Mariana Lopez Levi ’17
The Business of Song Trinity ALE intern expands repertoire at Opera San Antonio By Carlos Anchondo
Mariana Lopez Levi ’17 has physical proof that she’s always wanted to become a music teacher. Going through old family belongings, Lopez Levi recently unearthed a self-portrait she drew as a five-year-old. Below the image a caption reads, “When I grow up, I want to be a music teacher.” “Apparently it has been set in stone forever,” Lopez Levi says, laughing. At present, Lopez Levi is a summer intern with Opera San Antonio and a music education major at Trinity University. She secured her internship through the Arts, Letters, and Enterprise (ALE) program at Trinity, which granted four paid summer internships to Trinity undergraduates for 2015. Each student earns one hour of credit, free campus housing, and is mentored by a Trinity faculty member who serves as his or her ALE liaison. A singer herself, Lopez Levi says she is proud to be a member of the small team at Opera San Antonio. She says that she was drawn to the nonprofit because she was eager to learn about all of the “behind-the-scenes” work that makes an opera possible. “I just love opera,” Lopez Levi says.
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“Here I’m learning a lot about the music business itself, from how to budget a production to drafting contracts to doing the casting. It’s really interesting to see the administrative work behind everything.” When the majority of people attend an opera, Lopez Levi says, they might only think about the amount of time performers spend in rehearsal. Lopez Levi calls an opera production “an art form that encompasses many different art forms,” from song and dance to costume and set design. “It really is a grand form of art,” Lopez Levi says. “Opera is something that brings all of these art forms together.” One of Lopez Levi’s current projects is to create an educational guide for students who attend the opera. The guide tells readers about what the opera is about, the different voice types, the opera’s structure, how an opera differs from a play, and includes activities for students ages fourth grade and above. In the fall, Opera San Antonio will feature Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, which Lopez Levi calls a “crowd favorite” and a “beautiful opera.” Lopez Levi is particularly excited to tell people that she was part of the team behind the opera’s production. While Lopez Levi says she does her share of administrative work, like fielding phone calls and making copies, she also serves as a brand ambassador for the opera. Due to Opera San Antonio’s age – it was established in 2013 – she says some people are simply unaware that the city even has an opera.