For one who grew up in what he calls "a musical void," Robert Breault is not doing badly. Indeed, sometimes it seems a downright advantage for a singer to have the upbringing of an "all-American boy," as Breault suggests.
Since his hometown days in Marinette, Wis., the outstanding tenor, still in his early 30s, has accumulated an enviable record of national performance in opera and oratorio. He sang for two years with San Francisco Opera's Western Opera Theater on national tour and two years with the company's Merola program. And he's garnered many national awards, such as finalist (1992) in the Richard Tucker competition and in the National Association of Teachers of Singing artist's competition.He's sung opera with Michigan Opera Theatre and the Toledo and Atlanta operas, among others, and soloed with the symphonies of Vermont, Lansing, Green Bay, Manhattan and Phoenix, as well as the Detroit Oratorio Society.
Although this is his third year in Utah, where he heads the opera department at the University of Utah, and has sung extensively with Utah Symphony, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and other arts organizations, his portrayal of Pedrillo in Mozart's "Abduction from the Seraglio" Saturday, May 13, through Sunday, May 21, marks his first major role with Utah Opera. (See accompanying story.)
In his hometown, Breault (pronounced Bro) sang in the school chorus and played percussion. The Menominee River separates Marinette, Wis., from Menominee, Mich., with a population of about 35,000 in the twin cities - 60 miles north of Green Bay and mighty cold, said Breault. "But Menominee does have a 1,200-seat opera house."
His father was a machinist in a paper mill and sang tenor in barbershop quartets. His grandfather Breault was choir director in the local Catholic church. "He liked Cole Porter and Glenn Miller, and he played recordings of some light classics, which I liked," said Breault. "One of the first things I remember was a Mormon Tabernacle Choir recording with Ormandy conducting. I especially loved `The Battle Hymn of the Republic.' But I little knew then how important the choir would be for me later."
Indeed, in 1992 Breault found himself soloing with the choir in the Berlioz Requieum - in Salt Lake performances, in Jerusalem during a Christmas tour and the following summer at Wyoming's Grand Teton Music Festival.
"My parents came out to hear that," he said, "and I couldn't resist slipping in at the back to sing `The Battle Hymn' with the choir!"
Breault never did gain his father's total approval for his life as a singer until he took the job teaching at the University of Utah. "He always razzed me about when was I going to get a real job," said Breault, "though he felt good about it when I earned my doctorate from the University of Michigan."
In Utah, Breault was amused when one of his first students came in and asked, "Do you know what Dr. Breault looks like?" When I told him it was me, he shook his head and said, `No way!' "
At Michigan Breault majored in opera and classical singing, with international soprano Lorna Haywood as his mentor. (She also happens to be his wife Julia's sister. Haywood is in Utah now, assisting with Breault's teaching load while he rehearses "Abduction.")
After high school, Breault graduated from St. Norbert College in DePere, Wis., a school he remembers with respect. "That upper-Wisconsin country was settled mostly by Bavarian Catholics, and it's a good heritage," he said.
"I think I recognize traits of each of my four grandparents in myself. My German grandmother had spunk; she was irreverent; she loved life. Grandpa Breault was French, with a sweet tenor voice, and he was careful and meticulous. My mom's father, named Quick, was very physical, with a big Irish chest, while my grandmother Quick was empathetic and sensitive, qualities you must have for singing."
Breault fondly remembers all the family singing in the car, and times when they sat down with their guitars and sang. "One reason I like this valley is that you don't have to twist too many arms before people come around to loving the arts and participating in them," he said.
Can a first-class singer conduct a first-class career from Salt Lake City? "Yes, easily," Breault replied. But his emphasis has been on oratorio and symphony dates, which he can work in on a week-end.
"Opera requires big chunks of time," he said. "If I were to sing with New York City Opera, for example, I would have to be gone three or four months at a time. I do my best to maintain a national presence, especially in the summer, when I often go to Atlanta.
"That's why I would like to commit to Utah Opera all I can, because it's right here. As long as I am appreciated at the University of Utah and am allowed to go out and take a reasonable number of jobs, I'll stay.
"Here I have a community, I have friends. It's one of the most wonderful places to live. I lived out of a suitcase for two years, and that's not for me."
But there is a price to pay - the sacrifice of an income in six figures, which Breault might be making. "The time may come when it's more difficult to turn things down," he acknowledged.
Breault loves the opera department's facility at the U. - the old ballet building at University and 100 South, now called the Voice Box. "We have zero budget, but then I was not hired to build opera," he laughed. "But with such good voices, opera is almost inevitable."
What he does is teach voice, with outstanding results. "I didn't study to be a teacher, I learned to sing, and teaching just comes naturally," he said. "I am trying to balance teaching and singing. It's good for the university, people go to a school to study with a certain teacher; but I wish we had money for scholarships."
After "Abduction," life will go on at a hectic pace for Breault. "I sing the Mozart Coronation Mass on June 3, with the Utah Philharmonia at the university, Robert Debbaut conducting. Then I'm off to San Antonio for the Verdi Requiem with the symphony under Margaret Hillis," he said.
This summer he goes to Italy with Utah's International Children's Choir, with Kathy Sorensen conducting, and in August he joins the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the Kennedy Center to premiere James de Mars' "An American Requiem," marking the anniversary of the end of World War II. They'll also perform the work in St. John the Divine in New York City. A live recording is also planned.
In September Breault will be in England for the Britten/Pears School of Singing, taking classes and a Bach workshop, financed by a Dee Grant from the University of Utah. In November and December he sings Almaviva in "The Barber of Seville" with Canada's Opera Hamilton. Then it's home for "Messiah" with the Utah Oratorio Society, the Mozart Mass in C minor with Utah Symphony and a special Christmas program with the symphony and JoAnn Ottley. In January he's scheduled for a Schwabacher recital sponsored by San Francisco Opera.
Breault makes no bones that Pedrillo is "the most taxing role I've ever done. It lies low in the voice, and then he's on all the time, pushing the show. And it's so physical; to begin with, Osmin beats me up when I first come on. Then I'm constantly on and off, with running dialogue. I am going to the gym every day so I can keep up with the physical demands!"
Breault thinks Albert Takazauckas' staging of "Abduction" will be highly entertaining. "He's put in lots of Singspiel business; that's a form that's very down to Earth, it was entertainment for the masses, and many make the mistake of taking this opera too seriously. True, it has some great arias, but it's kind of like a Broadway musical. Takazauckus has taken out some of the Singspiel schlock, but he's found the way to stress sentiment, too."