Aptly named: The Living Spectacle

News

Tonight the Canadian Art Song Project presents The Living Spectacle, a recital of music, new and old, Canadian and otherwise. On paper, it may not look much different from other recitals; I had a chance to see the dress rehearsal of tonight's concert, and not only was it extraordinary in presentation, but it got me genuinely excited about Canadians who make music.

Tools: The Big Book of Variable Income

News

How's it going, freelancers? All going according to plan? Said plan made well in advance? In case the answer is "no", or even a hesitant "yes", Rags to Reasonable has a new tool to help: The Big Book of Variable Income.

Aria Guides: Quando m'en vo

How-To

For our next instalment of Aria Guides, we're sticking with the tried and true pick of divas around the world, "Quando me'n vo" from Puccini's La bohème. It's got everything you really want in an aria: girl tries to make her ex-boyfriend jealous, and she does it by singing sexy lines and shimmering high notes.

In review: The Telephone & The Medium

Review

The University of Toronto Opera opened a double bill last night, pairing together two of Menotti's most well-loved works, The Telephone (1946) and The Medium (1945). I saw the first of two casts in what I thought was a beautifully detailed production by director Michael Albano.

Meet the new Atelier lyrique: Myriam Leblanc

Interview

Soprano Myriam Leblanc is from St. Lazare, outside of Montréal, and this is her first season with the Atelier lyrique. She has a background playing the violin, and she has studied choral directing, but her love of singing opera began with a glance at a score of Puccini's La bohème. Videographer Anne Kostalas followed Myriam on a hike at Mont Saint Bruno, where she likes to spend her time when she's not singing.

Opera directors: an unfair disadvantage?

Op-ed

It's odd when you think about it too much: opera companies generally employ a person who is less musically literate than many 10-year old pianists, to make directorial choices in a theatre genre where music is the vital vehicle of the story. So, why isn't a strong musical background a prerequisite for directing opera?

She said/He said: Centre Stage 2015

Review

Last night, I went with Greg Finney to Centre Stage, the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio Competition. The competition is the culmination of nationwide auditions, narrowing the 120 applicants down to eight young Canadian singers. Dressed in gorgeous gowns and suits (gifted to them from The Hudson's Bay Company's Queen Street store), finalists sing on the Four Seasons Centre stage, with the COC Orchestra led by Music Director Johannes Debus. It's a pretty big deal for these aspiring young singers.

Meet the new Atelier lyrique: Geoffroy Salvas

Interview

Baritone Geoffroy Salvas joined the Atelier lyrique this season, and he appeared in L'Opéra de Montréal's 2015 production of Kevin Puts' Silent Night. Salvas has sung since he was very young, starting in choirs at school; he studied piano and cello, but singing was always there. A lover of architecture, Salvas took videographer Anne Kostalas to some of his favourite spots in his hometown of Montréal.

Chris Lysack, on singing: "It’s naked."

Interview

Canadian-born tenor Chris Lysack brings a lot to the table when he takes on roles like Florestan (Fidelio), Walther von Stolzing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and the Prince in Rusalka. He studied voice at the Manhattan School of Music, after he earned a Doctor of Music as a pianist, and a PhD in French literature, both from Indiana University.

Meet the director: Liza Balkan

Interview

"Why do I do it? I love telling stories." Balkan agrees that the process can be different from theatre to opera, from workshop to finished product, but it's always inspiring. "The collective minds in a room, what can be created that way is just so delicious."