Don Carlo’s and Aida’s hot-blooded princesses, Il trovatore’s vengeance-obsessed gypsy, and the Ring’s formidable goddesses couldn’t be further removed from Barton herself. She’s an artist whose exceptional personal warmth has endeared her to colleagues and audiences everywhere. Watch her walk onstage for a recital; she does so with regal confidence, but also with an inviting smile and a palpable eagerness to share stories with her listeners through song.
Opera is no stranger to crimes of passion. However, opera also portrays the best of humanity alongside all of the human folly. The Atlanta Opera’s production of Dead Man Walking stars Georgia native and internationally renowned mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton in the role of Sister Helen Prejean. Heggie’s operas always seem to offer redemption in the midst of tragedy, and Dead Man Walking appears to be no different. We caught up with Barton to discuss her upcoming role at the Atlanta Opera.
But far more than just enjoying some downtime in her base city, Barton seems very much at home with herself spiritually and personally now, too, riding out some challenging changes in her life and learning to manage the pressures of a major opera career. The purple streak in her hair might come as a surprise at first, but it ultimately seems to suit her perfectly…
