In conversation: Rory Musgrave
Irish opera singer, Rory Musgrave will be performing at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre from 26 January to 3 February.
Irish opera singer Rory Musgrave will be performing at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre in The Tales of Hoffman, running from 26 January to 3 February 2024.
Rory sat down with the Irish Embassy to discuss his experiences of working in Lithuania.
How did you get into opera performance as a career?
From a young age I always sang and performed theatre in various capacities.
As I got older, I realised that opera is the best combination of the two for me, so I decided to try making a career of it. It ended up being the best choice I ever made.
What I really love about opera is that it tells very human stories, but magnifies the whole experience.
Sometimes people complain that they can’t understand the words in opera, but you don’t need to understand the words. It’s the artists’ job to communicate and entertain through the language barrier, and if the audience sits back and lets the music wash over them, they will feel things that no other art form can bring out.
How did you get this role at the Lithuanian National Opera?
I’ve known the conductor, Sesto Quatrini, for a while and we had spoken about working together on a few different projects that didn’t end up coming to fruition.
So when this opportunity came up and he approached me about it, I jumped at the chance. It’s been a real pleasure to work in Vilnius, having never been here before. One of the great benefits of my job is being able to experience beautiful cities like this.
What is a typical day for you working in Vilnius?
We are currently in the rehearsal process. I start my day early so that I have time to get in some exercise and to warm up my voice before heading to the opera house. We have rehearsals from 10am-1pm, a break in the afternoon, then rehearsals again from 6pm-9pm.
Of course some days there is a need for extra rehearsals so we will come in during the afternoon too. Ten days before the opening of The Tales of Hoffman we will start rehearsing on the actual stage, and our rehearsal times will probably change as they will need to accommodate the orchestra’s availability.
How have you found your time here?
It’s been really lovely, the people here are so welcoming. Workwise there are some minor differences, like the way things are scheduled or administration is run.
The first day was a bit nerve wracking, as it always is, but I settled in fast. You quickly realise that opera is a universal language, and all my colleagues are there because they love opera too. In that way it’s just like performing anywhere.
Appreciation for opera and operetta seems to be particularly strong in Lithuania.
For example on New Year’s Eve there is a tradition that was born around the time Lithuania left the Soviet Union, where the opera La Traviata is performed in the opera house, and it’s a very popular tradition. Overall, my time in Vilnius has been very enjoyable.
>> Find out more about Rory’s work at www.rorymusgrave.com