Amber Monroe on Faith, Vulnerability, and Her Seattle Opera Debut in ‘Fellow Travelers’

Opera singer Amber Monroe recently sat down with host Trae Holiday on “The Day With Trae” to discuss her journey from an animal science major at Tuskegee University to her current role as Mary Johnson in Seattle Opera’s production of “Fellow Travelers,” debuting this Saturday, Feb. 21st.

Monroe’s path to classical music began in her university choir, where she initially wrestled with the feeling of not belonging. 

“I didn't think it was something that people who look like me do,” she said about singing. It was the encouragement of her choir director and a transformative summer studying opera in Italy that propelled her to pursue the art form professionally. 

Monroe discussed the intense personal demands of the craft, speaking candidly about the frailty required to be an opera singer. 

“Singing is a very vulnerable thing,” she said. “Our voices, they are us, and we put that on display each and every day to be criticized, to be critiqued.” This struggle, she noted, creates a unique sense of community among castmates and artists.

Her dedication recently culminated in a major milestone: her debut in the title role of “Aida” with the Washington National Opera last year, a moment she viewed as “God's plan” coming to fruition a decade after she first began her career. 

For Monroe, her presence on stage is inseparable from a larger legacy of representation. She paid homage to the icons who set the precedent for her success, including opera singers Jessye Norman, Leontyne Price, and Kathleen Battle, alongside modern stars like Latonia Moore and Lawrence Brownlee. 

“They have been paving paths for people like me to be able to have an opportunity to step out on the stage,” she said, emphasizing the importance of representation in performance art.

With excitement, Monroe described “Fellow Travelers” as “intimate” and “emotionally unforgettable.” She believed the production resonates so deeply because audiences will see themselves and people they know reflected in the story. 

Monroe praised Seattle Opera as a company dedicated to her success and one with a “mission in wanting to tell important stories” and a desire to be trendsetters in the industry. Ultimately, she believes her work with Seattle Opera is necessary to further societal progress. 

“The stories that we tell or that we silence shape this future,” she said. 

“Fellow Travelers” runs from Saturday, Feb. 21 through Sunday, March 1, 2026 at McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St, Seattle.  Get your tickets here, and learn more about Amber Monroe here. 

Catch “The Day With Trae” Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11 a.m. on all Converge streaming platforms.

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