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Sophia Kaushik, a 16-year-old Redwood City resident, is taking part in her first professional musical production, which kicks off Friday, May 16.
A sophomore at Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton, Kaushik, is performing in the 72-year-old San Francisco Lamplighters Music Theater’s take on the Gilbert & Sullivan opera “The Sorcerer.” She is part of an ensemble of five soprano singers.
“I’m so thrilled and so excited,” she said on Thursday, May 15, about the upcoming performances. “We just had our first rehearsal in the theater yesterday and have all of our costumes.”
Kaushik’s mom Tatiana said that being cast in “The Sorcerer” is an unmatched opportunity for a young soprano to gain real-life opera experience and grow as an artist by working with Grammy-nominated conductor Lynne Morrow. The two-act comic opera is about what happens when a love potion causes everyone in the sleepy village of Ploverleigh to fall in love with the first person they see.
“The Sorcerer” Director Nicolas Aliaga Garcia said in an email that “Sophia is such a talented and lovely performer. It’s a delight to officially call her a Lamplighter!”
The teen auditioned for the role three months ago, singing “Goodnight My Someone.” Kaushik is a soprano, a singing style typically known for its high register.
Participating in the show did take a major time commitment. She attended practices most weekdays from 7 to 10 p.m. At Sacred Heart, she sings as a soloist with choir, jazz band, the middle school a cappella group Gator Tone and the high school’s Girls A Cappella, as well as religious services at community-wide events.
Amanda Poon, Sacred Heart’s middle school choral director, first recalled working with Kaushik during the 2016-17 school year when she participated in the all-school musical — “Shrek the Musical.”
“Even as a second grade student, she put herself out there and sang with great enthusiasm in the ensemble numbers,” Poon said in an email.
Each year, she grew more confident in her singing, sharing her talent not only at concerts but also as a cantor during school liturgies, Poon said.
“Throughout middle school, she showed true dedication to her craft both on and off campus. … I really enjoyed watching Sophia grow in skill and confidence from elementary through middle school. Even though I’m no longer her teacher, it makes me so happy to hear that she continues to pursue music,” Poon added.
How does she balance all of her commitments?
“It’s definitely been a little bit of a challenge, but music is something I’m so deeply involved in and grateful for,” she said.
Watching a performance of “The Phantom of the Opera” in San Francisco made a powerful impression on Kaushik.
“I immediately said that I wanted to sing like Christine Daaé, the main character in the story,” she said. “I kept playing her songs over and over and singing along. That’s when my parents realized that singing might be my passion and signed me up for voice lessons. … Studying music and singing classical opera has become and essential part of my life.”
When she was 8 years old, she enrolled as a classical voice student at the pre-college program of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She has studied classical repertoire, sung in recitals and charitable concerts and won awards in singing competitions. She has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Musikverein in Vienna. She cites opera singers Anna Netrebko, Reneé Fleming and Natalie Dessay as major influences.
She plans to pursue music in college at a conservatory or minor in music.
“It’s a huge part of my life,” she said of her love of music. “I’m always going to stay involved.”
This summer, she plans to attend Juilliard’s two-week summer vocal institute in New York City.
She also has an interest in writing. She reviews books for Sacred Heart’s newspaper and founded her school’s poetry club. She will attend a New York Times editing workshop for pre-college students this summer.
The show runs for three days: May 16 (7:30 p.m.), May 17 (2 p.m.) and May 18 (2 p.m.), at the Presidio Theatre Performing Arts Center, 99 Moraga Ave., San Francisco. It will also be simulcast on May 18. The show is two hours long with an intermission.
Tickets range from $71 to $86 and are available at cityboxoffice.com. There’s a discounted rate of $24-$31 for students under 25 years old and those under 18. There is a $5 senior discount.
