Rarities: opera stage parents

Editorial

So, because training for opera takes patience and nurturing, and rarely results in the kind of fame and fortune that makes terrible parents proud, have we escaped the curse of stage moms and dads? Is opera an ironic blind spot, ignored by the validation seekers in favour of TV commercials and youth beauty pageants?

In review: The Rape of Lucretia

Review

It was incredibly close and intimate and I think it added to the stressful undercurrent of the entire score. The male and female chorus guide us through the horrific unfolding of events, there is a clear point of view from a feminine perspective, but one that was nobly sympathetic to the weakness of the men who are the catalyst to all this indignity.

Meet the contestants of A Little Too Cozy!

Interview

"Can you fall in love with someone you’ve never met?" That's the big question on the minds of the four hopeful, love-seeking contestants on A Little Too Cozy. Felicity and Dora have been getting to know Elmo and Fernando in that classically romantic way, texting. Soon, they'll join host Donald Alfonso and talent relations guru Despina for the finale episode of A Little Too Cozy, where they'll finally be able to go on a face-to-face date with the objects of their text-affections.

4 weird questions for opera singers

Humour

We always wonder, since it's right there and wide open, do singers ever find themselves staring into the mouth of their duet partner? Do they become mesmerized by a waving uvula or trembling tongue? Are they conscious of having someone stare directly into their cavernous oral orifice as they holler away? Is it a bonding experience for both parties?

Liederwölfe stuns in #OperaPeepShow

Review

To say that it was unique would be a broad understatement. Upon arrival, you are greeted at the door and presented a key which gets you into the event, and then you are ushered downstairs where you get to choose, à la carte, which combination of the companies presenting you wished to check out.

In review: Classical Opera's Il Vologeso

Review

Perhaps it's true that Jommelli will not be remembered as one of the great composers of his time, but Il Vologeso is a great opera. It's full of love and lust, neglected and abused women, political differences, pride, and just endings. Under Ian Page, the Orchestra of Classical Opera started with a burst of energy that stayed present throughout the night; no two phrases were alike, and the orchestra were main players in the drama alongside the singers.

In review: Los Gavilanes at Toronto Operetta Theatre

Review

In a word, charming. That is what I experienced tonight with Toronto Operetta Theatre and their Canadian premiere of Jacinto Guerrero’s Los Gavilanes at St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. From the simple set to the period costumes, the Spanish orchestration and the simple, well-known tale of love lost (and then found), I was charmed.

Brian Mulligan: singing Jack Torrance

Interview

"What makes Jack Torrance different from other villains is that he’s fun. He has a ball terrorizing his helpless little family... and he is absolutely remorseless! His wife and son are merely failed extensions of himself, and there's a joy in him once he decides to destroy them. He's empowered and in control, with a purpose. It's a lot of fun to be that sadistic."

Talking with Renaissance men: Matthew Sharp, part 3

Interview

We're rounding out our trilogy of chats with cellist, baritone, and actor Matthew Sharp with some musings on the state of classical music concerts. The role of the performer, the wants and needs of the rehearsal process, and the futility of the "definitive recording".

In review: Bryn Terfel at Koerner Hall

Review

For musicians, it was a masterclass not only in great singing and excellent playing, but in audience engagement. Terfel, the loveable scamp, managed his very enthusiastic listeners with a genial nature that's normally reserved for cool uncles, panda bears, and Jimmy Fallon.