An Interview with Violinist Laura Miller

Laura Miller has been a member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra violin section for 37 years. Inspired by the extraordinary divas who have performed at Lyric, plus the splendor of the Lyric Opera House, Laura has been pursuing another passion- jewelry - for over ten years. Laura has partnered with Lyric’s OperaShop and has created an entire collection special to this season. Get to know Laura below and stop by the OperaShop to see her beautiful creations!

What is your background? Where are you from?

I grew up just outside of Cleveland, Ohio, and received my Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance at Indiana University.

How long have you been playing the violin and what inspired you to pursue a career as a violinist?

I’ve been playing the violin for 50 years! There was never a moment when I was growing up when I thought I’d be anything but a musician. My parents were music teachers, so they understood the value of an education in the arts before “The Mozart Effect” became so popular, starting my sisters and I with piano lessons, then allowing us to pick our favorite instrument after we had a good foundation on the keyboard. I frequently skipped recess in grade school to practice the organ in church—my mom played for the 8:00 am Sunday Mass and sometimes allowed me to perform the recessional—the sound was so powerful and beautiful! When I discovered that playing in an orchestra provided the same type of musical magnificence, I wanted to be a part of it.

What was the first opera you ever saw?

I can’t remember the first opera I saw, but I can tell you the first one I played. It was a gorgeous, little known opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Christmas Eve (1894-95). I was a freshman in college and our orchestra was assigned to play the production. I was hooked from that moment, and tried to switch places with other violinists so I could perform as many operas as possible during my undergraduate years.

What is your favorite opera?

If I had to choose just one, it would be Der Rosenkavalier. But, there are so many more...

What inspired you to join the Lyric Opera Orchestra?

My love of opera, and being a part of something so incredibly fulfilling—there’s nothing like the sound of the orchestra, chorus and soloists coming together.

Throughout your career at Lyric what has been your favorite production?

We’ve done powerful productions of Lulu, The Passenger, and Wozzeck, but most recently, watching Orphée et Eurydice on PBS last month brought tears to my eyes. There was something so magical about music, ballet, and theater all perfectly coming together which made it feel like a celebration of all that humanity can be.

Your favorite opera to perform?

That’s like asking a parent to choose their favorite child! Anything by Strauss, Mozart, Handel, Janáček, Wagner, Massenet, Britten, Puccini, and Berg.

What opera are you most looking forward to in Lyric’s 2019/20 season?

Definitely the Ring cycle, but also Don Giovanni, Queen of Spades, and Dead Man Walking. (Have you noticed a pattern here? It’s difficult to choose just one!)

What does a typical day in rehearsal as a Lyric Opera Orchestra member look like? Any pre-performance rituals?

There’s really not a typical day because our schedule varies, but frequently we are rehearsing one opera in the morning, and performing another one at night. The only thing I try to do before an evening performance is to get a 20-minute power nap in the afternoon—some of the operas are very long and we have to be alert and at our best late at night.

Lyric is extremely excited that you have designed jewelry for the OperaShop this season! What inspired the jewelry pieces you created for the OperaShop?

Sometimes it’s a specific color seen on stage, or a fabulous costume. I’ll design something that could actually be worn with the costume, such as the "Cendrillon" or "Elektra" necklaces. There have been a few times when I’ve been out searching for components and I’ll see something that reminds me of a particular character, or vintage beads from the era when an opera was composed.

Any recommended pieces for our patrons?

Jewelry is a personal thing, so keep stopping by as inventory changes frequently—there are many different styles. Much of what I do is one-of-a-kind, or very limited inventory. I just found some very unusual gemstones, so stay tuned! (Pun intended)

Do you have a favorite piece this season?

Probably the silvery blue "Cendrillon" necklace with crystal components because they turned out to be vintage 1950s Japanese glass pearls, which are becoming very scarce. My eyes gravitated towards them immediately—they were hanging on a wall with hundreds of strands of gemstones, glass, cloisonné, and pearls. I buy what I’m drawn to, and these beauties were calling. There were only two strands available, and I kept one for myself!

Thank you Laura for sharing your passions with Lyric both on and off the stage! We’ll see you at the next performance!