By MEALAND RAGLAND-HUDGINS 
Rutherford County Schools 

Two students from Siegel High School were among 24 nationwide selected to participate in a three-week intensive program led by the Washington National Orchestra earlier this year. 

Senior Luke-Paul Johnson and 2024 graduate Xavier Arhagba spent three weeks in Washington, D.C. as part of the WNO Opera Institute, exploring how opera and vocal performance can improve their lives in college, what it looks like as a career and how to advocate for the arts in their community. 

Johnson and Arhagba recently shared why opera holds a special place in their hearts and how the institute taught them to become a better performer. 

Q: Of all the musical styles to choose, why opera? 

Luke-Paul: I don't know. It kind of hits home. The singing itself portrays emotion, but when you look at what the words mean, it opens up a whole new world. And it’s a universal language, no matter what language you're singing in. 

Xavier: I think that from a technical aspect, of course, opera is incredibly valuable. Like any trade, art or craft. Going back to a technical or classical basis is always good for going forward. …  I think it's beautiful how opera portrays drama. And it is one of the purest forms of acting through singing.  

Q: What is something about opera that you think people don't fully understand? 

Luke-Paul: The difference of languages. The past two times I've sang in the variety show, people just assumed that it was Spanish, but it was two different languages. I think the more you listen to it, the more you like it. And once you look at the history of opera, the meaning and how it has changed art, you start to gain a bigger understanding of why opera is cool. 

Xavier: Everyone is invited. I mean, it's art. We discussed a lot in D.C. about the purported elitism that comes with opera and how it feels inaccessible to the average person. How it feels difficult to walk to an opera performance because it seems high class and high culture, but in reality, everyone can enjoy opera. Opera is not for a specific group of people. It is for everyone.  

Q: Thinking back to the experience in D.C, what’s one thing you immediately put into practice? 

Luke-Paul: I've learned to not to be so critical on myself. One of the directors there taught a lot of us how to enjoy art. I love singing opera. I love being on the stage and performing, but all the parts before that are so, so tiring. I need to be excited to do it and the Institute taught me how. 

Xavier: The importance of the breath. A lot of things we do, breathing can help stabilize and prepare us for the task ahead. How much more true it is with singing because the breath is the foundation of every sound that comes out of our mouth. To have a better relationship with my own breath has been one of the greatest things I've learned on my journey as a singer.   

Q: What are your plans for singing in the future? 

Luke-Paul: Hopefully I get into a good school. I want to sing opera. It's my favorite thing. I definitely want to be opera singer, be on the stage and fully experience that.  

Xavier: Just performing in any capacity, being around performers. Honestly, I love writing, I love composition. I love performance. I love teaching. I love everything about music and in any way I can use it in my profession, I think I will be happy. But my heart does lie with performing and so that is the goal, performing musical theater, opera, whatever it may be. I want to perform.