Facilitating The Artistic Genius
My job at varying times is to lead, follow and get out of the way.
People who are new to the performing arts are always startled when I tell them that I am paid not to have an artistic agenda. My job is to leave the art up to the Artistic Director, the Staging Director, the Music Director and any number of the Designers whom I hire and assist. I take their ideas and desires and analyze them, deconstruct them and then report my findings. My goal is to make the scope of my advice to these people purely economic and logistic—Choice X costs less than Choice Y. We cannot afford Choice Z at all. Choice A will not fit into DeVos Hall as it is designed, but if we make these changes it will. Choice B is not available during our production period—and so forth. Don’t get me wrong; I have some fairly strong artistic opinions, but it is not my job to express them. My job is to facilitate. I have worked on some operas that I have disliked intensely, but they were successful in that the final product was exactly what the directors and designers wanted and envisioned. My taste has absolutely nothing to do with the process. They lead, I follow.
This week begins the work in earnest on the Elixir of Love. While I was busy with Tosca, the Artistic Director, Staging Director and Scenic Designer were collaborating (excellent!) and have been kicking around the idea of setting the opera in a different time period than the one for which it was written. On the whole, I’m a big fan of being surprised when the curtain goes up, but then I consume so much more theatre than the average person sitting in the audience that I’ve seen the “standard” production of just about everything. I like it when things get mixed up! So all of a sudden I am working on putting together information for a not-so-standard production of The Elixir of Love. There is some time for them to continue brainstorming and exploring their options before we have to make financial commitments, so for the time being, I will get out of their way and let them think this through.
In the meantime, the music is not going to change and the chorus must be cast and begin rehearsing in short order. We have an enormous pool of local talent from which to choose. To become a member of the OGR chorus you must audition for the Chorus Master. Local auditions are held each spring and we refresh our ranks with many talented singers of all ages shapes and sizes. Then, before each opera, I send out a mass mailing to the entire bunch—about 150 people right now. This mailing gives them the basic information on the upcoming opera such as rehearsal dates, the size of the chorus, who is directing, etc. The members of the chorus then send back their replies. Either they are interested and available for the rehearsals or they are uninterested or unavailable. From the list of interested chorus members the Chorus Master, Assistant Chorus Master and Chorus Coordinator cast the opera. Unfortunately not everyone who wants to be in the chorus is cast in each opera. There are always a few highly talented and wonderful people who we just can’t use. The Elixir chorus will number only 24, so I fear we will be turning away more people than usual. I hate that, but at the same time it would look and sound extremely silly if we had 65 sopranos on the stage with only a dozen or so of the other voices (yes, we are a bit soprano heavy). We will begin chorus music rehearsals back at the Central Reformed Church in early December.
In eight short weeks we will begin staging rehearsals for The Elixir of Love, so I am leading the charge onward. Chorus letters are in the mail. I am working on housing and travel for the visiting artists. A few contracts need to be written. I have to find a place to rehearse. There is always some work to be done on the planning of the Betty Van Andel Opera Center. There are still some things to finish from Tosca. There are some things to begin planning for Faust and we are already discussing options for next season. So I am taking turns leading, following and getting out of the way. As usual.
People who are new to the performing arts are always startled when I tell them that I am paid not to have an artistic agenda. My job is to leave the art up to the Artistic Director, the Staging Director, the Music Director and any number of the Designers whom I hire and assist. I take their ideas and desires and analyze them, deconstruct them and then report my findings. My goal is to make the scope of my advice to these people purely economic and logistic—Choice X costs less than Choice Y. We cannot afford Choice Z at all. Choice A will not fit into DeVos Hall as it is designed, but if we make these changes it will. Choice B is not available during our production period—and so forth. Don’t get me wrong; I have some fairly strong artistic opinions, but it is not my job to express them. My job is to facilitate. I have worked on some operas that I have disliked intensely, but they were successful in that the final product was exactly what the directors and designers wanted and envisioned. My taste has absolutely nothing to do with the process. They lead, I follow.
This week begins the work in earnest on the Elixir of Love. While I was busy with Tosca, the Artistic Director, Staging Director and Scenic Designer were collaborating (excellent!) and have been kicking around the idea of setting the opera in a different time period than the one for which it was written. On the whole, I’m a big fan of being surprised when the curtain goes up, but then I consume so much more theatre than the average person sitting in the audience that I’ve seen the “standard” production of just about everything. I like it when things get mixed up! So all of a sudden I am working on putting together information for a not-so-standard production of The Elixir of Love. There is some time for them to continue brainstorming and exploring their options before we have to make financial commitments, so for the time being, I will get out of their way and let them think this through.
In the meantime, the music is not going to change and the chorus must be cast and begin rehearsing in short order. We have an enormous pool of local talent from which to choose. To become a member of the OGR chorus you must audition for the Chorus Master. Local auditions are held each spring and we refresh our ranks with many talented singers of all ages shapes and sizes. Then, before each opera, I send out a mass mailing to the entire bunch—about 150 people right now. This mailing gives them the basic information on the upcoming opera such as rehearsal dates, the size of the chorus, who is directing, etc. The members of the chorus then send back their replies. Either they are interested and available for the rehearsals or they are uninterested or unavailable. From the list of interested chorus members the Chorus Master, Assistant Chorus Master and Chorus Coordinator cast the opera. Unfortunately not everyone who wants to be in the chorus is cast in each opera. There are always a few highly talented and wonderful people who we just can’t use. The Elixir chorus will number only 24, so I fear we will be turning away more people than usual. I hate that, but at the same time it would look and sound extremely silly if we had 65 sopranos on the stage with only a dozen or so of the other voices (yes, we are a bit soprano heavy). We will begin chorus music rehearsals back at the Central Reformed Church in early December.
In eight short weeks we will begin staging rehearsals for The Elixir of Love, so I am leading the charge onward. Chorus letters are in the mail. I am working on housing and travel for the visiting artists. A few contracts need to be written. I have to find a place to rehearse. There is always some work to be done on the planning of the Betty Van Andel Opera Center. There are still some things to finish from Tosca. There are some things to begin planning for Faust and we are already discussing options for next season. So I am taking turns leading, following and getting out of the way. As usual.
posted by Cat W. at
9:00 AM
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