Feature Friday

Mary Dibbern (Head of Music)

How long have you been working with opera?

A man should never ask a lady her age!

What do you think makes Minnesota Opera unique from other companies?

A combination of the courageous repertoire decisions, always perfectly cast, along with the family spirit of the personnel.

Have you ever had hot dish, and if so what is your favorite variety?

Tuna with potato chips on top (must stay crispy during the cooking.)

What are your top three favorite operas?

La Juive by Halévy, L’Etoile by Chabrier and Les Troyens by Berlioz.

How has music changed your life?

The opportunity to meet wonderful people and travel to the world’s most beautiful places.

If you had to choose a different field of work, what would you choose?

Medicine.

What has been the most challenging piece you have worked on and why?

Berg’s Lulu. I was one of the pianists for the rehearsals at the new production of the Paris Opera several years ago. The piano score is hard to read because there is so much music. I finally took white-out and eliminated everything I didn’t think I would play so that I could look at it without stress!

Are you really as scandalous as they say you are?

Je ne sais pas, mon cher!

Do you have Twitter, a Facebook page or website fans can follow?

www.Mary-Dibbern.com

Do you speak any languages besides English? What are they?

French fluently, opera coach’s Italian and German. I used to speak enough Mandarin Chinese to get into trouble, but not to get out.

 John Lindsey (tenor, Resident Artist, Schmidt)

How has music changed your life?

The biggest thing music has done for me is improved my ability to communicate. I’m very quiet by nature, so being on stage and laying all of your emotions out on the table is an important learning experience. Having the music be the motor behind that emotion is very nice.

What are your top three favorite operas?

Carmen, Otello, and Turandot, for now. That will change by next week. I can’t ever narrow it down.

What has been the most challenging piece you have worked on and why?

I had to do the Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia when I was 20 and was absolutely terrified. I was very new to opera, and singing Britten as one of my first big roles was very hard, musically speaking.

Are there any favorite backstage stories/moments you would like to share from this or previous productions that our audience might enjoy?

There was a production in college I did of Marriage of Figaro. One of my best friends was playing the Count, and was supposed to open a window during the second act finale to look for Cherubino. The window, of course, just opened to the backstage area– so three or four of us guys stripped down to our boxers and posed like a model ad in the window, but just out of sight of the audience. He opened it and saw us and started cracking up. We didn’t think he would be able to get it together before his next line, but he did. He told us it was only because he bit his cheek on purpose to stop laughing. Professionalism in action all around, back then.

What is your dream role?

My dream role has always been Don Jose, but since I was lucky enough to do it already, I’m waiting to do Otello now. That one would be fun.

If you had to choose a different field of work, what would you choose?

I would be a personal trainer, I think. Or maybe go back to manual labor stuff like working roofs and lumber mills. I always really enjoyed that.

Have you ever had hot dish, and if so what is your favorite variety?

I grew up on all kinds of hot dish stuff– tuna casserole, frito pie, green bean casserole, shepherd’s pie, the list goes on and on. I think green bean casserole has always been my favorite.

What tends to be the most challenging element of performing?

Staying engaged in a character between scenes can be tricky, particularly if you’re playing one of the many crazy people in opera. If you completely let down it will translate into the next scene, but if you try to get too into it backstage people start wondering if you’ll be committed to an asylum during the run of the show.

If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only bring three things, what would they be?

If we’re talking material things (because I certainly would want my girlfriend and her dog to be there!), I guess I would say as much good cheese as possible, a set of weights to work off the cheese, and a good bottle of scotch for nights next to the campfire as we wait to be rescued.

Do you have Twitter, a Facebook page or website fans can follow?

ww.johnrobertlindsey.com