Orchestergraben Interview
Maestro Wilson’s latest interview:
Keri-Lynn Wilson needs no introduction. The Canadian conductor can look back on an impressive career in both opera and symphonic music. At very short notice, it has now been announced that she will conduct „La Traviata“ at the Bavarian State Opera starting June 16. I was very happy to take the opportunity to interview her, and because of Wilson’s broad repertoire, our opera expert Isabella Steppan fortunately came to my aid for the interview.
Keri-Lynn, you weren’t always an opera enthusiast – after all, how did your love of opera come about?
As a young musician, I studied the piano, flute and violin, but my main passion was playing in the orchestra. When I was 10 years old, I began playing in the Winnipeg youth orchestra and fell in love with symphonic repertoire, everything from Mozart to Stravinsky. It was not until I was a student at Juilliard and started attending performances across the street at the Metropolitan Opera, paying five dollars for a standing room ticket to hear the greatest singers in the world, that I became enthusiastic about opera.
How do you prepare when you conduct an opera for the first time?
When learning a new opera, aside from the obvious, like thoroughly studying the score, the libretto, and researching the background of the work and the composer, I listen to as many recordings as possible to understand performance traditions over the decades. With each interpretation, I gain greater insight into the realm of musical styles.
In opera productions, you are responsible not only for the orchestra but also for the singers – how does that affect your work as a conductor compared to symphonic concerts?
Conducting opera brings additional challenges to conducting symphonies, since there are many more forces involved: singers, chorus, dancers, extras, perhaps an off-stage banda, and maybe even live animals on stage! The conductor must multi-task, staying in complete control of what’s happening on stage and in the pit, keeping it all in perfect harmony at every moment.
Keri-Lynn Wilson, Foto: Erik Berg
Which opera would you definitely like to conduct in your career and why?
There are still many symphonic works and operas that I’m looking forward to adding to my repertoire. At the top of my list are Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13, Mahler‘s Symphony No. 2 and No. 8 and Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde and Der Ring des Nibelungen. I adore these works, but haven’t had the opportunity to conduct them yet, mainly because they require enormous forces and are therefore challenging to program.
When you attend an opera performance as an audience member, can you simply enjoy the evening and let yourself be carried away emotionally, or do you constantly pay attention to technical aspects or subtleties?
When I’m attending a performance as an audience member, I’m always listening with critical ears. Possessing perfect pitch makes my attention all the keener. When a performance is magical, masterfully interpreted and executed, I’m carried away by the emotional power of the music.
It has just been announced that you will be performing the opera „La Traviata“ at the Bavarian State Opera in mid-June. What significance does this spontaneous engagement have for you in the current pandemic situation?
I was elated to be invited to return to the Bayerische Staatsoper this month to conduct La Traviata. One of the highlights of this past season was going to be conducting „Rigoletto“ there in February, so I was extremely disappointed when it was understandably cancelled because of the pandemic. The sudden reopening of the Staatsoper came as a welcome surprise. I’m thrilled to be part of it!
You have performed „La Traviata“ at major opera houses before. Do you have any special plans for it this time at the Bavarian State Opera?
I can’t wait to be back in the pit of the Bayerische Staatsoper, once again awash in the rich Verdian sound of the Bayerischer Staatsorchester and the glorious voices of the chorus filling the theater. I’ve previously collaborated with my stellar cast of Ailyn Perez , Liparit Avetisian, Placido Domingo and George Petean. However, this will be our first time working together in this production, which is an audience favorite. With Traviata, I’m returning to the opera of my Munich debut twelve years ago. In the intervening years, I’ve grown as an artist, and my interpretation of Traviata has grown with me.
Concerts in front of an audience are now in sight again, or are even already taking place. What are you looking forward to more, the opera or a purely orchestral concert?
Ideally, I like to balance my career between conducting symphonic concerts and opera. The main reason is to explore a variety of repertoire of all of my favorite composers. After all, Brahms didn’t write any operas, while Wagner didn’t write any symphonies.
You were invited to conduct at the Mozartwoche this year. Among other things, you played two symphonies, as well as the Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra. What was the significance of the concert for you, and how was the symphonic part in it?
How fortunate I was to have performed with the wonderful Mozarteum Orchestra in the middle of the pandemic! It was exhilarating conducting my favorite early symphonies No. 25 and No. 29. The collaboration with the soloists for the Concerto for Flute and Harp was very stimulating, since I enjoy working with soloists in a more chamber-like setting.
In the symphonic field, you like to play the big works, Mahler, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky, Bruckner. In concert, is it basically the large format that appeals to you the most?
The majestic sound of a large orchestra has always been an inspiration, so I especially enjoy conducting the symphonic works of Mahler, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky and Bruckner, which deploy the full symphonic forces.
Keri-Lynn Wilson
What are your personal strengths in front of a large orchestra? Could you also imagine working with smaller ensembles?
When working with a large orchestra, it is more challenging to keep the players together and to carefully balance multiple sections. This requires good technique and a well trained ear. In comparison, conducting a smaller orchestra requires a more intimate approach.
During your engagement in Moscow, you greatly expanded your Russian repertoire. Which musical field would you like to open up next?
While I have a vast amount of Italian, French and Russian operas under my belt, I have yet to conduct most of Wagner’s operas. So far, I have only performed The Flying Dutchman and Tannhauser. I’m eagerly awaiting the opportunity to conduct Wagner’s other masterpieces.
You work with various orchestras and conduct a broad repertoire: what positive aspects or what challenges does this diversity bring?
I feel very fortunate to have worked with many symphony orchestras and opera orchestras all over the world. I’ve gained from the experience of discovering different styles of playing, from learning the traditions of other cultures, and from collaborating with musicians from all walks of life. This has helped not only in my development as a musician, but also as a person.
What does a new project or house have to have in order to appeal to you?
I aspire to continue to grow as an artist, alongside the great orchestras with whom I already have strong relationships, and to develop new relationships with the distinguished orchestras and opera companies with which I have not yet performed. For me, there is nothing more thrilling than making a debut, while performing new repertoire that I dream to conduct.
