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He’s a professional opera singer—but that's not all he can perform

Mark Delavan, appearing in a new production from Opera Maine, is nothing if not versatile.

PORTLAND, Maine — Ten minutes after I had finished our 207 interview with Jonathan Boyd and Mark Delavan, two singers in Opera Maine’s production of “The Flying Dutchman,” I bumped into them in the lobby of our building. 

Gordon Walsh, a friend and colleague who works in our production department and helps get 207 on the air, entered the lobby at the same time and immediately spoke to Mark.

“I would love to hear you sing ‘You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,’” he said.

“I did it last year!” Mark replied with great enthusiasm.

We all cracked up because it was perfect: Mark, even for a professional opera singer, has an extraordinarily deep and resonant voice. It sounds like something that rumbles up from the depths of the ocean. 

Someone putting on some kind of production of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” had the good sense to reach out to Mark, and he happily said yes.

Standing in our lobby, Mark took a step back and cleared his throat a couple of times. He adjusted his feet slightly apart to get a firm stance, tucked his chin against his chest, lowered his already deep voice, and began to sing. 

“You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch...” 

Suffice it to say, he crushed it.

Delavan will be part of Opera Maine’s production of “The Flying Dutchman” on July 27 and 29 at Merrill Auditorium in Portland. 

A nice touch: the story has been altered so that it takes place not off the coast of Europe, as originally written, but off the coast of Maine.

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