Science student turned opera singer raising roof and lifting profile of classical music
LAGOS, Nigeria — A live performance of an aria from an Italian opera, sung by a professional soprano, isn’t a common sound in Nigeria’s bustling commercial and entertainment capital, Lagos.
But it’s not the most surprising thing for the performer, Omo Bello. News of her appearance at the MUSON School of Music has attracted a crowd, even when it’s only for a short rehearsal.
“I didn’t realize to what extent I was recognized in Nigeria,” the 33-year-old admitted after singing O mio babbino caro, from Giacomo Puccini’s 1918 opera Gianni Schicchi.
“I’ve been away for over a decade and I guess things have changed and I didn’t realize how much. When I was told that lots of people were coming, I was a little surprised.
“It’s a pleasant surprise though, but still a surprise,” she said.
Bello’s story is becoming well-known in her native Nigeria and her adopted country, France.
She’s the Lagos science student whose talent was spotted to win her a scholarship to study at the Paris Conservatoire, whose alumni include Georges Bizet, Claude Debussy and Jean Michel Jarre.
Tours have followed, with an album and awards, including one from the foundation of the late legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti, and a repertoire that now ranges from Bellini to Verdi.
Back in Nigeria for Christmas before a return to Europe and concerts in Britain, Bello, like many long-term expatriates, reflects on changes back home.
In a country associated more with Afrobeat and Highlife than Albinoni or Haydn, she said the internet has created new audiences for different musical styles from abroad.
“I know that lots of people discovered me on YouTube in Nigeria and social media, so it’s a good thing, as people see and hear this music (opera) and are surprised that it’s very beautiful,” she said.
“The fact that it’s open to everyone creates a wider audience, so I’m very happy to discover that the public is growing for this music in Nigeria.”
The MUSON School of Music, founded in 1989, is Nigeria’s leading — if not only — institution for teaching Western classical music.
Sixty students are currently on a two-year diploma course that covers performance and theory. Opera is part of the syllabus.
Marion Akpata, the director of the school, sees no reason why opera cannot thrive in Nigeria because of its universal themes, regardless of differences in language.
“Just think of the world’s most popular opera, (Bizet’s) Carmen. The story of Carmen can be transposed into every country and every kind of culture,” she said.
“It’s just a matter of doing it.”