CCM Opera Faculty Profile: Terry Lusk
A professor at CCM since 1999, Terry Lusk brings a valuable perspective from decades of professional experience to his weekly coachings with CCM students. Recently, we sat down with Professor Lusk to reflect upon his career.
1. Where is your hometown?
Chicago
2. Where did you receive your education?
Morton East High School and Northwestern University
3. Where/when was your 1st professional engagement?
New York City Opera
4. Can you tell us some of the notable artists you have worked with throughout your career (singers, conductors, etc.)
I have worked with many fine conductors: Erich Leinsdorf, Charles Mackerras, Stage director-Jean Pierre Ponnelle,S Singers-Leontyne Price, Margaret Price, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, Dolora Zajick, Mignon Dunne, Ruth Anne Swenson, Giorgio Tozzi, Regine Crespin,
5. What opera companies have you worked for during your career?
Santa Fe, New York City, San Francisco
6. Can you tell us some of the highlights of your career? Was there a particular production you enjoyed working on?
I always enjoyed working on Jean Pierre Ponnelle productions.
7. Did you have a mentor in your career that you feel guided you in the right path?
John Crosby, the founder of the Santa Fe Opera
8. What was the most challenging job you have worked on in your career?
I taught for one year in a junior high school.
9. What was the 1st opera you worked on at CCM (either as faculty or guest artists)?
Rossini’s Voyage a Rheims
10. What do you enjoy most about working with the students here at CCM?
Their commitment
11. If you could have picked another profession, what would it have been?
Something to do with foreign languages.
12. Do you have any hobbies/activities that you’d like to share?
I love gardening.
13. What advice would you give to someone who is starting out in your career path?
Study foreign languages and listen to a lot of classic recordings of opera, especially Jo Stafford, Fischer Dieskau, Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, and Maria Callas.
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