What made you decide on a career in the arts? Love of music and a bit of naiveté regarding the challenges of a music career.- How long have you been working with opera? I became a core member in 2001 and subbed a few years before that.
- What do you think makes Minnesota Opera unique from other companies? From my view “inside the pit”, I see an energetic and positive-minded orchestra that really enjoys working together. Excellent players, with a dash of Minnesota Nice! Beyond my chair, I see a very creative and thriving company which is capturing the attention of opera lovers around the world with its productions. Top-notch stuff.
- What is your favorite Twin Cities destination? Any of the trails, in all seasons!
- If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only bring three things, what would they be? Too hard!
- What has been the most challenging piece you have worked on and why? Several years ago, MN Opera did Der Rosenkavalier, and I think every player would agree that performing that piece is like running a marathon. Page after page of incredible (and incredibly hard!) music. That was before they enlarged the Ordway pit and such a large orchestra made for some tight quarters.
- How has music changed your life? I’m happy. I think I have the greatest job in the world.
- If you had to choose a different field of work, what would you choose? When I was a kid, I wanted to be a train engineer or a teacher. This late in the game, the railroad career seems unlikely.
- What is your favorite thing about Minnesota? The seasons! I wouldn’t feel right living where I don’t have the rhythm of the seasons flowing around me.
- Is there any “haute” backstage gossip you would like to share from this or previous performances? When the first act of an opera is going to run longer that 1 ½ hours, most players think carefully about how many liquids they consume before heading into battle.
- What are your top three favorite operas? Turandot, Tosca (yea, I’m a sucker for Puccini) and Der Rosenkavalier. Only three? I forgot Mozart!
- Have you ever had hot dish, and if so what is your favorite variety? I grew up in Minnesota – I’ve had it all and like it. Especially the tater-tot variety.
- How do you eat your eggs? Not with pleasure. Scrambled, if I have to.
- What do you typically order when you go out for coffee? Coffee, black.
- Besides opera, do you have any other favorite genres of music? What are some of your favorite artists from that genre? When I go out to concerts, it’s rarely classical. Bluegrass, blues, folk, rock. We catch Davina & the Vagabonds locally, when we can.
- Name your top five favorite movies. The Shawshank Redemption, Sound of Music, Dirty Harry, Monty Python’s Holy Grail, and for sheer, classic stupidity, Caddyshack!
- Are you really as scandalous as they say you are? Who’s been talkin’??
- Where do you get your news? A good old-fashioned newspaper, every day.
- Do you have Twitter, a Facebook page or website fans can follow? Fans?! Facebook.
- Do you speak any languages besides English? What are they? Deutsch, naturlich!
- One a scale of 1-10, 10 high, how foxy is James Valenti? Geez, that’s kind of personal…
- What do you like to do when you aren’t busy creating great opera? I teach bassoon, have a reed-making business, and perform elsewhere in the area. When I’m not working, my family keeps me busy. We enjoy winter sports and go up north a lot in the summer. I also sit on the board as serve as VP of the local historical society. My husband and I come from early Minnesota pioneer families and find the history fascinating and worth preserving.
Let’s Play 20 Questions with Laurie Hatcher Merz!
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