In late July last year, Esteban Urzelai was appointed director of the ABAO Bilbao Opera Choir, concluding a four-year period in Madrid as assistant director of the Spanish National Choir. This new position has allowed him to return more frequently to his hometown, Oñati, prompting him to share his reflections on this new experience.

The director stated that he took on the leadership of ABAO as a personal challenge, as despite having previously directed amateur and professional choirs, his experience with an opera choir was limited. Nevertheless, he is very satisfied with the results achieved, describing the experience as “tremendous.” He believes that a good working rhythm and trust have been established with the choir, and that he adapts well to other opera professionals, such as the orchestra conductor and stage director. He also expressed his satisfaction with ABAO as an institution.

The previous director, Boris Dujin, had held the position since 1994, which brought about a significant change for the choir. The new director explained that the singers have had to adapt to new ways of working, song learning methodologies, and his own personality. This process has unfolded gradually, with both sides adapting to each other, bringing a “breath of fresh air.”

The main difference between an opera choir and other types of choirs is the need to memorize scores, as there are no scores on stage. Additionally, singers also perform as actors, making the story believable. The director cited an example of rehearsing an opera set during the French Revolution, where singers must express anger or joy. In opera performances, the director stands behind the stage, and his role is to remind the singers of the instructions from the orchestra conductor and stage director.

The director stated that he has had to assert his personality more in this new phase, taking on more responsibilities than he had as assistant director, such as singer selection, placement, and schedules. Furthermore, he is also the director of the Suhar choir, and he considers both jobs compatible, as the Bilbao role is primarily during the week, and he works with Suhar on weekends. He acknowledged that winning the main prize at the Tolosa International Choral Competition in 2023 was one of the most important moments of his career.

The director does not believe the choral world is at its best, especially after the pandemic, but he emphasized the important tradition of Euskal Herria. He highlighted the importance of offering interesting and quality projects to attract children to the choral world. Finally, he stated that a world without choirs would be “much worse,” underscoring the numerous benefits of singing in a group, such as teamwork, commitment, and mutual support.