Lyric Opera 2022-2023 Issue 2- Fiddler #1

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 72 For its 2022/23 Ensemble, The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center expanded its roster to include a new position: Stage Manager. This exciting step demonstrates Lyric’s commitment to nurture the talents of artists involved in all aspects of our eld.We are thrilled to introduce the rst Ensemble member to take on this new role,Tess Naval. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE FIRST ARTIST IN THIS NEW STAGE MANAGER ROLE WITH THE RYAN OPERA CENTER? It is incredibly exciting! I’m forging a new path, with the help of the Stage Management department and the Ryan Opera Center team. I’ve been given the opportunity to learn from the best in the business, and I couldn’t be more grateful. This role is furthering my professional training in a very meaningful way and will do the same for my successors. WHAT LED YOU TO LYRIC? My journey to Lyric has had many twists and turns. After graduating from Boston University with my BFA, my career path took me to theme parks, magic shows, plays, musicals, and opera. I rst explored opera while in college, where I stage managed our production of Così fan tutte . It was challenging and very different from what I had been working on previously and piqued my interest. My love of the art form and desire to continue pursuing it was invigorated by working with Yale Opera. Last spring Yale alumnus and fellow Ryan Opera Center Ensemble member Ryan Capozzo shared the news of the creation of this exciting new role and suggested I apply. And I did. WHAT’S A TYPICAL DAY LIKE FOR YOU AND WHAT IS THE NATURE OF YOUR TRAINING? There is never a typical day in stage management, which is one reason why I love this industry. When I started in May, rehearsals for the Ryan Opera Center Scenes Workshop began right away. Each day I would arrive at Lyric at least a half hour before the start time to prepare: look at the daily rehearsal schedule, pick up costumes from the Wardrobe Department, check in with the Props Department, directing team, and other departments about the day’s plan—and then, head to the rehearsal room. I would be in rehearsal all day helping and observing the stage management team. After that performance project was completed, my days were spent diving through archival material from past Lyric seasons, watching archival footage of this season’s productions to familiarize myself with them, taking language classes in German and Italian, and prepping my scores for the season. My training is hands-on work assisting the stage management team on productions, as well as observation. I’ve already learned a lot about how things run here at Lyric and look forward to expanding that knowledge in the months ahead. WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF STAGE MANAGEMENT? Keeping the big picture in mind, while being focused on the details. It’s important to always think about how things could affect other departments. For example, when a singer is staged to be sitting on the oor, you need to think about the oor treatment: Is it rough? Is it smooth? Is the stage raked on an incline? Does the singer’s costume restrict their movement to sit on the oor? Do they need to adjust their position for better breath support? How are their knees? Do they need knee pads? How does their costume need to be altered to allow knee pads? That’s just one of the many facets of operatic performance that need to be considered. WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT STUDYING TO BE A STAGE MANAGER THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT KNOW? We need to understand everyone’s role. Each person is vital. Being fully aware of how our colleagues contribute to the production and supporting them in those efforts results in a more cohesive production. As a stage manager, you are never done learning, and it’s important to consider new ideas. I’m always keeping my eyes and ears open to different approaches that might help me be a better stage manager. BEYOND OPERA,WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER PASSIONS? I LOVE books. I love to read and be transported to exciting and thrilling new worlds. I also love non ction books about diverse topics such as environmental science or scienti c discoveries. In a different life perhaps I would have been an environmental scientist or marine biologist. I also enjoy teaching my bird Winky new tunes to whistle. My family is local to the area, and we like to spend time together and try new restaurants. A FAVORITE LYRIC MOMENT? I have a couple memorable moments from the three months I’ve been here. My rst week, I was given at least four separate tours of the building. Each person led me on a different route with tips and tricks to maneuvering around the many Lyric spaces. It was fascinating to see the “world of Lyric” through their eyes and footsteps. What really sticks with me is how everyone was excited to meet me and share their love of Lyric. The warm welcoming feeling I received then—and continue to receive now—is incredible. The Ryan Opera Center Board gifted the Ensemble an architecture boat tour as a welcome to the season. Even though I have lived in Chicago for ve years, I’ve never had the chance to take this tour. It was so much fun to spend some time outside the opera house with my colleagues, while also learning about the city. As the boat passed the opera house, we all cheered and took sel es with the building where we spend A LOT of time. People of Lyric Tess Naval Stage Manager in The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center Ensemble Allison Naval Russell