Lyric Opera 2025-2026 Issue 8 - Salome

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 64 Can you describe your typical work day? It depends a lot on where we are in the season. But the typical day is coming in and facilitating all the rehearsal needs for the day: making sure the artists are arriving, that everyone’s making their calls, or noting if they are calling out. I’m focused on making sure that the rehearsal day continues without interruption. If someone is sick, instead of losing that whole day of rehearsal, perhaps they will want to bring the cover in and continue staging, or instead pivot a little bit and do other scenes. We have to make sure we’re getting things done. And then we get the next rehearsal day schedule out so that everyone knows the plan. So you interact with many different people — does your work require musical training? Knowing these operas, knowing these roles, knowing what is being asked of the artists — it really helps my work. For the majority of my working life, I was an operatic soprano. My first role in college was Mimì. I studied voice performance at the San Francisco Conservatory, and I was a resident artist in San Jose for a long time. I’ve sung Fiordiligi like a million times. What is something about your job that would surprise people? My friends in other companies are always really surprised to find out I give a curtain speech at the dress rehearsals. They’re like, What do you mean you go out in front of the curtain? A favorite moment at Lyric? I loved Jen ˚ufa . Lise Davidson was amazing, and seeing Nina Stemme throw that wig around was amazing. The production was just stunning. But my favorite moments are really the dress rehearsals. There’s always a feeling of, “We made it.” In the back of house, we’re working so hard toward that: We’ve made it to the stage. It’s not really the opening for me. It’s the dress. What is the most challenging aspect of your job? It’s challenging to meet everybody’s needs and still find a middle ground that makes everybody happy. All the back-of-house rooms are under our purview, and a lot goes on. Because even if it looks like it’s available, it doesn’t actually always mean that it’s available. There might be a setup happening, or there might be stuff being stored in there. And everything is so public. Every document, even the daily schedule that I put out — if there’s a mistake on it, it’s not just a few people who saw it, it’s the entire company. What do you like about working in the arts? It’s stressful and challenging, but I went to school for it, and to be able to continue to make a livelihood doing it is amazing. I love opera, and I want other people to love opera. So I love being a part of that sharing, and seeing that it’s still alive and magical. People of Lyric A behind-the-scenes conversation Hometown Cloverdale, California, up in Northern California wine country. When did you start at Lyric? Summer 2023, before The Flying Dutchman . Favorite opera? Wozzeck. I love Berg. Favorite opera character? I love Salome. I loved playing Tosca — living in that character. I loved breaking my own heart. Favorite performer? I grew up listening to Mirella Freni. And Teresa Stratas. She is amazing. Other interests of note? I started playing hockey when I moved here. I had never played before. I can’t skate. I’m the goalie. Katharine Gunnink Director of Company Management Kyle Flubacker