As part of the OBF 2021 Virtual Festival, SFYCA alum (2006, 2007, 2008), Emmanuel “Onry” Henreid participated in an OBF Virtual Happy Hour event where he shared what he is up to now and performed two lovely pieces for the audience of OBF patrons and supporters.
Onry, an award-winning singer, actor, dancer, and pianist based in Portland, Oregon, is doing amazing work since his time with SFYCA. He studied music in Ukraine and Moldova and has performed throughout the US and Europe including touring with Lyle Lovett. He sings for the Portland Opera, Opera Maui, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Gospel Choir: Kingdom Sound, and instructs students around the globe. He is currently working on a documentary and EP, Livin’ in the Light.
Sabrina Madison Cannon, the Phyllis and Andrew Berwick Dean of the UO School of Music and Dance, hosted the virtual event and spoke to Onry about his experiences as a performer during the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred in Portland last summer.
He described and then shared a “rara avis” (Latin for “rare bird”) moment that was captured on video and went viral.
It all happened on an early June 2020 day in the height of the pandemic that forced the world to shutter workplaces, restaurants, schools, and the concert hall.
Madisen Hallberg, a Portland State University graduate was shooting a video performance for her school’s virtual graduation ceremony when Onry happened to be walking by. Having heard her voice from across the park, Onry asked if he could join her.
These two vocalists magically clicked. A “rara avis” duet transpired, that in turn, went viral resulting in coverage by a whole host of local, national, and international media outlets including The Today Show, NPR, ABC World News Tonight, and the BBC.
Like so many performing artists, Madisen and Onry’s livelihoods came to a screeching halt when performing arts venues and organizations suddenly canceled their seasons. Gigs were scrapped. Concert venues were mothballed.
As a professional musician who travels often, Onry is used to spending a lot of time working with other musicians and artists. During quarantine, this became exceedingly difficult. The impromptu opportunity to collaborate with someone was exciting and real, especially during the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests.
Onry, who is one of the few black opera singers in the Pacific Northwest shared his experience in this BBC feature on what it is like to be a Black male artist in a the very white city of Portland and continues this exploration in his Livin’ in Light project.
Wonderfully, the “rare avis” nature of this story does not stop here.
While updating our SFYCA database, it was recently discovered by our education operations coordinator that not only is Onry an SFYCA alum, but so is Madisen, who attended in 2014 and 2015.
These unexpected connections are part of what makes SFYCA so special and unique. It is our hope to continue to reunite singers like Onry and Madisen at SFYCA’s 25th Anniversary Celebration in 2023. While it is still a way off, planning is already underway to include an alumni reception and featured performances by alumni, alongside the2023 SFYCA participants.
If you want to keep up with news and announcements of SFYCA events and activities, please email Education & Operations Coordinator, Barbara Harris at bharris7@uoregon.edu who will add you to our SFYCA alumni newsletter list. We are also looking for alumni to help us with the planning of this special occasion and would love to have you join the SFYCA 25th Anniversary Committee.