Richard Ollarsaba dreams of making his mark on the world of opera.
A bass-baritone with an ever-growing list of impressive accomplishments under his belt—including leading roles with Opera Cleveland, Tulsa Opera, and Minnesota Opera—the 27-year-old is honing his craft by working alongside the most established professionals in the industry as a member of one of the most elite training grounds in the country: The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at the world-renowned Lyric Opera of Chicago.
For four decades, the prestigious program located in the heart of the Windy City has been credited with helping launch the careers of some of opera’s finest singers, while also attracting some of the most promising up-and-coming vocal talent from around the world.
Now in his third year as a member of the Ryan Opera Center ensemble, Ollarsaba is poised to make his dream a reality, studying under some of the very best the industry has to offer as well as growing in his artistry alongside other budding young artists in a creatively stimulating and supportive environment.
“I consider myself very lucky I entered the Ryan Center when I did,” Ollarsaba says. “The group of singers I’ve been able to call my peers are some of the most talented young singers I’ve ever seen. We’re able to challenge and inspire each other to work even harder than we already do, all the while being incredibly supportive. Everyone has their own trajectory on what they all want to accomplish in the short term, but we all share the same passion for singing and performing that hopefully will have the same end result so we can be performing together for the rest of our careers.
“Along with what’s given to us through the Ryan Center, I feel even more of our education comes from each other. Where one singer’s strength is another singer’s current project, we all subliminally create an atmosphere that drives us to be better in all facets.”
About the Program
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center was established in 1974 as the professional artist development program for the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Since then, it has been recognized worldwide as one of the finest programs of its kind, giving the most seasoned and promising young performers a diverse offering of high-level training and experience that is unparalleled.
The aim is to fine-tune the skills necessary for these aspiring young artists to both launch and sustain a professional career. The program assists them not only with advanced vocal training, language work, dramatic courses, and performance experience, but it also prides itself on prepping the singers for auditions beyond their time at the Ryan Opera Center, for both opera companies and management representation.
At the helm of the program is Director Dan Novak, Music Director Craig Terry and—new to the program—Director of Vocal Studies Julia Faulkner. The incomparable soprano Renée Fleming acts as the program’s advisor.
“First and foremost, our program wouldn’t be what it is today were we not standing on some terrific shoulders,” says Novak, who has acted as director of the program since 2013. “Looking back on our history, I think an area where we particularly evolved was stepping up the degree to which we hear auditions. We hear many auditions at many audition sites. We cast a wider net that way.”
Another tremendous advancement in the program, Novak says, was enabling young artists to gain invaluable hands-on experience by participating in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s mainstage productions.
But the program takes onstage experience even further than that.
“In addition to attracting terrific young artists to the program, we offer the opportunity for singers not only to take part in mainstage productions but to understudy major roles,” Novak says. “On occasion, they’ve been asked to step in for them at the performance level. It can be quite a major attraction for singers that are interested in the program.”
The Audition Process
Each year, the Ryan Opera Center selects singers from a pool of nearly 500 hopeful applicants, beginning with a prescreening process.
“Technology has made it so easy that we can accept applicants through video,” Novak says. “And we hear every video that is sent. From there, we decide who will be granted a live audition. We’ll also do some traveling to hear singers at summer programs in St. Louis and Santa Fe—places like that. We, of course, are looking for singers of a certain level—young artists we can enhance in their development when they come to us.”
Throughout the next six months, the audition panel will hear singers live in a variety of locations, with the final auditions taking place in Chicago.
Singers that are selected for the program begin an intensive, one-year residency, which includes everything from coaching sessions and masterclasses to performance and role cover experience in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s mainstage productions throughout the season. Singers also participate in Ryan Opera Center concerts and recitals.
Singers have the option to audition for a second year in the program, and many remain for a third year.
Each opportunity in the program holds fast to giving high-level singers the training and tools they need to get to the next level of both their artistic and professional development.
“I think the thing we work very hard to do is provide opportunities for these singers that lead to successful careers,” Novak says.
Gaining Invaluable Experience
Day-to-day activities vary for the singers, from rehearsals and performances to music and language coachings; courses in movement, dance, acting, and improvisation; and masterclasses with acclaimed instructors and artists.
One instructor the singers work with regularly is Faulkner, a soprano with an impressive performance résumé in her own right. She joined the Ryan Opera Center as its director of vocal studies from a lengthy tenure as a voice instructor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Two of her former students—Emily Birsan and James Kryshak—participated in the Ryan Opera Center.
“It’s very gratifying when your students can get you a job,” Faulkner says. “I wear two hats in the program. There is the voice teacher component as well as the advising component of helping singers find the right teacher, which is a really important thing. I also give advice on vocal health.”
Additionally, she assists the singers with repertoire choices and works with them on how they might be perceived in auditions.
Offering counsel is a valuable piece of the puzzle. “Just having someone that understands the pace out there right now when it comes to auditioning for agents—which are the kinds of auditions a lot of our Ryan Opera Center artists are doing—is very helpful for them,” Faulkner says.
Most Ryan Opera Center artists have opted to continue their vocal studies with Faulkner while in the program. And to Faulkner—who said she loves teaching all levels of singers—working with some of the best young singers at one of the finest opera houses in the world is the most rewarding teaching job of all.
“Training is a priority of the program,” Faulkner says. “The students have lessons in diction and language, acting instruction, and masterclasses with the world’s great singers. We want to create a generation of very well prepared singers that can meet the demand of the art form, maintain it, and grow and develop with the demands of earning a living. Very few programs address that in the direct way that the Lyric does. This opera house is a wonderful place to work. From the top down, the Lyric is so generous.”
It’s an opportunity of a lifetime that can yield tremendous growth as performers, all the while helping them get their foot in the door, singers say of the program.
“The training and guidance we are provided with is second to none,” says first-year Ryan Opera Center artist, bass Bradley Smoak, 30. “We have countless opportunities to sing for top managing agencies and directors from top-tier opera companies all over the world. All of this is on top of the invaluable experience of performing roles on the stage at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. I would have been crazy to turn down an opportunity like this one. Working full-time with one of the top opera companies in the world, while being afforded the chance to study and continue to develop my singing and performing with the best in the business? Yes, please!”
Other professional opportunities abound, including concerts and radio recitals through WFMT, Chicago’s classical radio station. Broadcasts that feature Ryan Opera Center artists range from opera and art song to musical theatre and popular music.
“We provide a lot of visibility for our young artists in the program,” Faulkner says. “I think the exposure they get is a big part of the appeal.”
Ollarsaba says the opportunities provided to the singers encourage the hard work it takes to make the artistic and professional strides for a successful career. “As a young artist in the Ryan Opera Center, I would say my experience thus far has consisted of a lot of time, effort, and hard work that has fortunately yielded some great results,” Ollarsaba continues. “A function of the Ryan Center is that we’re very integrated into the grooves of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. We are given the opportunity to perform mainstage roles of various sizes and cover principle roles. And as we progress and develop through the program, our responsibilities grow as well.”
The top-notch training, in addition to performance opportunities, is an enormous lure for the singers.
“I was drawn to every aspect of this program,” says second-year Ryan Opera Center member, soprano Laura Wilde. “They have all the resources a young singer could ask for. We train with highly qualified coaches, teachers, language professionals, directors, conductors, and colleagues. It is a major draw that the young artists are used so consistently in mainstage Lyric Opera of Chicago productions, singing next to some of the greatest singers in the business.”
While all Ryan Opera Center artists are in the advanced stages of their professional development, each comes into the program with unique challenges that are met in a nurturing environment, according to the young artists.
Wilde, 29, had gone through her undergraduate and graduate studies—as well as programs with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Santa Fe Opera, and Arizona Opera—as a mezzo-soprano. However, she was accepted into the Ryan Opera Center as a soprano.
“Since I had only just decided to make the switch from mezzo to soprano, the Lyric allowed me to take the time to incubate, figure things out vocally, and gave me valuable performance experience,” Wilde says.
Third-year Ryan Opera Center artist J’nai Bridges has been able to sing nine roles in addition to covering many others in mainstage productions.
“It has greatly expanded my repertoire and given [me] great exposure,” she says. “Also, I have been able to work intimately with amazing stars, such as Renée Fleming and Anne Sofie von Otter. Working with them has been inspiring and invaluable.”
Bridges—who also is a semifinalist for the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition and will be representing the United States—credited the program with helping her become a more confident performer.
“I have sung for dozens of opera companies, which has helped with future engagements after the program is finished,” she says. “Also, with the amount of song repertoire we learn and perform, it promotes versatility. I feel as equally confident singing an exposed song as well as singing an opera in front of thousands of people. I would recommend this program because it is a safe and supportive environment that young singers need to feel confident and productive. The voice instruction and coaching is wonderful, and this is crucial for a young artist. The opportunity to be seen and heard on stage is invaluable and can launch a career. After performing on the Lyric stage, I feel like I can perform on any stage.”
The 2015–2016 Ensemble
The 2015–2016 roster includes 14 singers—the Ryan Opera Center’s largest ensemble cast yet—with three international singers: soprano Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi of South Africa, tenor Mingjie Lei of China, and baritone Takaoki Onishi of Japan. Pianist Mario Antonio Marra also joins the roster, in addition to 11 other singers from across the United States.
In addition to identifying promising young talents to cultivate from around the globe, the Ryan Opera Center also typically welcomes back several of its alums who return to sing with the Lyric Opera. In fact, the coming 2015–2016 season will include eight former Ryan Opera Center singers: tenor René Barbera (2009–2012) as the Italian Singer in Der Rosenkavalier, mezzo-soprano J’nai Bridges (2012–2015) as Carmen in the world premiere of Bel Canto, mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong (2005–2008) as Fenena in Nabucco, soprano Elizabeth Futral (1989–1991) as Hanna in The Merry Widow, soprano Amanda Majeski (2009–2011) as the Countess Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro (a role she covered as a Ryan Opera Center artist) and the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier, soprano Susanna Phillips (2005–2007) as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (a role she, too, had covered as a Ryan Opera Center artist), tenor David Portillo (2007–2010) as Andres in Wozzeck, and bass-baritone Christian Van Horn (2004–2006) as Alidoro in Cinderella and Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet.
“An even more encouraging aspect of the Ryan Center is their loyalty to their artists past and present,” Ollarsaba says. “Many Ryan Center alumni have been able to return to perform at Lyric Opera of Chicago with thriving careers, acting as proof positive that success can be achieved through one’s time at the Ryan Opera Center.”
And while it’s a competitive program, young artists said that the high level of training they receive as an ensemble participant of the Ryan Opera Center is matched by encouragement and support.
“The environment has been very positive,” Bridges says. “I think the Ryan Center is unique in a way because they give us large roles to cover and, if the opportunity arises, they believe in us enough to deliver and will put us on. When you are at this high of a level, most people are confident enough to support one another and learn from each other. There are some competitive elements, just like there are in every field. It’s a good balance of both.”
The Relationship between Young Artists and Professionals
A key facet of the program is the Ryan Opera Center ensemble’s ability to learn—both on stage and off—from those already well established in the world of opera.
“It’s an invaluable experience to work with such seasoned and established artists,” Bridges says. “To watch how comfortable they are in their bodies and voices is such a learning experience and is very inspiring. Sometimes to sit back and listen can be so beneficial. It’s like having a voice lesson.”
Several young artists have embraced opportunities to stand in for performers during the rehearsal process. Others have even gotten the opportunity to go on for ailing principles in performance.
“Earlier this season I had the privilege of covering Mariusz Kwiecień when he was in Chicago performing the title role in Don Giovanni,” Ollarsaba says. “One morning, I got the call that Mr. Kwiecień would be indisposed for that afternoon’s performance and that I would be going on instead. As the saying goes, ‘The show must go on.’ And that was the moment I knew I needed to step up to the plate and do my job and let the show go on as rehearsed. Fortunately, the performance went well—but, more so, I was just happy I was able to get from beginning to end successfully! I attribute that success to the preparation that I was given through the Ryan Center. In the process of learning and covering the role, I was given many coachings and rehearsals so as to make sure that my preparation was at its peak.”
And, having an artist with the prestige, knowledge, and experience of Fleming as an advisor for the program offers yet another dimension. She remains accessible to the singers to assist them with questions they might have outside the practice room and concert hall, from career counsel to invaluable advice about navigating the program and the industry.
“Having Renée Fleming as an advisor to the singers is so, so wonderful,” Novak says. “She makes herself available for the students to be in communication on a regular basis. They can ask her questions and seek her advice and her counsel. She’s in contact with me, Craig, and Julia with different suggestions she has about what we can enhance or add to the program. It’s incredibly helpful.”
Wilde, who made her debut as Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly last season and also was seen in Parsifal as a Flower Maiden, covered Fleming for the Lyric Opera’s production of Capriccio.
“I was in-role for the first two weeks, so I was able to stage the entire opera with that phenomenal cast, before Ms. Fleming arrived,” Wilde says. “Then, I was able to sit back and learn from the master. It was a thrilling experience that I will never forget.”
Others who have left an impression on the young artists include those who have worked with them side by side.
“It has been one of the best parts of my time here,” Wilde says of the experience to learn from the pros. “The experience of sharing the stage with or understudying the Lyric stars is invaluable. You watch and learn how they sustain great singing, make dramatic choices, navigate difficult vocal passages, develop a character over the course of a rehearsal period, interact with their colleagues, and consistently give great performances. We young artists appreciate all the time they take with us in buddy coachings and masterclasses. I have had masterclasses with great singers like Renée Fleming, Stephanie Blythe, Ana Maria Martinez, Eric Owens, and Sondra Radvanovksy. Each one had valuable vocal, performance, and life wisdom to share.”
Smoak says that the experience also has been an encouraging one in that even established opera stars deal with vocal challenges. “It has been so incredible to work with artists that are not only at the top of their game vocally, but to see them work day to day and deal with the same issues that I do gives me an incredible amount of encouragement,” he says. “They are so gracious, and I have even had the chance to work privately with several artists during their time here at the Lyric.”
To Novak, it’s like watching the torch being passed. “So many artists are so very kind,” he says. “They are very willing to work with their younger colleagues. It’s wonderful watching this great tradition get passed down.”
Beyond the Ryan Opera Center
Aside from providing excellent experience while within the program, the ultimate objective is to provide the tools for these young singers to enjoy a professional career while continuing to develop their talent as they grow as an artist.
“I’ve learned many valuable lessons in my time with the Ryan Center,” Ollarsaba says. “After my first year, the lesson I learned was pacing. When you are required to have several roles in a season prepared along with various repertoire for miscellaneous performances, you need to learn how to pace yourself mentally and vocally. I learned that lesson when I was sustaining four operas at the same time—two were already in performance, one was finishing up rehearsals, and the last was just starting. I can definitely say that I learned what my limits were and have stretched them even further now. It’s with these kind of experiences that a young artist can really develop their craft.
“We in the Ryan Center are able to take the lessons we learn and apply them practically,” he continues. “We’re not spectators in this program. We’re active participants. In the Ryan Center, you get front row seats on how the opera business works from inside. So by the time we leave, we have gained the experience and knowledge to help us perpetuate a long-lasting career, which include finding management and securing future engagements to support that career.”
Other singers said that it’s motivating to overcome their vocal hurdles while at the same time growing as artists.
“I feel like every other week I have another breakthrough in vocal technique, which has everything to do with the quality of instruction here—but also they invite artists to the ROC who are of an age and experience level where we are primed for the next step in our careers,” Smoak says. “It is, in my opinion, the best combination of supportive and competitive. We are usually not up for the same roles here, but the environment is one where we all make each other bring our absolute best to our work, which keeps the bar rising constantly.”
It’s a defining element of the singers’ time in the program.
“When I look back years from now, I think the entire course of my career will hinge on my time here,” Wilde says. “To be in such a supportive, encouraging atmosphere while I figure out the vocal change has allowed me the safe space to explore, grow, and try new things. I have coaches and a teacher who push me to improve vocally and force me to get out of my head and into the character’s, which always leads to exciting discoveries.
“I have also benefited by performing as much as I have over the past two years,” she continues. “Between operas, concerts, auditions, and recitals, I’ve stretched myself exponentially and have only grown through the process. I will leave with a plethora of memorable performances and experiences, but I think the artistic relationships I’ve developed will be the most important part. I have built a team of people who will be my outside ears, encouragers, and advocates throughout my career. The teachers, coaches, administrators, and colleagues who have pushed me to become a better singer and artist will be trusted parts of my life from here on out.”
Other artists echoed this.
“To be a young artist among such talented, seasoned, and experienced artists is such a privilege,” Ollarsaba says. “You’re looking at people who have been in your exact position and are now making it in the world. Most are very willing to sit and talk about their journey as a singer, but they show more of their experience in the way they conduct themselves in rehearsal and on stage. These established artists have figured out in their own way how to maneuver around the music at hand and the business that is singing with such expertise, and it definitely shows. If I can steal a fraction of what I’ve seen from every artist, then I feel like I’ve really accomplished something. Honestly, my own accomplishments could be memorable on their own, but I truly feel that the people I’ve met through this program will leave an imprint on me that I’ll never forget.”
For more information on the Ryan Opera Center, visit LyricOpera.org/RyanCenter.
SIDEBAR
Ryan Opera Center Singers in Concert
In addition to performing in mainstage productions and covering leading roles, singers that the Lyric Opera of Chicago has identified as up-and-coming talent for its prestigious Ryan Opera Center also have an opportunity to perform in concert. Among those offerings include Beyond the Aria and Rising Stars in Concert.
Rising Stars in Concert acts as a collaborative effort between the Ryan Opera Center artists and staff. The most recent event—which took place on Saturday, March 21, at the Civic Opera House—featured each of the Ryan Opera Center artists in concert, entertaining with full orchestra.
Selections included a stunning array of arias, show tunes, opera scenes, and a gorgeous instrumental offering from Ryan Opera Center pianist Maureen Zoltek. The concert not only showcased each artist’s ability and command of the stage in his and her own right, but enabled each singer to work in collaboration with one another.
Highlights included Anthony Clark Evans’ performance of “Soliloquy” from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel, Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi’s “Me voilà seule . . . Comme autrefois dans le nuit sombre” from Les pêcheurs de perles, Jonathan Johnson’s “Si, ritrovarla io giuro” from La Cenerentola, and J’nai Bridges’ and Laura Wilde’s duet “Mira, o Norma” from Norma, among others.
The evening culminated in the Act Two Sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor: “Chi mi frena in tai momento?” and featured the full Ryan Opera Center ensemble. It was a remarkable finale to a truly remarkable evening of music-making from these rising stars who have performed 25 roles and covered 35 for the Lyric’s mainstage season.
“For young musicians of any genre, the only way to improve is through performance opportunities immediately followed by thorough evaluations of those performances,” says Craig Terry, music director of the Ryan Opera Center. “Learning to sing with an orchestra is its own (very expensive) skill, and Rising Stars in Concert gives our artists a chance to showcase their talents in a luxurious way. It’s rare for Young Artist Programs to offer this kind of a concert, and we are grateful that our artists have this night in the opera house devoted to them every year.”
The concert also is broadcast on 98.7 WFMT in Chicago.
Beyond the Aria pairs a Ryan Opera Center artist with seasoned professionals.
“Beyond the Aria was borne of a gala concert I performed alongside Stephanie Blythe for the 10th anniversary of the Harris Theater,” Terry says. “A few weeks later, Michael Tiknis contacted me and asked how we might pursue a collaboration of our respective organizations. Immediately, I thought that a concert series in which we could pair one Ryan Opera Center artist with two established opera ‘stars’ would be a wonderful opportunity for our young artists to learn by performing as an equal with their more experienced colleagues.
“Anthony Freud couldn’t have been more supportive of the idea, and so we headed off on this adventure together,” continues Terry. “In all four instances thus far, the first ensemble rehearsals have begun with some initial jitters, immediately followed by encouragement and support from the seasoned pros. It’s fun to watch these gifted young singers gain in confidence and rise to the occasion.”
Performing in a more intimate concert setting, Beyond the Aria enables the young artists to not only hone their musical chops but their communication skills as well, performing outside the realm of opera into more popular musical offerings.
“For the great many of our artists who speak only one language, mastering the skill of honest communication in languages they don’t necessarily speak is perhaps the greatest challenge that they face,” Terry says. “Through studying varied song repertoire, especially in English, our young artists can more easily command the operatic music they present. Bluegrass and blues aren’t as far from classical music as some might think, and to hear an incredible voice deliver popular music is a visceral thrill for the audience.” —Megan Gloss
