Episode 20: Amanda Lewis

Amanda Lewis is as funny as she is talented. As a child, she dreamed of being a dancer. From jazz to ballet she studied different styles of that art form move by move. She dreamed of attending one of Baltimore’s best institutions to study dance. However her world was overturned when she was not placed into the dance program. That disappointment resulted in what perhaps was the biggest victory in her life.

 

Amanda grew up in a musical family. A grandmother who was the director of a church choir, a father who played several instruments, and a supportive mother who exposed her during childhood to performances at the highest levels. This resulted in Amanda not only having a love for dance, but also for singing. Her disappointment in dance lead her to audition for slot in the school’s singing arena. It is there that she truly found her voice.

 

Amanda embraced what she now discovered was her gift and ran with it. She studied music at University and impressed audiences every time she performed. After university she studied in Italy with some of the most renowned voice coaches in the world. Upon returning to the US, Amanda continued to perform, in both classical and contemporary spaces.

 

Being one of the few African Women in the opera space, Amanda discusses with us her journey and swings open the door to reveal much more about the world of sopranos, arias, descants and all things opera. Did I mention that she is now writing and producing her own opera?

 

This is the story… thus far… of Amanda Lewis