Nathaniel Meyer’s enthusiasm for opera is not only contagious, but also inspiring.
The Belmont native and current resident has deep music roots and an impressive, international resume as an award-winning conductor and teacher. Over the years, his love of and devotion to opera grew, especially during his time as an apprentice conductor in Europe. When he returned to the United States, he was inspired to create his own group and founded the New Opera Company of Boston.
Now marking its first anniversary, the organization is in the process of becoming a nonprofit. The company is sponsored by the Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts, located in Cambridge.
“My goal is to entrance [and] cast a spell over the audience,” said Meyer, who is also the company’s executive and artistic director and conductor. “We hope that people forget about their everyday lives [when they come to the opera] and travel to another universe through the music.”
Before the 35-year-old maestro attended Yale, the Jacobs School of Music, and other institutions, he was a proud member of the music program at the Belmont Public Schools, which he described as “high level.”
Meyer recalled that now-retired Belmont music teacher John McClellan “was a real inspiration” during his time at the Chenery school. He also praised the Belmont High music program.
“I owe a lot to the teachers,” said Meyer.
Wealth of Talent
“Opera is the antidote to modernity,” said Meyer, who likened it to a “transformative” and “sacred experience.”
The art form is “about joy, it’s about passion,” said Meyer. “Everybody can experience and be moved by great opera,” no matter their background.
The company is performing a variety of works, “from beloved masterpieces to rarely performed gems, as well as new operas that speak to the present moment,” according to the group’s website.
“We’re breathing new life into the operas of the past,” Meyer said, as well as commissioning new pieces.
One of the reasons Meyer decided to start the group in Massachusetts after living and conducting internationally is because Boston has a “pool of talent that is so deep,” he said. “We’re giving [new music program graduates] the first opportunities in their careers.”
Through his dual role as conductor and artistic director, Meyer simultaneously directs the opera actors as well as the musicians.
There must be “a seamless interaction” between the music and drama to create a compelling performance, he said.
“It is so much fun … I love doing both,” said Meyer, a fan of conductors Leonard Bernstein and Andris Nelsons (Boston Symphony Orchestra).
When asked which opera is his favorite, Meyer said that every new opera he conducts becomes his favorite.
“I’m drawn by stories of heartfelt passion, sacrifice, [and] redemption … big concepts that really define the human experience,” he said. His ultimate goal is “to create communal experiences where people can experience art together.”
For more information on the New Opera Company of Boston, visit newoperaboston.org/
To learn more about Nathaniel Meyer’s career, visit nathanielmeyerconductor.com/
