This spring, The Dallas Opera named David Lomelí its general director and CEO. Lomelí is an accomplished tenor in his own right, and as he tells WRR's Kurt Rongey in a wide-ranging interview, he's also a professional gamer.
Here are some highlights from their interview (and you'll want to be sure to listen to the audio for a taste of Lomelí's singing):
David Lomelí on ...
... using technology to keep track of artists he'd like to work with:
"The very first week I was at the Winspear, Billy Beane — the creator of Moneyball — did a lecture here. I had been a great fan of him and the theory of what data could do to sports. And with that I started tracking with my own database 100 singers and created an algorithm of what makes them good. .... And that's how I keep control a little bit of that wacky world of singers and performers."
... his interests beyond opera:
"I do disconnect a lot. I compose music a lot. I have recently sold a couple of things for pop artists. I still like to do pop - originally I had a pop band before I became dedicated to opera. I'm a professional gamer - until two weeks ago. But now my new job is a little more taxing."
... his favorite roles to sing:
"I sang 'Che gelida manina' from Puccini's La bohème the most. I sang the role professionally 223 performances around the world, plus rehearsals and coachings and donor brown bags - whenever I can! So it was thousands, and I love it - I love it so much. It's a master class of everything."
