Maaike Hupperetz is a soprano from the Netherlands.

Share with us a unique experience for you in the opera world. How did it inspire you and what did you learn from it?
A unique experience for me as an opera singer was the concert trip to Normandy. I got to perform as a soloist for a week in the most beautiful places together with fantastic musicians! The most special concert spot during this trip was the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. It was incredibly special to be able to sing with this incredibly moving view. In addition, there were some veterans in the audience. I had the honor of meeting them after the concert. The music brought back many memories for them. At that moment I realized once again the power and purity of music. Finally, it gave me the grateful feeling to be a singer and to be able to convey emotions to an audience.

Do you think opera should be accessible to everyone? How do you think this could be done?
I think opera should be accessible to everyone! I think opera becomes more accessible when we start with the very young. Music education is therefore enormously important. They are the future! In addition, I think opera should be affordable for everyone.

Do you feel that your work as an opera singer helps you to use your creativity to serve your community? What do you enjoy the most about it?
With (classical) music you can offer people hope, comfort or make them happy, among other things. What I find incredibly beautiful about opera is that you can tell one or more unique storylines with important themes from (current) society. Besides the well-known, timeless stories of Don Giovanni and Carmen, there are also new operas these days with important social themes. One new opera that has impressed me a lot is "Blue. In the future, I hope to be able to send my audience out of the hall with a message they will want to think about again at home.