Meet the Artists – Emily Secor

Emily Secor

Mrs. Nordstrom

1. Where were you born and raised?
   I was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and raised in Westfield, Wisconsin.
2. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?
   Growing up I really wanted to be a paleontologist. I was super into dinosaurs in 4th grade. If I wasn’t singing, though, I would probably be doing a whole assortment of random things – I would spend more time making jewelry (I have an Etsy page: The Polished Parsnip), maybe I’d own a coffee shop and host frequent live music events, or be a translator (if my language skills were much improved), or maybe a voice actor? Ha! Who knows?!
3. The first opera I was ever in was…
   The Magic Flute (I was First Lady).
4. My favorite opera is…
   Rusalka – the orchestration is stunning.
5. My favorite food to eat is…
   I LOVE pasta with pesto.
6. People would be surprised to know that…
   I almost always have a kazoo on me. You never know when you’ll need one.
7. If I could spend a ‘weekend in the country’ anywhere, real or fantasy, I would visit…
   I would love to visit Vienna, but given the weather we’re enduring, anywhere along the equator sounds appealing!
8. I like to binge-watch…
   My husband and I have been working our way through 24 recently…. SO INTENSE!! I also adore The Great British Baking Show, Chuck, and Psych.
9. What four people (living or deceased) would you like to invite for a dinner party?
   Julie Andrews, Carol Burnett, C.S. Lewis, and my grandma.
10. Everyone should see A Little Night Music because….
    The music is beautiful, the text is clever, and the cast is spectacular. Sondheim does an incredible job of characterizing the gamut of human emotion and experience for the stage, which makes a show like this all the more remarkable.
11. Bonus: One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer).
    Q: Are the new pistachio Oreos worth trying?
    A: Um, yes. Buy 17 packages. No regrets.

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Find out more about Emily and our other artists, and don’t miss the chance to see her perform Mrs. Nordstrom in A Little Night Music. Performances are February 8 and 10 in Capitol Theater.  Tickets start at $25!