Ryan de Ryke

Ryan de Ryke was born in the USA and grew up in Luxembourg, London, and Amsterdam. He studied singing at the National Conservatory of Luxembourg, Butler University in Indianapolis, The Royal Academy of Music in London, and the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. Ryan is passionate about song repertoire of all sorts, and the recital platform is where he feels most at home. From time to time, he does enjoy a foray into opera and musical theatre, so it is fortunate that some people find him amusing enough on stage to hire him. He does enjoy making people laugh or cry or ponder the ineffible mysteries of the human condition through music and drama, so he sincerely hopes that this current project with Haymarket Opera will illicit pleasure from its audience.

Hear Ryan as Apollo in Apollo e Dafne - Get your tickets now!

Q&A with Ryan de Ryke

Q: Who are you singing? Tell us about your character? 

RdR: I'll be singing the role of Apollo, a god of blinding self-regard who cannot fathom that his advances should be rebuffed by Dafne.

Q: What do you love about the opera?

RdR: Let's face it, Handel is about showing off. The piece is full of vocal fireworks. But just when you think you're nothing more than a circus freak whose task is just to sing really fast and high, Handel smacks you across the face with a most beautiful aria... A miracle that humanizes our circumstances through musical alchemy.

Q: Is there something about your character or this opera that modern audiences can relate to?

RdR: Greek myths don't age. They point endlessly toward the eternal truths of our existence. What I appreciate about these stories, however, is that they do not judge. Gods, humans, nymphs, satyrs, they all behave just terribly in these myths. The #MeToo movement should rightfully be disgusted by Apollo's behavior. But unlike in the major monotheistic faith traditions, Greek myths do not preach or moralize. They simply say, "This is how things are. If you don't like it, do something about it!" And in the hands of Handel, the basest instincts of human nature are elevated to transcendent beauty.

Q: Favorite aria/chorus from the piece?

RdR: Oh, without a doubt my final aria. Never was a tree so deliciously fetishised. So leafy, so verdant... Even a god would need a cold shower after those crunchy harmonies.

Q: What is it like to prepare for film? Are you ready for your close-up? 

RdR: I honestly don't know. I've made music videos before. It's an artificial medium, but the results can be breathtaking. When I was a kid I worked at the national film studios in Luxembourg. I got to meet some truly amazing filmmakers like Peter Greenaway. I'm not a film newbie, but the technology we are going to be using seems quite cutting edge, so I have a feeling that we will all be flying by the seat of our pants. But that's when some of the very greatest art comes together!

Also, the cameras add 10 pounds at least, so I'm just praying to the film gods that I don't look fat.

Q: These operas center around a theme of transformation. How has the pandemic forced you to change? Have there been any silver linings? 

RdR: This question gets asked a lot. I have tried to see the positives in this predicament, but as we close in on 200,000 Americans dying for no good reason because of a narcissistic president who cares for no one but himself, I think it's grotesque to pretend that there is anything good that has come out of this. Maybe it has made some people more socially conscious and politically aware. I want to believe that the BLM movement is here to stay, and maybe the pandemic played a role in that. I don't have a huge amount of faith in transformation through tragedy. Neitche's "That which doesn't kill you only makes you stronger," always rang false and heartless to me. He conveniently leaves out all the things that maim and cripple us. When tragedies like this happen, a positive spin strikes me as hollow and crass.

Q: On the topic of rep from the Age of Enlightenment, do you have a dream role? Is there an opera you wish audiences could hear? Do you love Handel? If you could steal any role from another voice type what would it be?

RdR: I once sang Tamerlano about 15 years ago when I used to sing countertenor in a serious way. That role is remarkable. I look back and wonder how I found the chutzpah to sing "Ah dispetto." It's absurdly difficult, and the role is an exhausting workout both emotionally and vocally. I don't think I could ever do it again, but I was impressed with myself at the time, and who knows? I could get called in to do it again some day.

Q: As it’s Haymarket’s 10th anniversary, do you have a favorite Haymarket memory? 

RdR: Hands down, I enjoyed most being asphyxiated by Erica Schuller with a glove while trying not to sweat the glue off of my bald cap for Pimpinone.

I am very proud to be associated with Haymarket Opera. I am impressed with the ingenuity that the company shows. This new phase is particularly exciting. For a company whose mission is to preserve the aesthetic of the Age of Enlightenment with authentic, period performances, I think it is amazing that the company is so adaptable and embracing of new technology and innovative ways of presenting material while staying true to it's mission. It's remarkable.