What does a Repetiteur do?
A role that's entirely unique to opera, the repetiteur is one of the driving forces behind the opera rehearsal process. During group rehearsals, these pianists serve as accompanists, skillfully reducing the complicated orchestral scores for piano in a way that preserves the spirit of a live orchestra. Then, when it's time for small group or one-on-one rehearsals, repetiteurs add vocal coaching to their already heavy workload.
At a Glance
Most repetiteurs study some combination of piano performance, voice, and opera in a conservatory setting. They gain experience teaching by coaching individual singers or working with choirs, and they build experience accompanying opera by playing with local, amateur, or youth opera groups. Like the opera performers they coach, repetiteurs can eventually work their way up to jobs with respected opera companies through a combination of persistence, connections, and lucky breaks.
Not many musicians have the diversity of skills, thorough knowledge, and flexible disposition necessary to be a repetiteur. As a result, despite the limited number of available positions in the field, it’s not hard to find work for those who are persistent, assertive, and qualified.
Piano performance
Sight-reading
Accompanying
Transposition
Conducting
Orchestral reduction
Foreign languages (at least two of the following: Italian, German, French, English and Russian)
Vocal performance and coaching
Harpsichord
General opera repertoire
Repetiteurs must have exceptional patience and stamina. Rehearsals are long, and there’s a reason for the name "repetiteur"—difficult passages may be repeated dozens of times over.
Repetiteurs can be freelancers, working with opera companies on a part-time basis, in which case they are usually paid for three-hour sessions. These freelance repetiteurs usually also work as a general accompanist, concert pianist, or conductor.
