Jun 24, 2026
ICEBREAKER: Gordon Gerrard, Artistic Director
Get to know Artistic Director Gordon Gerrard! Gordon’s appointment was announced last week, and he officially begins September 1. In the meantime, Gordon has shared a little something about himself in our Icebreaker Questionnaire.
How do prepare for conducting an opera you haven’t performed before?
Study, study, study. Getting an entire opera into your head is a big undertaking. I usually like to start with the source material first. If it’s based on a book or a play, for example, I’ll try to track down a copy. Then, if it’s not in English, I need to make sure I know what all the words mean. Then I sit at the piano for many, many hours. Once I kind of have the lay of the land, then I’ll listen to a few recordings, if there are any. It’s a gift to hear how some of the great interpreters of the past approached these works. The preparation is never really finished. You just keep working until you run out of time. I love it!
Outside of opera and classical music, who is your favourite musical artist and why?
I go through phases with all sorts of artists, but one of the ones that I always come back to is k.d. lang. I can’t even begin to imagine how many times I’ve listened to Hymns of the 49th Parallel. Her voice just speaks to me. And I think she’s one of the coolest Canadians around.
What are some symphonic works and operas on your conducting bucket list?
I’d sure love to conduct some Wagner. I’ve always been fascinated with the Ring Cycle. Maybe I’ll get the chance someday. On the symphonic side, I’ve conducted two out of three of Stravinsky’s big ballets: The Firebird and Petrushka. I haven’t gotten to The Rite of Spring yet. I hope I will someday.
What’s your favourite comfort food?
During the pandemic, I had a lot of time on my hands (didn’t we all?…), so I decided to learn to cook better. I was living in Toronto at the time, but I was lucky enough to have a friend who was an authentic Italian also living nearby. He taught me how to actually make all the authentic Italian pastas. So now, it’s my absolute go-to comfort food. Whenever I have time on a Sunday, I’ll make a real Tuscan ragù with fresh tagliatelle.
What is your preferred post-show “cocktail”?
Nothing beats a dry gin martini with a twist.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
I am definitely an early bird. Ever since I was a kid, I was an early riser. In fact, when I was in high school, I used to practice the piano before the school bus came in the morning. So I’d set my alarm for 6am and start playing. This was not always popular with my siblings… And it seems the older I get, the earlier I get up. This could become a problem.
If you weren’t a conductor and musician, what career might you have pursued?
An architect. I never really looked into the actual requirements of this, and from talking to friends who actually went through it all, surviving a degree in architecture seems about as torturous as getting a music degree. But I love the combination of math and art in it all, just like music.
What types of books do you enjoy?
I’m a fiction person. There are so many great authors out there these days, and I feel like I never have enough time to read them all. I have so many books on my shelves that I still haven’t read, and I’ve shipped them across the country more times than I can count because I can’t stand to part with any of them. I’ve just started the new Douglas Stuart novel called John of John, about a young gay man who returns to the home where he grew up in rural Scotland. Love it.
Do you like to binge-watch a TV show/series?
I have absolutely no self-control when it comes to binge-watching. In fact, I have had to self-regulate a bit when it comes to this. I know that if I start a series, I will absolutely stay up till 3:00 in the morning for just one more episode. And then I’ll be destroyed for a week. So I can only start a new show when the calendar is fairly light. I’ll have to catch up with everyone on Heated Rivalry this summer.
What is your favourite holiday?
I’m a big sucker for Christmas. I have so many great memories of Christmas as a kid and every year I put up a tree, even if my travel schedule sometimes doesn’t really allow me to see it very much. And of course, Christmas back in Manitoba will be even better this year because it’s better with snow. I can almost embrace winter—but only until December 26th.
With which composer would you like to have dinner?
Probably Brahms. Ever since I started to play the piano well enough to explore serious classical repertoire, Brahms’ music has always captivated me. The way he captures darkness and light at the same time in all of his music is amazing. At our dinner, I want to ask him why he never wrote an opera. No one is perfect, I guess.
