INTERVIEW WITH MYRON ROMANUL

Myron Romanul has already worked on numerous ballet productions. He conducted the premiere of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in Munich in 2017. The revival will also be conducted by him. In this interview, he reveals what is special about conducting ballet, what he particularly loves about ballet and what he appreciates about the Bayerisches Staatsballett.

Annette Baumann (AB): Where does your love of ballet come from?

Myron Romanul (MR): I have always loved bringing music together with the stage, in whatever form: Opera, ballet, even puppet theatre I've conducted. I grew up in Boston and had a lot to do with the Boston Ballet - first in the orchestra as an ensemble member and then as a solo pianist. I've always been very fond of ballet. The first time I conducted a ballet was in the 1970s, La Fille mal gardée.

AB: How do ballet and opera conducts differ?

MR: I think it makes a bigger difference for the orchestra musicians than for the conductor whether ballet or opera is being performed. In an opera, the musicians hear the singers. It's easier to follow the conducting. With ballet, all you hear in the orchestra pit is the clatter of pointe shoes on the floor. But you can't see the dance steps. So it's harder to understand why a phrase or even an entire performance has to be played a certain way. Sometimes orchestra members go to ballet rehearsals or performances when they don't have to play themselves to watch the choreography. This contributes to a better understanding.
The big challenge in ballet for me as a conductor is to respect the orchestra and the dancers equally. The music and the dancers' performance to the music are two things that have to go hand in hand and are equally important. Conducting a ballet is like conducting a silent film. The only difference is that the action doesn't take place on the screen, but on the stage.

AB: What do you admire most about about dancers?

MR:  I admire how they can express themselves with their bodies and how they form the individual phrases. Music and dance come together, the auditory meets the visual.

AB: How do you prepare for a ballet performance?

MR: First and foremost, you have to watch. And if you have seen enough ballet pieces and rehearsals, you know the individual types of dancers and how to respond to them. Big men need more time for the jumps, with smaller dancers you can usually conduct a little faster. Knowing this is especially important when conducting a piece with many different casts. The Nutcracker, for example, is a classic that, at least in the US, even people who normally never go to the ballet go to see. We often had 50 performances in four weeks with many different casts. If you know not only the piece but also the dancers and how they work, conducting is much easier. 

AB: Are there certain signs from dancers on stage that you have to conduct faster/slower?

MR: Not usually during the dance. It is the conductor's job to see if they need more time; or vice versa, if you need to conduct faster. A good ballet conductor recognises that and responds to it.