Can you tell us about your role at OHP?

I’m the répétiteur of the production, so my main role is to provide my best rendition of what the orchestra would sound like on the piano. I also coach the singers before staging starts, and sometimes play the harpsichord/fortepiano continuo in the orchestra. When the orchestra joins, if I’m not needed to play, I usually sit in the audience behind the conductor taking notes for them.

What do you believe are the most important qualities of a répétiteur?

I think it is a combination of being a reliable foundation that provides stability while also offering gestures that can create a musical dialogue between the voice and the orchestra. I also believe that studying the different timbers of the orchestral instruments and really working to emulate that on the keyboard is essential.

How do you approach the collaborative aspect of working with other artists, such as singers and conductors?

I love discussing rhetoric with singers. Unlike instrumentalists, they are lucky to be given text in their music, so I really enjoy rehearsals where we experiment with the relationship of the words and accompaniment. As for conductors, I find it varies from person to person; some are very set in their ideas, and others are open to suggestions. At the end of the day, part of my job is to realise the conductor’s vision… but I try to sneak in a bit of my own character too. 

Do you have any operas that you haven’t yet worked on that you’d like to?

I’ve been watching Le nozze di Figaro since I was five years old, and I’ve played through it on my own many times for fun, but I haven’t had an opportunity to rep it yet. I’ve been wanting to for years! And of course to play continuo in the performances.

How do you balance the technical aspects of being a répétiteur with the artistic nature of opera?

Being a rep is often ‘behind the scenes’, so it’s easy for me to rely too heavily on the functional aspects of my role because I’m always concentrating on following the conductor and making sure performances are accurate. But our job is also to give everyone an idea of what the end result will be, which is the beautiful orchestral swells and soaring melodies. And so I think once all of the mechanical hard work and discussions about the technicalities are over, it’s time to focus our attention on the imaginative aspects of the music and paint a picture of what we all have to look forward to in the final performance.

What do you hope to gain or learn from the OHP Young Artists Scheme?

I think it is brilliant that the Young Artists can work side-by-side with the same main stage production. I’m looking forward to observing their rehearsals and applying what I’ve seen and learned from industry professionals in this supportive environment. I’m especially eager to meet other répétiteurs and discuss ‘trade secrets’ which are usually questions like “How did you manage to reduce that?” 

What is one piece of advice, musical or otherwise, that you’ve been given that has stayed with you?

“If you play silly music seriously, you’ll sound stupid.” from my lesson with Robert Levin. Always reminds me to keep my sense of humour alive in music… especially in Rossini! 

 

Find out more about The Barber of Seville here.