Albert Horne is Chorus Master and Music Assistant for Cape Town Opera, and regularly appears as conductor and accompanist in South Africa and Europe. A graduate of the University of Cape Town and the Guildhall School of Music &  Drama in London, he has conducted the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera during a national tour of the UK, Orchestre Pasdeloup at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, the Malmö Opera Orchestra at Malmö Opera in Sweden, the Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Centre in Israel, as well as the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, the Kwa-Zulu Natal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra in South Africa.

2012 must have been one of the most exciting years in your career so far. You have been jetting all over the world as chorus mater and conductor with Cape Town Opera (CTO) for performances in the UK, Australia and Germany. How did you feel when you embarked on the 6 city tour of the UK (you were away for 2 months!) with the CTO company? Did you have any doubts or fears about how you would be received?

AH: It was all terribly exciting. I flew up to London ahead of the rest of the company, to rehearse with the orchestras. The first rehearsal took place at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden - which was quite daunting - before I joined the company in Birmingham, where we opened. I am always a bit nervous before the first rehearsal with a new orchestra - hoping that I’m clear enough, that the orchestra warms to me, etc. But luckily I was blessed with two amazing orchestras – The Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, as well as a freelance orchestra made up of musicians from around the UK.

You must have felt very proud about the rave reviews and warm reception that the company received in the UK for Porgy & Bess and Mandela Trilogy. What were your personal highlights on the tour?

AH: There were so many highlights on this tour, but the most obvious one would be making my West End début at the Coliseum in London.

Spill the beans – were there any glitches that the audience didn’t notice and that you can all laugh about now?

AH: During her first performance as Bess, Nonhlanhla Yende accidently left the stage in order to do her quick costume change. Only after she put on the next costume did she realise that she was supposed to stay on stage for Sporting Life’s aria, which he sings to her. She had to quickly change back into the costume, and got to stage just in time for the end of his aria, followed by the exit and quick change AGAIN! She was exhausted!

What do you think is the most important asset a chorus master should have?

AH: Patience, tenacity, strong work-ethic, and (most of all) very good people skills!

And what do you think ultimately makes a chorus exceptional?

AH: The ability to sound like a body of people, not like a group of solo singers together. Also, an absolute manic attention to detail!

Do you find it more challenging to work with a chorus than with an orchestra?

AH: I spend 6 hours a day, 6 days a week with the chorus. I therefore have a much closer relationship with them than with an orchestra – they only see me for 3 reading rehearsals, 3 stage & orchestra rehearsals and 2 dress rehearsals. I therefore have to compress a lot of detail into those few rehearsals.

One does not wake up as an experienced conductor one morning, ready to conquer any piece of repertoire with the necessary musical maturity. What has been the most important “growth spurts” you have experienced as a conductor?

AH: I was extremely fortunate in being “thrown into” conducting – even though I studied it at the SA College of Music (University of Cape Town), you can only grow through experience, and Cape Town Opera has given me amazing opportunities to grow as a conductor. Through experience comes calmness, and the ability to cope under pressure and handle the curve-balls thrown at you!

How democratic or autocratic do you think a conductor should be?

AH: Unfortunately, one seldom has the time to discuss and vote on every decision, so ultimately it is pretty autocratic. My duty as a conductor is to make certain musical decisions and convince the company and orchestra that they should follow them. Of course, one always has to be open to other points of view, and be ready to adapt your set musical ideas if necessary.

One imagines that being a conductor is fulfilling creative experience. You have 80-120 musicians watching your every move, and in opera or ballet the creative process involves artists from other genres. Is it such a wonderful experience as we mere mortals think, or are the technicalities so demanding that you hardly ever experience a wow moment in performance?

AH: If you are surrounded by passionate musicians, and you get to the point where beautiful music is made together, then that trumps everything else and you experience the most incredible musically fulfilling encounter imaginable. It is magical!

In September, the CTO Voice of the Nation Ensemble performed with the Berlin Philharmonic in the Gershwin’s’ Porgy and Bess, under the baton of the iconic conductor Sir Simon Rattle.  You had three days of rehearsal, so you had some time to experience working with him first hand. What was it like?

AH: It was such an amazing experience for us all. Maestro Rattle was an inspiration, and manages to enthuse everyone around him. He was extremely happy with the chorus, and has an amazing relationship with the Berlin Philharmonic. He was always helpful, supportive and such a gentleman!

Looking into the future, what would you like to focus on and still wish to perform?

AH: As Conductor I need to focus more on conducting the standard operatic repertoire (which I am studying in my spare time) – more Verdi, Puccini and Mozart. As Chorus Master, I would love to do more of the Russian repertoire with the Opera Chorus – we’ve already done snippets of Eugene Onegin and Boris Godunov, but I am planning on doing more of this with them.

I have to ask – who is your favourite conductor?

AH: Riccardo Muti for Italian Opera, Georg Solti for Strauss, Daniel Barenboim for Wagner and Rene Jacobs for Mozart.

Interview by Christien Coetzee Klingler
Published 05.11.2012