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Joshua Viltrakis

@operaandshit

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Sharing my love for Opera with anyone who will listen ♥️
If you are able to leave a tip for my singing I would be endlessly grateful. Venmo below. ♥️🥹

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WARNING: Long sentimental caption ahead -
This honestly meant so much to me. Since I started singing 13 years ago, I have DEEPLY admired opera singers and classical musicians, but truly never thought of myself as one. The magic that happens when opera singers join forces with instrumentalists is something so sacred and special to me and I can’t believe I got to be a part of that myself yesterday. The fact that I get to do it again in front of a live audience on Saturday seriously makes me want to cry. I just really can’t express enough what an honor it is for me to share a space with these beautiful musicians and the amazing singers in Zombie Opera’s cast this year. I had to pinch myself so many times during rehearsal while listening to the other singers with these musicians because I literally cannot believe I’m in the same room. There were multiple moments where I just thought, “omg wtf am I doing here?” I have to say though, I feel so incredibly supported by my family and friends, so many of you following me and by some of my new friends in Zombie Opera’s cast and that feeling of support has helped me so much. Truly, thank you all so much for your messages and comments and for following along. Your words have helped give me confidence and have helped make me feel like perhaps I do belong somewhere in this world which I only ever thought of myself as a giant fan and admirer of. Over the last few years I really thought there was a chance I might not ever perform again, so it means the world that Zombie Opera took a chance on me and gave me this opportunity this year. At the core, I know that I am artist and I’m making a promise to myself to never go years without being in a creative space ever again. I don’t know if my future will have more opera or more musical theatre or straight up acting or what but right now I’m super grateful for this opportunity and hope I can help show some kids and families that opera is actually really fuckin cool on Saturday. I’m literally crying as I write this. I am so gay. Thank you all and much love to all of you. ♥️♥️♥️ #opera by @operaandshit

I don’t really have words to describe what last night meant to me. I’m just going to say l that I have never felt more proud of myself and I am so grateful for all of the love around me and for @zombieopera for giving me an opportunity to be on stage again after so long. I really had the best time this week getting to meet and collaborate with other artists and it felt really special to return to the stage for such a fun event with a mission statement I believe in so much. Just bringing opera to communities and families in a fun and meaningful way. I’m sorry to the Italians for my pronunciation in this I’ll keep working on it. Opera is amazing. #worldoperaday #opera by @operaandshit

Maybe I should just do this the next time I’m asked this question lmfao #opera by @operaandshit

This passage from Ariadne Auf Naxos is so so tricky for me and I still don’t quite have it right even after working on it for over an hour today! But I LOVE it so much and am gonna keep working on it for my own joy. Also, I never thought I’d do this, but I put a link to my Venmo in my bio today. I was supposed to start a new job several weeks ago and the onboarding process is taking SO MUCH longer than expected and I am down to my last dollars. There’s been several roadblocks in the way, but I am now set to start on November 9th. I would genuinely be so overwhelmingly appreciative if anyone was able to leave a tip for my singing. Literally anything helps and I’m so sorry to even ask. I really don’t expect anything I’m just very much so on the struggle bus right now and any help would be beyond appreciated. In general, I really appreciate anyone who stops by my page or enjoys my singing. Thank you for being here. #opera by @operaandshit

Thank God for this magic potion that @melinamezzo grabbed for me during my performance. Totally saved the show!! But really I had so much fun during Zombie Opera’s 7 deadly sins themed concert in Jersey City this year. It made me remember so clearly how much I love performing and singing for people, and how much I love collaborating even in silly ways with artists like my amazing scene partner here, Melina and all the others in the cast. Getting to bring opera to kids and families who wouldn’t necessarily be exposed to it otherwise is simply a dream for me. Long live opera! #opera #crashout #halloween #theatre #jerseycity by @operaandshit

🧟 Joshua Viltrakis 🧟 SINNER 3 - GLUTTONY 🧟

After over 7 years away, Joshua Viltrakis is beyond grateful, thrilled, excited and terrified to make his return to the stage alongside such fabulous artists during Jersey City’s biggest opera event of the year! Josh comes from the world of musical theatre and spent his teens and early 20s performing principal roles in musicals such as Grease, Sweeney Todd, Guys and Dolls, Spamalot, Heather’s, Cabaret and many others. He spent 2 years attending a conservatory style program for musical theatre in NYC, and then abruptly ceased his artistic pursuits once the immense expenses of life and the demands of working full time became his priority.

While Josh’s background and training are in musical theatre, his greatest love and passion is truly opera. Josh may not have continued training or performing for the last several years, but most of his free time has been spent listening to opera, studying opera and going to the opera every chance he gets. In February, Josh began an instagram account where he sang opera arias in the back of an Insomnia Cookies location where he worked as assistant manager, and gained more recognition for it than he ever expected. Starting that account led Josh to Zombie Opera’s stage this year and it will mark Josh’s first time ever singing opera for an audience. Josh’s mission is to be a part of uplifting opera and helping to expose people to the incredible healing powers of what he believes to be the greatest music ever written. by @operaandshit

Wow this is my first non opera related post on this account! I called this account OperaAndShit for a reason and this would be the “and shit” portion. Sometimes I think I do want to share some of life outside of my opera obsession ya know? Anyway, I’m just reflecting on the month of September and it was a super healing month for me. I was very lucky to spend a lot of time with a lot of people who I love and admire and I laughed uncontrollably nearly every day of the month. I got to celebrate one of my best friend’s bachelorette weekend in update NY with the most idiotic, rotted, fabulous group of girls and gays and I actually had the best time. I got to spend a lot of time with my mom who is an actual earth angel and the most hilarious woman on the planet. I got to see a lot of other people who I miss dearly. Just feeling very grateful for September of 2026. I wish I took more pictures over the course of the month but here is a drop of just a few moments. All love ♥️ by @operaandshit

Someone at corporate is gonna check the cameras one of these days and be very confused lmfaoooo Opera is FUN man #opera by @operaandshit

The amazing @elzasoprano is getting some attention on social media today after she so gracefully and humorously forgot some words at the Proms. It made for such a funny human moment and it made me adore an artist that I already adore even more. I’ve wanted to post some Elza for quite a while and today felt like the right time! Elza, to me, embodies many of humanity’s best and most beautiful qualities and is the epitome of what it means to be an artist. She is absolutely one of my favorite artists I have experienced live with a voice that is unique, laser-like, powerful and penetrating and the most fierce acting chops. Listening to what she has to say in interviews has also made me such a fan. Adore this woman!! ♥️♥️♥️ #opera by @operaandshit

Just a little obnoxious caterwauling for this Sunday evening because why not? Lol #opera #musicaltheatre by @operaandshit

I only started listening to this fabulous artist recently and I 100% have @kajivocals to thank for that! (I highly recommend anyone super interested in opera, singing and the human voice in general to follow @kajivocals) After over a decade of loving opera I somehow never heard of this artist and I’m kind of ashamed to say it. She is utterly brilliant, and while there aren’t that many recordings of her out there, the ones that are out there are simply masterful. She is adored and missed by diehard opera fans, but many do not know who she is and they should! Super versatile, super passionate. Gorgeous. Pauline Tinsley is amazing. You can find all these recordings in full in the the playlist in the link in my bio #opera by @operaandshit

Ask and you shall receive! This was definitely some of the most fun I’ve ever had performing and I reflect on this day fondly! I know that this is a departure from my typical opera content, but I saw this comment and wanted to share. I think it’s a very cool thing to tell stories through song through multiple genres and in multiple ways. Hope someone enjoys this throwback performance to 2018 Josh! #musicaltheatre #littlemermaid #ursula by @operaandshit