"I learned so much about movement, holding my stature, circle of focus and range of motion! I am so pleased with everything I am walking away with. The stagings really have opened my eyes to interpretation and development of character."

James Kryshak, TOP 2006

I really wanted to get in touch with you because I realized how much working with you focused me.  Ever since that summer, music has been my life. Thank you!! 
--- Kathryn Moriarty, Opera Arts Training Program

Ms. Bachman’s  direction and encouragement pushed the development of my acting, singing, and stage movement skills even further.  Having the privilege to work with Ms. Bachman in 2000 was one of the best musical experiences I have ever had, because she filled me with even more motivation to follow my dream of becoming an opera singer. 
 --- Alisa Jordheim, Opera Arts Training Program

Elizabeth Bachman is a very innovative director with many creative ideas for stage movement.  She allowed me to capitalize upon my strengths and improve my weaknesses. Her stage direction is fun and energetic.  It showcases the singers’ talent to the fullest without taking away from the style.  She is a very down-to-earth person and tries to make the singer fell as comfortable as possible.  However, she also pushes the singer to think “outside of the box”.  I never felt hesitant in asking her for anything. 
---- Patricia Rhiew, Baltimore Opera Studio

“I have known Ms. Bachman for well over 10 years. She is very talented and has done very fine work as a stage director. She has had many splendid ideas and her record of directing over fifty operas at major companies speaks for itself.   She has been a teacher and has also worked as an administrator and artistic advisor.  Her language skills are superior; would that I could say that I was fluent in the three major languages of opera with Spanish and a little Japanese thrown in.”
--- Speight Jenkins, General Director, Seattle Opera)

Ms. Bachman is thoroughly organized in her approach to an opera and I have no reason to believe that she does not take this same approach to other business activities. She is very bright, knowledgeable and always thoroughly prepared. She also has a keen sense of humor, something very important in the opera business. She is absolutely not afraid of hard work and dedicates herself to the task at hand.

    --- Ann Stanke, General Director, Madison Opera

Elizabeth Bachman has been the stage director for the SF Girls’ Chorus Opera Arts Training Program since 1988. I have watched Ms. Bachman create and produce a program of acting that is truly remarkable. Her innovative stagings are a joy to watch. She is always clear, patient and direct, explaining the “why” behind the “how” and inspiring the students to achieve more than they thought they could. The fact that she is fluent in Italian, French and German and always knows the material by heart makes it possible for her to teach interpretation as well as just staging.
--- Janet Garvin, Exec. Director, SF Girls’ Chorus

“I have known Elizabeth since we worked together at the Metropolitan Opera in 1990, as both a director and later, as a teacher of young singers. She set a cheerful but intense work pace, always alert, intelligent, and vigilant to the demands of her craft.
“I asked her to come to Carnegie Mellon in more recent years to work with our undergraduate singers. She is always generously giving of her impressive experience and knowledge and always respectful of the singer’s specific needs without condescending to their young years. The students loved working with her, and the faculty saw wonderful artistic growth in the singers under her tutelage.”

        --- Mimi Lerner, Prof. of Voice, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh