I have never been a musician but a lover of music as far back as I can remember! I was 13 years old and singing in a boys' choir when a friend of mine got me raving about the music of David Bowie and Michael Jackson. Up till then, my musical universe had consisted of Josquin Desprez, Clément Janequin, Johann Sebastian Bach, François Couperin and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart!
At the end of my studies, my dream was to work for an opera house. I applied to houses almost all over Europe, but to no avail. Maybe I lacked connections or perhaps my CV was too strange: a business school graduate wanting to work in the arts. Suspicious?
On March 1st, 1995 a Viennese artists’ manager allowed me to get a foot in the door. In I rushed, unspeakably excited. This was the start of the professional career I have been pursuing passionately ever since.
Looking back over the past 20 years, and in a slightly self-mocking and provocative vein, I couldn’t tell how many times I have got married and divorced. In order to survive in this profession I needed to accept such an inevitable reality pretty quickly. I could have become cynical, but that is not in my nature. It is my conviction that any relationship with an artist needs to be approached as an honest and unique narrative. Only then does what I do have meaning.
Throughout these 20 years, I have never lost sight of the main goal, that is, to do all in my power to ensure the stable and long-term development of an artist’s career. I have never been a speculator. Whenever any one of my artists triumphs on stage, either in a concert or an opera, I am overcome with joy. I try to shower every attention on each of them and consider that attending as many of their performances as possible is not simply a professional obligation but a personal reward.
My ultimate reward, however, is the knowledge that I have succeeded in building up a relationship based on mutual trust, not only with my artists but also with opera house and casting directors.
Trust... As in any professional field, the world of classical music is not exclusively peopled with men and women who are well-brought-up and loyal. I have had my share of unfortunate experiences and suffered some notable acts of treachery, but, one way or another, I have emerged strengthened, enlightened, and possessing an even greater esteem for those relations which last, for those people whose sincerity, loyalty, and sheer class have been second to none.
These 20 years have taught me that everything - life, a career, a relationship - is both fragile and priceless. However, nothing is more worthwhile than to try, again and again, to create the best possible result out of this very fragileness. Never give up, as long as you love your job with all your heart! Pay no attention to others’ indifference! Keep marching forward, and always bear in mind that nothing comes free. I have also learnt that hard work and patience are two key terms and that being one’s own boss is invaluable. I have made mistakes and will surely make many more. But there have been moments when I have experienced the greatest satisfaction and the ultimate joy, and I hope to experience many more in the coming years.
At this point I should like to express my thanks to all those who have put their trust in me all this time and who still do today.
A special thanks to Franz Hainzl, in whom I have found an alter ego. He is the kind of opera-lover one can only find in Vienna. He knows almost everything about the subject and is a source of invaluable advice. We share the same outlook and the same dedication to the profession we have chosen.
Laurent Delage, 1st March 2015