Pioneer Alumna Makes International Singing Debut

Sophie (Sophia) Capra ’18

A love of singing that was nurtured at Duchesne recently took Sophie (Sophia) Capra ’18 across the Atlantic for the biggest opportunity of her musical career.

This summer, Capra traveled to France for her international opera debut, spending two weeks rehearsing and performing in Le Mans, with a short visit to Paris along the way.

The opportunity came through a connection Capra made while performing with the Southern Illinois Music Festival. A director she had previously worked with reached out in March and invited her to take part in an opera festival she helps run in France.

“I was like, absolutely,” said Capra. “This was my international debut.”

At 27, Capra has already performed in nine operas. Her time in France included several concerts and three opera performances, along with the opportunity to participate as a young artist and receive additional coaching.

The trip also brought another first. In one of the operas, Capra performed a lead role for the first time in her professional career.

“It was a long trip, but it was so rewarding,” she said. “I didn’t want to come back.”

For Capra, the journey to France was the latest step in a love of music that began when she was young and continued to grow during her four years at Duchesne.

She began singing with the Young Catholic Musicians of St. Louis while in grade school and joined a professional choir in fifth grade. Once she arrived at Duchesne, music became a major part of her high school experience.

Capra sang in Concert Choir and Royal Impressions, served as choir liaison for the music department and participated in theater throughout all four years. She appeared in plays, joined the improv troupe and performed in every musical from her freshman production of ‘Annie’ through her senior-year production of ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’”

She also became a familiar voice outside the Performing Arts Center, singing the national anthem at football and basketball games and reading Pioneer Prayer over the announcements each morning.

“I did everything I could get my hands on,” Capra said.

The Performing Arts Center became something of a second home.

“My mom would actually text me,” she said. “‘What are you doing? Are you getting food, or are you at the PAC?’”

Duchesne also helped Capra begin thinking about what music could look like beyond high school.

At the encouragement of then-music teacher Mrs. Johnson, Capra attended summer music camps run by Southeast Missouri State University. There she met members of the university’s voice faculty and developed relationships that would eventually help lead her to Southeast, where she studied vocal performance.

Capra originally planned to become a music teacher, but her direction changed after she was encouraged to participate in her first opera.

Having spent years performing musical theater, she quickly found something different to love about opera.

“You’re learning something that is older than some countries,” she said. “And you’re performing it to people and making them laugh or making them cry. They don’t necessarily understand what’s happening, but they can see all the emotion.”

Years later, another part of her Duchesne education came in handy when that passion took her overseas.

Capra studied Honors French for three years at Duchesne, including two years with Madame Loricella. While working in France, she had the chance to put those language skills to the test.

She even prepared a French aria and workshopped it with native speakers before performing it.

“I had one aria in French that she really liked,” Capra said of her director. “She’s like, ‘I want you to sing French in France to native speakers.’”

The experience helped Capra refine both her language and performance skills. Outside rehearsals, she also had the chance to experience French culture, including two days sightseeing in Paris.

Most of her time, however, was spent working.

Rehearsal days in Le Mans could stretch from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., all while France was experiencing a summer heat wave. Capra rehearsed concerts, prepared multiple operas and worked alongside both fellow young artists and professional singers.

She also found an appreciation for the way people in Le Mans embraced the arts.

Capra recalled rehearsing with the windows open and looking down to see people on the street stopping simply to listen.

“People just stop,” she said. “It’s so cool.”

While music occupied much of Capra’s time at Duchesne, her Pioneer experience extended well beyond the stage.

She served as a student ambassador and vice president of campus ministry, participated in outreach and Pro-life Club, played softball and volunteered as an open house tour guide.

Capra believes those experiences helped teach her to put herself out there, something that has become especially important in a profession where relationships can lead to future opportunities.

“Make friends with everyone, because you never know who you’re going to cross paths with or who’s going to have another opportunity for you,” she said. “The fact that I kept putting myself out there while I was at school gave me the confidence to keep doing that.”

That lesson has already paid off.

Connections Capra made while performing in France have encouraged her to audition with opera companies in the St. Louis area. She plans to move back home this fall and continue pursuing performance opportunities while working a job that will give her the flexibility to audition and participate in shows.

As she takes that next step, Capra still carries another lesson from her days at Duchesne.

She remembers Mrs. Johnson ending class each day with the same message to her students: “Have a great day. You’re not replaceable.”

Years later, Capra still repeats those words to others.

“She still says that to me,” Capra said. “That’s something that always stuck with me.”

From the Duchesne stage to an opera house in France, it is one of many pieces of her Pioneer experience that Capra continues to carry with her.