Spotlight on Liora Maurer
Part of the Life of the Opera Pianist series
Photo: Pierre-Etienne Bergeron
General Information
Education:
BM – Rubin Academy, Tel Aviv, Israel – Piano
MM – Manhattan School of Music – Collaborative Piano (Vocal)
Current opera house and position(s):
Metropolitan Opera – Assistant Conductor
Canto Vocal Programs – Co-founder and Associate Artistic Director
Other or former affiliations:
NYCO – Assistant Conductor
Seattle Opera – Music Staff
Opera Theater of Saint Louis – Music Staff
Wolf Trap Opera Company – Music Staff
L’Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal – Guest Coach
International Vocal Arts Institute – Faculty
Spoleto Festival, USA – Music Staff
Opera Omaha – Music Staff
New Israeli Opera – Music Staff
Contact or Connect:
Canto Vocal Programs: https://www.cantovocalprograms.com
Instagram – lioramaurer
11 Questions
Many people do not know the many roles and responsibilities a répétiteur has in the opera house. How do you explain your job to non-musicians, or even other musicians?
At the opera house I normally have two main functions.
First, as a pianist, playing music and staging rehearsals.
Since orchestra time is very expensive and the number of orchestra rehearsals is limited, each opera has a piano arrangement which is a reduction of the orchestra part. Part of my job is to know the orchestration well, and to try to create a similar sonority on the piano. Sometimes when the orchestra reduction is not accurate or is missing some cues, I will spend time adding or taking out certain notes, to make it closer to the way it sounds when the orchestra is playing.
By using a pianist to play rehearsals instead of a full orchestra, it’s possible to make many repetitions and refinements and prepare for the next stage of the rehearsal period, which takes place with the orchestra. Part of our job in rehearsals is also to sing any missing vocal cues (chorus cues or cues of a character that are not present in the rehearsal at that moment).
The second function is being a part of music preparation. That means working with the singers on style, languages, rhythm etc. either in individual coachings or by giving notes during rehearsals. It also means working closely with the conductor and making sure that their vision of the music is being passed on and reinforced. Sometimes a conductor will simply mention something they would like to happen, and it is our job to help the singers achieve that goal.
Once we move from the rehearsal room to the stage, our job is to serve as extra ears for balance or anything else that needs a final adjustment. In some pieces we play a keyboard instrument in the orchestra, depending on the piece.
What do you find to be one of the most challenging aspects of your job?
Preparing an opera for the first time, especially when the score reduction is not accurate enough is something that I enjoy but is also very challenging and time consuming. What is difficult is to make decisions about what to add and what to take out, and then making sure it’s indeed playable and that I can be flexible enough to follow the conductor.
Another challenging aspect is learning to sing the vocal cues, especially in a piece with complicated ensembles, and making decisions about what would be the most helpful for the singers later on in coachings.
Do you have a favorite part of the preparation (rehearsal or learning an opera) process? If so, what is it and why?
I enjoy several stages in the preparation process: First, the very initial stage of getting familiar with the opera - Translating the text, playing through it for the first time and marking the places which probably will require more attention, listening to several recordings so the music starts to become familiar (if it’s a completely new piece to me), and getting ready to “dive in”. The next stage I like (after working out all the “kinks”) is when things start to really gel, and I feel like I have a grasp over the piece and how I would like to play it. When the piece starts to “shrink” and I can play bigger and bigger chunks. The next stage that I enjoy is when we start rehearsals and all the elements are put together, and the vocal lines are not only in my head, but are sung in the rehearsal room.
What is your favorite opera?
Operas that I would always love to hear: Il trittico, Tosca, Falstaff, L’enfant et les sortilèges and Le nozze di Figaro.
What is your favorite opera score to play and why?
So many operas include awkward passages to play, since they are not written for the piano originally. Some patterns that are really easy for the strings for example, like repeated notes and tremolo are not always easy to play on the piano.
I love playing Werther because after the initial stage of learning it, it feels very pianistic. It also has so many colors, and it’s really fun to bring them out. I feel that in general, a lot of French operas have a color palette that is very satisfying to play on the piano.
What are some adjectives that describe the skills one needs to be a good répétiteur?
I think important skills are having the ability to balance attention to details with being able to see the big picture, patience, intuition, empathy, perceptiveness, calmness, humility and strength.
As a répétiteur, we are expected to prepare music quickly (sometimes having to sightread or transpose or play music from the orchestra full score), manage multiple opera productions at the same time, play rehearsals for last minute cast changes, conduct last minute rehearsals or performances and sometimes even sing roles in these rehearsals or performances. Do you have any advice on how to deal with the excitement of the job?
Inhale and exhale ☺. Do your best but also remember that you are human and be kind to yourself, even if sometimes you feel you haven’t lived up to your standards. Also, you can’t control everything so prepare as well as you can for anything you do know about in advance. This way, you can deal better with anything that is being thrown at you.
We also wear many hats as a répétiteur. We are often asked to assist conductors by taking notes, provide backstage conducting for performances, prompt the singers, conduct staging rehearsals, accompany chorus rehearsals, manage sound effects or major musical cues for performances, perform a keyboard instrument (or two) in the orchestra pit and give notes to singers about language and diction. Do you have a favorite aspect of the career? Have you branched out in other directions related to our field?
In addition to working in the opera house I’m passionate about working individually with opera singers at all levels. I love working with singers in the early stages, as they literally find their unique voice, and then guiding them through the various steps towards becoming accomplished singers. I also love working with singers who have already started a career and supporting them in any way they need. I think it’s very important for singers at every stage to have someone whose ears they trust, who will always be with them throughout their journey.
This is why Canto Vocal Programs, which I run along with Lucy Arner and Sharon Mohar, is so important to me. Through Canto we meet singers from all over the world, online and in person. Some are at a point where they have just finished school and are looking to make the transition from talented students to young professionals. Others are already professionals but there is always room for refining current roles and preparing new ones with a team that knows them well. The fact that between us we are conductor, stage director and vocal coach allows us to work with our singers in a uniquely comprehensive way, balancing the various aspects of performing.
What was your first experience as a répétiteur? And your most recent experience as a répétiteur?
My first professional experience as a rehearsal pianist in a professional setting was Jenůfa with the New Israeli Opera when I was 21 years old. When I joined the production, they were already in the middle of the rehearsals for Act One, so I learned the opera while rehearsing it. It was insane, especially for this opera which is not easy. Frankly, I’m not sure how I did it…
Right now I’m working on the new production of Rigoletto at the Met.
How do you manage playing an opera (or opera aria) for the nth time?
In general when I repeat an opera, I play it with different conductors and/or different singers. So, it never really feels like the same piece. Each time I play it, more layers are added to my understanding of the opera, which I then bring to my coachings of the piece.
Do you have any advice for pianists interested in a career at an opera house?
Study languages as early as you can, when you are still young and have the time and the quiet of mind to invest in it. Get to a level where you can read and write at least two of the three languages (Italian, French and German), and have a knowledge of pronunciation for all three languages. If you have a specific opera composer or style that speaks to you the most, start with the corresponding language first. In order to be a coach, you must understand the text and the structure, so you can help a singer express it through the music. Also, in order to be able to play recitatives you need to be intimately acquainted with the flow of the language.
Get to know the repertoire. Give yourself goals to learn a certain number of operas every year. Translate them, add things from the orchestra score, and learn to sing all the cues while playing. Also, get to know the standard arias. You can do that by playing for a voice studio, and also by asking someone who has been doing this for a while to point you in the right direction.
Learn to follow a conductor. Find opportunities to play for a conductor either for a choir, or as an apprentice in a program.
Sing in a choir or take some voice lessons. It’s important to have a sense of what singers feel when they sing, and singing is the best way to have a firsthand experience.
Any additional memories, thoughts or comments?
I feel very lucky to have found this profession which combines so many things I love. I’m grateful for all the amazing teachers I had along the way and all the artists I was fortunate to work with. I am so happy to be able to pass what I’ve learned to a new generation, and for the opportunity to keep learning all the time.
Excerpt: Méditation (Act 2) Opera: Thaïs Composer: Jules Massenet Recital: "Voces Magistrales" Pianist: Liora Maurer Venue: Bertita & Guillermo L. Martinez Theater at the Puerto Rico Music Conservatory. Date: February 6, 2018
Duet: Gia nella notte densa (Act 1) Opera: Otello Composer: Giuseppe Verdi Recital: "Voces Magistrales" Singers: Roberto Alagna, tenor & Aleksandra Kurzak, soprano. Pianist: Liora Maurer Venue: Bertita & Guillermo L. Martinez Theater at the Puerto Rico Music Conservatory. Date: February 6, 2018.
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