P.E.I. opera singer plays lead in adaptation of Another Brick in the Wall

P.E.I.'s Nathan Keoughan hopes to hear soon where in the world he will next get to play the lead role in the operatic adaptation of Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall.

Keoughan, 30, is originally from Fort Augustus, P.E.I., and starred in July in the American premiere of the opera with the Cincinnati Opera.

"Honestly it's been the opportunity of a lifetime, it was a huge gig for me coming right out of my training programs and the first thing I do is a lead role in a multi-million-dollar production in the States," Keoughan said. 

"There was a lot of hype, there were reviewers from all over the United States and we had announcements in the New York Times, Playbill and Broadway World and all of these huge media publications that I could have never dreamed really that I would be mentioned in." 

'Mind boggling'

Keoughan has been involved in the production from the start, singing in the first orchestra read-through in Montreal in 2016. Quebecois composer Julien Bilodeau premiered the opera in Montreal in March 2017. 

It was his voice that Roger Waters from Pink Floyd heard when the producers went to ask permission to create the opera.

"At the time, it was quite nerve-racking," Keoughan said. 

"It's still pretty mind boggling and I got to be in the presence of Roger Waters a few times but I never really got to meet him — but I know that's going to come down the line for sure."

Always on stage

Another Brick in the Wall is the story of a burned-out rock star named Pink, played by Keoughan.

"The biggest challenge of this role is that I'm on stage the whole time and never taking a drink of water," Keoughan said. 

"Normally when you do an opera, the lead role would have may be three big arias and scenes — this, I had 25."

Hitting the high notes

The role is also challenging for Keoughan, a baritone.

"It goes quite far into the stratosphere, there are high notes, high Ds, which would really be higher than a tenor would even really sing," Keoughan said. 

"As a baritone that's not something that you get to do very often but I tried it and I could do it."

Keoughan said he enjoyed the audience reaction to the production.

"It was strange for opera because normally you don't get that lively an audience but they came expecting to see a rock show," Keoughan said.

"What was wonderful about the show was that it really brought fans from opera and fans from rock and roll together."

Balancing rock and opera

Keoughan's friend, performer Brittany Banks, is excited to see what he has accomplished.

"When Nathan was telling me — I instantly said 'You would rock that,'" Banks said.

"His voice in particular, because that is a very unique skill set, to balance the operatic requirements as well as this rock sensibility."

Banks looks forward to seeing her friend in future versions of the show.

"He's from Fort Augustus and he's working with one of the best -known bands of all time," Banks said. "I need to see it, I'd be there in a heartbeat wherever it ends up going in the world."

Keen to keep Keoughan

The show's producer hopes to have news for Keoughan by the middle of October.

"We're going to try to keep him in the role of Pink as long as possible and he loves to do the show and he's a great performer," said Pierre Dufour, of Productions Opera Concept M.P. 

"He did great and we should congratulate him for the great investment he put into that role and I know he's quite excited about the idea to do it again."

More P.E.I. news