PROFILES IN ARTS ACTIVISM ~
Kelley Rourke
Sing for Hope Newsletter Contributor and Dramaturg Kelley Rourke
For the past several seasons, Sing for Hope has benefited from the tremendous wit and wisdom of dramaturg / writer / Opera America Magazine Founding Editor / yogi / gardener Kelley Rourke. Kelley’s “SFH donor artistry” takes the form of her PROFILES IN ARTS ACTIVISM, in which she interviews Sing for Hopers ranging from Red Sox recitalists Matthew Worth and Paul Kwak to piano whisperer Fred Patella. Since Kelley’s profiles are a regular highlight of Sing for Hope’s online offerings, we could not resist turning the tables on her for once and serving up a few interview questions of our own.
What is your first musical memory?
One or more of my aunts was always playing the piano and/or singing at my maternal grandmother’s house, so I can no more identify a “first” musical memory than I can recollect the first spoonful of Granny’s gumbo. But my first musical “wow” came the first time I attended a musical at Baton Rouge Little Theater. I had a good view of the conductor’s back, but couldn’t see into the pit at all. The piano was then at the center of my musical experience, so when I saw this guy flinging his hands this way and that, I just assumed he was playing a special piano with all kinds of interesting colors not available on home models.
Why do you think music has such power in our lives?
Music engages our intellect, our instinct, our physical bodies. This is true not only for performers, but for listeners—there’s a lot of pleasure to be found in informed analysis of what you’re hearing, but you don’t need any particular education to appreciate a good groove. Above all else, I think witnessing another human being in the act of making music—whether it’s a virtuosic flight or a simple unaccompanied folk tune—is just awesome. I also love how music connects us across time. Even the most out-there innovator is shaped by the generations of musicians who came before, and even the most tradition-bound forms need the unique contribution of the individual musician in the present moment. Giving and receiving a performance is a terrific expression of human potential.
What led you to your current hire-wire act of a career—balancing dramaturgy, translation, writing, and editing?
When I was in high school, I thought I’d major in communications or creative writing. At the last second, I decided on piano performance instead. I didn’t know what I would do with it, but I loved music and figured it wasn’t actually that much less practical than writing. I taught piano for a while, had a few church jobs—the usual. In 1994 I took a summer internship at Glimmerglass Opera in part because piano lessons in the summer are no fun. At Glimmerglass, I met John Conklin, who became an important mentor. I started doing translations for titles, then began doing other research, writing for the program, etc. Gradually this led to other jobs. When I look back on the major not taken, it’s funny—I spend most of my time writing, but majoring in music grounded me in what has become the primary subject of my writing.
Okay, I will cop to my ignorance—what exactly is a dramaturg?
The short answer: I get paid to read books and talk about my most interesting findings with some most interesting people. It is truly a dream job. The actual job description differs from institution to institution. At Glimmerglass, my primary responsibilities are to put together the program book, create some ancillary programming, and write and run the projected translations for all of the operas.
Don’t translations already exist for most operas?
Well, yes. But take The Marriage of Figaro, which will be onstage at Glimmerglass in 2010. Patrick Carfizzi has already performed the title role. Leon Major has directed it a time or two. We could find existing scenery in any number of warehouses. But when this group of artists comes together for this production, they will bring their own nuanced interpretation to this great piece, and I want to make sure that the translation is as faithful to that interpretation as possible.
What is a typical day in the life of Kelley?
My day always starts on the yoga mat. After that, I may be in the library; I may be at my computer; I may be interviewing someone for an article; I may have convinced myself I really need to study the dramaturgy of the latest Twilight film for professional development purposes. In the summer, I keep a huge vegetable garden, so some part of every day is either spent weeding or thinking, “I really should be weeding.” I have a terrific bunch of friends—many of them musicians—and I enjoy their performances and their company as often as I possibly can.
What is a dreamed-of day in the life of Kelley?
See above.
What inspires you?
Camille Zamora, Monica Yunus, and the artists of the Sing for Hope roster. Seriously. Choosing a life as a professional musician is, in my opinion, already an act of altruism. You’re likely to spend a lot of time on the road. You’re under constant public scrutiny for everything ranging from interpretive choices to dress size. And—if you’re a singer—your livelihood depends on the proper function of these mysterious, delicate little folds in your throat. I am so grateful that people choose this life, because I get to experience their amazing performances. And I am awed and inspired beyond belief when, despite the demands of their vocation, they volunteer their time, talent and energy to causes they love.
Thank you, Kelley, for your contributions to Sing for Hope and for being the person behind the Profiles in Arts Activism!
Kelley Rourke is the dramaturg at Glimmerglass Opera, where she has been on staff since 1994. She has written English adaptations of several operas, including Sir Jonathan Miller’s recent production ofThe Elixir of Love for English National Opera (2010); Orpheus in the Underworld for Glimmerglass Opera (2007); and The Magic Flute (2005) and The Abduction from the Seraglio (2004), both for the In Series (Washington, DC). She has created supertitles for more than 50 operas, which have appeared at such companies as the Metropolitan Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and New York City Opera, among others. Kelley has held various positions at OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, since 1998, and is founding editor of the organization’s magazine. She is program annotator for the Vocal Arts Society, and she serves on the board of the Cherry Valley Community Facilities Corporation. Kelley has been a Sing for Hope Donor Artist, contributing to the series Profiles in Arts Activism, since January 2009.
Photo caption:
Kelley in her garden in Roseboom, New York
To read more PROFILES IN ARTS ACTIVISM, click here.
