He wasn’t central casting’s version of a maestro. Without curly locks like Dudamel’s or Lenny’s silvery hair, Valéry Ryvkin was short and bald-pated and boasted a cherubically rotund stomach. But when his glistening head popped up in the orchestra pit at the Lobero or Granada, audiences whooped with delight. “Bravo, bravo, Valéry!” they shouted. Whether it was opera, concert, or other musical entertainment, they knew they’d be in store for another enchanted evening of beautiful sounds.
The beloved Ryvkin, who died January 22 of a rare cancer at the terribly youthful age of 59, led Opera Santa Barbara for more than a decade, first as principal conductor and later as artistic director. He oversaw its growth from what he fondly called a “mom-and-pop” shop into a respected regional company. His productions included grand opera’s ABCs (Aida, La bohème, Carmen) as well as many lesser known works.