Lyric Opera 2024-2025 Issue 7 - La bohème

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 72 What is your role here at Lyric — and what was your path to get here? I’m the stage director in the Ensemble of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center — just the second person to be in this role. I first learned about this opportunity almost four years ago, when I was on the cusp of a career change and didn’t even know it. I wasn’t ready when I first interviewed back then, but [Chief Artistic Administration Officer] Matthew Ozawa and [Ryan Opera Center Director] Dan Novak gave me good advice, which led me to working at The Glimmerglass Festival and Rice University, followed by a fellowship at the Metropolitan Opera. With more experience, I was much better prepared to join the program and started last May. I feel very lucky. Can you describe your day-to-day activities? While a show I’ve been assigned to is in production, I am in every rehearsal helping and learning from the wonderful directing staff here at Lyric. Each day can look a little different! This season I worked on Fidelio with Matthew Ozawa, and then with Barbara Gaines on The Marriage of Figaro . Fidelio was particularly special because I got to see the whole thing — from Matthew’s first concept speech to final performances. I felt like such an integral part of the team, too, because we had 15 supers, and I was in charge of knowing all their blocking and supporting them. One day someone was out, and the staff said, “Marinette, go on,” so I got in costume and went on stage. What about your job would surprise people? I had a friend say one time that as an assistant director, you have to live in the past, present, and future at the same time. You have to stay aware of what’s happening in front of you — and think about who is going to need help in 20 minutes. And you have to try to fix it now. And then there’s the past: You have to know what just happened because the director might look at you and say, “Did he do that thing that I told him to do? I was looking somewhere else.” Do you also work on projects specifically within the Ryan Opera Center? Yes. This past summer, just after we started, I was assigned to direct a scene from The Elixir of Love for our Scenes Workshop, the Dulcamara and Nemorino duet. It was with [Ensemble singers] Daniel Espinal and Finn Sagal, and it was just so fun to work with those guys on a piece full of silliness. Have you had a favorite Lyric moment? Any moment where all of the Ryan Opera Center artists are all together is wonderful. I’m thinking especially of the Sunday in the Park concert we had in August. Although we had known each other for only a few months, there was a natural sense of camaraderie. I remember when Finn Sagal was singing “My Kind of Town” —which he and Ensemble pianist Michael Banwarth arranged themselves, by the way, which is so impressive –—we were all huddled in the wings, recording like a bunch of stage moms, and we were practically screaming. What do you like about working in the arts? One of the coolest parts of the job is when you’re sitting there with your score, and you have someone like Lise Davidsen singing five feet away from you. And you look up and look around: Is anyone else hearing this? Experiences like that are a normal part of our day-to-day jobs. I get to hear the most incredible music every day, and get to meet brilliant people, and have the coolest conversations. Working in the arts has made my life feel so big. People of Lyric A behind-the-scenes conversation Hometown: Orlando, Florida First opera? I went to college at a small school called University of North Florida. My new friends were all involved with opera, and I was always in theater and choir, so I auditioned, and I was in the ensemble for La Bohème. My first opera. First opera you saw live? My first full production was Don Giovanni . Favorite opera? I love so many for different reasons, and it changes every day. But right now, the first one that comes to mind is Eugene Onegin . I love that one. Marinette Gomez Stage director, Ryan Opera Center Todd Rosenberg