Q&A with Kenneth Kellogg

“Commanding bass” Kenneth Kellogg makes his Lyric debut this November in Blue, a painfully relevant narrative of a family torn apart when their son is shot by a police officer (The New York Times). Kellogg's role — Father — was written specifically for him and his ability to produce powerhouse productions. As a graduate of the Adler Fellowship Program at San Francisco Opera and the Domingo Cafritz Emerging Artist Program at Washington National Opera, Kellogg has amassed a versatile repertoire of classic and contemporary works. From Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Handel’s Ariodante to Terence Blanchard’s Champion and Dan Sonenberg’s The Summer King, Kellogg’s vast operatic ability packs a punch. Join us as we explore Kellogg’s reflective ruminations as Blue rapidly approaches the Lyric stage.

How do you feel making your Lyric debut?

It’s always an honor for me to perform at a new company and for their community. Being able to share the stage at Lyric is extra special because they have a stellar reputation of producing world-class art that reaches beyond the opera house. To make my debut in an opera that has been such an important part of my career and growth as an artist will be a forever memory. 

What are you looking forward to experiencing while in Chicago? 

Outside of creating something impactful with a stellar cast to share with audiences, I'm looking forward to engaging with community. Blue has been a great vehicle in spurring conversations in the community. It has been exciting for me to see the real-world impact art can have on lives. 

You have performed the role of Father in several productions of Blue. How has the role evolved with each performance? Are there specific aspects of the character that have developed more with time?

I’ve been in all but one production of Blue. Every time I walk into the room to work on Blue I bring my life experience with me. It's so close. When I first signed on to do the opera I was a new father. I was living much of what the opera was portraying. Those emotions were so immediate. I think the Father in Blue grows and develops in his nuance the more I grow as a father to my kids. Being a father changes your perspective of the world.  Your motivations are different. How you love is different. I bring all of that with me to the stage.

Kellogg reflects on his role in Blue and his lived experience as a father.

Do you find any challenges with returning to the same role multiple times? How do you find new things to bring to the role so it remains fresh?

After the fifth production, I'd thought I'd said everything I could say with the role. I was getting to the point of “just running it.” The emotions weren’t as immediate. I could tap into them but it felt like recall and not instinctual. That’s a challenge for me because it takes away from that thing that I love about telling a story.

I found freshness in what other singers brought to their parts and it allowed me to react and explore. When we first did Blue, Briana Hunter, the Mother, wasn’t a mother in real life and she brought a certain energy. Then I worked with Aundi Moore, who is a mother in real life, and she brought a different knowing to the role that changed the dynamic. That was fun and brought a new life to the piece for me. I am also always working on my craft, trying to be better and find different tools to play with. I've grown vocally and can do things now that I couldn't before. 

Kellogg's hard work in rehearsal helped Blue make a successful world premiere at The Glimmerglass Festival in 2019. 

What do you hope audiences will take away from Blue? 

I hope audiences allow themselves to go on this emotional journey with this family and are able to see an aspect of themselves embodied in these characters. I also hope they recognize the power of the art form and its ability to speak to the humanity of us all.