DECEMBER 7 • 2023 | 69

assignments in many cities, 
including Atlanta, Kansas 
City, Chicago, San Diego and 
Santa Fe. Mexico City and Sao 
Paulo have been among his 
out-of-country destinations. 
For five years, he was resident 
conductor and head of music 
for Opera Theatre of Saint 
Louis.
In Detroit, before his present 
position, he conducted for the 
Detroit Symphony Orchestra 
and the organization that had 
been Michigan Opera Theatre. 
He met his wife, soprano Mané 
Galoyan, in a presentation of 
Rigoletto at Kentucky Opera, 
and they worked together in 
Detroit this season for Arias 
and Overtures: Detroit Opera in 
Concert.
“I think opera is the ultimate 
art form in every way,
” Kalb 
said. “It includes different ele-
ments — visual elements with 
costuming, lighting and make-
up while involving drama in 
text and music. I think there’s 
no art form that can reach an 
audience member more viscer-
ally than opera.
“Not only is the text so tied 
in with the music, but all the 

performers are performing 
without amplification. Opera is 
sung without microphones. The 
orchestra is unamplified. The 
connections to emotion and 
music and visual perception is 
unlike any other art form.
”
Study and performances 
in Michigan, with residenc-
es in Ann Arbor, have given 
Kalb a special preference for 
Zingerman’s Deli. Interest 
in trying new restaurants in 
Detroit grew after that. When 
the season is right, he looks for 
interesting golf courses.
Kalb, who will be conducting 
The Cunning Little Vixen (May 
11-15) at the Detroit Opera 
House, has special feelings 
for the outreach community 

programs at other venues to 
familiarize people with opera.
“This upcoming concert is 
going to be a lot of fun and a 
nice introduction to the opera 
and the orchestra,
” Kalb said. 
“I think community programs 
are a crucial part of the work 
that we all do. I want it to build 
on the wonderful legacy that 
different operas already have 
had in reaching us out to the 
community. 

“I want it to add the extra 
element of bringing up our 
entire orchestra. I think it’s very 
important for people to feel 
comfortable coming into the 
opera house so we have to go 
out and present ourselves. 
“My big goal is that we can 
go and present these programs, 
and people will not only get 
encouraged but will get hooked 
by music and then come to see 
us.
” 

Roberto Kalb conducts the Detroit Opera 
Orchestra and soprano Christine Goerke at the 
Detroit Opera House, October 28, 2023. Kalb is 
Detroit Opera’s new music director and Goerke 
is the company’s associate artistic director. 

AUSTIN RICHEY / DETROIT OPERA

Details
The “Beyond the Pit” 
free concert starts at 
7:30 p.m. Saturday, 
Dec. 16, at Western 
International High School, 
1500 Scotten, Detroit. 
To reserve a free ticket, 
go to detroitopera.org/
season-schedule/beyond-
the-pit/.

Roberto Kalb conducts the Detroit Opera 
Orchestra in a concert at the Detroit Opera 
House, October 28, 2023. 

