Elaine Kelly on Faust: "I feel ready for it. I’ve been well prepared by Irish National Opera to do this"

Rehearsals are well underway for the Irish National Opera (INO) production of Faust when I’m scheduled to speak to Elaine Kelly. The conductor has just finished a run-through of half the opera before she picks up the phone.

Faust is a world-renowned opera, written by Charles Gonoud. With a run time of over three hours, the production is a hefty piece to dig into and interpret, musically.

When you think of opera conductors, an older man in a tuxedo may well be the first image that springs to mind. But conductors are getting further from this stereotypical image all the time. As the “producers” of the opera world, conductors have a much more interesting job than just twiddling a stick in the air. That’s what Irish National Opera’s first ever resident conductor, Elaine Kelly, tells us.

A young woman from County Cork, Elaine is extraordinary at what she does - and she’s breaking down barriers for other women while doing it.

“I am loving every second of it,” shes says of rehearsal. “To be starting off our season with a classic repertoire piece like Faust, and have it be the mainstage opera at the Gaiety for four shows, is incredibly exciting. I feel ready for it. I’ve been well prepared by Irish National Opera to do this.”

Tackling a main stage production as resident conductor of the INO is not something Kelly thought she’d end up doing.

“I started playing violin from a very young age,” she reflects. “Music has always been a big part of my life. I’d never hugely enjoyed playing solo, but I always loved playing in orchestras or singing in choirs - just being part of a collective sound. When I started my first conducting module in college, I was getting the opportunity to stand in front of groups to control and shape that collective sound.

“In the third year of my degree, I spent the summer in San Francisco. I went to see the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra playing and a female conductor walked out. I remember just thinking ‘Wow’, because I’d never seen that in Ireland. Straight after that concert, I rushed home and emailed my conducting lecturer to take up the final year conducting module.”

Despite female conductors taking up a small space on the national scene, Elaine insists it’s a good time.

“There are a lot of companies trying to tackle gender inequality,” she clarifies. “There are doors opening and there are more opportunities than there were before. And so, of course, there are more females coming to the fore. There’s still an awfully long way to go until it’s accepted as normal, but we’re making really great progress.”

Finishing her conducting Masters, Kelly was convinced that as a female conductor, she would never find full-time work in the field. It took winning the inaugural ESB Feis Ceoil Orchestral Conducting Competition for her to get into opera conducting and boost her confidence, but she hasn’t looked back since.

“At the time, I felt really tight,” says Elaine. “That’s when I found the Irish National Opera studio, which is a training ground for young professionals looking to break into the business. When I started digging more into opera, I discovered it was like a combined version of choral and orchestral, giving more to play with. From figuring that out I was like, ‘Okay, I want to explore more.’”

Altering people’s views on opera and classical music is something Elaine is very passionate about.

“Don’t listen to any noise around you,” she emphasises. “There are so many different types of opera, there is something for everyone. If you don’t like the first one, try a different style. Really, that’s the only way you can do it.”

• See Elaine conduct Faust until October 7 at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin.