“Crossings” Showcases the Power of Global Partnerships and the Universal Language of Music
More than a student exchange endeavor, BYU’s spring opera — Crossings — is the result of an artistic partnership between Brigham Young University (Provo, USA) and the University of Queensland (Brisbane, Australia). This year, Professor Shaun Brown from the University of Queensland directed the Spring Opera, saying that “in a time when it is all too easy to retreat behind borders, Crossings reminds us of the beauty, the challenge and the necessity of reaching across.”
On June 6 and 7, students from both universities performed in Crossings for friends, family and community members in the Music Building Concert Hall. Professor Brown has performed and studied in England, Germany, Italy and France and received his doctorate of musical arts at the University of North Texas. Currently, Brown is the director of performance at The University of Queensland School of Music, where he holds the position of vocal performance fellow. He was assisted by Shea Owens, director of opera at BYU, and Jennifer Youngs, assistant professor of voice at BYU.
For this performance, Brown brought six of his own students from Queensland to Brigham Young University to participate in the spring opera. On the Crossings program, Professor Brown stated that “opera is a medium of movement. It moves us emotionally of course — but it also invites us to cross boundaries: of time, place, language, genre and identity.”
Rather than a single narrative, the spring opera was a production of various famous scenes. Students were cast in songs from different operas, so they learned about various time periods, styles and composers in operatic production. Australian student Beth Allen explained why this is important for both performers and viewers: “At the core of opera, there are so many different languages and so many different interpretations of each piece; lots of people can connect to it in different ways.” The Australian students also appreciated that American music programs focus heavily on other languages — in Crossings, for example, the group sang one song in Czech.
Fellow Aussie Jenson White added that “there are so many people coming from different backgrounds, but we all share the same love of music.” White’s favorite scene from the opera is the Die Fledermaus (Act III Trio) because he played a lawyer with a really high-pitched accent. “It has been a bit of a challenge vocally,” he said, “but it has been really fun to stage that and put it all together.”
While the happenings on stage were remarkable, Brown shared the following: “Perhaps the most meaningful crossing in this project is the one happening offstage.”
“Something that the audience does not get to see is the goofiness,” Allen said. “We do a lot of little dances and have inside jokes, but we always get serious right before we go on stage.” The Australian and American students both remarked that they have built lasting friendships with students from other states or countries and have bonded over their shared love of music.
There were even crossings across departments at BYU. Fifth-year student and neuroscience major David Wells has been coming to the spring opera since his freshman year. This year, he decided to audition and felt grateful to be cast alongside other talented musicians. “It has been really cool to rub shoulders with these super talented musicians and vocal performance majors,” he shared. “I hope members of the audience can see the spirit of friendship among us performers as we are performing.”
Brown thanked BYU for their hospitality, professionalism and kindness. In reflecting on the Aussie’s time in America, he said, “together, these young artists have shared rehearsal spaces, ideas, cultures, music and laughter. They have forged connections that go beyond geography or institution — connections rooted in artistic curiosity, generosity and trust.”
