Interview: Anne Marie Ketchum, Founding Artistic Director of the Verdi Chorus, on their Upcoming VERDI PUCCINI FEST

As an early holiday present for opera lovers, On November 12 and 13, the Verdi Chorus' 39th season culminates with a Verdi Puccini Fest for two performances only at the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica. Under the direction of Founding Artistic Director Anne Marie Ketchum, who promises the program will include "some of the most exciting moments from two of the greatest operatic composers who ever lived," I decided to speak with her on its inception, creation, and what makes the Verdi Chorus such a special part of our city.

Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with me! First of all, for those not familiar with your background, please tell me what led you to become the founder of the Verdi Chorus.

There was a restaurant in Santa Monica called the Verdi Ristorante di Musica. It was a high-end, beautifully decorated restaurant with elegant Italian food, featuring a company of 20 opera singers that would put on 3 or 4 different shows every night. I was one of the singers. The owners, Bernie and Sheila Segal, were opera lovers, and Shelia came up with the idea of having a chorus made up of patrons from the restaurant. So, they opened it up, and everyone who wanted to join could join - if you wanted to sing opera you could do it! Since I had a choral conducting background in addition to singing, I was asked if I would conduct the chorus. Every time the chorus sang the restaurant was packed - it was a huge success.

Eventually, with the economy going down, the restaurant closed, as restaurants will do. At this point, some of the chorus members came to me - they didn't want to quit and asked if I would continue. I said yes, and several of them put up a great deal of money to first get the chorus going on its own and keep it strong. One of the things I asked for immediately were mandatory auditions, and the quality of the Verdi Chorus grew. For quite a while we performed in all kinds of places; hotels, synagogues, even a gay bar in West Hollywood, until we finally ended up at the First Methodist Church in Santa Monica, where we stayed for several years until moving to Santa Monica's First Presbyterian Church, where we are now.

During all those years the chorus continued to grow, as we added The Fox Singers as well as our apprentice program, until the Verdi Chorus became what is today, a major nonprofit classical music force in Los Angeles.

Do you still perform outside of the group?

Occasionally. I will be doing a concert in New York City this December of contemporary classical music.

What sets the Verdi Chorus apart from other choral groups in Southern California?

The Verdi Chorus (pictured. Photo Credit: Tim Berreth) is a Southern California nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting opera choruses in concert and to providing career development opportunities for young professional singers. As the only choral group in Southern California that focuses primarily on the dramatic and diverse music of the opera chorus, The Verdi Chorus gives talented amateur singers the unique opportunity to sing side-by-side with professional singers in rehearsals leading up to performances held to the highest artistic standards. Under my direction, each rehearsal is like a vocal master class.

The Verdi Chorus was founded in 1983 at the Verdi Restaurant in Santa Monica. When the restaurant closed in 1991, The Verdi Chorus continued and in 1999, it incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Under my direction, the Chorus presents four concerts each year as well as other collaborative events. Its repertoire includes over 300 choruses from 81 operas in seven languages. For more information visit: https://www.verdichorus.org

How are decisions made on which selections the chorus presents, and how often do they hold public concerts?

I choose all the music that I love and want to work on. Almost every concert includes some Verdi. Verdi is a composer that loves the chorus and treats the chorus as yet another character in the opera - the chorus is not just reacting to what the soloists are doing; they are an important element of the story. Verdi also wrote music that is substantial, it has a beginning, middle and end - these are full pieces of music.

The choice of music also has something to do with the soloists that I hire. Opera singers are categorized not only as sopranos, mezzo sopranos, tenors and basses; for example, there are many categories of soprano. If I have a soprano guest soloist, I choose music that will work for her voice. If someone has a light and flexible voice, I might choose more Donizetti, if it is a heavy larger voice I might choose some of the bigger Verdi for that person to sing. I also choose music that can feature our section leaders, the Fox Singers, so I can showcase them in each of our concerts.

During its 39-year history, do the members of the chorus change for each concert or is there a core group of singers who are featured each time?

The average length of a chorus member's involvement once they pass the audition process is 11 years, but every session we have openings for new chorus members, so it is constantly changing. A Verdi Chorus member may not be free for a specific concert due to scheduling, but will often be back for the next one, so there are always new openings.

When necessary, how do you go about selecting new members from year to year?

We have auditions twice a year, in late summer and early winter.

Please tell me more about the A Verdi Puccini Fest taking place on November 12 and 13. Which selections are being presented and how did you go about making that decision?

Both Verdi and Puccini were masters of writing operatic music that was extremely theatrical. Verdi is known for melody, and Puccini is known for dramatically writing for the orchestra with his striking use of colors and rhythm in a rich theatrical style. They are truly deserving of being referred to as two of the greatest opera composers that ever lived. In terms of the opera chorus, Verdi wrote for the chorus as an actual character and force in what the leading characters were saying and doing, and Puccini wrote musical tones and hues for the chorus to illustrate more deeply the story being told.

The program I've created for this concert is a smorgasbord of the many operas from these two prolific composers, and it has been such great fun to choose from the many dramatic works they both offer. In the case of Puccini, it is a musical and spiritual trip around the world. While all his operas bear his distinctive sound, the Asian influences of Turandot, the Western sounds of La Fanciulla del West, the Parisian ambiance of La rondine, and the deep religiosity of Suor Angelica cannot be missed.

How did you select the three guest artists featured in A Verdi Puccini Fest?

They have all become very good friends of mine in addition to being fantastic performers. I am so happy to include all three: Jamie Chamberlin Granner (soprano), Nathan Granner (tenor), Ben Lowe (baritone)

Have any of them ever performed with the Verdi Chorus before?

The last time Ben Lowe, Nathan Granner and Jamie Chamberlin Granner sang with us together, the Sunday matinee culminated with Nathan proposing marriage to Jamie onstage to the delight and surprise of our audience...and to Jamie, who not only instantly accepted, but did so with several high C's! To have all three of them back for this concert five years later is a dream come true."

I remember how exciting it was being in the audience that day! For 22 years, accompanist Laraine Ann Madden has collaborated with the Verdi Chorus. How did you first connect with her and what part does she play in the section of material, rehearsals and performances?

I am so fortunate to have Laraine as my accompanist for this group. She and I think alike musically. We anticipate each other's musical directions and ideas. It's like a beautiful dance between the two of us as we move through rehearsals and and performances.

Lastly, what do you hope the audience will be taking about after the concert?

Boy, opera is great thing! I have to experience more of this!

Anything else you would like to add?

I feel so fortunate to be the artistic director of this organization. It is enriching, challenging, healing, and fun!

Thanks so much!

The Verdi Chorus Fall 2022 Concert, a Verdi Puccini Fest, takes place at the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica, 1220 2nd Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401, on Saturday, November 12 at 7:30 pm; Sunday, November 13 at 4:00 pm. Priority seating is available for $40, general admission is $30, seniors are $25, and students aged 25 and under with a valid ID are $10. Tickets are available for purchase at www.verdichorus.org.