I met with opera singer Tom Carle at his home in northern New Jersey for episode two of brave space. We were joined by two cats, Bender and Fry, who make a little bit of noise throughout our conversation. Tom and I chat about how he got his start singing in church choirs and playing piano, and how he finds more and more joy in singing the further his journey in the art takes him. Fun fact: Billy Joel's music and storytelling has been a huge inspiration of Tom's. Tom explains how opera is a "total art," and we talk about how opera as it exists today isn't what its original patrons experienced.

Tom gets real when sharing that while his work affords him opportunities to travel the country (and world) singing, he finds it challenging to maintain a "normal" lifestyle, especially when comparing himself to friends in other industries; Tom has to move and reinvent himself every season, and it's exhilarating but tiring to not truly be rooted in one place. We then talk about competition, self-care, and why Tom tells his students to separate their voices from themselves as people.

Homebrewing beer became a creative outlet for Tom while pursuing his masters degree, and he loves sharing his knowledge of beer with others. Writing beer recipes is a secondary form of art for Tom.

To find out more about Tom Carle, his upcoming performances, and his voice studio, visit www.tomcarletenor.com. Many thanks to Tom for chatting with me while in the neighborhood between contracts!

For more information, visit www.bravespacepod.com