Lyric Opera 2023-2024 Issue 1 - The Flying Dutchman

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 18 My experience with that opera will help me to enter the very special world of this masterpiece, to balance its elements of intimacy and grandiosity as Verdi intended. How has your artistic and personal relationship with the members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra evolved since the start of your tenure in 2021? All artistic relationships between musicians and their music director begin with human sentiments, which are basic for making music; one of the most basic of those sentiments is mutual trust. We work together, and when we set the rst note of a performance, we set everything into motion—passionately so, putting together every aspect of the orchestral foundation. Our relationship broadens and deepens with every performance. We are getting to know each other better and better, the musicians and I. Together I think we are achieving a very clear, transparent sound—a sound that allows the orchestra maximum expressivity and, at the same time, creates the maximum range of colors at all dynamics without risking the cohesion of the ensemble. Last season, I attended some performances conducted by others, and I was very proud to hear the orchestra working in the direction of greater transparency, every sound audible to the audience. I dislike it when clarity and articulation are lost. To make certain that every sound and color registers in their proper places, in rehearsal I will ask the orchestra to play pianissimo instead of just piano, staccatissimo instead of just staccato. The entire orchestra is working in that direction, and that makes me very happy. I work with many orchestras around the world, so I can speak with some authority when I say the Lyric Opera Orchestra is one of the best in the world. That is not the vanity of a music director speaking! I’m deeply proud of our orchestra—and of our Lyric Opera Chorus. Enrique Mazzola,onstage with General Director Anthony Freud and host Andrea Darlas,captures a self portrait at Lyric’s 2023/24 season announcement event. Joe Mazza Lyric Opera of Chicago | 18 My experi nce with t at opera will help me to enter the very special world of this masterpiec , to bal nce its el ments of intimacy and grandiosity as Verdi intende . How has your artis ic and personal relationship with t e members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra evolved since the start of your tenure in 20 1? All artis c relationships between musicians and their music director begin with uman sentiments, which are basic for making music; one of the most basic of those sentiments i mut al trust. We work together, and when we set the rst note of a performance, we set v rything into moti n—passionately so, putting together v ry aspect of the orchestral foundation. Our relationship broadens and eep ns with ev ry performance. We are getting to know each other bett r and bett r, the musicians and I. Together I think we are achieving a very clear, transparent sound—a sound that llows the orchestra maximum expressivity and, at the same time, creates the maximum range of col rs at ll dynamics without risking the cohesion of the nsemble. Last eason, I attende some performances conducted by others, and I was very proud to hear the orchestra working in the direction of greater transparency, ev ry sound audible to the audience. I disl ke it when clarity and articulation are lost. To make certain that ev ry sound and col r registers in their proper places, in reh arsal I will ask the orchestra to play pianissimo instead of just piano, staccatissimo instead of just accato. The ntire orchestra is working in that direction, and that makes me very happy. I work with many orchestras around the world, so I can speak with some authority when I say the Lyric Opera Orchestra is one of the best in the world. That is not the vanity of a music director speaking! I’m deeply proud of our orchestra—and of ur Lyric Opera Chorus. Enrique Mazzola,onstage with Gen ral Director Anthony Freud and host Andrea D rl s,captures a self portrait at Lyric’s 20 3/24 season a nouncem nt ev nt.