Ep 2: Influence and Inclusion: The Impact of Hometown to the World with Youth Chorus

Season 4, Ep 8: Hometown to the World Debuts on Broadway

Hear the evolution of This Little Light of Mine:

Season 2, Ep 7: Mother of a Movement: This Little Light of Mine

BONUS: Is This America? 

Season 3, Ep 4: Singing A Call to Action: Is This America? 

Season 3, Ep 5: Making a Choice With Conviction: A conversation with Jeri Lynne Johnson

Season 3, Ep 6: Building a Better Society with Florida International University Music Students

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