story by anne lutz zacharias
ari Gruber and Bill Powers, of Ashland Avenue, spend
their days on opposite sides of the opera footlights. Gruber is an
international soprano star who travels the globe, while Powers
works behind the scenes managing the Pittsburgh Opera.

When they met at Julliard in New York, she was a gradu-
ate voice student and he was administrative head of the vocal
department. Every time Gruber left school to perform, she had
to submit a release form to Powers. One day, she coyly handed
him a release form for ice skating and hot chocolate in Central
Park. They were married three years later.

Powers laughs that sometimes their lives feel like operas—like
when they had their wedding during a 10-day break between
two of Gruber’s performances as the bride in The Marriage of
Figaro. Singing opera is a calling, says Gruber, who travels eight to
10 months per year. “You sacrifice a lot for it, but you just have
to do it.”
Gruber was raised in Germany until the age of nine. “My
parents were huge classical music fans, and music was always
around,” she says. She lived briefly in rural Ohio before going
to high school in California. “I was involved in the theater, but
never got the leads in musicals because the director said I didn’t
Renee Rosensteel
at the opera
Bill Powers, director of administration and artistic operations
for the Pittsburgh Opera, and soprano Sari Gruber fit their
wedding into a 10-day break between Gruber’s performances in
The Marriage of Figaro.

Singing opera is a calling…
you sacrifice a lot for it.

48 mtl • april 2009
have a good voice,” Gruber says with a laugh.

She studied theater at Yale and in her sophomore year
decided she wanted to improve her voice. Gruber auditioned
for a program in which graduate students give vocal instruc-
tion to undergraduates. Lili Chookasian, a renowned opera
contralto and music professor, heard her audition and called
Gruber in her dorm room that night: “You have to study with
me,” she said.

Chookasian “opened a door for me, and I went through,”
says Gruber. “Opera just made sense all of a sudden.”
Powers became enamored with opera in high school because
it had the “combination of all the art forms—music, dance,
singing.” Although he majored in music, Powers always knew
his calling was more managerial. He left his position at Julliard
to join the Metropolitan Opera and subsequently worked at the
Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara and the Aspen
Theater Center. Prior to coming to Pittsburgh in 2007, Powers
was the general director of the Berkshire Opera Company in
Massachusetts. He says his diverse background gives him a real
knowledge of the different venues around the country.

As director of administration and artistic operations for the
Pittsburgh Opera, Powers works closely with general direc-
tor Christopher Hahn to help choose productions, negotiate
contracts, assist in casting and oversee the budget. Last fall, he
helped orchestrate the move into the Pittsburgh Opera’s new
space on Liberty Avenue in the Strip District. The building



In this Pittsburgh Opera production of Cosi Fan Tutte, Sari Gruber
once housed the Westinghouse Air Brake Company, but today sang the role of Despina. She was eight months pregnant with her
it is filled with administrative offices, a performance theater and daughter, Katharine.

a rehearsal stage. “Every prominent artist we’ve brought in has
performance is unique, says Powers, and the unexpected
been awed [by our new space],” says Powers.

The opera uses the building to reach out to the community. happens.

For example, last year the opera had a guest tenor who became
Free Brown Bag Opera Concerts take place every Saturday at
noon, and Opera Up Close gives visitors a behind-the-scenes ill the afternoon of a performance. Hahn hired a replacement to
fly in from New York, who was delayed on the tarmac. Hahn
look at current productions.

In addition, Pittsburgh Opera’s resident artists program is kept the audience apprised of what was happening during each
one of the country’s top opera training venues. It helps rising intermission, says Powers. The ill tenor valiantly performed
opera stars transition from a conservatory setting to live opera three acts, even though continuing to sing had the potential to
performances. “We received 650 applications for five spots,” harm his voice. The audience was waiting for act four, and there
says Powers. “It’s one of the most competitive programs in the was still no replacement. So music director Antony Walker, a
tenor, agreed to sing the part from the pit while directing the
country.” Powers continues to be impressed with the consistent quality orchestra. The ill vocalist lip-synced the final dramatic love
of the opera. “The work that Pittsburgh Opera does rivals the duet. By the time the curtain came down, the audience roared
their appreciation.

largest companies,” he says.

“Seeing something at the highest level, that’s what makes it
He is particularly excited about the 2008-09 season because
of its strong tie to literature—Eugene Onegin, Falstaff, The Rape magical,” says Powers.

Gruber and Powers love the shared glamour and drama of the
of Lucretia, Carmen and The Marriage of Figaro all have their
roots in great novels and plays. In addition, Gruber will join opera, but when they relax in their home, they opt for Disney
the Pittsburgh Opera to perform the role of Susanna in The movies with 2-year-old Katharine over arias and librettos. “It’s
hard not to fall in love with Mt. Lebanon,” says Powers.

Marriage of Figaro for her 60th time.

“We’ve been here about a year,” says Gruber. “We love it in
“Susanna is my favorite role,” says Gruber. “This character is
so strong and wise and funny. I find the music of Mozart to be so many ways: The community, the street, the house, what it
provides for Katharine.”
the closest to my heart.”
Powers urges the people of Pittsburgh to give opera a try.

“You have to walk through the doors,” he says. “The Benedum
is a gem of a theater; a great story is told, and the translation
Pittsburgh Opera’s upcoming schedule
is on the screen for people to follow.” Most of all, each live
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