Opera singer Darren Drone recently joined host Trae Holiday on “The Day With Trae” to discuss his current role in Seattle Opera’s Carmen and its exploration of enduring social tensions. 

Drone's musical career began unexpectedly in Arkansas as a child, where he had a natural gift for mimicry, echoing the sounds of R&B and soul legends like Donell Jones and Barry White. Although he initially pursued instrumental music, playing the euphonium, a pivotal high school casting as Daddy Warbucks in Annie shifted his trajectory onto the operatic stage.

In Carmen, which is set in 1950s Havana, Drone portrays the character Zuniga. He emphasized that he wants the audience to understand the historically relevant power dynamics between women and men that, he noted, still exist today. 

Returning to Seattle Opera for Carmen, Drone praised the company's welcoming atmosphere, noting that it "always felt so inviting" and "feels like a warm hug." 

Carmen opens Saturday, May 2nd and runs through May 17th at Seattle Center’s McCaw Hall. Get your tickets at seattleopera.org.

Learn more about Darren Drone at darrenlekeithdrone.com. 

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