Editor’s note: This story contains mentions of suicide that some readers may find disturbing.
What started as rehearsals in Schoenberg Hall has taken a UCLA alumnus across opera stages nationwide.
UCLA alumnus Brian Vu received a nomination for Best Opera Recording at the 68th Grammy Awards for his performance in “Huang Ruo: An American Soldier.” The production, which ran for a week at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York City, features Vu as the lead soloist in the tragic opera, based on a true story. For the former Bruin, this recognition serves as the result of his hard work and decadelong career, since his time in Westwood, Vu said.
“I was in disbelief,” Vu said. “As a professional opera singer, as a working-class singer, the Grammys was something that I’ve never worked towards. … It just seemed like it was on another planet.”
“An American Soldier” tells the story of Pvt. Danny Chen, an Asian American man who served the United States army. However, after facing racism in the military, Chen took his own life. This role required a level of vocal precision and emotional depth that Vu said required preparation that was not only about imitation but also vulnerability, characteristic of such a demanding and meaningful role.
“When you play a character, you’re not pretending to be someone else,” Vu said. “Acting is rather dropping into your real, lived experience and being open enough with your heart and your soul to showcase that part of your life experience, and so I went into every rehearsal and performance with that openness.”
[Related: Daily Bruin Reacts: Analyzing Grammy nominations from overlooked acts, smash hits]
Stepping into Chen’s combat boots required much more than vocal stamina, Vu said, it demanded a serious amount of technical accuracy and unfiltered empathy – especially while performing emotional arias, such as “I’m Sorry Ama.” The avant-garde compositional nature and desire for precision in Huang Ruo’s opera required a soloist who could juggle said precision under pressure, Vu said.
This appetite for daring work was evident early on during Vu’s time at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, Peter Kazaras said. Kazaras, the retired director of Opera UCLA and an educator and mentor of Vu’s, said he remembers Vu as a first-year student standing out not just for his lovely baritone but also his level of ambition.
When the department announced a concert featuring a demanding baritone lead, Kazaras said Vu immediately asked if a first-year student could audition for the major roles. Although upperclassmen were usually preferred for these roles, Vu still auditioned, Kazaras said. Even though he did not get cast for the role he auditioned for, this moment showed Vu’s tenacity and willingness to grow as a performer, Kazaras added.
“Brian immediately wanted to embrace all the challenges, and he did over four years, constantly,” Kazaras said. “I gave him more and more larger roles in our operas, and he was always fantastic.”
The same persistence Kazaras witnessed in Westwood was displayed for castmates during the production of “An American Soldier.” Nina Yoshida Nelsen, who portrays Mother Chen, was able to witness Vu’s skills and dedication firsthand, she said. For Nelsen, the experience of performing alongside Vu was defined by a shared sense of drive and community, she said, which allowed for the heavy subject matter of the opera to be navigated in a lighthearted way.
“We took some unifying breaths together as a company,” Nelsen said. “We would shake off everything we had done in the rehearsal room and then leave it all there.”
The success of “An American Soldier” is held up by the talent, camaraderie and community of Vu and the rest of the ensemble, Nelsen said. Nelsen, who worked closely with Vu, said she recalls how deeply committed he was to Danny Chen’s story. She said that although Vu’s personality is usually joyful and bubbly, he has the ability to transform into whatever is asked of him on stage.
[Related: Opera UCLA revives haunting classic to new ears with ‘The Turn of the Screw’]
Nelsen added that she views the nomination as a historic win for representation in an industry that does not often highlight themes like the ones in “An American Soldier.” This recognition is monumental, as it is the first time an Asian American story has been nominated in this category at the Grammys, she said.
“That itself is a major moment of recognition and hard work for all of the people who have come before us,” Nelsen said. “It’s opening doors for everyone who will come after us.”
Reflecting on the nomination, Vu said embracing and trusting your instincts is key to reaching your highest potential. Vu added that he is looking forward to showcasing his look for the ceremony, which will be a love letter to the army dress blues Danny Chen wears at the end of the opera. Vu also said he hopes to diversify his portfolio and take more risks with his art and himself, following the nomination,
“I would say to these students that you can trust your gut and your taste as well,” Vu said. “Follow it, and see where it takes you. … I never expected it to take me to a Grammy nomination.”
Comments are closed.