sign in sign up
<<
Home , Adrianne Pieczonka, Annick Massis, Brett Polegato, Comprimario, Daniel Okulitch, Deborah Polaski

Parables of public and private funding in tales from two cities

Spring 2014 OperaCanadaVolume LV $5.95

Group Dynamics An insider’s guide to the art of singing in the chorus

Opera from Community On Stage Rayanne Dupuis the Truck Affairs Mark S. Doss How live Met Leslie Ann Bradley stagings get to sets strategy to build Robert Clark the silver screen a new audience Shirin Eskandani

Contents Opera Canada Spring 2014

20 Group dynamics An insider’s guide to the colorful working world of the opera chorus. By Lydia Perovic´

26 Opera from the truck Film director Barbara Willis Sweete explains how she translates productions from stage to silver screen. By Christopher Hoile

32 Community outreach Vancouver Opera sets strategy to build a new audience in a changing world. By Rosemary Cunningham Departments 4 Editor’s Notebook 5 Opera in the News 8 Artists on Stage: Rayanne Dupuis, Mark S. Doss Leslie Ann Bradley, Robert Clark and Shirin Eskandani 14 New productions/New Roles: How Winnipeg’s Michael Cavanagh found his voice as a stage director 16 Letters from Linz and : Two tales of public and privatge funding 34 Calendar: live performances and Saturday transmissions 36 Opera in Review 56 Opera at Home: and live in , Winterreise from Gerald Finley, Robert Carsen and Michael Levine stage Die Zauberflöte, Doug MacNaughton in recital …and more REVIEWS 62 Final Take: music Sondra Radvanovsky Madrid can’t live without Daniel Okulitch as Ennis del Mar in the pre- miere of Charles Wuorinen’s Brokeback Mountain See page 36

Board of Directors Editor Advertising OperaCanada Chair: Stephen Clarke Wayne Gooding & marketing enquiries Lasana Barrow [email protected] 416-363-0396 Nadia Formigoni [email protected] Founding Editor senior consulting editor David Hamilton (ex officio) Ruby Mercer Neil Crory Damiano Pietropaolo Cover: Collage of production Volume LV Nabeela Ratansi Associate Editors photos from Canadian Opera Number 1 Alia Rosenstock Paula Citron, Joseph So Company/Michael Cooper Edition 223 $5.95 Donald Rumball & Chris Hutcheson Art Direction AND Design Date of issue: Spring 2014 Richard Turp Fresh Art & Design Inc. Publisher James Warrillow (ex officio) Opera Canada Publications Rev. Edward Jackman (Honorary) Circulation operacanada.ca Wayne Gooding (ex officio) Abacus 1-800-222-5097

Photo: javier del real Photo: javier

Spring 2014 3 Notebook By Wayne Gooding Spring 2014

★ We had already gone At press time, the company to press with the last issue when was in fact looking again to see word came that our review of if there may be any way of con- OperaCanada Verdi’s last opera, Falstaff, would tinuing (it had already cut down also be our final review from the number of productions and Opera Hamilton. Follow- performances given annually). Publisher’s Circle (donations of $1,000 or more) BMO Financial Group, Jacqueline Desmarais, David ing a debilitating bankruptcy But even if this turns into a near- Giles and Carol Derk, Wayne Gooding, Father Edward and considerable downsizing death experience rather than the Jackman, The Jackman Foundation, John B. Lawson, Marjorie and Roy Linden, Stratton Trust, Janet Stubbs. just a few years ago, the company finally real thing, San Diego’s plight, like Opera Editor’s Circle (donations of $500 or more) faced financial realities and closed its doors Hamilton’s, is another dark reminder that the Yulanda Faris, David Hamilton, Linda and Michael after more than 30 years. It was, as General model for running an opera company needs Hutcheon, Stephen Ralls and Bruce Ubukata, Colleen Sexsmith, David E. Spiro, Arija and Clarence Stiver, Director David Speers wrote in a Jan. 11 a radical rethink. Christopher Koelsch, Presi- Opera Canada is published by Opera Canada Publications, letter announcing the news, “a truly tragic dent and CEO of , put 366 Adelaide Street East, Suite 244, , and sad development.” Speers had actu- matters succinctly when he issued a public M5A 3X9. Phone (416) 363-0395. Fax (416) 363-0396. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect ally resigned last November 30, though no comment on events further down the coast the organization’s. announcement was made in hopes some in San Diego. “Even now, we fight the per- th publications mail agreement no. 40005380 11 -hour financial miracle might avoid ception that opera companies are for-profit return undeliverable canadian addresses to: total shutdown, but there was none. Indeed, industries, rather than the simple, stark truth opera canada subscriptions dept., po box 819, markham, ontario, l3p 5a2 one of the reasons Speers gave for the final that we are entirely dependent on the good e-mail: [email protected] decision to cease operations was the failure will of the ticket buyer, and the generosity Opera Canada’s one-year subscription rates are $29.50 for to realize “one major contribution which of the philanthropist.” individuals, or $39.50 for institutions (GST included). Outside Canada: US$29.50 (individuals) or US$39.50 was committed to us over a year ago,” but Even the biggest companies are sounding (institutions). Opera Canada is available on newsstands which in the end “did not come through alarm bells. At ’s annual across Canada. For subscription enquiries, please call our subscription department at 1-800-222-5097 (toll free). in time to help.” Even if it had, the funds general meeting in March, General Director Please let us know if you are moving. Send your new would only have seen OH through to the David Gockley talked about the “structural address with a mailing label showing your old address from end of the current season, and the outlook problems we face as a company and some a recent issue (if available) to: Opera Canada Subscriptions, PO Box 819, Markham, ON, L3P 8A2. remained bleak and daunting beyond that. of the systemic issues facing the industry as Copyright: © 2013 Opera Canada Publications. If you follow opera around North a whole…the slowly declining role of sub- All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be America, you’ll know that OH isn’t the scriptions, the difficulty of balancing budgets, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, only casualty of this 2013/14 season, which the lack of bankable stars, the marginaliza- electronic or mechanical (inc. photocopy) or in any other information storage and retrieval system, without got off to a terrible start with the failure tion of the classical arts in education and written permission from Opera Canada Publications. of last October. the mass media, the plethora of competing Opera Canada is published with the financial assistance of Indianapolis Opera has canned it’s fourth entertainment forms and opportunities… the and the Ontario Arts Council. We also extend special thanks to private donors whose continuing and final production of the season, citing that compete for the time and attention of support is vital to making this publication possible. financial challenges, while its board works people who could be going to the opera.” From time to time, opera canada or other to address “systemic and national trends Speers cited some of these same problems carefully screened organizations send mail to subscribers, offering products or in the opera business model.” That tradi- in his Jan. 11 letter (p. 6), and elsewhere in this services that may be of interest. If you tional model appears to have failed, too, at issue we learn something of how Vancouver do not wish to receive such correspondence, please contact us at: [email protected], the higher-profile —it’s Opera is rethinking its business model to sur- by fax at 905-946-0410, by phone (toll free) among the biggest 10 companies in the vive and thrive in a changing world (p. 32). at 1-800-222-5097 or by mail to: opera canada subs. dept., po box 819, markham, on, l3p 8a2. U.S.—which stunned everyone in March It’s instructive in this context, too, to read our when it announced that it would close Letter from Linz (p. 16), which underlines We acknowledge the financial support of the Government down at the end of this season, right on again the radically different approach to arts of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund and the Department of Canadian Heritage. the eve of its 50th anniversary. “The option funding enjoyed by many European compa- was to borrow and limp a little longer and nies—though this is perhaps less about money hope something would change, or to ride than it is about the value society puts on the it out until we hit the wall,” Faye Wilson, arts. It underwrites a model North Ameri- Printing: Harmony Printing Ltd, Toronto, Ontario a lifetime member of the San Diego board, can companies can only dream about.

Photo: Peter L am This document is printed said of the decision. —[email protected] on recycled paper and is recyclable. 4 Opera Canada Opera in the News Tracking Canadians at home & abroad

Honors and Awards Opera.ca has announced that BC-based investor, Actor, playwright and director was businessman and philanthropist Michael O’Brian is the recip- awarded the 10th Glenn Gould Prize Mar. 31 at a gala cere- ient of the 2014 National Opera mony at Rideau Hall, hosted by the Glenn Gould Foundation Directors Recognition Award, spon- and their Excellencies the Right Honourable David Johnston, sored by BMO Financial Group. Governor General of Canada, and Mrs. Sharon Johnston. O’Brian was cited for his deep Lepage was recognized for his artistic excellence and lifetime ongoing commitment to support- devotion to the arts. Among the video tributes and perform- ing Vancouver Opera, including two ances scheduled for the gala, Lepage’s work in opera was separate terms on the organization’s recognized in a performance by American Jay Hunter board and the leading donation that Morris, accompanied by Canadian coach and collaborative Michael O’Brian resulted in the 2011 establishment of artist Anne Larlee. Hunter Morris won wide renown when the company’s headquarters in the Michael and Inna O’Brian he was tapped late in rehearsals to sing in Lepage’s Centre for Vancouver Opera. General Director James Wright recent production of Wagner’s at the lauded O’Brian as “a visionary philanthropist, a committed Metropolitan Opera. community builder and a tireless arts advocate. His exemplary Besides the $50,000 prize, the Gould Prize winner also leadership has supported and raised the artistry and reach of nominates a protégé or emerging artist for a $15,000 stipend. Vancouver Opera to new levels, leaving an indelible mark on Lepage has chosen L’orchestre des hommes-orchestres, audiences in this province and this country.” an eclectic City-based performance collective that mashes arts forms and genres in their pieces. “Somewhere gr a p h y un e p hoto Among the 90 new appointments to the Order of between music, poetry and visual performance, they create y g a Canada announced in the New Year are: R. Murray Schafer, their own art form, and you suddenly find yourself treading named a Companion for his “contributions as an internation- territories you never knew existed,” Lepage said when he ally renowned composer of contemporary music, and for his announced his nomination.

; (rig ht ) ja y ava groundbreaking work in acoustic ecology;” Nancy Herm- tes iston, Chair of the Voice and Opera divisions at University of , named an Officer for her “achievements as an opera singer, stage director and educator;” Opera Gen- eral Director W. R. (Bob) McPhee, named a Member for his “artistic and administrative leadership of Alberta’s arts scene and for his role in the development of Canadian talent;” and com- poser Walter Boudreau, named a Member for “contributions

n; ( ce n t r e ) co ur , left ) ch ri s h u tcheso to contemporary music as a composer, conductor and promoter Cameron McPhail Julia Dawson Jessica Strong of musical creation.” Cameron McPhail, a member of the Cana- The Ontario Arts Foundation in February awarded dian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, in January won the Adrianne Pieczonka with the $50,000 Paul de Hueck and US$10,000 George London Award sponsored by Liliane and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award. In its citation, Robert Brochu for a Canadian singer. Mezzo Julia Dawson, the jury noted that the soprano has “remarkable gifts as a per- a Resident Artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, former of opera and she is at the top of her career. She has a was awarded the US $1,000 Encouragement Award designated wide and varied repertoire, and has for a Canadian singer, and soprano Jessica Strong, a gradu-

rig ht ) a n d r eas k l ing b urg; (rig ca ; ( bottom made a strong contribution to musi- ate of ’s Emerging Artist Program, a US$500 cal life in Canada through her many Honorable Mention. y o p e r a . Canadian performances.” The award tes was established at the OAF by the late Laureates from the realms of opera and vocal Norman Walford, former Executive music in the 2014 Prix Opus awards made by the Conseil Director of the Ontario Arts Council, québecois de la musique in January included: Opéra de and the late Paul de Hueck, former Montréal (Musical Event of the Year for its production of Adrianne Pieczonka p left ) co ur : ( to Photos CBC Television production manager. ’s ); Marie-Nicole

Spring 2014 5 Opera in the News

Lemieux (Performer of the Year and, with the Trois-Rivières reduce a long historic deficit proved Symphony, Regional Concert of the Year); soprano Karina too daunting a task.” The company Gauvin (one of the Disc of the Year awards for had already had one brush with bank- on the ATMA label); Orchestre Métropolitain and Festi- ruptcy earlier in the decade, and had val de Lanaudière for its presentation of Wagner’s ; only become active again over the Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle du Québec (Con- past couple of seasons after consider- cert of the Year, Quebec City, for its performance of Handel’s able downsizing. In his letter, Speers Theodora); baritone Christian Gerhaher (a Disc of the Year attributed some of the problems at David Speers award for Mahler Orchesterlieder with the Montreal Symphony OH to specific local challenges, but Orchestra conducted by on the Analekta label); others to “issues and trends that the performing arts face across conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin (International Achieve- the entire industry—a very clear erosion in the value placed ment); and Université de Montréal musicologist Marie Hélène upon attending ‘live’ performances in a digital age.” Benoit-Otis (Book of the year for Ernest Chausson, Le Roi Arthus et l’opéra wagnérien en France, published by Frankfurt- based Peter Lang Verlagsgruppe). Audio-visual Singer and composer Rufus Wainwright has turned Appointments to crowdfunding to finance a recording of his first opera,Prima Toronto-born, New York-based conductor Yves Abel Donna. As of Apr. 1, and with more than two months to go, has been appointed Chief Conductor of the Nordwestdeutschen about 850 donors had signed on, raising just over 40% of an Philharmonie, based in the historic, former Hanseatic town of undisclosed total. Offers attached to a wide range of donation Herford in North Rhine-Westpha- levels go from a digital download of the opera with updates lia. The appointment is effective Jan. during the recording process (US$15) through the opportunity 1, 2015. From 2005-2011, Abel was to sing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” as part of an onstage

Principal Guest Conductor of the choir during a Wainwright concert (US$99) and a signed copy Photos : (T Deutsche Oper, Berlin, and enjoys of the full score (US$1,010) to “Dinner & A Song Written an active career conducting in lead- about You” (US$65,000). Five per cent of the proceeds raised o p left ) co ur ing opera houses and concert halls will be allotted for sarcoma research through the Kate McGar- around the world. This spring sees rigle Foundation, named for Wainwright’s late mother. For Yves Abel tes

him conducting La fille du régiment more information: pledgemusic.com/projects/primadonna. y as k

at Covent Garden and Les contes d’Hoffmann for , o n as holt while future engagements include Hänsel und Gretel for Opéra Quebec-based publisher L’instant

de , Hoffmann at the Metropolitan Opera (sharing the même has released Bernard Gil- ; ( bottom left ) co ur podium with ), in Berlin and bert’s Le Ring de Robert Lepage: La traviata in Tokyo. Une aventure scénique au Metropolitan Opera. Gilbert, formerly produc-

Toronto-based Tapestry New tion manager in the opera division tes

Opera has formally announced the of Lepage’s Ex Machina production y ta p est ry; ( to p rig ht ) ete r oles k ev i ch ; ( bottom rig ht ) ma r appointment of Michael Mori as company, was intimately involved in Bernard Gilbert Artistic Director, succeeding founder the evolution of the massive produc- Wayne Strongman. Mori had tion and provides an insider’s view of a high-tech staging that worked with the company as Associ- proved difficult in its execution and elicited a controversial ate Artistic Director for two years, and response in performance. The French- as Artistic Director Designate for eight language book is copiously illustrated Michael Mori months prior to his appointment. with behind-the-scenes and staging photos and covers the full production Company News period of almost five years.T he text is In January, Opera Hamilton closed down after part explication of the Ring , but more than 30 years as a leading regional company. In a Jan. 11 most usefully a diary-like account of letter to stakeholders, General Director David Speers wrote: how Lepage and his many collabora- t in e do “Ultimately, the management of cash required at very specific tors in Quebec and New York brought y points in the season, and the ongoing attempt to deal with and the complex piece to the stage. The o n

6 Opera Canada production, which the Met intends to revive in its 2018/19 season, is also fully documented in performance on DVD, and its evolution is also the subject of a 2012 documentary, Wagner’s Dream, by American director Susan Froemke.

The 2014 Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year, Vocal or Choral Performance, went to Lettres de Madame Roy á sa fille Gabrielle, a six-song cycle by composer André Gagnon to text by Michel Tremblay, their first col- laboration in about two decades after their opera, Nelligan. The cycle, which imagines family letters written to Quebec author Gabrielle Roy, is per- formed by contralto Marie-Nicole Marie-Nicole Lemieux

: de ni s r o u v e Photo Lemieux, with the Trois-Rivières Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jacques Lacombe. The disc was released on the independent, Quebec-based Audiogram label (audiogram.com).

OPERA CANADA PUBLICATIONS Take Notice that a special meeting of the Members of Opera Canada Publications (the “Corporation”) will be held at the offices of Gowlings Lafleur Hen- derson LLP, 16th Floor, First Canadian Place, 100 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario, at 5:30 p.m. on May 14, 2014, for the purpose of: a) resolving to continue the Corporation under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act S.C. 2009, c. 23, to be effective as of the date of articles of con- tinuation received from Corporations Canada; and, b) to consider and pass a new general by-law for the Corporation. Copies of the resolution and of the draft general by-law may be obtained from the office of Opera Canada, Suite 244, 366 Adelaide Street East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5A 3X9. Telephone: 416-363-0395. Members of Opera Canada Publications are mem- bers of the Board of the Corporation, including honorary and ex-officio members, donors at the Publisher’s Circle ($1,000) and Editor’s Circle ($500) level, members of any committee of the Corporation and past winners of Opera Canada Awards. Given at Toronto, this 26th day of March, 2014. Stephen R. Clarke, Chair.

Spring 2014 7 VO OC Don Carlo 1-2p vert ad NEW.indd 1 14-03-07 4:33 PM has taken place almost exclusively abroad. “Bless Richard Bradshaw,” she says. Recognizing Artists on Stage that the Ensemble Studio member’s light soprano might encounter limited opportunities on this side of the Atlantic, the Canadian Opera Company’s late General Director advised her to go to Europe. Armed with a Canada Council grant, she did just that, winding up in short order on an Athens stage singing Poulenc’s La voix humaine with Ópera de Montpellier and after that ’s in Metz, under Jacques Lacombe’s musical direction. “All of a sudden, I got branded as a contemporary-music specialist,” she says, perhaps the logical consequence of being a quick study with an impressive musical education. Not only does she credit Mary Morrison at the with setting her on the right vocal path, she went on to take her Master’s degree at Yale and her doctorate at the State University of New York, Stony Brook. “We have a fantastic education system over here,” she says, “but a lack of work. Watching someone like nevertheless showed me the kind of singer I wanted to be. I am in awe of her, of the way she inspires you to be so incredibly present that you forget you are singing. But I found my opportunities in the middle-range houses of Europe.” Starting with the role of Helen in Gary Kulesha’s Red Emma for the COC, Dupuis has a number of world premieres to her credit, including the title role of Gerald Barry’s The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, Wolfgang Rihm’s Drei Frauen and the title role in the Canadian and French premieres of Michael Daugherty’s Jackie O. She has also enjoyed success in the title role of Strauss’s Salome and The Woman in Schoenberg’s Erwartung. Along the Rayanne Dupuis way, Dupuis found a “wonderful” French husband, with whom she lives with their young daughter in Paris. “He knows it is She loved her father, hated her mother, plotted important for me to keep singing. It is important for my soul. murder with her brother and saw all three of them dead. That I’m not wildly ambitious. I just like to do really great stuff with was Rayanne Dupuis’ uncomfortable task last November, playing really great people. I spent quite a few seasons in Nantes, where the tortured Lavinia in Florida Grand Opera’s staging of Martin they did at least two world premieres per season.” David Levy’s setting of the Eugene O’Neill play, Mourning Dupuis cites FGO’s Mourning Becomes as the kind of Becomes Elektra. “When I looked at the score, I didn’t like a single enterprise that engages her, with an open-minded director (Kevin character,” the soprano from Kapuskasing, Ont., laughed between Newbury), a conductor (Ramon Tebar) who can find the lyricism performances. But as a singing actress, she did like the challenge in a contemporary score and a deeply involved cast that works of returning to a tough role she had sung successfully in Seattle together as an ensemble. “I thought that this was a strong piece a decade previously. with good music, but I didn’t expect it to reach the level it did in Photo: marilyn smith That Seattle Opera engagement marked her American this production. We were able to work with the composer, too. He debut. And aside from a single appearance with the Montreal is 81 and still so open to the things I wanted to do, as long as they Symphony Orchestra under Kent Nagano, she hasn’t sung in sounded good and made sense. To work this way is a privilege. This her native Canada in something like 15 years. Dupuis’ career was one opera I was happy to revisit.” —William Littler

8 Opera Canada -baritone Mark S. Doss didn’t set out to become surreal experience,” he says. Since then, he has performed in that an opera singer. He was a talented basketball player at East Technical country in a variety of roles, including in and Salome at La High School in Cleveland, Ohio, and was preparing to enter the Scala and as Wagner’s Dutchman in Bologna. He considers the priesthood. But he had an interest in opera, one that resulted in one 2013 Dutchman a highpoint of his career to date. “It is one of the of his earliest appearances when a high-school teacher got him a rare times when I can simply say: “Look and judge for yourself job as a supernumerary in a Metropolitan Opera Aida on tour at concerning the artistry of this singer’.” (Extracts are on YouTube the Music Hall in Cleveland, for which he was paid US$8 to appear and it’s available on DVD on the RAI Trade label.) with an all-star cast conducted by James Levine. While at St. Joseph’s Recent performances include a Naxos recording of Beethov- College in Rensselaer, Indiana, he switched from the seminary to en’s 9th Symphony from a concert in Princeton, New Jersey, this arts and subsequently entered a Met Auditions district competi- past January, and a return to Italy in March to sing Simone in tion, which he won at 21. After only two years of vocal training, he Zemlinsky’s Eine florentinische Tragödie at Turin’s . This headed to Indiana University for a Master’s, then entered Santa Fe fall, he will create the baritone role in the world premiere of Shell Opera’s apprenticeship program, followed by Lyric Opera of Chicago’s professonal- Mark S. Doss

development program. While in Chicago, Doss connected with the late Lotfi Man- souri: “The impact of his bringing me to the Canadian Opera Company for the first time was extremely important. It was my first professional contract coming out of the Lyric program. Lotfi directed me as Lord Rochfort in the Anna Bolena featur- ing in Chicago in the fall of 1985, and insisted I give him my CV when we were in rehearsals. On open- ing night, he said, ‘I would like to cast you in Sparafucile in at the COC in Toronto’.” That 1987 Rigoletto was the first of numerous COC appearances for Doss, the most recent as Thoas in Robert Carsen’s production of Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride at the beginning of the 2011/12 season. In fact, Doss’s connections with Canada are many. His wife, the Emmy Award-win- ning makeup artist Dawn Rivard, is from Windsor, Ont., and they make their home in Toronto and Erie, Pennsylvania. He stud- ied languages at the Berlitz School and the Goethe Institute in Toronto, as well as drama with coaches Miriam Laurence and David Smukler. His philanthropic activities around As Jochanaan in a 2008 Teatro Regio di Torino staging of Strauss’s Salome Toronto include the Arts for Children and Youth program, visits to local schools and benefit concerts. In 2011, Shock: A Requiem of War by composer Nicholas Lens and libret- he received the Planet Africa’s Entertainment Award in Toronto at tist at in . He is also continuing Roy Thompson Hall for his many achievements as a positive role to work on developing his repertoire. “After singing the Dutch- model for youth. man three times now, I feel the Wagner repertoire is ideal for my A Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions winner voice, and I’ve been asked a lot to sing such German roles because in 1986, Doss’s international career was launched the same year I bring an Italinate sound to them. I will continue to add Italian, after he took first prize in the International Verdi Competition French, Russian and Czech roles, but it is definitely theH elden

Photo: foto ramella & giannese in Busseto, Italy. “Winning at the beginning of my career was a Baritone/Bass roles that I will concentrate on.” —Dawn Martens

Spring 2014 9 Artists on Stage

Leslie Ann Bradley

This past winter found Canadian-born, New York- traviata, and I knew right then and there that’s what I wanted to do.” based soprano Leslie Ann Bradley busier than ever, making her Bradley learned from some of the best voice teachers in Canada debut with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as soloist in Mozart’s and abroad. She speaks fondly of her first teacher at University Coronation Mass and Laudate dominum and then following this with of Toronto, Mary Morrison: “She was terrific. I was hungry to two of her favourite Mozart ladies—Donna Elvira in learn and she fed me as much as I could absorb, music of all kinds for Vancouver Opera and the Contessa in Le nozze di Figaro for from Baroque to new music.” Her lyric soprano has always had . At thatT SO concert, the familiar Laudate an upper extension with excellent , so her first profes- dominum was particularly intriguing; it’s a glorious paean to the sional engagement was as the Queen of the Night for Saskatoon soprano voice, but also decidedly an acid test. The trickiest phrase Opera at age 20. “Instead of saying no, Mary was encouraging. is near the end, when the soprano enters on a F dolcissimo, seem- She taught me not to be afraid.” As the voice matured, it settled ingly out of thin air, then soars to a magnificent crescendo in a lower in the range, and Montreal teacher Marie Daveluy, who also line that requires consummate poise and seemingly inexhuastible taught Karina Gauvin, honed Bradley into a true Mozartian. Her reserves of breath. The exacting passage sounded like a cakewalk natural affinity for the French repertoire was a result of studying for Bradley, who executed it with a lovely shimmering soprano. with Françoise Pollet at the Academie International de musique Born and raised in Port Perry, Ontario, Bradley’s father is a in France. Currently, Bradley works with Wendy farmer and her mother a fashion stylist; “I received a good edu- Nielsen, mentor to many young Canadian artists. cation—from Coco Chanel to John Deere,” she quips in a new Now in her early 30s, Bradley’s soprano, while retaining its promotional video she made in the U.K. last year. While her music- enviable flexibility, has gained in volume and power, opening a loving parents recognized her talents, an organist-grandmother world of possibilities. A previous Queen of the Night and Norina Photo: lisa-marie mazzucco inspired the young Leslie Ann to a life in music. One of her earliest is now a Contessa, Donna Elvira, Rosalinda, and Valentin in Les memories is of standing on a piano bench as a five-year-old singing Huguenots. The shimmering, silvery quality and prodigious breath- through the hymn book with her grandmother at the keyboard. line also make the great heroines of an ideal fit: “Apparently, I told my Grade 9 typing teacher that I was going to be “I am studying at the moment, and my dream is to sing an opera singer,” she says, even though she hadn’t gone to an opera Countess Madeline in Capriccio and the Marschallin.” at that point. “I saw this thing on TV, which turned out to be La Currently, Bradley is completely captivated by the voice and

10 Opera Canada artistry of the late Austrian soprano, Lisa Della Casa, perhaps the her ability to stay focused in her career: “The best advice I’ve ever most aristocratic Arabella of all. Perhaps not so likely a role model is received was from Dawn Upshaw, who I met at Tanglewood in the late American mezzo, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, whose artistry 2011. She said that we singers must choose the kind of career we and spiritual quality Bradley greatly admires: “She has been a huge want. As young singers, we often want to please people and get inspiration. I got to know people who knew her well and what her caught up in asking permission without asking ourselves if what impact had been on them. And then I started listening to her—the we are doing is true to ourselves. I was so inspired because she is soul of that woman, and how directly she communicates!” fearless about who she is as an artist and what she wants to achieve. Given her vocal gifts, Bradley’s future seems bright. Equally Right then and there I adopted her motto, and I try to make my important is her musical intelligence, her strong sense of self and choices as courageously as she has made hers.” —Joseph So

In 2006, Robert Clark won a scholarship from think I ever learned in one lesson as much as I did when I had a Edmonton’s Johann Strauss Foundation that allowed him to study lesson with Wendy Nielsen,” he says. over the summer at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He left as a bari- He describes his first as “absolutely groundbreaking.” When he tone, but returned a somewhat shaken tenor. That summer stint switched to tenor, everything had, as it were, seemed to go to his also led him to the door of soprano , who auditioned head. He had tension. His jaw shook uncontrollably in the higher him for her studio, though didn’t take him. She did break the news register. “The main thing she did was to bring me out of my head to the University of Alberta graduate that he had been singing and down to the ground.” She wanted him to learn to “consis- too low in his time there. “I want you to go home and listen to tently sing high without it costing so much, and not passing out.” Lohengrin,” she advised him. “Don’t dare sing it for at least five Clark has sung mainly small roles for Calgary, including Flask or six years, but listen to it because that’s where [you’re] headed.” in the company’s co-production of Jake Heggie’s Moby Dick, in All set to move the following fall to Ted Baerg’s graduate which he also covered the part of Ahab. The January 2012 produc- program at the University of Western Ontario, Clark concedes tion’s actual Ahab, , took him out for dinner a couple he was at first confused, distraught of times and was encouraging: “He even, about his voice, but still deter- thinks I’m headed in the same direc- mined to be a singer. Whatever tion as he is in terms of repertoire.” musical future he had thought he Now on the roster of MIC Art- had before Salzburg, he now knew ists in Montreal, Clark will gain some it probably wasn’t the one he had experience singing Don José for envisioned. On a frigid morning this Opera Nuova’s staging of in past February at the kitchen table of June in Edmonton, and is set to return the suburban Edmonton townhouse to Calgary Opera in November in he shares with his wife, Meaghen, Kevin Puts’ Silent Night. He is also and their four young children, the booked to sing Arturo in Edmon- 35-year-old dramatic tenor can ton Opera’s next look back on his vocal switch more season, as well as First Priest and First securely. His reputation is growing in Armed Man in the company’s pro- western Canada, where as a tenor he duction of Die Zauberflöte. Clark sang has sung Macduff for Pacific Opera the Steersman in Calgary’s recent Victoria, three roles with Edmonton production of Der fliegende Hollän- Opera and five for Calgary Opera, all der, when he met , stemming from that European trip Artistic Director of Buffalo’s Nickel and his meeting with Wiens. “It was City Opera. Ruminski has invited probably the most valuable month of him to make his U.S. debut in June my entire life,” he says now. 2015 singing the Vaudevillian in the After he finished his Master’s in world premiere of Persis Anne Vehar’s 2008, Clark won a place in Calgary Shot!, about the 1901 assassination of Opera’s Emerging Artist Develop- Robert Clark President McKinley in Buffalo. ment Program. Normally, the program has a one-year term, but Meanwhile, the budding Heldentenor may be getting a little since Clark was still adjusting to his new voice, he was invited unconventional national exposure whenever Hockey Night in to stay on for an extra year. In the summer hiatus between his Canada broadcasts Edmonton Oilers games. He has added a cer- two years, he spent two weeks in New Brunswick working with tain gravitas to the Oilers’ often-buffo performances as the team’s Wendy Nielsen, whom he’d first met when she sang Strauss’s new anthem singer. I’ve heard his delivery of “O Canada” bring Ariadne in Calgary in 2009. If Wiens had turned Clark’s musical rowdy fans to respectful silence some nights. He’s just waiting

Photo: courtesy mic artists life upside down, Nielsen would help him find his feet. “I don’t now for someone to ask him to sing Lohengrin. —Bill Rankin

Spring 2014 11 Artists on Stage

Mention the name Eskandani to the average North Brahms, for example”—a composer she especially loves—“lets American operagoer and you’re likely—for the moment—to you do some really dramatic stuff to go with the lighter and the provoke a quizzical furrowing of the brow. In mezzo Shirin comic. You can explore your voice without pushing it. Opera is Eskandani’s native Iran, though, it’s a different story. “On my dad’s wonderful, but now that I’m doing it professionally, I really miss side, my grandmother and great-grandmother were very famous doing recitals. There just isn’t enough time.” singers,” she tells me, via telephone from California. “Everyone After graduating from UBC, she moved to New York to pur- knows their names. I grew up in Canada, but with a strong sense sue a Master’s at the Manhattan School of Music, and with the of being Iranian. I’ve always loved to sing, I’ve loved to perform— change of countries and coasts came a change in focus from song so I guess the family affinity for it was passed down to me.” to opera. At Manhattan, she met another valued mentor, Canadian- That part of her heritage evinced itself early. Her parents born soprano Joan Patenaude-Yarnell and (still exercising laudable moved from Tehran to Vancouver when she was four, and it wasn’t caution) sang “mostly smaller roles” in the school’s opera produc- long afterward that she started singing in a children’s choir. A tions. Since earning her Master’s in 2008, she’s been welcomed by a string of young artists’ programs: at Syracuse Opera in upstate New York, Ash Lawn Opera and Opera on the James (both in Virginia), the Green Mountain Opera Festival in Vermont, the Banff Centre and Florida’s Palm Beach Opera. This summer, she’ll be part of San Francisco Opera’s pres- tigious Merola Program. “I’m thrilled about it!” Eskandani says, her excitement palpable even from a distance of 2,500 miles. Right now, though, in mid-March, she’s in Livermore Valley, just east of the Bay Area, singing for the first time a role she cherishes, Angelina—Cinderella her- self—in Rossini’s . Only last year, she was Tisbe, one of the comically vain stepsisters, at Palm Beach Opera, to Vivica Genaux’s Cinderella and under Will Crutchfield’s stylistically acute baton.T he progression has been a natural one. “It’s a wonderful role, and it sits really well in my voice. I’ve got a fairly easy high extension, but then I can sing Shirin Eskandani in the middle, too, and do all that fun coloratura stuff. I used to like this opera—now I love it.” Afterward, she’ll be returning decade and change later, she followed her director at the Van- to New York—where she made a mellifluous impression last fall couver Bach Children’s Chorus, Bruce Pullan, to the University in Teatro Grattacielo’s resurrection of Alfano’s Sakuntala—for the of British Columbia, where he headed the choral music depart- Mother in Hansel and Gretel. Then it’s back west for the Merola. ment. “I got very fortunate in that I met the right people, the Where does she see her voice taking her? “Right now, the right mentors, at the right time. I really loved opera, and UBC has best rep for me is the Handel-Mozart-Rossini, the coloratura a really fine opera program. But both my family and Bruce told mezzo roles. I’ve done Carmen is La tragédie de Carmen”—the me, ‘There’s always time for opera.’ The song literature was one of /Marius Constant chamber condensation of Bizet’s Bruce’s fortes, and both he and another teacher, Marisa Gaetanne, opera—“and I know that one day [the full-length] Carmen will be steered me into exploring that instead—which also gave me the a good role for me.” (With her dark-eyed allure, she certainly has time to take a lot of courses in anthropology, in English lit. Look- the apposite look.) “But for now, I’m pretty happy with what I’m Photo: kevin clark ing back, I’m so happy I did that. Once you’ve become involved doing, all the fun Rossini that’s so well suited to my voice and tem- in it, it’s just opera, opera, opera all the time. I had a fairly rich perament. And I really do love singing coloratura!” Powered by the instrument even back then, but doing song helped me not to proven partnership of good advice and good instincts, her voice and overtax it, as you can do singing the big opera roles too early on. she are clearly moving in the right direction. —Patrick Dillon

12 Opera Canada

New Productions New Roles

Michael Cavanagh Meet the would-be singer from the Prairies who found his voice as a stage director By Joseph So

A self-admitted iconoclast and nonconformist, Michael Cavanagh’s journey from Prairie boyhood to stage direc- tor is singularly circuitous. Growing up in a music-loving family in Winnipeg (both parents sang in the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir and his father was an original member of the Chorus), Cavanagh got his first taste of the stage in the chil- dren’s chorus in Carmen and . But any youthful enthusiasms didn’t extend to his studies. “School really wasn’t for me,” he says. “I dropped out of both University of Manitoba and University of Winnipeg. My English teacher called me in and said, ‘I really should fail you, but that’s ridiculous—here’s a 51%, get out of my school and do something with your life!’” By the time he was in his 20s, Cavanagh had cobbled together a living as a classical singer in Winnipeg, as a member of a local a cappella choir, appearing on CBC’s Hymn Sing plus various opera chorus and church gigs. “I was a ‘necktie tenor’—not terrible, but was the first person to generously treat me as an equal, and that was I wasn’t very good either. Mainly, I just wasn’t that committed.” the beginning of my apprenticeship. I learned from many directors, Through family connections, Cavanagh made his way to among them Leon Major, Lotfi Mansouri andT ito Capobianco.” Hamburg, Germany, where he took private lessons from retired In 1996, Cavanagh made his professional mainstage debut baritone Claus Ocker, a noted teacher at the famous Hochschule directing La cenerentola for Calgary Opera. He also went back to für Musik und Theater. Taking classes by day, he spent many eve- Winnipeg for its Fringe Festival, and, thanks to director and cho- nings at the Staatsoper, buying cheap tickets at the back of the reographer Brian Macdonald, found his way to the Banff Centre. theatre, but taking it all in. “It really was a series of small epipha- It was at Banff that he met John Hess and Dáirine Ní Mheadhra nies. Seeing the different approaches to the standard repertoire, I of Queen of Puddings Music Theatre, the start of a partnership got excited and fired up afterwards. Soon I realized that I was in that led to his directing in Toronto the company’s groundbreak- the wrong end of the business. Singing was always a struggle and ing productions of composer James Rolfe’s Beatrice Chancy (1999), a default position when nothing else was happening. As soon as and Ana Sokolovic’s The Midnight Court (2005) and Svadba-The I decided to give directing a try, the world opened up.” With its Wedding (2011). His time at Banff was doubly felicitous in that he strong opera culture, Hamburg proved the ideal environment to also met his future wife there, soprano and teacher Jackalyn Short. start making the transition, and Ocker an effective influence. “He After Banff, other assignments followed—with Opéra de Montréal, gave me a strong dose of reality, and taught me to think in wider Manitoba Opera and Canadian Opera Company—and by the late terms about what I was going to do with my life.” ‘90s Cavanagh was well on his way to remakng himself as a director. On his return to Canada, another key influence was stage Since those early years, he has directed more than 100 produc- director , whom he knew from his chorus days in tions in Canada and the U.S., including a few forays across the Winnipeg. Guttman took a chance and put Cavanagh to work as Atlantic (remounting Queen of Puddings’ The Midnight Court in Photo: img artists an assistant stage manager building props and working on school London at Royal Opera, Covent Garden’s Linbury Theatre, for tours. Soon, he attracted the attention of Vancouver Opera, which example). Another auspicious breakthrough came in 2012, when hired him to assist on a production of Rigoletto in 1992. The follow- he made his San Francisco Opera debut with ’ Nixon ing season, he got a job as assistant to director Kelly Robinson. “He in China, a show he had developed for Vancouver Opera at the time

14 Opera Canada of the 2010 Winter Olympics. (Currently, Cavanagh is preparing verisimilitude is more important than ever, though the voice and Nixon for its Irish premiere at Wide Open Opera in Dublin in the music should remain the most important elements in a pro- May.) The San Francisco staging was so well received that Cavanagh duction. “It’s easier for me than other directors because I am a was asked to mount a new production of Carlisle Floyd’s Susan- singer and I speak the language of a singer,” he says. “I understand nah this Fall: “When the final curtain came down on Nixon, (SFO the limitations. Singers love their comfort zones, but a large part General Director) David Gockley grabbed me and my designer, of my job is to move them outside of their comfort zones. I know Erhard Rom, by the arm, asking us if we would be interested. We how to collaborate. I’ve never been the director who throws a fit hesitated for about a second. It was a very gratifying moment.” when my vision isn’t fully realized. Of the many operas he has directed, Cavanagh is particularly “I’ve never been a puppeteer, expecting all my singers to be drawn to either modern works or those that have contemporary the same. My production of Rigoletto is very physical for the title resonance. “I love Nixon, Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress and all character, but if I have a Rigoletto who isn’t so nimble, my view of .” He fondly recalls his firstPeter Grimes in of the character has to change. That’s what I mean about collabo- 1994, as an assistant to Leon Major at Vancouver Opera in what ration—it forces me out of my comfort zone. My interpretation was Ben Heppner’s first Grimes in a fully staged production. of the role needs to be with the particular artist in mind; it needs Despite his early training in Europe, where productions tend to be his Rigoletto, not mine. If I let the artists do their best work, to be more concept-driven, Cavanagh is not a directorial pro- I am often surprised at how electrifying the performance is as vocateur. Though not averse to updating or reimagining operas, a result. Virtually every stage director is respectful of the artists, his intention is to serve the music rather than shock. “As a lover but unfortunately it’s the few exceptions that get the headlines.” of the art form, I appreciate a fresh take on traditional pieces. Cavanagh learned his craft as an apprentice rather than as a stu- Sometimes, even a complete deconstruction is necessary to keep dent in a classroom environment. He believes that his iconoclastic things fresh, rather than treating the work as a museum piece.” nature, an underlying restlessness and his predilection for doing But any approach must be made with care and with respect the unexpected have informed his work and fueled his creativity. for the composer and libret- Besides, there were no formal tist. “Any time you stray from From Cavanagh’s staging programs for would-be direc- of Die Zauberflöte for the stated intentions of the cre- Wilfrid Laurier University tors in his student days. That has ators—such as changing the changed and now Cavanagh time and place or tinkering with also finds himself in demand the thematic material—the bar as a teacher, offering a course is raised higher and it’s harder to on acting for opera singers and get it right. One bit of (directo- the occasional masterclass on rial) violence imposed when it stage directing. Based in Lon- isn’t intended, and you can just don, Ontario, he teaches at the feel the audience turning off, University of Western Ontario and that’s a great tragedy.” and has staged student produc- While he believes reinter- tions there as well as at Wilfrid pretations can be revelatory—he Laurier University in Water- cites Jonathan Miller’s English loo, Ontario, and University National Opera Rigoletto set in of Toronto, among other insti- the Mafia world of New York’s tutions. He was also recently Little Italy as a good example of appointed Resident Producer a reinterpretation that remains and Director at the Opera on faithful to the thematic mate- the Avalon young artist program rial, the emotional content and in St. John’s, Newfoundland. the characters—Cavanagh is When it comes to bringing adamant about not creating opera to life, he argues, life itself a staging in which what the is the best teacher. “Students ask audience sees contradicts the written music or . “A Don me, ‘What can I do to get better? Should I take more language Giovanni with submachine guns while they’re singing about courses, or go somewhere to study?’ I tell them that they should swords doesn’t work. I refuse to change the text or the . If break someone’s heart and get their heart broken, volunteer at you are going to take on a project, you need to give it the respect a homeless shelter, put on a backpack and travel and be willing it deserves. I feel I have concentric circles of responsibility—to to embrace life—that’s the best training you can get. How are the creators, to the audience and to my performers.” you going to empathize with those big operatic characters and Responsibility to the performers means working to bring out their big motivations sitting in a classroom? It’s no wonder our

Photo: wilfrid laurier university the best in every artist. In our visually oriented culture, dramatic most resonant operatic artists are the ones who live big lives.”

Spring 2014 15 Letter from Linz William Littler explores another example of the divide between Europe and North America in attitudes to the place of the arts in daily life

The new Musiktheater am Volksgarten is designed to serve the whole community

Austria’s third city has been described as a victim of because in Austria, as in much of Europe, culture is regarded the middle child syndrome, neither as cosmopolitan as Vienna nor not as mere entertainment but as education for the spirit—and as charming as Salzburg. Yet Linz made international headlines last therefore a responsibility of the state. April with the opening of Musiktheater am Volksgarten (Music That is why government money not only built the Musikthe- Theatre on the Park). That an unprepossessing regional centre in a ater am Volksgarten, it will also continue pay most of its operating primarily agricultural and industrial area with a population of only costs. Subsidies cover 85% of the US$52 million annual budget about 200,000 should suddenly unveil a US$236 million show- of the Landestheater, which embraces both the new facility and case for opera, ballet, symphonic the old , now func- music and musical theatre defies A scene from Landestheater tioning as a playhouse. North American logic. Linz’s staging of Philip Glass’s It’s little wonder that Dennis Spuren der Verirrten Not that “suddenly” is quite Russell Davies, one of the lead- the right word since the project ing American conductors of his took nearly three decades to generation, has spent upwards Photo: (to p ) sigrid rauchdobler; (bottom) ursula kaufmann realize. All the same, it is not just of a decade as Music Director difficult, but virtually impossi- in this provincial European city. ble to imagine such a project “Look around you,” he laughed mounted in a Canadian city when interviewed backstage of comparable size, and with during the new facility’s gala 95% of the funding coming opening week last year. “There from three levels of govern- is cultural support here. The ment—in this case, 20% from state government even funds the Republic of Austria, 50% music schools in small villages.” from the State of Upper Aus- The support extended, in tria and 25% from the City of the opening week of celebra- Linz. Such funding was possible tion, to the mounting of a

16 Opera Canada handsome production of Strauss’s facility or a reason to maximize the , starring Anne seat count. Without the subsidies Schwanewilms as the Marschallin “In Austria, as in available to comparable European and Kurt Rydl as Baron Ochs, and houses, the box office has tended the premiere of Spuren der Verirrten much of Europe, to rule. Although we have, per- (The Lost), a new German-language haps, since learned that the way to opera by no less a marquee com- culture is regarded not develop an audience for the per- poser than Philip Glass—both of forming arts is not to give a large which Davies conducted. as mere entertainment number of people a compromised The Lost might almost have been but as education for experience (Toronto’s recently built called The Found, judging by the opera house and Montreal’s even army of performers marshalled on the spirit—and therefore more recently built symphony hall stage for its premiere. Based on are both close to 1,000 seats smaller the eponymous 2006 play by Peter the responsibility than their predecessors), the goal of Handke and adapted by the new Linz to create a pubic living room Musiktheater’s Intendant, Rainer of the state.” for downtown has usually been Mennicken, the text poses the exis- abandoned in the face of real-estate tential question, “Where are we?” realities. As long ago as 1959, when (just as novelist Robertson Davies once posed Canada’s sim- Vancouver built its Queen Elizabeth Theatre as a home for ilarly existential question, “Where is here?”). Glass’s piece opera and symphonic music, an architecturally integrated res- employs an impressive array of singers, dancers, actors, cho- taurant was opened on the adjacent plaza. It stands today as risters and orchestral players to leave us in doubt about the an empty shell. answer. Director David Pountney and set designer Robert So is the Linz ideal unrealistic on the other side of the Israel obviously produced the new opera in a way to show Atlantic? It surely depends on the time and the place. It also off the new house, whose 32-metre revolving stage is one of depends on a community’s conception of the role of the arts the largest in Europe and whose shops assembled almost the in society. Meanwhile, when in culture-loving Linz, let’s go to whole production in-house. the Musiktheater for coffee. Although no prizewinner for imaginative design, London- based architect Terry Pawson’s glass and concrete palace of culture turned out to be admirably functional, embracing a SPRING 2014 AT THE COC: restaurant, cafe, shop, 300-car parking garage and spacious, adaptable lobby spaces in accordance with the goal of provid- ing Linz with a downtown “living room for the city.” In order April 25 - May 21, 2014 to provide an advantageous park-side setting, the city even Russell Braun in his role debut as Nottingham agreed to change the route of one of its streets (something civic Allyson McHardy debuts as his wife Sara authorities in Houston refused to do for its Wortham Centre, leading to the construction of an enormous over- and across- the-street lobby that has all the charm of a railway station). With its extensive catering facilities, the Musiktheater offers a range of dining options from Sunday brunches to receptions for 1,000 people, with a nod to Vienna’s coffee-house tradi- tion in its Cafe Volksgarten, with service from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Unlike so many opera houses, this one aims to be accessible to its community all day. The psychological underpinning for this philosophy is to make the new Musiktheater quite different from the Staatsoper in Vienna or any of its other monumental 19th- and 20th-cen- tury predecessors—less of a temple, in other words, and more of a forum, so that what takes place within its walls comes to be regarded as integral to daily life. As Executive Director Thomas Koenigstorfer puts it: “We felt we had to build a building to serve the whole community, not just 3%-5% of the population.” Moira Johnson In North America, serving the whole community used Consulting moirajohnson.com to be regarded as either an elusive goal for a performing-arts

Spring 2014 17 Photo: tourisme montreal - - - esmarais Foun esmarais D he he hanks to Foundation, Foundation, to Thanks The goal of the auditions is to select singers who have singers select to is have who spring. About a dozen singersdozen About a spring. ultimately chosen to receive are grants the Foundation. from Successful potential. career real indi- awarded candidates are grantsvidual designed are that importantto help them realize to their career related projects A jury of music development. audi the evaluates professionals though projects, tions and career Desmarais herself, Madame deeply committed to the young is also singers she encourages, in all the personally involved decisions of the Foundation. he Foundation’s annual audition annual The Foundation’s - rep recital the this trip, to Thanks he article spoke of her magnificent voice and presence. voice and presence. of her magnificent The article spoke esmarais credo at the Foundation is simple and is simple and at the Foundation The Desmarais credo As the guiding light of her Foundation and always sitting on and always As the guiding light of her Foundation Over the years, about 100 young Canadian singers from coast Canadian singers from about 100 young years, the Over of the artists she has encouraged over the years and often has often and years the artists over the of encouraged has she she interview, In a recent occasion to see them in performance. article News magazine“a recent in Opera to a referred proudly formera is mezzo [the Losier Michèle little reportingmy that Desmarais bursary winner] had triumphed at l’Opéra de Paris-La Bastille. I am simply overjoyed.” such things, When I read become support to they until them have “We unwavering: achieve their career objectives. objectives. their career achieve sub are 20 about which of applicants, 80 about attracts regularly each audition in Montreal to performsequently invited in a live the well beyond her hands-on support extends the final jury, many with touch in remains She sessions. adjudicaton annual Margot Provencher, the foundation has been instrumental the foundation in Margot Provencher, flourish and personalon a both artists these helping develop a leading become respects, in many It has, level. and professional almost a generation of Canadian for development of career source “T baritone bass ask : Just Philippe singers. art the study to means the me German of the at lieder gave dation Austria. Schubert Institute in ertoire—and especially the German lied—has become a critical journey and artist. as an career part of my singing heart to pursue for.” able and my longed what my I was Foundation, the support financial from received to coast have $1 million to help these individuals over which has expended well

Opera Canada from the Foundation received financialreceived support Over the years, about 100 the years,Over 100 about young Canadianyoung singers have Based in Montreal, the Foundation has a national reach Based in Montreal, the Foundation has a national Montreal The Desmarais family has long been urp explains the mission of a vital resource a vital mission of the urp explains from n recent years, however, financially strappedfinancially however, years, recent In hat was the year the year That was

Since its creation, the Foundation’s support of young artists support has of young the Foundation’s Since its creation, n 1997, one key private private one key In 1997, Academic institutions and individual teachers are able to fur- teachers able are Academic institutions and individual ichard T 18 become an inescapable and invaluable part of Canada’s operatic part of Canada’s and invaluable become an inescapable the indefatigable by since its creation Administered infrastructure. ew York. As anyone who has attended the Met’s Live in HD in Live Met’s the attended has who anyone As York. New in made are transmissions Canadian the know, will broadcasts cinema in memory of her Madame Desmarais, funding from by possible Desmarais Sr. Paul late husband, to a wide number of organisations—from the Montreal Museum the Montreal of organisations—from to a wide number OperaArts to l’Opéra de Montréal and the Metropolitan of Fine marais Foundation for Young Young for marais Foundation Canadian Opera Singers. its but in a variety of social areas, associated with endowments importancesupport of the cultural sector has been of profound vidual singers more effectively vidual singers effectively more Des- the Jacqueline creating by and cultural patron, decided to and cultural patron, her supportcoordinate of indi- source triedsource to ameliorate the situation. them to fulfill their potential to potential their fulfill to them careers. promising develop the Desmarais, Jacqueline opera lover Montreal-based many young vocal artists have artists have vocal young many been limited in their access to the necessaryfinan- human or that might allow cial resources government bodies and programs have been unable to keep to keep been unable have bodies and programs government demand up with the increasing result, As a for financial support. n Canada, federal and provincial governments governments federal and provincial In Canada, requirements. some through in a variety also helped of ways and agencies have funding. public ingly, theatricalworking with stage and openess when flexibility ingly, a psych- to acquire singers have Most importantly today, directors. ologicaland emotional maturity to cope with the constant and often unsettling demands of a modern career. of these though certainly not all, artists with many, nish young - increas and, awareness stylistic of semblance some languages, It is a truism that to enjoy a career as a classical voice, than a beautiful more singer needs a young today, vocalist modern A necessarya though which sufficient. not is condition and musical good a things, other among requires, singer opera fluency in several technique, a solid vocal cultural background, for a whole generation of young Canadian artists Canadian young of whole a generation for

R Letter Photo: bernard brault/la presse ing vocal star, sopranoLayla Claire, notonlymade herdebut as Geoffrey Sirret. D A current Philip andbaritones Addis and to sopranoSimoneOsborne ers—from mezzoJulie BoulianneandsopranoMireille Asselin wave mostofthecurrent Foundation hassupported ofsing- theFoundationers hashelped over theyears.” proud tocountmyself andextremely grateful amongthesing - is fraughtwithnumerous challengesanddangers. Iamdeeply have myself inaprofession assistedmeinorienting greatly that music who have offered me precious advice and comments that jury, forexample, arefrom eminentpersonalities theworld of of view, but alsofrom aprofessional one. indispensable not only from source ofsupport afinancialpoint fitness classesandsomany otherexpenses. tours, andauditiondresses andattire, concert languageclasses, sons, often with professionals who live abroad, foreign audition one asessentialthenext. classical singerisconfronted by amultitude ofexpenses, each has beenofcapitalimportance. ofacareer,At thebeginning a asMassenet’sParis , isoneofthem. “The Foundation Fiset,rano Marianne who has already appeared at Opéra de over somesingers and continues tosupport several years. Sop- fully autonomous.” fully autonomous.” artists untiltheybecome “We havetosupportyoung Jacqueline Desmarais: Many would applaud Fiset’s sentiment. Over the years, the This helpsexplainwhy theFoundation has There are coachingsandvoice les- esmarais bursary awardeeesmarais bursary and ris The Foundation isan he members of the ofthe The members Spring 2014 - help. And Iamnotalone.” lady ofthearts.great Iwould never have succeeded withouther successes. Itis, amongsomany otherthings, whatmakes hera passion andintelligence. Shenotonlyshares ourdreams, but our allow dreams to cometrue. She realizes thesedreams with love, lianne, “Madame D esmarais andherFoundation donotonly and beliefinyoung Canadians. like“For artists us,” says Bou- Foundation’s talent-scoutingabilitiesandtoitsprincipal’s faith afforded themisbothadirectopportunities complimenttothe doors. asconductor such artists Yannick Nézet-Séguinknockoncertain InstituteinBadenbei since 2004)andtheSchubert Wien. Vocal Institute(ofwhichshehasbeenaPatronArts Honour of ofinstitutions suchastheCanadian associations withavariety Desmarais hasalsoforgedvery specific and mutually beneficial to keep theindependenceofherFoundation intact, Madame that streches across North andEurope.America While seeking stantly evolving members, network andjury ofadvisors anetwork fellow CanadianGerald Finley. duction ofStravinsky’s TheRake’s Progressnextseasonalongside season, willsing Anne intheCanadian OperaCompany’sFiordiligi Cosìfan tuttethis She has also used her considerble personal influence to help influencetohelp She hasalsousedherconsiderble personal The Foundation hasalsoestablished animpressive andcon- That they have subsequentlybeenable toprofit from the T rulove intheMetropolitan Operapro- 19 Group

DynamicsAn insider’s guide to the colorful working world of the opera chorus by lydia perovic´

20 Opera Canada Spring 2014 21 Soprano Ingrid Martin: “I work until 5 in an office for an insurance company. It takes a bit of time to change gears.” Photos: (Previous p age and this p age): M ichael coo p er; ( revious

sk a chorister what kind of unique pleas- of 17 years, seem to win kudos in every pro- ures singing in a chorus brings, and they duction no matter the general tenor of the will not prevaricate. “I have never been review. The chorus consists of trained singers part of a group that can create that and musicians whose lives, ages and careers are kind of sound,” says soprano Ingrid otherwise very diverse. Bass Kenneth Baker

Martin of her first rehearsal with is in his 33rd season, while mezzo Erica Iris age) from the 2014 coc staging of r; (this p the Canadian Opera Company Chorus. “I sat Huang’s first contract was the 2010 produc- there thinking: ‘Oh, my God’.” For mezzo Karen tion of Aida. Some, such as soprano Alexandra Olinyk, “It’s the power, the energy—it’s making Lennox-Pomeroy, teach voice privately, or a sound louder than any sound I can make on teach an instrument and maintain a freelance my own. Even when you’re whispering together, instrumental career, such as baritone—and vio- there’s something powerful—you do feel that linist—Sproule, a former member of the COC mob mentality in .” For baritone Chorus Master Sandra Horst Orchestra and a current regular with Esprit Michael Sproule, “There is nothing like being Orchestra. Other choristers, such as Martin and in concertante—in Verdi’s there are fantastic Olinyk, have full-time jobs in other fields, in their cases in scenes when everybody’s on stage and the soprano is on top and insurance and arts administration respectively. Then there are you’re like the carpet underneath everything.” In addition, says the teachers: Kilianski teaches Grade 6 and tenor James Leatch mezzo Lilian Kilianski, “There’s the joy within a section, and I history, in addition to coaching rugby and hockey.

really experienced that in Handel’s Semele. We sing together as a Each year, the chorus is assembled anew after mandatory age) Die fle d erma u s line and we know when each other breathe. You can even sense if auditions. “Usually, I decide on a core group of people who will someone is stronger on a certain note than you are and vice versa.” be continuous through the whole season,” says Horst. “Then, All the choristers mention a camaraderie rarely found elsewhere. depending on how many people are required in each show, I The COC Chorus and Sandra Horst, its Chorus Master add or subtract from that.” Horst is an energetic, multi-talented

22 Opera Canada musician—accompanist, répetiteur, conductor, Director of Spring 2014 presentations] which ones are going to be most chal- Music Studies in the Opera Division of the University of lenging so I spend a little more time with them.” Toronto’s Faculty of Music—who took over the COC Chorus Martin and Leatch prefer taking the score to the piano right from Donald Palumbo, now Chorus Master of the Metropol- away. “I’ll be taking the choral score into the practise room, and itan Opera. plunking out the notes and reading through the words and try- Opera Canada spoke with Horst and the singers in Febru- ing to get a handle on it before we get into the rehearsals,” says ary, during the COC’s run of Un ballo in maschera and Così the soprano. Similarly, the tenor starts by “teaching it to myself fan tutte. Singing Verdi and Mozart on alternate days is par for at the piano…They give us the chorus score with some lead- the course for chorus singers: they often sing what for soloists ins, and with the Internet you can find all kinds of things. But would be the repertoire of disparate voice types. “It’s fun—I I don’t listen to recordings; usually, I can’t hear the tenor line. would never have sung Verdi if I wasn’t in the chorus,” says It’s like a mush of sound—with the orchestra and the soloists, I Lennox-Pomeroy, who describes herself as a light soprano. can’t even tell where the are. I’m better learning my part “When I sing Verdi, I have to ‘darken up’ my voice so I don’t on my own.” There are also singers who, like Olinyk, begin from sound bright and stick out. Other singers will have a harder the text: “I read through the libretto. I like to get the overview, time singing lighter stuff. But we all know how to fit the just text on the page. I go though the translation—and word sound—and Sandra is good at that. She knows exactly how by word. What am I singing and why am I singing it? You also each of us sings, and sometimes adjusts things by saying, ‘Sop- look at how the text scans with the rhythm, with the notes. It’s ranos, cover here’ or ‘Don’t use so much diction’ and so on.” Still, programming affects the composition of the chorus since chorus size varies from opera to opera. Occasionally, there is director- ial input. “’s Così was built on the concept of the school for lovers, so he wanted people that looked the age of the principal solo- ists,” says Horst. “That informed who I chose for that chorus, but that’s really unusual. Most of the time you want to have a cross section of the ages, so that they represent a popula- tion. Usually, the director takes what I’ve chosen.” Horst finds out about seasons two years in advance, but the singers audition in the winter before the beginning of a new season so they know which shows they Soprano Alexandra Lennox-Pomeroy: “Where you are on stage triggers will be considered for and whether a female and male chorus the memory of where you are in the score.” will be required to the same degree (there is no female chorus very tempting to dive into the music right away, but I really try in next season’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, for example). not to, especially with something new. You really want to get the word laydown in the right kind of way. Then I go to the he singers get the music eight weeks before the start of piano and try to figure out notes.T here are times when I listen the rehearsals, and they all have developed their own ways to recordings—I try not to for as long as I can—just to hear T of preparing. Some start by listening. Lennox-Pomeroy the orchestration.” Baker starts from text, too: “I will look at downloads audio of chorus parts: “I put them on my phone and the history of the piece, at the composer, read the libretto, get listen during the hour-long drive from my home in Orangeville. a translation of the libretto. If it’s something I’m not familiar Then I’ll look at my score. I try to get my words memorized as with, I’ll get a recording. I don’t want to learn it from that, but much as I can.” Sproule takes a similar tack: “First of all, I listen to it’s nice to get a full sense of the thing. Then you’re down to the it. I listen to a lot on YouTube or recordings, then plunk through slogging—learning the notes and memorizing.” my part on the piano, then speak through the words in rhythm, Most singers do not memorize their music before the first something Sandra does in the rehearsals as well.” Kilianski is also rehearsal since they may end up splitting into the neighbouring an aural learner: “I listen to the chorus parts—I live with the voice part if the chorus master decides to adjust the coloring at chorus and listen, and then I start singing and planning. I know certain junctures. “Once we start, Sandra has a fabulous technique

Photo: Die fle d erma u s /chris hutcheson of the six Hercules choruses [Handel’s piece is one of the COC’s of structuring the rehearsal to help you memorize,” says Baker, who

Spring 2014 23 concedes that memorizing is never the easiest task. For Lennox- to focus everyone’s energy, it brings it all together.” Horst watches Pomeroy, stage rehearsals can also serve as an aid: “Where you are each live performance from the back of Ring 3, her favourite on stage triggers the memory of where you are in the score.” spot in the Four Seasons Centre. “I like the sound there best. I The chorus will typically have six three-hour rehearsals with can see exactly what’s going on and I can see the conductor. I am Horst before they start working with the director and the con- backstage only if the chorus is, too, and I need to conduct them.” ductor—but the number of pre-staging rehearsals will depend on Being nimble and open to all kinds of staging requirements how chorus-heavy the opera is. During this period, Horst is not is part of a chorister’s job. In some productions, they will be in contact with the conductor, so she prepares the group for a var- directed tightly and precisely, but then asked to create their own iety of scenarios and for different tempi. They often start by just individual characters in others. One director may put them in the speaking the words in the rhythm. “You can notice a lot when the dark orchestra pit (as Robert Carsen did in Gluck’s Iphigénie en entire chorus is speaking the text in a sort of sung way together,” Tauride) while another positions them backstage and mikes them says Sproule. “Do you have the right rhythm? Is the pronunciation (as Daniele Finzi Pasca did in Saariaho’s L’amour de loin). Or con- there?” Although they learn the music by sections, Horst mixes the sider Robert Lepage’s Stravinsky production of The Nightingale sections up. “That’s how we’re going to be on stage,” says Olinyk. and Other Fables, cited by many choristers as one of their favour- “First of all, you have to be very strong in yourself in your part. ite recent productions, in which their tasks might have included You also have to be aware of everybody else and to make a good handling puppets while wading through a tank of water, or Car- cohesive sound. Still later, the director usually wants you to be an sen’s Gluck ed Euridice, in which choristers found themselves

Auditions take place in the winter before the beginning of Mezzo Karen Olinyk: “You have to plan your meals, your shopping, each season. your laundry. You have to sleep. You really have to be disciplined.” individual in the picture. The demands of the job are multifaceted.” in body bags writhing across rugged terrain amid balls of fire. Fellow mezzo Huang agrees: “I try to sit next to a different person “You have to make sure you do justice to the director’s vision,” each time, and not always a mezzo. I usually favour tenors. It’s the says Huang. Or, in the words of Kilianski, “Buy into it. Put your real test of whether I have the stamina to sing against their line.” soul into it. It almost always works. And that’s when you have fun.” Several choristers note that modern directors tend to be ven after the chorus starts working with the conductor, capable communicators. “Recently, we’ve had a lot of good

Horst remains the conduit of communications. “The con- directors who are easy to work with. I can’t remember the last Photo: l u cia d i lammermoor /michael coo p er Eductor will give me notes, the chorus doesn’t really work time we had a grumpy director,” says Sproule. Among his stand- with the conductor directly.” As rehearsals proceed, the conversa- outs, he cites Tim Albery’s Prokofiev War and Peace, Lepage’s tions between chorus master and conductor continue. “Part of my Nightingale (“We stood on stage and had the puppets under the job is to make sure the chorus does exactly what the conductor cloaks. At the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where we toured, wants it to,” says Horst, whose music direction continues well after the audience felt physically close due to the architecture of the opening night. “This is one of the few choruses where they have hall, and there was an audible gasp when we revealed those pup- actual notes before every show. The Met chorus does not, nor does pets”) and Paul Curran’s Shostakovich Lady of Mtsensk Chicago’s, but here it’s built into the chorus contract that there’s (“It was the first season in the opera house and it was thrilling. 15 minutes of notes with me before every performance. Which is Such fun to act, and you always knew what to do on stage. You great, as so many things can be improved on in that time. It helps just went for it.”)

24 Opera Canada In addition to singing and acting, choristers are also expected school, “it’s nice that we share this job at night”. Being part of to be good fixers and improvisers. If something goes awry on the chorus means you are not the one in charge of everybody stage, or if a different principal comes in on short notice and else—a big change from his day job as a teacher. “I get tired, needs some guidance, choristers are there to lend a hand. Says but it’s good tired. It’s great to have this creative outlet.” Lennox-Pomeroy: “If something’s missing on stage, or is left Those who have children heap praise on their partners. behind on stage, if something falls or breaks, occasionally doors “I usually need the transition time between school and here, don’t open…we take care of it. And if a cast member is switched and I lie down for 30 minutes while something’s cooking,” on short notice due to illness, we are always aware of the new Kilianski says of her typical day. “The kids are grown now, member. They sometimes ask us discreetly, ‘Should I be here?’ but I used to eat with them. Then my husband would come while on stage, and we try to help. You have to do it in charac- in the door and he’d start childcare and I would leave. Very ter, and so that nobody notices.” often, I’d play my music on the way down. So my husband is While dressers help them into costumes and wigs, chorus the unknown hero here. He’s only been able to come to the members typically apply their own make-up. “We have make-up operas in the past five years because the kids have grown. He charts and suggestions pasted on our dressing room walls,” says works full-time, too.” Lennox-Pomeroy. And with all the wigs you end up wearing, Young mezzo Huang, who is working to build up a solo “you get to see yourself in every hair colour. And know what career, describes each new contract as a gift. Her first contract, not to do next time you go to the salon.” which included just that 2010 Aida, allowed her the time and

Bass Kenneth Baker: “Then you’re down to the slogging—learning the notes and memorizing.”

Baritone Michael Sproule: “You can notice a lot when the chorus is speaking the text in a sort of sung way together.”

hether they are building a musical career or entering financial support to prepare for the Eckhardt-Gramatté Com- its final act, whether they have full-time jobs in petition (she won). Since then, her contract has grown to the W unrelated professions or are busy freelance instru- full season. “It’s such a driving force in my career as a young mentalists, whether they teach voice privately or history in artist. If I didn’t have the chorus engagement, I don’t know if I’d school, all of the choristers consider their chorus work as an be singing today. Financially, it’s very difficult for young singers essential component of their professional lives. Full-timers in to maintain the lessons, the auditions and the coaching. Chorus other jobs have developed strategies to cope. “You have to plan has enabled me to keep that up.” Scarborough-born and raised, your meals, your shopping, your laundry, you have to sleep,” the mezzo also helps her mother run their joint voice and piano Olinyk explains laughing. “You really have to be disciplined.” studio out of the family home. “Every time I get a contract, I Martin echoes the sentiment: “It gets to the point where the call my parents and take them out for a very nice dinner. You less time I have on my hands, the more I get done because I never know what will happen because your previous contracts have to be twice as disciplined. I work until 5 in an office for an don’t guarantee anything. I always work to my audition date as insurance company, and that’s such a different job. It takes a bit if it will be my lifeline for next year. When I found out I was of time to change gears. So I welcome the opportunity to walk in for the entire season, I thought it was a mistake at first. I from Bloor and Yonge down to the theatre—that’s my time to had to reread the letter.” Her parents didn’t miss a beat. “They get rid of the 9-to-5 and start preparing.” Leatch’s wife is also in immediately asked if that meant I would take them out to din-

Photos: michael coo p er (left) peter grimes ; (right) I l trovatore the chorus, and although during the day she works in another ner seven times. We’ll have to see about that.”

Spring 2014 25 26 Opera Canada Opera from the Truck Filmmaker Barbara Willis Sweete takes us behind the scenes for the Met’s Live in HD movie transmissions by christopher hoile

Spring 2014 27 Scenes from the Met production of Lucia di Lammermoor with

In 2006, Metropolitan Opera General Manager Peter Gelb changed the way millions of people experience opera.

Live broadcasts from the Met stage events, which are filmed and edited on would give the production a different began as early as 1910, with the Satur- the fly, Live in HD transmissions require look and feel. day matinee radio broadcasts launched in considerable planning and preparation 1931 and televised productions in 1977. since opera requires the filmmaker to the Preparation Gelb decided to take this one step fur- communicate a preexisting narrative. In the time leading up to the dress rehearsal, ther. In an effort to “democratize opera,” As Willis Sweete puts it: “Opera is very Willis Sweete familiarizes herself with the he instituted live broadcasts of perfor- different from covering any other kind opera by any means she can. She reads the mances in high-definition video to of live event because you have to tell a libretto, gets to know the characters and cinemas around the world. The Peabody story, and you have to make the story watches whatever videos she can find. For and Emmy Award-winning series of Live work.” The paradox of planning a live La bohème (see p. 35 for live and encore in HD transmissions, which entered broadcast is that “it has to seem like it’s transmission times), she had the PBS tape its ninth season in 2014/15, currently improvised and yet it has to be absolutely Halvorson directed and thus the chance to reaches more than 2,000 theatres in 65 foolproof.” Over the course of several assess the specific challenges posed by the countries. More than 14 million tickets interviews, Willis Sweete explained what set and staging much more precisely than

have been sold since the series’ inception. goes into solving the paradox. she would for a new production. Photo: ( p revious Gelb had worked with Canadian About a week before the dress filmmaker Barbara Willis Sweete on the Assignment rehearsal, Willis Sweete must let the Met several films about for Shortly after the press conference know where she wants three or four

Rhombus Media, the Toronto-based announcing the Met’s new season, Gelb of the final contingent of up to eight age) metro p olitan o p era; (above) ken howard media company she co-founded. In separately contacts the directors he has cameras that will be used to film the pro- 2007, he approached her about join- in mind with a list of operas he would duciton. If the dress rehearsal is open to ing his new project. Her first Live in like them to film. He takes into account the public, the seats around some of the HD assignment was Hänsel und Gretel the approach of each director and the cameras will have to be reserved so that in 2008, but since then she has directed works they have done in the past. Since the public and the cameramen do not get 40% of the transmissions—second only Gary Halvorson had filmed Puccini’s La in each other’s way. to Gary Halvorson—in operas ranging bohème in ’s production Ideally, at least one camera will be a jib from Gluck to Philip Glass. for broadcast in 2008, Gelb offered it to and the other two or three will be fixed- Unlike broadcasts of live sporting Willis Sweete this year, knowing that she location cameras. She chooses the cameras

28 Opera Canada Caption TK Cap- Met Generaltion Manger TK Caption Peter Gelb andTK Captiondirector TK Barbara WillisCaption Sweete TK Cap- in the studiotion TK Caption TK Captio

“based on which angles will tell me the During the test the three or four special piano reduction of the score for most in order to plan the shots later.” cameras film simultaneously. An assis- her. “Depending on how thick the texture A jib is a device like a boom with a tant alerts the cameramen to the singers’ is, we put two to three musical staffs on a camera on one end and a counterweight physical and vocal entries. While watch- page with lots of room to write under- on the other for shots into the stage from ing, Willis Sweete can request specific neath each. Then we cut the score apart above. She places the jib on the left or right shots from a cameraman, such as a close and put it on legal sized paper in a binder.” of the stage, depending on where the set up or wide shot, but overall she asks the The score assistant also writes in time code design suggests most of the action will cameramen to explore the production numbers from the cameras for every line occur. She then chooses a fixed camera from their vantage points, looking for on the cut-up score to link the musical on the main floor on the opposite side what they think might be their best shots notation to what is happening on film, and of the jib and one at the very back of the and identifying any problems. Willis Willis Sweete will note if a composer uses hall with a massive telephoto lens that can Sweete regards the cameramen as “true a particular instrument to give a cue. The zoom from a view of the entire stage to artists” and “the unsung heroes of live assistant also writes in a word-by-word an extreme close up of a face. broadcasting.” She says of the combina- translation by hand under the printed text tion of teamwork and excitement during so that in the filming the “important words the Lighting Test the lighting test that “it’s like we’re on are honored.” Willis Sweete then color Willis Sweete arrives in New York the the Starship Enterprise navigating new codes each of the characters in the opera night before or the day of the dress worlds together.” and the words each sings. rehearsal, which itself may occur two- The assistant starts work as soon as the to-three weeks before the broadcast date. Planning the shots lighting test is finished and tries to get For the film crew, the dress rehearsal is To plan her approach to the opera, Willis far enough ahead that Willis Sweete can known as the “lighting test” because the Sweete repeatedly views the output of the begin planning the shots the following way the singers and set are lit during the three or four cameras during the lighting day. By the time of the lighting test, she performance is critical to how they will be test as well as a version of these films edited has already decided where all eight of the filmed.T he lighting test is used to “identify together as a very rough draft. She cher- camera positions will be for the broadcast. all the issues for the HD broadcast,” such as ishes that moment “when I find out what Before she starts planning her shots, how- whether the stage lighting is so dark that it the material wants to tell me.” ever, she spends the best part of a day with

Photo: marty sohl won’t work well in HD. An assistant has already prepared a the stage director, if he or she is available, or

Spring 2014 29 The Live in HD transmissions are controlled from trucks on 11th Avenue

with whoever is in charge of the produc- that I take a delicate chisel and I tap and the Scratch Taping tion creatively to understand the directorial all the pieces fall away to tell me where the The scratch taping is a filming of the vision of the opera. “It’s like serving many shots are and what the structure is going to Tuesday or Wednesday performance masters because I’m trying to realize the be. Whereas with Richard Strauss, it’s more prior to the live broadcast. It is the sole vision of the stage director, and the vision like being a great butcher and carving up live rehearsal Willis Sweete has with the of the composer of the opera and tell a carcass without destroying the integrity cameramen. Gelb watches the scratch the story in a coherent way.” At the same of the joints versus the sinews versus the taping, writes down time code numbers time, she likes to use the camera operators’ tendons. So I try in my own imagination and comes in at 9:30 the next morning insights from the lighting test “to give back to reference the musical vocabulary of the “sometimes with nothing to add, some- to them what they have discovered.” opera in the shots.” times with hours worth of stuff to say.” Willis Sweete writes all her shots in pen- After planning her shots, the Associ- Then Willis Sweete has Wednesday after- cil on the specially prepared score, sideways ate Director (AD) has 12 to 14 days to noon and all day Thursday to work on to get them all in, with a line for where she prepare for what’s known as the “scratch any changes in her script. On the day wants the cut to be, on exactly what beat taping.” He numbers all her shots, as well before the live Saturday transmission, she or before what word. She starts with the as identifying the camera for each one. meets again with the cameramen for an , if there is one, and works steadily He then makes up a separate shot list on all-day session with the new script and to the end because she finds that only by what looks like a cash-register tape for the film of the scratch taping. “I’ve made working forwards through the score can she each cameraman to use during the scratch all the adjustments from my point of view capture its flow. “I imagine that I have just taping. A live broadcast can require any- and the cameramen weigh in if they have one camera, and that each of the cameras where from 750 to 2,000 shots, depending anything to add.” in the hall is just another position of that on the nature of the opera. A fast-paced camera so that I am always in the ideal place work such as Don Giovanni may need the Transmission and every shot develops until it is about to 1,500 shots, whereas a slower-moving one, The live transmission is always on a Satur- lose its integrity, when I cut.” such as , which although twice as day afternoon. On that day, Willis Sweete Willis Sweete hopes that each of her long, may need only 1,000. sees her team in the conference room. broadcasts appears to be done in a different “We have a dry run, make any last-min- style because she sees the film as “basically a the Camera Conference ute changes, have a group hug and we go visual enhancement of what is already in the The scratch taping is preceded by a cam- to war together.” For the transmission, the text and music. If the operas I film look dif- era conference, in which Willis Sweete and team is situated in a truck outside the load- ferent from each other, it is because I’ve tried the cameramen watch the lighting test and ing bay on 11th Avenue behind the Met. to get the material to tell me what to do.” rehearse the shots she has listed for each The truck is divided into three rooms. Wil- Photo: marty sohl Nevertheless, operas from different of them. At the conference, Willis Sweete lis Sweete and her team are in the middle periods do have different feels: “With sits with her score reader and the AD and room, the audio technicians are in the Baroque and classical operas, I’m always calls the shots exactly as she will during the room to their left and the engineers are in imagining that the score is a crystal, and live transmission. the room to their right.

30 Opera Canada “I try in my own imagination to reference the musical vocabulary of the opera in the shots.”

Scenes from the Met’s staging of Verdi’s Otello with Renée Fleming and Johan Botha

Willis Sweete sits at a desk where she malfunction, an unplanned move by one shots for any that are not quite in focus, can see ten monitors for the eight cameras of the singers or the sudden appearance for cuts to reaction shots when a singer she is using plus two backstage cameras of an amazingly good shot—when Wil- is not reacting or for shots when a singer set up for the intermission features. She lis Sweete might decide to go “off book.” reaches his mark too early or too late. can also use these so long as they are When this happens, she says, the mood They also get notes from the audio peo- back in action for the intermissions. To in the truck quickly changes. “We were ple about really bad mistakes, such as a her right is the Technical Director (TD) already on high alert, but then everyone cracked note or a wrong word. To fix and to her left is the score reader and then becomes extra vigilant, like a cat watching these errors, Willis Sweete and her team the AD, who, she says, functions like an air a mouse hole.” When this happens, Willis have to review the scratch taping, in traffic controller. Among the other people Sweete takes over to give all the signals. which, they hope, the singer has sung the in her room are the staff producer and the The AD announces, “We’re off the book,” right note or word. They also have access two people who send out the live sub- and then lets everyone know again when to all the shots that don’t go on air to titles in four languages. As if there weren’t they are back to the predetermined script. find substitutes for other shots they feel enough pressure, Gelb sits on stool right When Willis Sweete returns to a scripted would be better replaced. “But,” Willis behind Willis Sweete. shot number, everyone heaves a sigh of Sweete says, “we don’t want to do too The score reader usually has a doctor- relief. “That’s a very interesting shot of much. That’s why there is so much plan- ate from Juilliard in collaborative piano adrenalin when we go off the book, I can ning in the first place. You can’t change or conducting and can be relied on to tell you. But sometimes it yields the most the architecture of the whole thing or count accurately so Willis Sweete can beautiful results.” recut a whole new opera. All you can do watch the monitors and not the score. is ‘milk’ it more by making the cutting a The AD audibly tracks the shots by shot the DVD little bit more precise.” number, the score reader counts down At 9:30am on the Monday following In editing for the DVD, Willis Sweete and announces “Ready and,” and Willis the broadcast, Willis Sweete goes into feels a great sense of responsibility. “I am Sweete makes a tap on a sounding block the edit room to edit the live broad- really so personally aware that this will to signal a cut, which alerts the TD to cast tape for DVD, luckily working with be what these people will be remem- switch cameras. She has worked with the the same team to produce all her vid- bered for. We were so excited, for instance, same TD so often that “he knows how eos. They are running against the clock that we got Renée Fleming in a great to dance with me.” She gives her tap because they have only five days to do performance of Desdemona in Otello, just enough in advance of the beat for their work, and they want to screen the not knowing that right after that perfor- him to switch exactly on the beat. Dur- final version at the end to make sure mance she would retire the role from her ing transmissions, says Willis Sweete, the they haven’t missed anything. repertoire. Or again that we got the last team is “completely locked together in Editing for the DVD basically performance of Natalie Dessay in Lucia di terms of our consciousness.” involves “a lot of repair work” and the Lammermoor, when she absolutely nailed Despite all the preparations, there chance to tweak the tape to make it bet- it. And I’m thinking, ‘Wow, we got it! We

Photo:ken howard still are times—whether due to camera ter. This might involve finding substitute got it forever!’”

Spring 2014 31 ate last fall, season ticket holders received a let- Two new developments presented in the 2014/15 season bro- ter from Vancouver Opera General Director chure aim to boost subscribers. For those who might be away James Wright informing them of changes they during the run of a production (usually four performances) or would see when they received the 2014/15 sea- simply don’t want to see a particular opera, there’s now the option son brochure and of others to come later. The to choose either a three-opera subscription or the full four-opera letter contained such phrases as “setting a new package. Also, the price of all the four-opera subscriptions has been course,”L “new audiences, new engagement” and “innovative new lowered, which will please everyone looking at that option. opera, intimate new venue”—language that conveys the strategic VO is targeting the cities of Surrey and Richmond—two imperatives of many opera companies in today’s challengng world. rapidly growing urban centres south of the Fraser River and In a recent interview, Wright spoke candidly about the main issues connected to downtown Vancouver by rapid transit—as fertile facing his company and the way he wants to address them. ground in its search for new audiences. Starting in Surrey in Feb- The research arm of OPERA America, the New York-based ruary, the company sponsored three concerts featuring singers professional service organization, reports a 10% decline in audi- and a pianist from the company’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists ence numbers over the past several seasons, particularly among Program performing some of opera’s best-loved and selec- season subscribers, and, Wright says, VO’s experience is in line tions from Don Giovanni and Don Carlo, the final two productions with that. He cites a number of factors, including: an aging popu- of the current season. A second concert is set for Steveston, a his- lation; the growth of a more ethnically diverse community; price toric Richmond village, and a third in central Richmond. Adult sensitivity; seasonal volatility at the box office as a result of par- tickets cost only $20, though each purchaser also received 20 ticular programming; the fact that people are not making the “opera bucks,” usable at the VO box office against the cost of a long-term commitments they used to for various reasons; and ticket to either of the two remaining mainstage operas. The con- Remodeling Vancouver Opera the advent of a generation of young adults whose upbringing or certs proved a happy innovation, generating sell-out audiences. education has never introduced them to operatic music. With all An unusual, but important, partner in the venture is TransLink, these in mind, VO is determined to rebuild its audience while the administrative authority for Metro Vancouver’s rapid transit sys- making programming decisions that underwrite financial stabil- tem, which has given VO 500 day passes for those who have bought ity without sacrificing innovation and creativity. tickets to Don Giovanni or Don Carlo, allowing them to free rides Over the past two seasons, VO experimented with Sunday into Vancouver on designated Expo Line cars called Opera Trains. matinees as additional non-subscription performances to see if On the matinee days when the Opera Trains run, VO staff will be they would appeal to older subscribers and single-ticket buyers. at the Surrey Central Station to provide what Wright calls “some The results were so encouraging that, starting this season, Tuesday hoopla,” and will board the train to hand out brochures, tell riders evening performances have been cut and Sunday matinees are now about material the company has prepared that they can access on a permanent feature in each opera’s run. “We were able to move their smart phones and generally be friendly and informative repre- all the returning Tuesday night subscribers into other nights, and sentatives of the company. VO hopes to make similar arrangements satisfy 99.5% of them with seats they were happy with,” says Wright. with InTransitBC, the manager for the Canada Line, which runs “A lot of people [had] quit coming to the opera…in many cases between Richmond and downtown Vancouver. This innovative elderly people who no longer could or wanted to drive downtown project so impressed the jury of OPERA America’s new Building at night. We had hoped for a higher subscription number, but we’re Opera Audiences Grant Program that it awarded VO a grant of happy with the single-ticket sales.” While acknowledging that it is $25,000. Wright believes the TransLink component and the fact that “early days” in the evaluation process, the company has been fur- “we are going to communicate with a very high percentage of the ther encouraged by the number of families bringing their children ethnic population that does not go to our opera or anybody else’s” to the opera house for the matinee performances. favoured VO’s application in a very competitive field.

32 Opera Canada The delicate art of setting repertoire an important part of the conversa- several seasons ahead continues to be tion about an issue that has taken a challenge—compounded by having society by storm—bullying—so we to fill the 2,665-seat Queen Elizabeth want to be a part of that.” There are Theatre four, sometimes five, times for also more practical reasons. “Some each production in what people like to of our funders expect that we will say is a hockey town, not an opera town. promote Canadian content and Perhaps Wright had the QE in mind Canadian creativity. For example, when he responded to the criticism Canada Council and the B.C. that the company stages the same 18th- Arts Council are very pro-Can- and 19th-century operas too frequently. adian work and creativity. These “The fact is there are about five operas pieces are of much more interest that almost every company schedules Vancouver Opera has partnered with the city’s transit authority to public funders than is another one of a year because they bring in the on an innovatie program to get people to the opera downtown production of Lucia di Lammermoor.” single-ticket revenue…because they In February, the Province of British will be the financial foundation of earned income for the season, Columbia awarded VO a $500,000 grant in support of Stickboy. as La bohème, Madama Butterfly, Carmen, and Aïda are [for us]. We But even if there’s money available for new commissions, funding pay by performance…so the ideal for a big house is fewer perform- issues make it generally unrealistic for one Canadian company to ances with lots of people, which is a stronger economic model, but stage another’s commissioned work. “Second productions are dif- it’s not necessarily the best artistic model. We struggle a lot…it’s a ficult because you’re not creating the work yourself, you’re not

General Director James Wright sets strategy to build a new Remodeling audience in a changing world Vancouver Opera by rosemary cunningham

real problem when we guess wrong and audiences don’t show up.” engaging a new process. You are probably not going to get the same For future seasons, “we’re going to mix it up a bit,” so opera lovers kind of financial support, public support as you do for a premiere.” should expect a less predictable approach to scheduling. A typical Explaining his vision for a company he has headed since 1999. season will comprise one traditional work from the 18th- or 19th- Wright says: “We want to continue in the amount of new work century repertoire, a modern work or a premiere of a commissioned we do. We have a reputation for innovation and creativity. Preced- work, something from the middle repertoire and a music theatre ing me, there was The Architect [by composer David MacIntyre and piece. The upcoming 2014/15 season exemplifies the model:Carmen librettist Tom Cone]. We have commissioned composers Veda Hille to open in the Queen Elizabeth, followed by the world premiere of (Jack Pine), Ramona Luengin (Naomi’s Road), John Estacio (Lillian Stickboy, VO’s latest commission, then and Sweeney Alling) and now Neil Weisensel (Stickboy). We have done wonderful To dd. Part of VO’s new approach is to mount works outside of its experimentation with our Magic Flute, our , so we traditional Queen Elizabeth space, and Stickboy will be staged in the have a track record of innovation. We have a track record reflecting 650-seat Vancouver Playhouse next door. our community with Flute, Jack Pine, and with Nixon by tying it to Despite the uncertainties and the fact that new works tend to Canadian foreign policy during the Vancouver Olympics. We want disappear after their premieres, Wright is clear on the reasons why to reflect this city and this environment—it’s innovative and for- companies need commissioning programs. “One is the creative ward-thinking with new ideas, new audiences, new Canadians—as ancouver o p era; ( M iddle) tiim matheson urge. It does something to the organization that is indescribable much as we can. It’s not without risks, and it’s not without chal- as far as synergy, pride, solving problems together, raising money lenges. We hope that everyone will come along with us, but they to do a new production, creating— being part of something new may not. This is not the same place it was when the company was is part of art. Also, an opera company, like most arts organizations, founded, or even that it was 10 years ago. We have to continue to

Photo: (to p ) courtesy V wants to be part of ‘the conversation.’ Stickboy, obviously, can be reflect it and be an opera company that talks about the art.”

Spring 2014 33 Listings of Canadian Stage Performances April-July, 2014. Calendar For U.S. and international schedules and more, go to: .com

Lght: Ingalls. Owens, Coote, Georges-de-Beauce, QC). Opéra de Québec. 418- Compiled by B. Krsek. Legend: R. Croft, Daniels, Crowe. Manitoba Opera 529-4142. operadequebec. C: conductor; D: stage director; Des: designer; Ctms: costumes; Apr 05M, 11, 15, 19, 24, (Winnipeg). 204-253-2787. qc.ca. Macbeth (Verdi). Lght: lighting; Chor: choreographer; 27M, 30. Roberto Devereux manitobaopera.mb.ca. C: Rivest; D: Gauthier. *new production; **world premiere; (Donizetti). C: Rovaris; La bohème (Puccini). G. Dahl, Fortin, Coulombe. ***national premiere; Op: opening D: Lawless; Des: Dugardyn; C: Lipton; D: Deedrick. May 17, 20, 22, 24. date; M: matinée. Information correct Ctms: Bernerth. Radvanovsky, Fennell, Pastin, Phares, Opera Lyra . as of March 19, 2014. Programs subject to change. Braun, Filianoti, McHardy. Apr Ciekiewicz. Apr 05, 08, 11. 613-233-9200. operalyra.ca. 25, 29, May 03, 10M, 15, 18M, Metro Youth Opera Madama Butterfly Against the Grain 21. Of Love and Longing. (Toronto). 416-543-9209. (Puccini). C: Paterson. Li, Theatre (Toronto). McHardy, Haji. May 06M. metroyouthopera.ca. Bélanger, Westman, Kassabian, againstthegraintheatre.com. Don Quichotte (Massenet). Hänsel und Gretel Hu, Ruminksi, Wu, Wehrle. [email protected]. C: Debus; D: Brovsky; Des: (Humperdinck). C: Salter; Apr 19, 21, 23, 26. Pelléas et Mélisande Eastman; Ctms: Poddubiuk; D: Wong. Promane, Applin, Pacific Opera Victoria. (Debussy). D: Ivany; Lght: Yun. Furlanetto, Kelsey, Vicary, Bass, White, Smither, 250-385-0222. pov.bc.ca. M: LeBlanc; Des: Koo; Ctms: Gubanova. May 09, 11M, 14, Tritchew. Apr 25, 26, 27M. Le nozze di Figaro (Mozart). Wong; Lght: Hand. Khalil, 17, 20, 22, 24M. Journeys of Montreal Symphony. C: Vernon; D: Krysa; Dupuis, Dahl, Coulombe, the Soul. Braun. May 13M. 514-842-9951. osm.ca. Des: Porteous. Bradley, Latham. Jun 19, 21, 23, 25. Les Adieux. COC Ensemble . Addis, Khalil, Welsh. Buchanan Park Public Studio. May 20M. May 16. Apr 24, 26, 30, May 02, 04M. School (Hamilton, ON). Chants Libres (Montreal). Off Centre Music Salon Recitals at Rosedale 905-387-5212. bpoc.ca. 514-841-2642. chantslibres.org. (Toronto). 416-466-1870. (Toronto). 416-921-1931. Carmen (Bizet). May 01-03. Rêve de Grégoire offcentremusic.com. rpcc.ca. The Seven Deadly Calgary Opera. 403-262-7286. (Michaud). C: Boudreau; Russian Salon: Composers Sins. L. Barrett, Braid, Colvin, calgaryopera.com. D: Dubois. Jean, Béliveau, born in the wrong Gleadow. May 25M. Madama Butterfly Mazerolle, Stec, Woodmass, century. McGillivray, Martin, Saskatoon Opera. 306-374- (Puccini). C: Mechavich; Bell. May 15, 16, 17. Bogdanowicz, Ramirez. 1630. saskatoonopera.ca. D: Leyshon. Dibblee, Pomeroy, . 780-424- May 04M. Die Zauberflöte (Mozart). Okulitch, Segal, Glenn, 4040. edmontonopera.com. (Toronto). C: Mokrzewski. Fitzgerald, Dimoff, Murias. Madama Butterfly (Puccini). 416-703-3767. operaatelier.com. Jun 14, 17, 19, 21. Apr 05, 09, 11. The Rape C: Tweten; D: Albery; Ctms: Persée (Lully). C: Fallis; Shaw Festival (Niagara-on- of Lucretia (Britten). Jebens; Lght: Moore. Duprels, D: Pynkoski; Des: Gauci; Ctms: the-Lake, ON). 800-511- Ludwig, McLean, Beley, Ganci, Thompson, Fanning, Rust D’Eye; Lght: Beecher: 7429. shawfest.com. Cabaret Murias, Abrego, Johnson, Kriter, Tiggers, Frazer, Daniel. Chor: Lajeunesse Zingg. (Kander). Apr 10-Oct 26. Dimoff, Fitzgerald. Apr 05, 08, 10. Enns, Asselin, Dye, Laquerre, Soundstreams Canada May 02, 04, 06, 08. FAWN Opera & New Music Huhtanen, Fernandes. Apr 26, (Toronto). 416-504-1282. Canadian Children’s (Toronto). fawnopera.com. 27M, 29, 30, May 02, 03. soundstreams.ca. Airline Opera Company **L’Homme et le ciel Opera by Request (Toronto). Icarus (Current). D: Albery. (Toronto). 416-366-0467. (Scime and Koiter). Apr 09, 11. 416-455-2365. operabyrequest.ca. Szabó, Dobson. Jun 03-08. canadianchildrensopera.com. Synesthesia III. May 03. (Verdi). Stratford Festival (Stratford, Opera Cabaret. May 09. Jeunesses Musicales de MD: Shookhoff. Williamson, ON). 519-273-1600 or 800- **East o’ the Sun and Canada (Montreal). 514-845- Tylman, Line, Clarke, Sanfilippo, 567-1600. stratfordfestival.ca. West o’ the Moon (Palej). 4108. jeunessesmusicales.com. Yakautsova, Parker. Apr 26. Crazy for You (Gershwin). D: Ivany. May 29-Jun 01. La bohème (Puccini). Apr 06 L’Opéra de Montréal. 514- Apr 21-Oct 12. Junior Division Spring (Midland, ON), 09 (La Sarre, 985-2258. operademontreal.com. Man of La Mancha (Leigh). Concert. Jun 07. QC), 11 (Amos, QC), 13 (Puccini). May 08-Oct 11. Canadian Opera Company (Sudbury, ON), 15 (Rouyn- C: Nadler; D: Murphy; Tafelmusik (Toronto). (Toronto). 416-363-6671. Noranda, QC), 18 (Val d’Or, Des & Ctms: Fredrikson; 416-964-6337. tafelmusik.org. coc.ca. *Hercules (Handel). QC), 24 (Quebec City), Chor: Murphy. Shesterneva, The Rival Queens C: Bicket; D: Sellars; 25 (Thetford Mines, QC), Chanev, Omura, Soloviov. with Isabel Bayrakdarian. Des: Tsypin; Ctms: Ramicova; May 02 (Ottawa), 04 (Saint- May 17, 20, 22, 24. C: Lamon. Apr 09, 10, 12, 13M

34 Opera Canada Saturday Afternoon Broadcasts and Movie Transmissions Starting at 1 p.m. EST unless otherwise stated (Toronto). 416-537-6066. tapestryopera.com. Metropolitan Opera May 24 Jul. 5 May 24 (12 p.m.) Shelter (Palmer & Saturday Matinee Die Lustigen Werther Salverson). C: Dala; Radio Broadcasts Weiber de Windsor Gluck Massenet Nicolai De Nationale Opera, C: Altinoglu; Oropesa, D: Turnbull; Des & Ctms: Apr. 5 Opéra de Lausanne Amsterdam Koch, Kaufmann, LePage; Lght: Lamb. La bohème C: Beermann; Peeters, C: Bolton; Gauvin, Bižic´, Summers Puccini Duncan, McGillivray, Farca, Zwarg, Capt, Antoun, Strobos, Quin- Encore transmission, C: Ranzani; Hartig, Phil- Kashahara, Klassen, Ludwig. Hubeaux, Surdu, Glaser tans, Foster-Williams also May 26, 6:30 p.m. lips, Grigolo, Cavalletti, Jun 12, 13, 14, 15M. local time Carfizzi,G radus, Maxwell May 31 Jul. 12 Toronto Masque Roméo et Juliette • For CBC’s opera Apr. 12 Theatre. 416-410-4561. Gounod Rossini broadcasts: music. Andrea Chénier 1994 EMI Recording Théâtre des Champs- cbc.ca/#/Saturday- torontomasquetheatre.com. Giordani C: Lombard; Corelli, Freni, Elysées, Paris Afternoon-at-the-Opera The Myth of Europa. C: Noseda; Racette, Cales, Gui, Vilma, Cardon, C: Mazzola; Lemieux, Check local listings Álvarez, Lucˇic´ LeBlanc. Apr 25, 26. Lubnlin, Deprez Ciofi, Siragusa, Tagliavini, for times of radio Toronto Operetta Apr. 19 (12:00 p.m.) Lo Monaco, Tynan broadcasts. June. 7 Theatre. 416-366-7723. Arabella Metropolitan Opera • For all Metropolitan R. Strauss torontooperetta.com. Massenet Live in HD Movie Opera broadcasts: C: Auguin; Byström, ***Cousin from Gran Teatro del , Transmissions metoperafamily.org/ Kühmeier, Saccà, Nowhere (Künneke). Barcelona metopera/broadcast/ Volle, Winkler Apr. 5 C: Davis; DiDonato, on_air.aspx May 01, 02, 03, 04M. La bohème Apr. 26 Podles, Coote, Massis, • For Cineplex Odeon Toronto Symphony Puccini Così fan tutti Obregón, Naouri Met Live in HD movie Orchestra. 416-593-4828. See Apr. 5 radio broadcast. Mozart transmissions: Jun. 14 Encore transmissions: tso.ca. Inspired by Love. C: Levine; Phillips, Leon- cineplex.com/Events/ Legend of the Jun. 7, 12:00 p.m. EST; C: Carneiro. Van Doren, ard, de Niese, Polenzani, MetOpera/Home.aspx Invisible City Jun. 9 and Jun. 18, both Giunta. Apr 26, 27M. Pogossov, Muraro of Kitezh 6:30 p.m. local time. Classic Broadway: Lerner May 3 Royal Opera, Cov- Rimsky-Korsakov Apr. 12 (12:00 p.m.) & Loewe. C: Reineke. ent Garden, Movie Gran Teatro del Liceu, Prince Igor Bellini Transmissions Wallis, Ainsworth, Estabrooks. Barcelona Borodin C: Mariotti; Peretyatko, May 20, 21M, 21. C: Pons; Halfvarson, C: Noseda; Dyka, Media Events Interna- Brownlee, Kwiecien, Songs for Soprano. Aksenov, Ignatovitx, Ku- Rachvelishvili, tional (MEI Group) is Pertusi terma, Tiliakos, Poyarok C: Oundjian/Bard. Semishkur, Abdrazakov, showing filmed Covent May 10 Garden productions in Radvanovsky. Jun. 21 Petrenko, Kocán La cenerentola Guglielmo Tell Encore transmission, independent cinemas in Jun 05, 07. Gershwin Rossini Rossini also Apr. 14, 6:30 p.m. major centres. Operas Highlights. C: Tovey. Lister, C: Luisi; DiDonato, Teatro Regio, Turin local time scheduled from April- Flórez, Spagnoli, July include: Bizet’s Smith, Walker. Jun 20, 21. C: Noseda; Alvarez, Apr. 26 UBC Opera Ensemble Corbelli, Pisaroni Chiuri, Grimaldi, Meade, Carmen, Mozart’s Don Così fan tutti Giovanni, Puccini’s (Vancouver). 604-822-0182. Osborn, Prestia CBC Summer Mozart Tosca, Turandot and ubcopera.com. Season Jun. 28 See Apr. 26 radio broadcast. La bohème, Verdi’s La Encore transmissions: The Cunning Little May 17 Oklahoma! traviata, and Rogers Jun 21, 12 p.m. EST; Vixen (Janácˇek). Otello Les vêpres siciliennes Lyric Opera of Chicago Jun. 23, 6:30 p.m C: Baxa; D: Hermiston. Verdi and Wagner’s Parsifal. C: Lowe; Cudia, Brown, local time. Chicago Symphony Not all operas are Jun 26, 27, 28, 29M. Moore, Kelly, Holbrook, Orchestra (in concert) May 10 scheduled for all loca- Vancouver Opera. Scrofano C: Muti; Antonenko, La cenerentola tions, and dates and 604-683-0222. Guelfi, Gatell, Spyres, Rossini times vary. vancouveropera.ca. Owens, Stoyanova See May 10 radio For schedule and Don Carlo (Verdi). broadcast. Encore trans- locations, go to: C: Darlington; D: Cavanagh. missions: Jul. 5, 12 p.m. www.meigroup.ca Carè, Henson, Volpe, EST; Jul. 7, 6:30 p.m. local time and Jul. 16, Polegato, Frank. 6:30 p.m. local time. May 03, 08, 10, 11M.

Spring 2014 35 Opera in Review

Hugh Russell as Taddeo in Calgary Opera’s premiere staging of L’Italiana in Algeri

CANADA production to unfold as the zany, fanci- remarkably well and he had no difficulty CALGARY ful work it is. Cavanagh took advantage projecting into the hall. Dramatically, As every opera enthusiast knows, Verdi of his updating to include a number of he made a fine pairing with McHardy, and Wagner were born in 1813, but few clever gags—Isabella, for example, is like a believable lover for a feisty lass. Edu- remember that was also the year the pre- an operatic version of a Thoroughly Modern ardo Chama played the challenging role miere of L’Italiana in Algeri effectively Millie “new girl” of the 1920s—and the of Mustafa, both a villain and a chump. He launched Rossini’s spectacular career. costumes, too, contributed importantly projected the character very well, espe- Calgary Opera celebrated this last to the total effect of a stylized Algeria of cially dramatically, if without quite the November in its first-ever production storybook imagination. vocal ease of the other two principals. of this opera. Allyson McHardy was an Isabella of The surrounding characters were also As with last season’s Verdi Falstaff, spe- the first rank. With her wide-ranging well performed, notably Hugh Russell cial kudos must go to director Michael lyric mezzo, she had no difficulty with in the very difficult, ever-changing role Cavanagh for his imaginative, never- the florid writing or with the role’s wide of Taddeo, Isabella’s remorseless, though miss-a-trick direction. Updated to the range. She commanded the stage beau- ultimately unsuccessful, would-be lover early 20th century, the production never- tifully in her mixture of hauteur and and companion. Soprano Jessica Strong, theless stayed true to the spirit of the sentiment, and she was totally captivat- from the company’s Emerging Artist pro- original, with all the clichés of its origi- ing as the lead figure. She was especially gram, sang Elvira with a sure, clear voice. nal comedy fully intact: a clever heroine, a successful in the brilliant extended final In smaller parts, Alexandre Sylvestre and hapless lover, a comical villain, as well as an , which requires the upmost of a vir- Dionne Sellinger provided additional assortment of secondary parts, each with a tuoso singer. comedy as Haly and Zulma, two mem- different role to play in the comic soufflé. As Lindoro, tenor John Tessier handled bers of Mustafa’s court. Photo: trudie lee The clever direction was matched with the stratospheric writing in a way that The men of the CO Chorus were an inventive set that represented different was both beautiful and thrilling. His is well integrated into the comedy of this pop-up storybook pictures, allowing the a light, high tenor, but his voice carries production and also sang very well.

36 Opera Canada The Calgary Philharmonic, conducted knows inside out by now. His voice— Boteva, as Mary, completed the cast, sing- by Robert Tweten, played the score in dark, well projected and superbly ing well with a substantial, attractive voice. an idiomatic manner, complete with colored for Wagner—was just right for Robert Dean conducted the produc- some very fine woodwind solos.T he the role. Right from his great opening tion, bringing his customary vigor and extended overture, one of Rossini’s best, monologue, “Die Frist ist um,” he was sense to the task at hand. The difficult was exceptionally tight, the entire per- a significant presence throughout the score was handled with competence by formance notable for its humor, charm production. Fink was well paired with the CPO, if not with quite the polish and and fine singing. the Daland of Valerian Ruminski, whose refinement of other, more familiar operas. Slightly belatedly, CO celebrated the voice contrasted with the Dutchman’s Overall, Dean was successful in creating Wagner bicentennial in February with a and provided a more practical, human the necessary orchestral presence without new production of Der fliegende Holländer, character in counterpoint to the Dutch- overwhelming the singers, no mean feat its previous staging 20 years ago one of the man’s inner intensity. in such an opera. —Kenneth DeLong company’s less-successful ventures. Many As Senta, Joni Henson acted her part things were different this time, with the very well and was convincing in her rep- EDMONTON production mounted almost completely resentation of the character’s obsession So enthusiastic was the audience’s response “in house,” with director Kelly Robinson without overdoing this aspect. A capable to Edmonton Opera’s English-language in control of staging and set and lighting singer, her voice carries well, although it production of Johann Strauss Jr.’s Die Fle- designer Harry Frehner, who has worked is not yet fully of Wagnerian steel and she dermaus in early February that it could with Kelly many times, celebrating his would likely still be heard to better advan- have been the source of a classic sitcom 60th production with the company. The tage in Italian and French roles. Much laugh track. Besides the consistently enter- result was a production with a clear, the same might be said of David Pome- taining singing, the staging and direction unfussy underlying concept that engaged roy, who was excellent as Erik, but whose were also much appreciated. Supported the symbolic elements of the score with- innately beautiful voice also demonstrated by a Forth Worth Opera set that was so out overwhelming them with gratuitous Italianate qualities. Plausible as a couple, crammed with furnishings in the party interpretive layers. both young singers gave this staging a scenes that there wasn’t room for one The set, developed for this production more human dimension than productions more potted palm, director Allison Grant and created by Scott Reid, consisted of sometimes have, allowing the epic element made excellent use of the EO Chorus, modular units combined in different ways to emerge in striking contrast. Robert which looked great, sang and danced up to suggest a rocky shore, the deck of a ship, Clark, an alumnus of CO’s Emerging Art- a storm and, like the principals, seemed to the interior of a house and a wharf. Effec- ist Program, was a fresh-voiced Steersman be genuinely enjoying themselves. tive projected backdrops also animated the at the outset, also providing a welcome Prince Orlofsky, normally a trouser physical set to help capture the emotional comic measure to the proceedings. Emilia role, was sung by Gerald ambience of the rocky Norwegian set- ting, with its storms, bleakness and sense of Betty Waynne Allison an ancient epic landscape. The costumes, (Rosalinde) in Edmonton Opera’s Die Fledermaus from Lyric Opera of Kansas, were suitably Nordic and provided a splash of color to the staging. In many ways, the most difficult aspects of the opera to represent visually were its strongest elements—the open- ing storm and the transfiguration at the end. Techniques developed in film to cre- ate the world of fantasy epics were used impressively and successfully to the dra- matic purpose. Equally telling were the big scenes involving the chorus—the extended chorus in the final act, especially. Richly detailed and expertly sung by an augmented CO Chorus, these scenes put the “grand” back into grand opera, the sense of pageantry wonderfully realized. Vocally, the cast was strong. Richard

Photo: nanc p rice Paul Fink sang the title role, a part he

Spring 2014 37 Opera in Review Thompson. Most of Orlofsky’s early busi- a very welcome representative of Canada’s Quickly should, but it worked magically. ness is spoken, so when he sang his first new crop of young singers. In this comic role, Lemieux has cha- note, the audience took his voice as a The singers were miked to help project risma and stage presence in abundance. fresh joke—and perhaps never really the spoken dialogue, though some listen- Alice, usually the most important in the took Thompson for what he is, a seri- ers were annoyed that the mikes often quartet of women, was convincingly ous singer with a special voice. In a lark remained on for the singing, in some cases portrayed by Gianna Corbisiero, though like this Fledermaus, introducing such a to distorting effect. she sounded tired and her voice quickly voice plays into the gag factor. The com- Peter Dala, EO’s former Music Direc- developed an unpleasant wobble. Despite pany also enlisted a local actor to play tor, returned for this production, and, from the relative unimportance of Meg in the the non-singing role of Frosch, the jailer. the first crisp downbeat of the up-tempo opera, mezzo Lauren Segal managed to Julien Arnold is a very funny man, and overture, he helped the Edmonton Sym- equal the other women, thanks to her he milked the standup opportunity in the phony Orchestra generate all the high stage presence and acute dramatic sense. final act uproariously. energy and melodic richness of Strauss’s Gregory Dahl’s Ford was appropriately Betty Waynne Allison sang Roselinde masterpiece to the further delight of the threatening. Aline Kutan, who has a rav- with a resonant soprano, adding heft to audience. —Bill Rankin ishing coloratura, and Antonio Figueroa, the fluffy operetta, but she also excelled his sweet voice somewhat underpowered theatrically in her plot to expose the MONTREAL in Place des Arts’ Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, deception of her husband, von Eisenstein. Despite its being Verdi’s most musically sang the young lovers, Nanetta and Her “Czárdás,” in particular, reminded us demanding and subtle opera, Opéra de Fenton. Bardolfo and Pistola were por- that Fledermaus is a serious opera vehicle Montréal’s production of Falstaff (seen trayed with gusto by Jean-Michel Richer when not being totally silly. As Eisenstein, Nov. 9) was a resounding success with and Ernesto Morillo. Since the libretto tenor Gordon Gietz had leading-man the public. The cast was almost entirely makes it clear that Dr. Caius is an old presence and an attractive tone, but he, excellent, the conducting of Daniele Cal- man and that this is the main reason too, has comic chops, and delivered the legari first rate and the New York City Alice, Meg and Quickly agree to help farcical elements of the plot fluidly and Opera/Glimmerglass Opera production Nanetta marry Fenton, it was a pity that playfully. Tenor Adam Fisher played Alfred, better than acceptable. Oleg Bryjak, a James McLennan looked too young as Roselinde’s paramour, with just enough last-minute replacement from Kazakh- the unwanted suitor. hambone to capture his scenes without stan, was a marvellous Falstaff. Though Centering the staging around Dame detracting from the musical purpose. he sang too loudly in the opening scene, Quickly led to a degree of vulgar- Adele, the sneaky maid, is a consummate he soon toned down to the subtle role. ity incongruent with the epoch or the rank of the characters. In the “Rever- Marie-Nicole Lemieux (Mistress enza” scene, in which Quickly recruits Quickly) and Oleg Bryjak in the title role of Opéra de Montréal’s Falstaff Falstaff to seduce Alice and Meg, the rotund knight tries to have his way with the matron. At the end of the scene, he gives her a coin as a tip. Though they got laughs, such gestures seemed inappropri- ate and undermined the characterizations. The indoor sets were drab, and had the cast not been as charismatic, the produc- tion may not have been as appreciated as it was. The Windsor Park scene, despite relative simplicity, was enchanting, in large part due to the costumes and the chore- ography. Despite some reservations, kudos to OdeM for turning Verdi’s last opera into a public hit.

After a smashing success last year with

coloratura part, and soprano Jacqueline The public’s favorite was international Le nozze di Figaro as its first production, Photo: yves renaud Woodley has the technique. Her rendition star and Quebec native Marie-Nicole Opera da Camara presented Mas- of the Act II “Laughing Song” was pleas- Lemieux. The production was largely senet’s rarely performed Cendrillon in ant and precise, though might have been promoted around her, and she probably February. Young singers established this more playful. Overall though, she proved assumed more importance than Mistress new company to provide performance

38 Opera Canada opportunities, so the choice of this ensemble piece was a good one. (From left): Robert Gleadow (Guglielmo), (Ferrando), (Dorabella) Carol Leger, as Cendrillon, and Layla Claire (Fiordiligi) in the Canadian was an excellent actor. One Opera Company production of Così fan tutte could feel her humility as the abused daughter, bedazzlement at her own transformation and overall grace. The voice was good, sometimes strained in the higher register, though never shrill. The star of the show was mezzo Kathrin Welte, who sang Prince Charming effort- lessly and with style, an essential element in French roman- tic opera. Martin-Michel Boucher was Pandolfe, Cen- drillon’s father, his supple voice and excellent acting convey- ing a warm fatherly character. The Fairy Godmother is a high coloratura role, and while Sarah Halmarson may have the required instrument and was much appreciated by the public, her high notes were often more public to the glory of opera through even a case to be argued that the char- screamed than sung. The supporting roles subtle humor, simplicity and the choice acters’ emotional roller-coaster ride was of the stepmother and two stepsisters of an original venue. —Reviews from made more believable by portraying them were delightfully portrayed by Geneviève Montreal by Ossama el Naggar. as volatile adolescents. Couillard-Després, Valerie Belanger and The debuting soprano Layla Claire Meagan Zantingh. The audience adored TORONTO and mezzo Wallis Giunta made an espe- their antics. Thankfully, the comedy was In none of my full-score editions of cially well paired Fiordiligi and Dorabella, intelligently underplayed, making it truly Mozart’s Così fan tutte could I find a title their voices blending beautifully opposite funny. Though only half the cast members page identified by its librettist Lorenzo da the Ferrando of debuting American tenor were native Francophones, the entire cast Ponte’s subtitle for the opera, La scuola degli Paul Appleby and the Guglielmo of bass sang with an excellent diction. amanti (The School for Lovers), but this is lit- Robert Gleadow. Veteran British baritone Opera da Camara’s biggest success has erally how Atom Egoyan staged his new Sir Thomas Allen made his belated COC been its capacity to attract an almost production for the Canadian Opera debut as a wily Don Alfonso, while vet- entirely young public to their perfor- Company in January. With the collusion eran soprano Tracy Dahl returned to the mances. The venue is the Rialto Theater, of designer Debra Hanson, he outfitted the Toronto stage as a wily, if at times intona- a grand old cinema with a National His- cast in private-school uniforms and accom- tionally challenged, Despina. toric Site of Canada designation and modated them in a classroom complete In his classic study of Mozart operas, now converted into a cabaret theatre with scientific implements, taking notes Edward J. Dent suggests that Così is an with tables and drinks served before the from the amatorily cynical Don Alfonso. An opera of ensembles, “quite possibly more performance in the orchestra and regu- eccentric concept, but a clever one—despite than in any [other] opera ever written,” so lar theatre seating in the balcony. The some heavy-handed symbolism from Frida what could have been more appropriate Rialto’s relaxed and informal atmosphere Kahlo bleeding heart portraits and pinned than this production for the COC’s annual is probably key to the company’s ability butterflies—with the added twist of having mainstage showcase for the well-matched to attract a young crowd. This young the female lovers in on Don Alfonso’s plot. voices of its Ensemble Studio? Not only company does not try to make opera None of this revisionism compromised did its single performance employ the appealing through vulgar humor or the engagingly stylish way Johannes Debus same sets, costumes, director and con- other shock tactics to attract its audience. conducted the score or the accomplished ductor as its subscription counterparts, its

Photo: michael coo p er It succeeds brilliantly in bringing a new way in which it was sung, and there was vocal talents proved sufficient to double

Spring 2014 39 Opera in Review

The Act I finale of the Canadian Opera Company’s staging of Un ballo in maschera

cast the pairs of lovers, with Andrew Haji an inelegant hotel. Sadly, I neglected to cut version of the work, rearranged into (Ferrando) and Cameron McPhail (Gug- bring sunglasses. two acts. Gone was the prologue and a lielmo) pairing Aviva Fortunata (Fiordiligi) Happily, I did bring ears to hear a fair chunk of the second half of the opera, and Charlotte Burrage (Dorabella) in Act I splendid musical performance, ably con- making for a rather abrupt conclusion. and Owen McCausland, Clarence Frazer, ducted by Stephen Lord and sung by a This was perhaps understandable since Sasha Djihanian and Danielle MacMillan strong cast headed by the sumptuously Rameau shorn of spectacle is inclined respectively taking over in Act II. sung Amelia of Adrianne Pieczonka, a to drag, and, although this semi-staging Within Egoyan’s conceit of setting the soprano with the command of vocal was quite inventive and made good use opera literally inside a School for Lov- coloration to illuminate the many con- of video projections, it was still essentially ers, the youthfulness of these singers made flicting emotions in this challenging role. a . their behavior more than usually cred- With American tenor Dimitri Pittas as a The sound of the Aradia Ensem- ible, and such were Gordon Bintner’s and bright-toned Riccardo, debuting English ble may have been on the small side for Claire de Sévigné’ds histrionic skills as baritone Roland Wood as a convincingly Rameau, but the same was not true of Don Alfonso and Despina that both da anguished Renato, Simone Osborne as the principal soloists. Alain Coulombe Ponte and Mozart were well served. a female Oscar (it’s usually played as as Thesée and Colin Ainsworth as Hip- Censorship forced to a trouser role) and Russian mezzo Elena polyte sang with a winning combination move Un ballo in maschera’s tale of 18th- Manistina as a somewhat underwhelm- of power and stylishness, while Allyson century Swedish regicide to Colonial ing Ulrica, the cast certainly sounded McHardy was truly venomous as The- America, but no such necessity moti- better than the production looked. sée’s vengeful queen, Phèdre, though also vated directors Jossi Wieler and Sergio —William Littler capable of showing great tenderness. What Morabito to move their February COC Meredith Hall’s Aricie lacked in power she production into the America of John and was the 49-year-old Jean- made up for with sweet tone and appro- Jacqueline Kennedy. Staged originally Philippe Rameau’s first venture into the priately stylish singing. for Berlin’s Staatsoper Unter den Linden, operatic form and sparked off the great The supporting roles were a bit mixed, this all-too-typical exercise in German dispute between his supporters and those but Vania Chan made a delightful Diane even added a mute Jacque- of the older Jean-Baptiste Lully. Although and did a very fine job of the birdsong line Kennedy character in pillbox hat Rameau’s music no longer seems shock- aria in Act II. There were pleasing per- to shadow her husband’s infidelity and ing, the inventiveness and originality that formances, too, from Leigh-Ann Allen arrange for her rival’s depature through disturbed the purists of 1733 is clearly (High Priestess), Max Van Wyck (Pluton) that lady’s husband’s promotion. This on display. This came across, albeit some- and Christina Campsall (Oenone). strained effort to suggest contempo- what less colorfully, even with the reduced It would be wonderful to see a fully rary relevance proved superfluous to forces of the Aradia Ensemble under Kevin staged Rameau opera, but for now, let’s Photo: michael coo p er an understanding of the plot, leading Mallon used by Voicebox: Opera in be grateful that Voicebox at least was instead to the creation of a garish unit set Concert for its single performance Feb. 2. prepared to celebrate the 250th anni- by Barbara Ehnes that seemed to confine It wasn’t just the ensemble that was versary of the composer’s death in such all of the opera’s action to the lounge of reduced. We were given a quite severely fine style. —John Gilks

40 Opera Canada VANCOUVER Sylvia Szadovszki made their portrayal of greeting the eye and mostly terrific is only the second staging this pair as fetching as it was credible. singing caressing the ear. The frisson of a Benjamin Britten opera in Vancou- Director Glynis Leyshon updated the between the technical wizardry of the ver Opera’s five-decade history. Unlike setting of Britten’s fictional Suffolk town former and the classical purity of the the intensely dramatic Peter Grimes (mag- of Loxford from Edwardian England to latter made for a memorable, if not alto- nificently realized here in 1994), the the early 1950s. Despite Britten’s aversion gether cohesive, evening. small-scale Herring is Britten’s only comic to such updating, it certainly worked here. Daniel Okulitch was the kind of Don opera. Comic and clever—though perhaps Patrick Clark’s set and costume design lent Giovanni one can easily imagine having a little too clever since only sophisticated an effortless, step-back-in-time charm to his way with all 2,065 women enumer- operagoers are likely to savor the stylistic the opera’s locale against which the plot ated in Leporello’s hilarious “Madamina, references, parodies and musical com- machinations and general shenanigans had il catalogo è questo.” Expertly deploying plexities. Many of these complexities are great believability and charm. his agile, mellifluous bass-baritone, Oku- handled by the orchestra, and, on the Nov. Britten’s strident sonorities threaten litch flaunted abundant masculine charm 30 opening night, the diminutive 13-piece to bite through the work’s satirical edge yet never was more than an eighth-note orchestra, conducted with empathetic flair at times, but otherwise Herring is emi- away from his character’s ruthless core. It by Leslie Dala, handled them deftly. Even nently accessible. It was a shrewd choice was not hard to see why Donna Elvira, if the ensemble was not note perfect, it for VO to pair with Pacific Opera Victo- heartrendingly sung and acted by Krisz- certainly honored the spiky, satirical spirit ria to present this vibrant co-production tina Szabó, would be so besotted—and of the piece. for the centenary of the composer’s birth. prepared to forgive Giovanni’s incon- There are also 13 solo vocalists, and the VO’s Don Giovanni, a technologically stancies. Erin Wall’s prodigious vocal gifts casting, both vocally and theatrically, was bolstered co-production with the Banff were on ample display as a coolish Donna exemplary. In the title role, Lawrence Wili- Centre, opened Mar. 1 with Bob Bon- Anna, while Rachel Fenlon was a feisty, ford assumed a Rowan Atkinson-esque niol’s mixed-blessing video projections coquettish Zerlina, although sometimes comedic presence in the fun- nier moments, but with equal Lawrence Wiliford (Al- bert) and Rebecca Hass cogency conveyed his charac- (Mrs. Herring) in the ter’s exasperation and anguish Vancouver Opera stag- at his inability to wrestle free ing of Albert Herring from his domineering moth- er’s apron strings. Rebecca Hass, as that domineering mother, was indeed a force to be reckoned with. Not so strong a force, how- ever, as the ferociously blonde and hot pink-clad Lady Bil- lows, sung with aplomb and exhilarating dexterity by soprano Sally Dibblee. Mezzo Susan Platts demonstrated consummate comic flair as Florence Pike, Lady Billows’ right-hand woman, while bass-baritone Giles Tompkins was a sturdy and authoritative Superintendent Budd. Unlike the uptight, repressed Albert, his young friends Sid and Nancy have no qualms about flaunting their affection for each other. The breezy, devil-may-care chemistry between baritone

Photo: T im matheson Aaron Durand and mezzo

Spring 2014 41 Opera in Review lacking sufficient vocal heft to be heard set (recycled from 2010’s Lillian Alling) I would have liked Bloody Mary above the orchestra. was the backdrop to the stage action. This (Lynne McMurtry) to be bigger in The long-suffering Leporello, sung production had many clever elements, voice and presence, but Adam Fisher as with breezy masculinity by Stephen but somehow never completely jelled. Lieutenant Joe Cable was spot on, Dan Hegedus, bears the brunt of Giovanni’s —Robert Jordan Costain as Luther Billis was a delight, abrupt, volcanic mood swings. But a kind and the chorus, particularly the men of buddy chemistry between Okulitch VICTORIA in “There Is Nothing Like a Dame,” and Hegedus made it clear why Leporello, Pacific Opera Victoria’s production of brought the house down. despite recurrent griping about ill treat- Rogers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific The orchestra ruled in POV’s pro- ment, never seeks alternative employment. (seen Nov. 24), presented with the Victoria duction of Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Colin Ainsworth’s purity and nobility of Symphony Orchestra, was billed as an “in- Naxos, (seen Feb. 13). Conductor Tim- voice lent themselves well to the role of concert” performance, but in fact felt fully othy Vernon’s love for Strauss was clear Ottavio, and Aaron Durand was endearing staged. Director Jacques Lemay’s clever from the first note, and the playing from as the hapless Masetto. Conductor Steuart use of space in front of, below, behind the three-dozen players did justice to a Bedford produced an elegant Mozart and through the onstage orchestra meant score that travels virtually every operatic sound throughout, which, with the that the large chorus was able to move— byway, from the grandest aria to the sil- exemplary singing, anchored the whole and even dance—as if they had the space liest song. The singers, however, fared less performance on solid musical values. to themselves. At the same time, hav- well. For the majority of the principals, There was a narrow walkway between ing room for a full orchestra instead of a the talent was there—lovely tone, good audience and orchestra pit, which direc- smaller pit band meant that the marvelous color, if a little weak on diction—but the tor Kelly Robinson periodically used tunes, warmly conducted by POV Artistic music just didn’t seem to sit properly in for ensembles. Their proximity to the Director Timothy Vernon, had much more them. They didn’t fully inhabit their roles front rows of the audience was visually depth and presence than usual. as singing actors. engaging and surprisingly intimate for Baritone Jason Howard was a suave Mezzo Arminè Kassabian, for exam- such a large theatre as the Queen Eliz- and elegant Emile de Becque, easily ple, was tentative in her trouser role as abeth. Although video projections can believable as the older man who captivates the Composer. This is the Composer’s establish atmosphere and facilitate scene the charming young Nellie Forbush, skil- big debut, yet Kassabian could not quite changes, I was not always convinced their fully played by soprano Lara Ciekiewicz. convey that through either voice or body. full potential was realized here. The visu- Some opera singers are at a disadvantage The audience should not have to depend als on Giovanni’s descent into Hell were in musicals, where their highly trained on surtitles to understand the ardency of this character, or the purity and beauty (From left) Virginia Hatfield (Naiad), Aidan of the ideal woman he has created. Ari- Ferguson (Dryad), Eve-Lyn de la Haye (Echo) adne (soprano Colleen Skull), you should and Colleen Skull in the title role of Pacific Opera Victoria’s believe, is ready to die after being jilted in love, but she seemed merely sleepy. And there was no chemistry between her and her new inamorato, Bacchus (Roger Honeywell). Some of these issues can be laid at the director’s door. Oriol Tomas clearly sided with the opera buffa component— the sassy Zerbinetta (soprano Suzanne Rigden, who nailed the high E), bari- tone John Brancy (Harlequin) and tenor Joseph Schnurr (Dancing Master) could give classes in how to sing well while bringing a character to life with a gesture or a glance. Tomas seemed to give much more thought to their development, par-

spectacular, but many others were murky voices can seem overwrought, but both ticularly through movement. Other vocal Photo: emily coo p er and diffuse. Besides, much of the character principals here modulated their style to highlights for me came from the trio of interaction took place on the stage floor, let the text take precedence over the lovely nymphs, Naiad (Virginia Hatfield), well below most of the projected images. sound—yet still ensuring that the sound Dryad (Aidan Ferguson) and Echo (Eve- Frequently, only the concrete grey of the was delightful. Lyn de la Haye).

42 Opera Canada Ian Rye’s clever backstage set for the and vocal pyrotechnics delivered (almost) of “Aspetta, aspetta, cara sposina,” per- Prologue, complete with costume, wig flawlessly by the fine international cast. formed with a spluttering Strummer. and makeup rooms, gave way to a typi- Winnipeg-born Nikki Einfeld flounced The MO Chorus, prepared by cally Attic scene of a column here and about the stage as sassy widow Norina Tadeusz Biernacki, injected welcome a column there for the Opera proper. during her opening , “Quel spectacle and energy as the newly hired Sheila White’s costumes were an inter- guardo il cavliere,” before her wheedling household help during Act III’s “I dia- esting mash up of eras: in the Prologue, “Via, caro sposino” replete with grav- manti, presto, presto” and later a “Che the Composer could have passed for a ity-defying runs. Her crystal-clear lyric interminabile andirivieni!” performed Victorian, while the Prima Donna car- coloratura has grown stronger and more with mocking glee. ried a smartphone. The night, however, belonged to the Michele Angelini (Ernesto) in Manitoba Opera’s production orchestra. The final measures were, as Ver- of non put it in his program notes, “as close to musical starlight as you will ever hear.” —Robin J. Miller

WINNIPEG Manitoba Opera saddled up opera fans with its Spaghetti Western ver- sion of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, which opened the company’s 41st season Nov. 23. This tongue-in-cheek version, based on San Diego Opera’s 2002 production, transplants the story 40 years later to an imagined American Wild West, where men were men and women packed pis- tols while belting out high Fs. Directed by Winnipegger Robert Herriot, the production also featured the confident with each passing year—and University of Manitoba Opera The- Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra con- she swings a mean lasso, proving herself atre brought love and war to the stage ducted by Tyrone Paterson. Tony Fanning’s both a comedic and vocal heir apparent with Handel’s epic at St. Andrew’s intricately detailed sets featured a hotel to her renowned mentor, Tracy Dahl, who River Heights United Church. The two lobby, study and garden, with a wheeled sang the same role in the company’s prior performances (Nov.) marked the Win- horse providing dramatic entrances for the 1997 production. nipeg premiere of the Baroque master’s cowpokes. Bill Williams’s lighting design Acclaimed comprimario bass-bari- classic, as well as only the second large- and Helen Rodgers’ period Western cos- tone Peter Strummer was a pleasure in scale opera presented by the ensemble tumes rounded out the show. the title role. After a few balance prob- after its 2011 staging of Mozart’s Le MO is to be commended for daring lems with the orchestra were resolved nozze di Figaro. With Katherine Twaddle’s to mess with the popular comedy. How- during the opening “Ah, un foco stage direction, Julian Pellicano, newly ever, too often, all the extra hijinks and insolito,” his booming voice and fear- minted Resident Conductor of the Win- stage business pulled the focus from the less buffo comedy always entertained. nipeg Symphony Orchestra, led the big vocal moments, which had to com- American tenor Michele Angeli- UofM Symphony to provide a sprightly, pete with mariachi bands, pantalooned ni’s chaps-wearing Ernesto enthralled crisp accompaniment, particularly by its floozies and even a stuffed squirrel.T he right from his first aria,“Mi fa il des- continuo players, led by harpsichordist libretto contains enough inherent com- tino mendico.” In Act II’s “Cercherò Christopher Kayler. edy; by negating or avoiding poignant lontana terra,” his golden voice floated At nearly 130-minutes (condensed contrasts, such as Norina and Ernesto’s even higher than the frothy bubbles in even at that), the three-act opera, sung heartfelt Act III duet, “Tornami a dir che his bathtub. Baritone ’s entirely in Italian, quite possibly shocked m’ami,” in which they pledge their love, Dr. Malatesta, styled as a cigar-toting audience members accustomed to surtitles. the additional comic elements could actu- Buffalo Bill with sidekick Hop Sing Those unfamiliar with Rinaldo’s compli- ally diminish the effect. (Alan Wong), machinated the plot like cated plot likely also struggled. But despite Donizetti’s operas, however, are a master puppeteer. His robust open- these factors, the Herculean effort spent ultimately about , and MO’s ing aria, “Bella siccome un angelo” was preparing, memorizing, staging, blocking

Photo: robert tinker production teemed with soaring arias matched only by his rapid-fire delivery and performing the opera spoke volumes

Spring 2014 43 Opera in Review about the program’s strong leadership and the orchestra. However, effective light- Moreover, her voice is not only smooth its cohort of dedicated, gifted students. ing helped by underscoring the show’s and warm, but delightfully accurate in As Armida, soprano Anne-Marie most dramatic scenes, including Act III’s rapid passages. And her acting was grate- MacIntosh cast her own spell with her climactic battle, replete with clashing fully free of coyness. confident, controlled coloratura, effort- swordplay and blasting trumpet fanfares. Director/choreographer Rob Ashford lessly plucking out stratospheric notes —Holly Harris has worked predominantly in theater seemingly from midair. Baritone Jason and this was his first opera. He invented Klippenstein as the booming Saracen UNITED STATES no strange concepts, though a dozen or King, Argante, is also someone to look out CHICAGO so lackies prancing through Dr. Bartolo’s for, his sheer vocal power alone enthralling Lyric Opera of Chicago’s first new pro- household added little to what was other- despite some straining in the role’s upper duction in 25 years of Rossini’s Il barbiere wise a straightforward, unobtrusive staging. range. Tenor Jan van der Hooft, as Gen- di Siviglia (seen Feb. 1) was by and large a The costumes of Catherine Zuber and set eral Goffredo, displayed both his military success, thanks mostly to the conducting designs of Scott Pask were extremely pretty, prowess and expressive, phrasing. of Michele Mariotti and the Rosina of though I wonder if the extensive use of Lyric soprano Jessica Kos-Whicher, as Isabel Leonard, both in their Lyric debuts. wrought-iron gates against a neutral cyclo- Almirena, performed her showstopper Mariotti is a real find.T he overture was rama dominating both sets prevented the “Laschia chi’io pianga” with utter sincer- taken at a breakneck pace, but once past sound from projecting well, even to the ity and warmth. Lyric mezzo Meghan the finish line, his work was most sympa- seventh row. This was especially true in the Symon likewise gave a convincing per- thetic to the singers and surprisingly full of first scene.T here was improvement later; formance crossing genders as the lovesick nuance (badly needed in this score). Ever perhaps the singers–or my ears–adjusted. warrior, Rinaldo. since its first Barbiere in 1954, Lyric has The Figaro of Nathan Gunn and The traditional production featured always used a mezzo-soprano for Rosina Count of Alex Schrader initially sounded Medieval-period costumes. Sightlines (except for a few performances by soprano unremarkable, nor was Schrader up to the frequently proved a challenge, despite Isabel Bayrakdarian, who did, however, strenuous Almaviva aria restored to the Twaddle’s clever use of the limited perform it in the original keys). Leonard finale. Alessandro Corbelli was immensely stage area, including positions behind is a striking beauty, both on- and offstage. funny as Bartolo, while Kyle Ketelsen’s fine bass was a pleasure as Bartolo, nei- Tracy Cantin (Despina) in ther overdoing the comic business. Berta is Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Il usually given to a mezzo, but since Rosina barbiere di Siviglia commandeered that range here, Canadian soprano Tracy Cantin got the assignment. Cantin is not a character singer (she has covered the roles of Desdemona, Rosa- linde and Rusalka this season), but sang her aria delectably and, in the Act I finale, taking the musical line soprano Rosina usually sings, her voice soared impres- sively. —Richard Covello

HOUSTON The old saw has it that a new Broadway musical is a flop when the audience leaves humming the scenery. It takes nothing away from Polish-Russian composer Mieczesław Weinberg’s The Passenger that David Pountney’s staging is key to the international success of the 1968 opera, not given its world premiere until 2010 in Bregenz. A co-production of Austria’s Bregenzer

Festspiele, Warsaw’s Wielki Teatr, London’s Photo: dan rest and Madrid’s Teatro Real, Pountney’s staging had its American premiere at Houston Grand

44 Opera Canada Opera Jan. 18. HGO will perform the two-act, three-hour work at New York’s Joseph Kaiser (Walter) Festival in July 2014, and and Michelle Breedt (Liese) in Houston Grand it will be part of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Opera’s The Passenger 2014/15 season. Pountney also translated Alexander Medvedev’s libretto, which was inspired by a radio play turned novel by Holocaust survivor Zofia Posmysz, from Russian into English. The title character is Marta, like Posmysz a Polish Catholic interned at Auschwitz and now, 15 years after the war, a passenger on the ocean liner taking former camp overseer Liese and her Ger- man diplomat husband, Walter, to a new posting in Brazil. Marie-Jeanne Lecca’s striking costumes and the stunning two-level set by Johan Engels, its railroad car-like carriages loaded with Holocaust symbolism, contrast with the ship’s pristine-white easefulness and the grimy hell of the extermination camp, where Fabrice Kebour’s haunting lighting design includes searchlights on looming guard towers. Liese, who never confessed her past to her husband, is overcome with retroac- some lyricism, much spikiness and a few revival. But no one seemed to be feeling tive guilt when she spots Marta onboard. longueurs, Weinberg’s score is reminis- his or her way; everyone was firmly in Mezzo Michelle Breedt, who created cent of the music of his friend Dmitri vocal and dramatic character. the role of Liese in Bregenz and ENO, Shostakovich. HGO Artistic and Music Iestyn Davies’s Oberon, eerie of pres- sang richly, agonized fervently and was Director maximized ence and mellifluous of countertenorial aptly steely as the dutiful SS overseer who the effect of every page as conductor. tone, was an easy improvement on his can’t understand why Auschwitz prison- —William Albright immediate Met predecessor, David Dan- ers hate their guards even when she and iels; and the tiny, sweet-voiced Kathleen her fellow tormentors-cum-execution- NEW YORK Kim’s Tytania made a striking con- ers perform minor kindnesses. Soprano I doubt that I’ll ever be truly enchanted trast to hers, the tall, assertive Alexandra Melody Moore conquered Marta’s often by Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream— Deshorties of 2002. Matthew Rose’s high-flying music, poignantly shared her its sound world is just too inimical to my never-overplayed Bottom was a worthy fellow inmates’ refusal to be dehuman- own take on Shakespeare’s beloved play. successor to his namesake Peter’s; and the ized and ended the opera with a plea to But the Metropolitan Opera’s autumn four lovers were in the more-than-worthy remember their suffering. revival made as good a case for it as I can hands of Elizabeth DeShong (Hermia), Canadian tenor Joseph Kaiser fielded imagine, and if stretches of the score still Michael Todd Simpson (Demetrius), a solid tenor as the shallow Walter, who seemed tedious and/or aurally wrong- and—a bit of luxury casting here— frets that Liese’s shameful past might headed, others proved newly beguiling. Canada’s internationally busy Erin Wall hobble his diplomatic career. Baritone Director Tim Albery returned to super- (Helena) and Joseph Kaiser (Lysander). Morgan Smith sang strongly as Marta’s vise his true-to-Britten 1996 production, All fully embraced their roles’ rumbus- fiancé,T adeusz, whose proud defiance in Antony McDonald’s complementary tious physicality, along with their (until of camp authority dooms him to the Day-Glo sets, with a new, sharp-eared Act II’s reconciliatory quartet) less-than- gas chamber she avoids with Liese’s conductor, , and its best ideally grateful music. Ryan McKinny help. The many well-performed cameo cast yet. All of them were newcomers but and Tamara Mumford made a vocally and roles included a deranged old woman for two: Barry Banks, who’s been Albery’s physically imposing pair as Theseus and (Victoria Livengood) and a Russian girl inimitably endearing Francis Flute from Hippolyta; the subsidiary comedians were who sings a wistful Russian folk song the start, and Patrick Carfizzi, the stal- a fine lot; and the four children playing the

Photo: lynn lane Photo: lynn a cappella (Kelly Kaduce). A blend of wartly put-upon Quince of the 2002 attendant fairies were at the very least just

Spring 2014 45 Opera in Review another problem: the Met auditorium is Alice Coote as Anne Strawson (left) and Judith Forst as her wildly too big for this—and pretty much mother in the Metropolitan Opera’s staging of any other—opera.) The murky realms of cyberspace are the setting for most of the opera, as a middle-aged British detective tries to sort out the fact from the fiction of the attack on the younger boy, which had its roots there. And cyberspace has inspired the best passages of Muhly’s score, the eerily chattering choruses that evoke cyberchat. (I could, though, have done without Hofesh Shechter’s silly, annoying choreography.) But Muhly seldom cre- ates any big “operatic” moments for his singers; and at his worst, when inspira- tion fails him, he falls back on minimalist ostinato cliches. This was his first opera, and he’s still a relative youngster; the plea- surable aspects of this work—it held the attention reasonably well—give hope that he’ll eventually come up with a score that offers more than a clever soundtrack to the story being told. Muhly and Lucas couldn’t have asked for a more committed cast, who deliv- ered all that was asked of them—and in the case of Alice Coote, as the conflicted Detective Strawson, a great deal more: this wonderful recitalist brought a lieder singer’s delicacy and variety of inflection to page after page that I don’t think pos- sessed such eloquence on their own. She shared the opera’s funniest, most-poignant scenes with the redoubtable Judith Forst as charming as they needed to be. If Riley over the next two and a half hours makes as her addled mum—a Met debutante 45 Costello’s Puck didn’t delight, he sparkled the impersonation any more convincing. years ago and still able to hold her own no less than anyone else I’ve encountered In fact, Brian and the 13-year-old victim, with the best. Nicky Spence, the role’s in this (to my mind) misconceived spoken Jake, register less as the “two boys” of the creator, reclaimed Brian for the last per- role. All in all, though, this Dream proved title than as a latter-day Peter Grimes and formance of the Met run and showed his a musically handsome, mostly diverting a more sophisticated, cyber-savvy “’pren- clear readiness to play a splendid Grimes; mid-autumn entertainment. tice.” There’s a queasily predatory aspect to the other boy, Jake, was by contrast played ’s Two Boys—commis- their interactions that wouldn’t be there by a real boy, and Andrew Pulver per- sioned by the Met but premiered two in real life—even when (spoiler alert!) the formed laudably despite his inability to fill years ago by the company’s most frequent younger boy turns out to be the predator. the vast reaches of the Met. Bartlett Sher’s partner-in-production, English National Craig Lucas’s scenario, told largely staging, abetted by his usual crack design Opera—displays one of its biggest flaws in retrospect, flows fairly smoothly, but team of Michael Yeargan and Catherine right from the start. Emerging, it seems, his words, and Muhly’s setting of them, Zuber and the busy projections of 59 straight out of projected video-surveil- aren’t exactly singer-friendly. I was depen- Productions, was his best work yet at the lance footage, a hulking, clarion-voiced, dent on MetTitles for large chunks of the Met; and conductor David Robertson

clearly heavily trained 30-year-old tenor libretto, since I could neither understand and the Met orchestra were clear gifts to Photo: ken howard shouts for help: a friend of his has just the singers nor, from my vantage point the composer. I enjoyed the show, but for been stabbed. The problem is, he’s sup- in orchestra row W, read the projected a great opera achieved I wish the talented posed to be a somewhat ingenuous chat-room interchanges that make up Muhly better luck next time. 16-year-old boy; and nothing that unfolds so much of the text. (That brings me to It’s been a lose-one, win-one season at

46 Opera Canada the Met for director Robert Carsen. Back scene-stealing—horse) in Act III. A high- cast’s enthusiasm can easily be forgiven. All in September, the company scrapped his walled Windsor Park with an invisible, but two are newcomers to his Windsor: eloquently minimalist, leaf-strewn Eugene fourth-wall Herne’s Oak is the single bow Carlo Bosi as Dr. Caius and, rather more Onegin for a grander but lesser production, to abstraction. I can’t begin to catalog the prominently, Ambrogio Maestri in the title presumably to coddle Met General Man- production’s pleasures—and I wouldn’t role. Bosi, like everyone else onstage, was ager Peter Gelb’s prima donna of choice, want to spoil anyone’s surprise upon dis- fine and funny—but Maestri was some- , with something new and covering them on his or her own. What’s thing very special. In my four decades of shiny of her very own for yet another especially nice about Carsen’s staging is his Falstaffs, his was the only one that perfectly pearl in her string of opening nights. (In palpable affection for the work—a virtue matched the right voice, the right phy- fact, it was a hand-me-down, first staged not to be taken lightly in today’s opera sique (minimally padded), the right verbal two years earlier by co-producing English world. Placing it in a different time and acuity and—intimately bound to the lat- National Opera.) But Carsen was given place seems not a gimmick, but a way of ter—the right comic skills. He’s sung his due in December with a second Brit- getting to its gist. Falstaff nearly everywhere else, but this ish transplant: his delectable Royal Opera Affection was palpable, too, in the con- was his first run of the role at the Met, and staging of Falstaff. ducting of James Levine. I’ve heard many it couldn’t have been more welcome. With It’s often easier to review a bad show a Levine Falstaff over the years, but this Angela Meade on hand, I didn’t worry at than a good one, and this splendid produc- is the first I’d ever call “genial.” Rising all about Alice’s (and the opera’s) climactic tion, splendidly performed, has me chasing from the pit on the automated chair that’s high C, but she also played the role with superlatives. In case you haven’t heard, the legacy of his extended medical tra- more spunk and verve than are her norm; Carsen—in cahoots with the handsome, vails, even the back of his trademark frizzy and as her jealous husband, Serban Vasile witty set designs of Paul Steinberg—trans- head looked happy. And no one gets this made an unexpected but, overall, laudable ports Falstaff and Windsor’s jocular wives great orchestra to play better: the winds, in Met debut. Jennifer Johnson Cano played to a burnished-paneled British hunting Verdi’s magical scoring, were a particular the funniest Meg of my experience; and lodge of the mid-1950s, with side trips to delight—and one of the few criticisms I as Quickly, Stephanie Blythe can’t have the Fords’ spacious, lemon-yellow kitchen can make of Carsen’s staging is that the many, if any, rivals for plush, bosomy Rev- in Act II and to a stable (complete with roisterous onstage antics occasionally erenzas. Lisette Oropesa was near perfect an oat-munching—and, unfortunately, obscure the instrumental felicities. But his in sound and sight as Nannetta; and if, as

Spring 2014 47 Opera in Review Radvanovsky as the glamorous, full- Sondra Radvanovsky in throated, fully engaged protagonist, this the title role of the Met’s revival of Tosca was a performance that surpassed expec- tations. Radvanovsky’s Tosca has grown appreciably since her already excellent first Met ventures in the role two seasons back—there’s much less nervous fuss— and it now ranks, like her , at the zenith of the international heap: nobody does it better. Marco Armiliato held it all handsomely together. On the other side of the New Year, a second laudably idiomatic Italian mae- stro, Maurizio Benini, launched the Met’s first revival of its overthought, overbusy, underachieving Bartlett Sher produc- tion of Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, which had opened the previous season with more of a whimper than the hoped- for bang. Its prima donna then, and its announced prima donna in January, was Anna Netrebko, at the Met these days the quite obvious favorita del re. I didn’t think, back in the autumn of 2012, that Adina was the best role for her—the voice too sluggishly plush, the manner too overtly stellar—and when her cancellation of this season’s first two performances brought Canadian soprano Andriana Chuchman in her place, I wasn’t at all dismayed. Mak- ing an unexpectedly early house debut (she was scheduled to bow in February’s The Enchanted Island revival), Chuchman was—as she always seems to be—a natu- ral charmer, her moonlight shimmer of a voice caressing the ear with only half Netrebko’s (superfluous) power and etch- ing the rhythms far more infectiously, and her honest presentation of a tricky char- acter never quite concealing Adina’s deep Fenton, Paolo Fanale got higher marks for tie for the third and a clear loss for num- affection for Nemorino. Not that he was sight than for sound, at least the sound was ber four. hard to love, in the winning person of the right one. Keith Jameson and Chris- In mid-December, the Met brought Ramón Vargas, whose rubber face was tian Van Horn were the Mutt-and-Jeff back, for its second run of the season and shaped for comedy and whose fine voice, Bardolfo and Pistola. For all of them, I with a different cast from October’s, its after 22 years of leading roles at the Met, could cite memorable moments, but I 2009 Tosca, in the widely reviled stag- has held up remarkably well, despite the won’t. Thanks to the Met’s Live in HD ing by that’s less outré than occasional taint of tarnish around its edges. telecast (and YouTube), they’re probably simply out-of-touch and (discourtesy He and Chuchman seemed to be enjoy- all easily discoverable by now. of Richard Peduzzi’s sets) butt-ugly. A ing each other—something that wasn’t A quartet of Canadian-inflected win- misfire it remains, but with the best of always apparent with Netrebko and her Photo: marty sohl tertime performances at the Met scored its 2009 principals—George Gagnidze’s Nemorino, the elegant but somewhat two for revivals over the productions’ sleazy Scarpia—back in place, Marcello sober-sided . Also hav- variously back-when premieres, with Giordani (Cavaradossi) in better form ing fun, and singing very well in the doing (allowing for the vagaries of memory) a than he’d sounded in years and Sondra so, were Nicola Alaimo as a Falstaffian

48 Opera Canada Belcore, who ignored as best he and Schaunard, were handsomely could Sher’s misconceived risor- Andriana Chuchman (Norina) embodied by Christian Van Horn and Nicola Alaimo (Belcore) gimento business, and especially in the Met’s L’elisir d’amore and Joshua Hopkins. I’ve seen Erwin Schrott as a most atypical this production at least a dozen Dulcamara—a preening popinjay times, but I’d never enjoyed a who seemed forever in search of Schaunard more than I did the a mirror. That these two are by increasingly prominent Cana- physique more conventionally dian baritone’s, with his obvious suited to each other’s roles sim- crush on Musetta and, vocally, ply added to the pleasure. a healthy vibrancy that echoed A week later, Franco Zef- the two central lovers’. Conduc- firelli’s 1981 staging of La tor Stefano Ranzani was small of bohème—the most-performed physical stature but much larger production in the Met’s history of musical, with a performance and probably the most beloved— that occasionally flirted danger- returned with a cast that, if it ously with languor but never couldn’t surpass the production’s toppled over the edge. initial lineup (Teresa Stratas, José Last and, alas, least of the four Carreras, and Renata Scotto, revivals was the late-January under Levine), did awfully well, Rusalka. The failure wasn’t the and seemed even more at home fault of Yannick Nézet-Séguin, in Zeffirelli’s wide-open scenic who led an aurally enchanting

spaces. Maija Kovalevska and orchestral traversal of Dvorˇák’s Photo: ken howard Joseph Calleja (is there a more sheerly Mimì and Rodolfo; and as Musetta and magical score, even if its vocal and sym- beautiful tenor voice around these days?) Marcello, Irina Lungu and Alexey Markov phonic elements weren’t yet ideally were happily matched in their quickly were their fine, more volatile foils.T he balanced: while the Wood Sprites’ trios vibrant tone and never overstated take on two odd-men-out Bohemians, Colline were delightfully transparent, and their

DOMONEY ARTISTS 2013-14 Roster

Charlotte Virginia Ellen Maude Marion Maria CORWIN HATFIELD WIESER BRUNET NEWMAN SOULIS Soprano Soprano Soprano Mezzo-Soprano Mezzo-Soprano Mezzo-Soprano

Scott Adam Joseph Benjamin Dion Giles BELLUZ FISHER SCHNURR COVEY MAZEROLLE TOMKINS Countertenor Tenor Tenor Baritone Baritone Bass-Baritone

416.892.4382 Christopher Leslie Matthias François [email protected] DONISON DALA MAUTE RACINE www.domoneyartists.com Composer Conductor Conductor Director

Spring 2014 49 Opera in Review adjacent dances rhythmically buoyant, black-humored witch. It’s time that Bou- called Delphine) now married to a pros- he occasionally overwhelmed the sing- lianne, who’s spent most of her Met career perous painter named Monsieur Riss, ers’ solo passages. With Renée Fleming’s in trousers, got the chance to wear a lead- who—as an extra dose of continuity— Rusalka, that was easy enough to do: this ing lady’s skirts: far more than Fleming or shows up, silently but rather annoyingly, increasingly parsimonious prima donna Magee, she gave the audience something throughout Così, as a struggling artist in seemed to be conserving her voice for real to enjoy. ’s staging, in seeming cahoots with his wife-to-be and the following Sunday’s SuperBowl “Star- Günther Schneider-Siemssen’s magically Don Alfonso/Alphonse in stage-managing Spangled Banner.” Much of the time she atmospheric sets, remains, like Zeffirelli’s the plot’s elaborate ruse. Hitching the two operas works both as the Water for and against the almost-unknown Phili- Goblin in the Met’s Rusalka dor piece. To take the latter effect first, the pairing created a five-hour-long enter- tainment whose lighter-than-air “dessert” (to employ Lafayette Artistic Director Ryan Brown’s metaphor) follows one of the most “sumptuous meal[s]” in all of opera. That’s well and good, but when the pâtissier’s an honorable craftsman and the head chef a culinary genius, there’s a natu- ral penchant after the meal to wish you’d skipped the soufflé for a few more bites of the main course. Like Mozart’s other two masterworks to texts by Lorenzo da Ponte, Così was composed during an era of revo- lution, and it exudes an air of danger, of mores overturned, of real emotional stakes, altogether lacking in Philidor’s charm- ing comedy, which predates by a year the epochal transatlantic uprising so stirringly supported by the Frenchman who gave Opera Lafayette its name. To move to the asset column, the identification with Così’s was nearly inaudible; and even when she La bohème, a cherishable memento of a dramatis personae gave Philidor’s paper- wasn’t, she evoked inimical memories of vanishing era of operatic production. Both thin characters a fascination they wouldn’t her far more generous initial Met perfor- could use some sprucing up, but both have had on their own: it was fun to imag- mances of the role, in 1997, whose lovely, still inspire affection in a way that neither ine Fernand and Fleurdelise (to use their full-hearted sincerity long ago gave way Bondy’s Tosca nor Sher’s Elisir, I’d easily Gallified names) morphing into Mon- to brittle, posturing artifice. As the Foreign venture, will ever manage to do. sieur Le Président and his equally stuffy Princess, Emily Magee, whose work I’ve madame, and Guillaume and Dorabelle often admired, was miscast: too much like The idea was clever: pairing Mozart’s into the lesser-ranking Monsieur and Fleming in basic , with none of the ever-surprising Così fan tutte (1790) with Madame Lek. And as with every Lafay- requisite, cutting Slavic steel. Nor, similarly, the surprise of a 15-years-older “sequel,” ette outing, I was happy to have seen Les was John Relyea an ideal Water Goblin, a François André-Danican Philidor’s Les femmes vengées, whatever its ultimate rank role that calls for a fat, black, rolling bass femmes vengées, in which, upending the on the operatic honor roll. with a Slavic edge; still, he sang it with Così plot, two wives trick their would-be Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln great style and commitment and looked it philandering husbands, under the guid- Center, was once again the Manhattan to his last slimy green scale. Piotr Beczala ance of a third married lady who’s far host to the company, which had presented was a handsome, sweet-toned Prince, and worldly wiser. Opera Lafayette’s double the two operas separately at its home base Dolora Zajick once again a delightfully bill offered a condensed, French-language in Washington, D.C.; this was the unveil-

droll Ježibaba. She contributed a third of Così (with spoken dialogue in lieu of the ing of the double bill, which traveled to Photo: ken howard my favorite scene of the evening, with secco ) followed by 90 minutes Marie Antoinette’s theatre at Versailles a Vladimir Chmelo’s Gamekeeper push- of the Philidor, with the Mozart/da Ponte week later. The evening tripped along ing Julie Boulianne’s timorous Kitchen lovers morphing into two vocally con- happily despite its Wagnerian length, Boy into a reluctant encounter with the gruous wedded pairs, and Despina (here with Brown and his fine musicians

50 Opera Canada bringing a particularly savory period tang her slighter, shorter instrument to greater was a mixed blessing: it brought Alfano’s to Mozart’s score, and Nick Olcott’s stag- and greater advantage, and she played name to a wider public, but it also opened ing elegantly and drolly unfolding within her role(s) winningly. So did tenor Anto- the door to nine decades of criticism for Misha Kachman’s handsome unit set, with nio Figueroa, a finely sung, dramatically not being Puccini. The Turandot finale, enough doors to accommodate the far- engaging Fernand, who lacked only two which of course isn’t wholly his, remains cical to-and-fro. Kendra Rai designed of his three arias and a proper wig. Lack- his best-known composition—unfairly, the equally handsome costumes. The ing even less was the delightful Alexander for it’s hardly his best. Unlike the man splendidly adept cast was either French Dobson as Guillaume, a splendid clown himself, whose favorite child Sakùntala by birth or idiomatically Francophone, with a perfect face and lanky physique for remained, I’d give the palm to Risurrezione four of them veterans of William Chris- farce, who sang his two solos with bite and or Cyrano de Bergerac. tie enterprises: basso Bernard Deletré as a relish despite their unusually slow tempi. Still, what well-informed opera lover suavely commanding Alphonse; soprano If I seem to be neglecting their Philidor wouldn’t be curious about Sakùntala? Claire Debono as a clear-voiced, ungim- selves, well, blame Mozart and da Ponte, Plenty of them, it seemed, from the micky Delphine (I’d never heard her lines not me. less-than-capacity house at New York more prominent in the Così ensembles, University’s 870-seat Skirball Center, and she rose nobly to her elevated sta- There’s no doubt that Franco Alfano where Manhattan’s indefatigably enter- tus as the catalyst of Les femmes); tenor loved his Sakùntala. This colorful excur- prising Teatro Grattacielo presented its Jeffrey Thompson, when he wasn’t mim- sion into exotica first saw theatrical light annual resurrection from the still-misun- ing aggressively in the Mozart, singing as La leggenda di Sakùntala in Bologna in derstood and underappreciated neatly as her husband in the Philidor; and 1921 and quickly traveled to Naples and repertoire. It was the no-shows’ loss: this mezzo Blandine Staskiewicz as a notably Milan; by mid-1923, it had crossed the was a very good night not just for Alfano, handsome-voiced Dorabelle. Completing Atlantic to Buenos Aires, and 1924 saw its but also for the many dedicated per- the cast were three admirable Canadians. premieres (in translation) in Germany and formers who brought him back to vivid Soprano Pascale Beaudin lacks the come Belgium. That same year, Puccini’s death life. Grattacielo presented Alfano’s post- scoglio solidity at both extremes of the led to Alfano’s commission to complete war version of his opera (La leggenda di range for an ideal Fleurdelise, but over the third act of Turandot, largely on the dropped from the title), which he pains- the evening’s lengthy course she used strength of the not dissimilar Sakùntala. It takingly reconstructed from a piano

TH 15 ANNIVERSARY SEASON Ben Heppner The Skydiggers Dido & Aeneas Choir of Trinity College Cambridge Oliver Jones Campbellford, ON. and more… toll-free: 1-877-883-5777 WWW.WESTBEN.CA

Spring 2014 51 Opera in Review what has so far been a winning 51st sea- Brenda Harris (Lady Macbeth) and son for the company. We first encounter Greer Grimsley in the title role of Macbeth (Greer Grimsley) and Banquo Minnesota Opera’s Macbeth (Alfred Walker) on a battlefield strewn with dead bodies, on which the weird sisters, dressed like crows with gas masks growing from their heads, are feasting. It’s an ugly scene—Banquo stabs an enemy soldier, and nonchalantly walks on. But then it’s a dour, violent society full of dark deeds that Ivany and his designer, Camel- lia Koo, present to us. In such a society, with its crumbling, concrete buildings and claustrophobic enclosures—no par- ticular time or place is suggested—it’s not so surprising that Macbeth and his Lady might be prompted to murder their way to the throne. They’ve probably done evil things before, and in a more just society would have a police record a mile long, At the end, when they’re defeated, the vic- tory chorus led by Malcolm and Macduff carries a hint of weariness—despite a wel- come change in administration, things aren’t likely to improve. Grimsley, the charismatic Macbeth, shared the spotlight with Brenda Harris, score when the full score and its parts performance that the lucky audience his impressively ruthless Lady. Both strong were presumed destroyed by their pub- heard. Michelle Johnson—a Glimmerglass actors, they’ve sung these roles together at lisher, Ricordi. (They hadn’t been, but Aida two seasons back—showed plenty least once, in Ottawa in 2010. As the eve- it took another five decades for them to of presence along with a warm, gleaming ning progressed, Grimsley traced a clear resurface.) The fanciful plot, taken from soprano in the title role; and Raúl Melo, and believable line from furtive ambi- a 4th-century play in Sanskrit, concerns as the King, rose to the vocal and erotic tion to homicidal frenzy and finally, in the a virginal attendant at a forested hermit- heights of their big duet. As always with battle scene, to a desperate grasp at self- age who’s happened upon (among other Grattacielo, there were almost too many preservation that rose to almost heroic things) by the local king, to whom (unbe- good secondary performances to men- scale. And except for brief moments of knownst to him) she bears a child; and it tion: if I single out Japanese soprano Asako wayward pitch at the start on opening repeatedly beckons to mind other “exotic” Tamura and Iranian-Canadian mezzo Shi- night, he used his prodigious bass-bari- operas as far-flung as Lakmé, Madama But- rin Eskandani, it’s simple because, in their tone to full effect in the climaxes while terfly and . Musically, joint function as Mallika to Johnson’s investing the more introspective moments too, it’s not hard to detect in the beauti- Lakmé, they gave such mellifluous plea- with a grandly lyric, dark velvety sound. fully colored score a kinship to Ravel and sure. Pleasure seemed to be in the air: and Harris, for her part, was an intense, com- Debussy as well as Puccini and the elder while “Grattacielo” translates literally as bative, unyielding queen-to-be, which veristi. I didn’t leave the theater humming “skyscraper,” at the end of each year’s per- gave her sleepwalking scene, played with the tunes, but I did enjoy the happy mem- formance I’m invariably thinking “Thank a subdued dreaminess—with none of the ory of Alfano’s singably lyric melodic lines heaven” instead. —Reviews from New York fevered movements that usu- and his careful, canny building of a scene, by Patrick Dillon ally give it—such poignancy. Her tone and of one scene into the next. showed patches of dryness, but that, He’d have been better served by larger, Saint Paul, Minn. of course, is at least in part what Verdi plusher orchestral forces than Grattacielo Verdi’s Macbeth, never a lighthearted eve- wanted in this role (“rough, hollow, sti- Photo: michal daniel could muster, but under Israel Gursky’s ning in the theatre, took on an extra fled,” he wrote in one letter). Moreover, never-insensitive direction the instru- measure of gloom and despair in Joel Iva- Harris dealt easily and accurately with mentalists all seemed to relish what they ny’s production for Minnesota Opera, the part’s coloratura demands, delivering were up to, and it was a tautly dynamic the third offering (opening Jan. 25) in honest-to-goodness trills in the banquet

52 Opera Canada scene and ending the sleepwalking scene lighting. Koo also conceived the striking the malicious Amme (Deborah Polaski). with an immaculate high D-flat. costumes, black leather being the domi- Barak and wife (Wolfgang Koch and Walker brought a noble, resonant nant motif. —Michael Anthony Elena Pankratova) are laundry work- sound to the role of Banquo, and Harold ers in the spa’s cellar. Trips between the Meers gave ardent expression to Macduff’s INTERNATIONAL earthly and heavenly planes of the fantasy Act IV aria. Despite a few uncoordinated GERMANY: MUNICH are achieved through a cage-like elevator moments between the excellent chorus Bayerische Staatsoper last Novem- that transports the protagonists. and orchestra in Act I, Michael Christie ber celebrated the 50th anniversary of its With these complex logistics solved, conducted with splendid brio and wel- reopening of the National Theater after the polish director, as he did with Berg’s come crispness. its destruction in World War II bombing Lulu last year in Brussels, further explores A few of Ivany’s ideas didn’t work, with a production of Strauss’s Die Frau his obsessive angst about children, in this like having a simulation of Banquo’s ohne Schatten. It also marked the first per- case the “unborn.” (In the 1943 bomb- head painted silver and displayed on a formances of the incoming General Music ing of Munich, essential social facilities platter during the banquet scene as if Director, Kirill Petrenko. were also hit, including a children’s asy- it were the head of John the Baptist. Inspired by oriental fairy tales and lum and the municipal orphanage.) He Generally, though, the staging carried with a nod to Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, ties this in with Strauss’s murky Nazi past. a ring of truth, and though he couldn’t the sixth collaboration between Strauss The sweeping video projections of the make the Witches believable—no direc- and librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal Jewish graveyard in Warsaw, with thou- tor can do that—he drew lively, limber gave birth to a puzzling, massive work sands of tiny gravestones, leave no doubt performances from them. As a provoca- laden with symbolism and multilayered about the reference. Warlikowski contin- tive touch, he had some of them appear orchestral power. Director Krzysztof ues here a highly effective collaboration in the background in scenes where we Warlikowski gave the story one of his with the brilliant French video artist, don’t expect them, suggesting that the ingenious twists, shifting it to the icy, Denis Guéguin. Witches are dictating the events of the white-tiled interior of a 1940s sanato- The stellar cast followed Warlikowski’s story rather than simply predicting them. rium where the Kaiser (Johan Botha) and vision, playing out their mythological roles Sean Nieuwenhuis designed the atmo- Kaiserin (Adrianne Pieczonka) are takng unaware of the human consequences. Piec- spheric projections and Jason Hand the a luxury rehab cure, accompanied by zonka seems to have gained dramatically

Spring 2014 53 Opera in Review and vocally from her strikng work as rebuilding and renewal symbolized in this Sea of Stories, based on a Salman Rushdie Chrysothemis in the late Patrice Chéreau’s anniversary event, rewarded the singers, novel, was seen at New York City Opera Elektra last summer in Aix. Her grip on Warlikowski and especially Petrenko with in 2004—and it is an intelligent score. In Straussian style is ever more convincing. ecstatic applause. —Denise Wendel two acts with 22 scenes, there are also vari- Deborah Polaski’s unusually masculine, ous orchestral interludes. Sweeping passages Mephistophelian characterization of Amme SPAIN: MADRID abound, along with a constant dialogue intensified as the Kaiserin weakly submit- Against breathtaking images of the Wyo- between the instruments and voices. ted. Johan Botha was his usual inert self—a ming mountains, a menacing black-coated Although there are several duos between human form with heavenly notes. Koch cowboy entered to deep resounding the two lovers, this is really a composition was ideally plebian, though also sang like chords from the pit. This was the most of recitatives.The 75-year-old Wuorinen a god. Pankratova made the biggest indi- atmospheric start to the world première says his music accompanies the libretto, vidual impact through the beauty and of Brokeback Mountain at Madrid’s Teatro written by Proulx herself. He used her astonishing volume of her voice, her keen Real Jan 27. The Academy Award-win- words to inspire the musical depiction of sense of line, her detailed word painting and ning film by Ang Lee, based on a short desolation in a hostile environment. The her complete commitment as an actress. story by Annie Proulx, which narrates composer and Proulx also spent time The excellent children’s choir and the the doomed homosexual relationship together, exploring Wyoming and audi- numerous young extras were all impor- between two cowboys, hardly seemed a tioning singer-actors. tant, integral parts of Warlikoski’s moving likely project for a European house. How- Theatre there was in the fine perfor- concept. ever, Madrid’s former Artistic Director, the mance of Ottawa-born bass-baritone Petrenko is making his mark as a bold late Gerard Mortier, had commissioned Daniel Okulitch as Ennis del Mar. He had dynamic force on the podium. He con- the opera when he was in New York. And the most demanding role in the opera, ducts in a clear, purposeful manner that although Mortier left the Real last fall, and his commanding voice accompanied is focused on the music and the players. there was no turning back: the curtain an enormous stage presence. Both musi- He has already a fine chemistry with the went up with unprecedented interest in cally and psychologically, Ennis evolves. Staatsoper orchestra, amply demonstrated and outside Spain. He moves from silent nods and gestures in this most complex work. The audience, This is composer Charles Wuorinen’s to awkward one-liners, with a final out- poignantly aware of the remembrance, second opera—the first, Haroun and the pouring of emotion after Jack dies. The 15 Photo: wilfried hosl

(From left) Johan Botha (Emperor), Elena Pankratova (Dyer’s Wife), Adrianne Pieczonka (Emperor’s Wife) and Wolfgang Koch (Barak, the Dyer) with Children’s Chorus in Munich’s Die Frau ohne Schatten

54 Opera Canada minutes of the inevitably tragic denoue- ment belonged to Okulitch, and they were Daniel Okulitch (left, Ennis del the best of the evening. Tenor Tom Randle Mar) and Tom Randle (Jack Twist) in the premiere of Brokeback was a good counterpart as Jack Twist, the Mountain at Madrid’s Teatro Real lovers’ voices complementing each other. However, the only lyrical, briefly operatic moment of the opera was for the excellent mezzo Jane Henschel as Jack’s mother. The rest of the cast was hindered by Proulx’s trivial libretto. The wives were too predict- able—Heather Buck as Alma and Hannah Esther Minutillo as Lureen—while the bad guys—Ethan Herschenfeld and Ryan MacPherson—were stock characters. Titus Engel conducted the Real’s orchestra and chorus (as the Townspeople), balancing authority with delicacy. The production by Ivo von Hove lent on John Cassavetes and Edward Hopper for the (unconvincing) small-town feel- ing, although Tal Yarden’s powerful videos projected the mountain landscape most effectively. Yet few were touched at the Photo: javier del real end of the two hours. Wuroinen’s care- fully crafted score was not sufficient to overcome the facile libretto or artificial staging. —Victorial Stapells

July 24 to August 4 2014

Artistic Director and General Manager «Although the Quebec Opera Festival is only Grégoire Legendre in its third season, it has already established itself in the North American summer opera circuit with cutting-edge productions and world class execution.» Karyl Charna Lynn, Opera Now, Fall 2013 It’s a rendez-vous!

www.festivaloperaquebec.com

Spring 2014 55 Opera at home Reviews of CDs and DVDs

creepily malevolent in Act command of the contrast- really staged for and around CDs I as he gets Cassio drunk ing ebb and flow of emotion the great soprano as early as Otello and into a fight, then scarily and passion in the music 1953 in Florence. The same Verdi vicious in Act II and Act III throughout the opera. His production was mounted Walhall: WLCD 0375 as he plays on Otello’s weak- pacing is spot on. to huge acclaim in Dallas in nesses. Even in 1963, Vickers’ The sound of this release 1958, which is where and Medea portrayal of a man coming is acceptable enough, though when Vickers joined her as Cherubini unhinged is pointed and har- variable. It’s hard to figure Giasone, and then was taken ICA Classics: ICAC 5110 rowing. Singly and together, out exactly where the micro- up by Covent Garden a year both are in great form. I wish phones were placed—either later (documented here). A that had also been true of over the orchestra or some- final outing with the duo at Raina Kabaivanska, whose where around the rim of the in the 1961/62 sea- Desdemona sounds wildly pit. You get a very detailed son marked Callas’s farewell uneven. She clearly takes aural impression of some sec- to the Italian stage. some time to warm up, but tions of the orchestra—if you Coincidentally, I saw a her intonation remains iffy want to study the trumpet remastered version of Pier even after. While she’s no parts in Otello, this is the right Paolo Pasolini’s Medea, made The common element in match for Vickers in the Act recording—but the voices a decade after this London these two otherwise-disparate I love duet, she does fortu- can sound more or less dis- performance and starring historical reissues is the cast- nately manage—just—to pull tant, presumably depending Callas in her only film role, ing of tenor Jon Vickers. The herself together vocally for on where they are on the when I was listening to this Cherubini is from June 30, the Act IV “Willow Song” stage. This problem affects recording. It’s a remarkable 1959, a live BBC relay from and “Ave Maria.” how we hear Vickers more film treatment consider- London’s Covent Garden. The other big star of than Quilico, and, to be fair, ing that, though playing The Verdi is from May 19, this performance—brilliant recorded sound may be a the central role, Callas is 1963, recorded live at the enough alone to make this factor in how Kabaivanska’s silent throughout. But her Teatro Colón in Buenos recording worthwhile—is performance comes across. characterization remains Aires. Both releases, then, conductor Berislav Klobucar, But despite these factors, this very powerful and evoca- capture the tenor in the who whips up one of the is a must-hear performance. tive, doubtless honed by her ascendant relatively early in most hot-blooded and excit- This is a budget release, with development of the character his career, although he was no booklet, just a leaflet with through Cherubini’s opera. already established on the the most basic information She’s in very good voice here, international scene. (although nothing on the cir- bringing all the intensity, The Verdi release is par- cumstances of the recording). nuance and color that made ticularly attractive because It has, however, been usefully her sui generis. Vickers is in we hear Vickers singing divided into individual tracks, good voice too, recorded just alongside his compatriot, which are listed. two years after his Covent Louis Quilico, who proves Documentation and Garden debut, and the rest a compellingly villain- ing performances I have ever recorded sound are con- of the cast includes some ous Iago. There have been heard of this opera. It’s as siderably better on the eminent artists of the day, other recordings of these detailed as it is driven right Cherubini release, the lat- including Fiorenza Cossotto two together in this opera from the outset. The open- ter, of course, because the (Neris), Joan Carlyle (Glauce) live—including one from the ing storm scene and even source material was a BBC and Nicola Zaccaria (Cre- Metropolitan Opera from a the street brawl are almost radio broadcast (mono, not onte). Nicola Rescigno, who decade later—but in terms Wagnerian in their intensity stereo). This has been avail- conducted in Dallas, is on the of dramatic and musical per- (the chorus, by the way, was able before, though here podium. This opera is rarely formance, I don’t think I’ve obviously very well drilled), has been remastered to very performed, in part because heard anything better than while the lyricism and line fine effect.T his performance the title role is so demanding the searing accounts both of the love duet is achingly pairs Vickers with Maria dramatically and technically. summoned here. Quilico is beautiful. Klobucar is in full Callas in an opera that was Anyone who takes it on is

56 Opera Canada singing in the shadow of version, finding the lower, “Frühlingstraum” (“Dream of intrusive, matching the singer Callas’s assumption, and this darker sonority more suitable Spring”), yet another meta- in every aspect. Generally, splendid release shows just to the poems and story. phor, this time for spring and he uses a small piano sound, how big that shadow is. Finley’s vocal qualities in happy memories versus win- classical and Viennese but —Wayne Gooding opera, concert and song have ter and despair. The use of full, in keeping with the long been praised. The voice silence between verses here is less-is-more concept. Drake WINTERREISE is not large, but focused and perfectly gauged to increase proves here that he is one of GERALD FINLEY pure, even when he alters the tension and anxiety, while the the finest collaborative pia- Hyperion: CDA68034 shade and tone color to suit tender warmth of the final nists working today. The CD Schubert’s 24-song cycle the text. This restraint only line, where the poet ponders booklet contains good notes, Winterreise (Winter’s Journey) seems to add to the drama. when he will again hold as well as full German texts is often considered one But the vocal quality is really his lover in his arms, is very and translations. Don’t miss of the peaks of the male only the beginning. It’s the moving. Schubert completes this recording. —Rick Phillips singer’s lieder repertoire. intelligence and thought in this song in the minor key, This recorded performance this recording, the concep- answering the poet’s question GUITARIAS by baritone Gerald Finley tion of Finley and Drake for us. As the cycle nears the DOUG MACNAUGHTON and English pianist Julius end, the sense of exhaustion DougMacNaughton.com Drake comes in the wake increases, reaching a peak in Baritone Doug MacNaugh- of their North American song #21, “Das Wirthaus” ton has appeared regularly tour early this year. In a pro- (“The Inn.”) Although the in a variety of roles with motional clip on YouTube, piano gets to sum up this Canadian opera companies Finley describes Winterreise song loudly after the last from coast to coast since as “one of the major works line, Drake is able to bring his debut with Edmonton of music—of all music…a across its sense of finality.T he Opera in 1982 at the age of fundamental work of Western that win you over. Finley is famous final song, “Der Lei- 20. Oratorio, lieder, songs and culture.” Big words, though magical in conveying the past ermann” (translated here as contemporary music have this new release illustrates the memories of happiness of “The Hurdy-Gurdy Player,” also been important ele- love and respect these two the poet, as well as his despair which is preferable to the ments of his career—as well musicians hold for the piece, and loneliness in his current usual “Organ-Grinder”), has as the guitar, it seems. This and the result is one of the situation, increasing to anger rarely been done sowell. The new recording, on which finest recordings of it ever and near panic at times. Over overall “less is more” concept he is featured as both singer produced. Through poems by the course of the cycle, he of the entire performance and guitarist, is his fourth Wilhelm Müller, Winterreise gradually lightens his tone, comes to its final fruition recording as a singer, but his tells of a jilted lover journey- illustrating the slow shift from here, as this song is presented first as a guitarist. It contains ing through a cold, wintry the poet’s confidence at the simply, unadorned and cold, landscape, revisiting his love beginning to his obsession with Finley -less experience in flashbacks, with death at the end. It’s and almost at a whisper. Of seeking escape and ulti- more musical storytelling course, recorded in a closed mately death by the end. As than singing—exactly as it studio session, there is no the great German baritone should be—never melodra- applause—something that and Winterreise interpreter matic or overly sentimental. can often ruin the effect of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau For example, the emo- Winterreise when experienced a variety of songs for voice once explained: “Regret and tional contrasts of song #5, live. Produced in a London and guitar commissioned renunciation are his themes. “Der Lindenbaum” (“The church, the recorded sound is by MacNaughton from Dreams are the lover’s torture, Linden Tree”), are very broad clean and transparent, with a Canadian composers. These and the battle with his emo- as the poet wrestles with warm bloom. include: Beckett Songs, John tions is long and despairing.” past memories of love and Drake deserves high Beckwith’s setting of poems Regularly performed and the cold, icy metaphor of his praise as the equal partner to by Samuel Beckett; Flower recorded by either tenor or winter’s journey. Similar vivid Finley—always supportive Arranger, Leslie Uyeda’s set- baritone, I prefer the baritone contrasts appear in song #11, and complementary, never ting of Joy Kogawa poems;

Spring 2014 57 Opera at Home and the four-song cycle, The to project a more complete his compositions on the mine—if I buy a CD, I still Truth of Matter, poetry by musical performance than medieval style of troubadours want the texts and transla- Linda Hogan set by William would emerge if voice and and trobairitz, but instilling tions included. —Rick Phillips Beauvais. Also included is guitar had been tracked them with his own love and Shadows, British composer separately. Notes and full familiarity with more recent DVDs John Rutter’s cycle using English texts are provided. folk and world music. As he DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE texts by 16th- and 17th-cen- —Rick Phillips says in the notes: “I think the MOZART tury poets. style of these pieces reflects Euroarts: BPH130011 MacNaughton has a rich TROBAIRITZ the time and place in which Recorded live at the Baden- baritone, stentorian at times, SHANNON MERCER we live: Montreal 2013.” Baden Easter Festival from a but he’s able to bring it Analekta: AN 2 9846 The result is a record- single performance on Apr. 1, down with warmer, tenderer It’s surprising no one has ing of very listenable songs 2013, this Robert Carsen shades, although sometimes thought of this record con- that initially sound ancient, production of Mozart’s sounding a bit restricted up cept before. Trobairitz were but mixed and updated with charming and multilayered high. His diction has always the female poets of the 12th contemporary influences. penultimate opera features been excellent, as it is here. and 13th centuries, mostly Soprano Shannon Mercer is a strong cast, along with the Personally, I prefer the com- noblewomen in the south of the highlight here, featured Rundfunkchor Berlin and missioned Canadian songs France, wives and daughters on most of the tracks (four the by Beckwith, Uyeda and of dukes and counts, often purely instrumental selec- under the direction of Simon Beauvais, which share a con- the lovers of troubadours tions are included). Dagher’s Rattle. The generous extras templative and meditative and minstrels. Because they music is demanding, often include an introduction by style and are programmed crossed the social strata of very wide in range, but Rattle, comments by Carsen nicely on the disc. They suit their day, their secular poems Mercer shows her versatil- on the staging and a “Behind MacNaughton well and he provide a truer view of their ity and is completely up to the Scenes” feature. I was seems sincere and completely medieval society. Frowned on the challenges, singing with surprised to learn that this at home with them. Even by the church, these poems her usual true, clean sound marked the first live perfor- with the occasional difficult deal with love from many and crisp diction. The Occi- mances of Die Zauberflöte by leap and awkward landing female perspectives—from tan language—a kind of the Berlin orchestra, although on irregular phrases, these marriage to betrayal, mother- mix of French with Italian helmed songs still have strong lyrical hood to adultery, and even and Spanish—is weird and a major studio release in qualities, nicely negotiated woman to woman. Unfor- difficult to pronounce, let 1980 and Thomas Beecham by the baritone. The Rut- tunately, the names of the alone sing. Mercer manages led a memorable cast in his ter songs often lie higher in poets are not listed with their it well, while nicely captur- landmark recording from his range—and the songs corresponding poems. Writ- ing the moving emotions the the 1930s. “I’ve spent my themselves are too deriva- and expression of the poems. life avoiding conducting it,” tive, written in a kind of Recorded sound is tight but the 59-yer-old Rattle says. neo-English folk-song style warm, and very suitable for “The piece is a conductor’s that grew tiring. They don’t the material. The record- graveyard and I know many match the sentiment, mood, ing is available as a physical people who find it very, very style or quality of the Cana- CD or as a digital download difficult. It’s very hard to be dian material. from the Analekta website simple, and you absolutely The recording, produced (www.analekta.com). Sadly, must be simple in this piece.” at St. George the Martyr ten in the ancient Romance the poems and translations The “graveyard” reference Church in Toronto, is quite language of Occitan or are not included in the CD is an apt one for this produc- resonant, but works well langue d’oc, the texts were booklet and are only avail- tion. Rattle and Carsen stress for the material by offering undoubtedly sung, although able at the web site. With a the opera’s obsession with space without any loss of the music has not survived. few clicks of the mouse, you death, noting more than 60 clarity. Wisely, the guitar is That task became the can arrive there to find the references to the word or close-miked, and the decision brainchild of Seán Dagher, original Occitan as well as its derivatives in the libretto, to record voice and guitar composer, arranger and modern French and Eng- plus multiple suicide and together was the right one. Music Director of Montreal- lish translations. (For some murder attempts. The forest MacNaughton is an excel- based La Nef. Wisely, Dagher reason, there is no English setting, with film projections lent guitarist, and is able to did not shoot for historical translation for track #7.) This as a backdrop, has Monos- play and sing well together authenticity, instead basing is an ongoing pet peeve of tatos (a suitably evil James

58 Opera Canada Elliott) and his henchmen catcher (lugging a camping dressed as shovel-brandishing backpack and cooler), the undertakers, and various youthful Hungarian-German characters emerge from or baritone Michael Nagy is descend into graves in the charming. As the Queen stage floor:T amino climbs of the Night, Macedonian out as he escapes from the soprano Ana Durlovsky, clad serpent (which turns out in a little black dress and to be a very unthreatening heels, is disappointing in “O long snake), and Tamino and zittre nicht” (sluggish runs Papageno are led down to and tentative high Fs), but she Sarastro’s subterranean abode comes together better in her for their trials. The Three fiery Act II aria, “Der Hölle Ladies (Annick Massis, Mag- Rache.” The Three Boys, NATHAN GUNN dalena Kozená and Nathalie who first enter in soccer Stutzmann, all in fine form) uniforms kicking a ball, blend Baritone appear as widows in black beautifully, and Russian-born mourning attire, with veils bass Dimitry Ivashchenko and sunglasses. is a dignified Sarastro, with JULIE GUNN The set, by Toronto-based a firmly focused, booming designer Michael Levine, lower register. Piano features an extended stage Rattle’s chief strengths in the form of a walkway are the clarity and beautiful RICHARD MARGISON that surrounds all four sides pacing he brings to the per- of the orchestra pit, used in formance, and the orchestra’s LAUREN MARGISON the overture to have the cast brass section sounds glorious. & HOS ALUMNI assemble one by one from The chorus is also magnifi- the back of the hall and gather around the perimeter DINNER & CONCERT TO BENEFIT to listen to the orchestra and gaze down like rapt audience RISING OPERA TALENT THROUGH members themselves. During HIGHLANDS OPERA STUDIO the overture’s final measures, they stand one by one and begin to take their places on stage. The same process, in MONDAY JUNE 2 | 6pm reverse, brings the opera full circle during the finale. It’s a cent. So there are attractions First Canadian Place | Floor 68 simple but effective touch. and drawbacks here. Not Slovakian tenor Pavol one of the great Zauberflöte 100 King St W | Toronto Breslik cuts a young and performances, but some ele- dashing figure as Prince ments will draw me to return Tamino, with a very attrac- to it from time to time. TICKETS $250 | Tables of 8 tive, bright lyric tenor voice. —Rick MacMillan English soprano Kate Royal, Info 905-640-5235 as Pamina, is one of the star L’HEURE www.HighlandsOperaStudio.com attractions, and she does not ESPAGNOLE/ disappoint. Her “Bei Män- L’ENFANT ET nern” duet with Papageno LES SORTILÈGES is a delight and her poignant RAVEL “Ach, ich fühl’s” in Act II Fra Musica: EDV 1610 Sponsored by shows her to be a most French director Laurent elegant Mozart singer. In the Pelly has created a mas- Photo by Michael Sharkey role of the man-child bird terful look for these two

Spring 2014 59 Opera at Home charming Ravel one-act Alek Shrader) and the hope- soprano Khatouna Gadelia, including a relaxed Madore operas, staged at Glynde- ful, buffoonish banker Don looking very much like a in his Blue Jays T-shirt. bourne in August 2012 with Iñigo Gómez (French bass- little boy) who refuses to do —Rick MacMillan the Glyndebourne Chorus baritone Paul Gay, in a gray his homework and gener- and London Philharmonic three-piece suit and sporting ally misbehaves—knocking LES CONTES Orchestra under conductor a bad comb-over). There are dishes off of the gigantic D’HOFFMANN Kazushi Ono. L’heure espag- various opportunities for table, injuring a squirrel, OFFENBACH nole is a restaging of Pelly’s hiding in grandfather clocks breaking a clock, tearing up Erato: 46369140 2004 production for Paris, and lugging them about, his school books, vandal- Hoffmann represented but L’enfant et les sortilèges but eventually Torquemada izing the wallpaper. During Offenbach’s first foray into was newly imagined for the returns and the entire five- the course of the opera, grand opera after a life spent Glyndebourne double bill. person cast joins together for various elements (furniture, focusing on his lighter, less- The colorful set for a brief moral to the story. dishes, the clock, images risky operettas. Originally L’heure is crammed with Every singer is perfectly from the wallpaper and intended for the 1877/78 cast. Madore’s lyrical bari- an assortment of animals) season of the Gaité-Lyrique tone is ideally suited to his come to life and attempt in Paris, the opera, with role. Piolino, whose part is to teach the child a lesson. libretto by Jules Barbier, small, plays the cuckolded In the end, after doing a was put on hold when that husband to great effect, good deed for an injured theatre declared bankruptcy. while Shrader is an elegant animal, he finds favor with Hoffmann continued com- romantic figure. d’Oustrac the whole menagerie and is posing, but died in 1880 is exquisite in vocal terms reunited with his mother. before completing much of (with her warm, lovely Pelly’s production is an Act IV or the end of Act soprano) and in character- absolute delight at every V, and with none of the clocks, all types of furniture ization, hamming it up at turn, and bursting with orchestration undertaken. and boxes, an imposing every turn. It’s a real hoot. imagination. And, of course, (The work, which draws stuffed bull and a stairs L’heure has much coming Ravel’s music is evocative from various tales by E.T.A. leading to the bedroom, and going and a small cast, and gorgeously scored. All Hoffmann, relates a story where some behind-the- but there are opportuni- of the cast members from of the poet himself, regal- scenes action takes place. ties for arias and extended L’heure have parts here with ing friends in a tavern with Toronto-based baritone character studies. L’enfant, the exception of Shrader, Elliot Madore (looking suit- on the other hand, has a and all are superb. Madore ably Spanish in his beret and much larger cast (with many appears as the hilarious Tom four-day stubble) takes on singers taking on two or Cat and grandfather clock; the central role of Ramiro, more roles) and is built from Piolino wears an awkward- the rough and rustic mule more than 20 scenes over its looking teapot suit and driver who enters the shop brief 45-minute duration. later shouts out rapid-fire of clockmaker Torque- The longest lasts just two mathematical quizzes as mada (Swiss tenor François minutes, while the short- Little Old Man (Arithmetic); Piolino) to have his watch est flies by in less than one. d’Oustrac is a sexy female repaired. The clockmaker This makes for some frantic cat and later a puffed-up memories of a series of is soon convinced by his backstage movement of sets, squirrel; and Gay takes turns doomed women in his life.) lusty wife, Concepción furniture and props, and as an Armchair (his suit pat- After the composer’s (French soprano Stéphanie multiple costume changes, terned in identical fashion to death, Ernest Guiraud was d’Oustrac), that he must but from the audience per- the black-and-white stripes contracted to complete the leave immediately for his spective everything unfolds of the chair in which he work for a production in duties as regulator of the in magical fashion on the sits) and a Tree. Especially 1881 (cutting most of the town’s clocks. While moving darkened, dream-like stage. impressive is coloratura Venetian act), but it has furniture for Concepción, Props and other elements are Kathleen Kim, in dazzling since gone through many Ramiro catches her eye and constantly moving; nothing roles as Fire and Princess. editions and no one can be the two are soon in the bed- remains in one place. Extra features on each sure whether Offenbach’s room. Also in the mix are L’enfant, based on a story opera offer interesting original intentions have Concepción’s lover, the poet by Collette, introduces us commentary by the direc- ever been met. Modern Gonzalve (American tenor to a child (Russian-French tor, conductor and singers, performances sometimes

60 Opera Canada switch the order of the third we have suddenly dropped and fourth acts, closing with in on a film-production TH either the romantic Venetian set). Once she alights, her TICKETS ON SALE MAY 5 act (which launches with metallic-colored dress with CANADA’S ONLY the famous barcarolle, “Belle a hoop in the hem hides the OUTDOOR SUMMER OPERA FESTIVAL nuit, ô nuit d’amour”), or, fact that she is gliding about as in this staging, with the the stage (or being pushed dramatic Antonia act. about) wearing inline This co-production by skates beneath. Kim is most Laurent Pelly was created for impressive in the role, with a Barcelona’s Gran Theatre del glorious top. Liceu, San Francisco Opera Spyres is only OK as and Opéra National de Hoffmann, with a some- Lyon, and had its premiere in what thin voice in a role February 2013 in Barcelona that requires a great deal of MUSIC BY: (filmed for this DVD release), stamina over the five acts, with a follow-up staging in and Pavlovskaya is an equally BOOK ADAPTED FROM VOLTAIRE BY: LYRICS BY: San Francisco in July of that average Giulietta. Overall, the HUGH WHEELER RICHARD WILBUR year. The cast is largely Span- chorus is a real standout, as ish and French, apart from is baritone Laurent Naouri American tenor Michael in his multirole casting as Spyres in the title role, the the various forces of evil: diminutive Korean-Amer- Lindorf, Coppélius, Docteur WITH ADDITIONAL LYRICS BY: STEPHEN SONDHEIM AND JOHN LATOUCHE ican coloratura Kathleen Miracle and Dapertutto. Kim as the mechanical doll Dessay, who recently turned Olympia, Russian soprano 49, was originally contracted FAMILYBY ENGELBERT MATINÉES HUMPERDINCK Tatiana Pavlovskaya as to sing all three major female Giulietta and Canadian roles—Olympia, Giulietta mezzo Michèle Losier as and Antonia—but bowed BY ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK Nicklausse/La Muse. The out when she realized her renowned French soprano upper register might not Natalie Dessay (Antonia) is be able to meet that chal- the only cast member who lenge. Indeed, she has lost also took part in the San some of the glow in her Francisco production. top and a slight wobble is Laurent’s staging focuses creeping in, but overall her on the dark, moody ele- performance as Antonia is ments of the tales, with a triumph of majestic sing- 19th-century-style black or ing and acting, even if she AUGUST 14 – 23, 2014 gray costumes throughout appears old enough to be and a set that is surprisingly Hoffmann’s mother. In her FEATURED IN A 900-SEAT TENT RIVERWALK PLAZA, EAST VILLAGE plain, even boring, compris- spoken lines, her beautiful ing a series of modular walls French is a plus, whereas Festival site animated with roving circus performers, that open and close to reveal Pavlovskaya’s is clearly not outdoor opera concerts, food trucks, movie nights, or hide characters and stage idiomatic. Losier is charming the Big Rock beer tent and much more. elements. For the Olympia in the dual roles of Hoff- act, Kim is suspended in mid man’s female Muse and air while singing her glitter- his male friend Nicklausse, ing aria, “Les oiseaux dans la and in fine voice, especially charmille” (the machinery touching in the final scene calgaryopera.com/bigtop is magically shrouded in as she (he) and Hoffmann darkness at first, and then lie together, the poet quietly revealed as an obvious crane weeping over his lost loves. with operators, as though —Rick MacMillan

Spring 2014 61 The final take Music Sondra Radvanovsky can’t live without

Roberto Devereux After spending the Fall in Metropolitan Opera productions of Norma Donizetti and Tosca and the Vienna Staatsoper’s Un ballo in maschera, 2014 Gala: 528 finds soprano Sondra Radvanovsky criss-crossing the Atlantic again. I listen a lot to whatever In March, she reprises her Tosca for Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu, music I’m currently working and then comes back home for a role debut as Elisabetta in Donizetti’s on, and espe- Roberto Devereux (Apr./May) at the Canadian Opera Company. There’s cially to hear another debut Jun. 5 in Strauss’s Vier letzte Lieder with the Toronto the orchestra- Symphony Orchestra before she moves on to London’s Covent Gar- tion in works den for more Toscas. In September, she opens San Francisco Opera’s that are new to my reper- season in a new production of Norma (COC is a co-producer, and she’ll be singing the role in toire. For Roberto Devereux, Toronto in a not-so-distant season). In November, she’ll be heard in recital with her New York- I started with , based coach, Anthony Manoli, at Los Angeles Opera, then ends the year on another regal note in but then started to listen to the title role of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s staging of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena. It’s a driven schedule, Monserrat Caballé on this but then, that’s always been the Radvanovsky way: “There was never any doubt about what I was disc. Her voice is bigger, but n ov a n to avel going to do,” she says. “I knew I was going to be an opera singer from the age of 11.” still effortless in this music.

: p Photo It’s been instructive to com- The Mission I started singing Verdi pare and contrast the two, as Morricone because of Karen well as other approaches I’ve Virgin: 90567 2 Carpenter, whose RCA: 5444122 found on YouTube. When I heard the soundtrack voice was pure Price has been with me to this movie for the first time, gold. At first I just sang along, since I started singing Verdi. We Wish You A Merry it was around the time my then started harmonizing I started as a mezzo, then Christmas father died. The when I was about 7. “Sing, thought I was going to be the Ray Conniff Singers haunting melody Sing a Song” became my life. next Beverly Sills Columbia: 8692 for “Gabriel’s when I switched I adore Christmas music, Oboe” really Greatest Hits to coloratura though the more traditional, resonated. It was so sad and Queen soprano in my classical-choral lyrical that it made me cry Hollywood: 161265 mid-teens. But when I was kind rather uncontrollably. I think Freddie 18 or 19, one of my teachers, than songs Mercury had , told me I about white Má Vlast one of the best was going to sing Verdi, and Christmases or jingling Smetana operatic voices in one of the things he gave me sleigh bells. These carols Supraphon: 3661 the world that no one knew was Price singing the “Ave remind me of singing hymns My father was Czech, and I about. Just listen to him Maria” and “Willow Song” in church. heard this music a lot growing in “Bohemian Rhapsody.” from Otello. up. I am gener- Fantastic. Silence ally a very happy, Greatest Hits So Far The fact is that much of smiley person, Tosca Pink the time I don’t play music. but perhaps some Puccini Jive: 7806457 Making music is what I do, darker colorings come from EMI: 940198 This is music for the gym or and there’s always music in this side of the family and is my inspiration, dancing around. my head. Since I’m usually they’re reflected in this music. and her first (1953) record- It’s not typically working in the downtown ing of Tosca really taught me repetitive pop core of a city, there’s also Greatest Hits so much. Her music, and the a lot of noise in my life, so Carpenters voice isn’t to vocals are amazing. She’s a silence is truly something I A&M: 1127387 everyone’s taste, real powerhouse of a singer treasure. I live in the country This was the first album I I know, but what with a great voice, which she and love the silence. When owned after we got a record she did with words, music uses to communicate with my coach comes, he finds it player when I was about 5. and character was incredible. great soul. too quiet.

62 Opera Canada

20142015 SEASON

EPIC& Intimate

FALSTAFF VERDI MADAMA BUTTERFLY PUCCINI DON GIOVANNI MOZART DIE WALKÜRE WAGNER NEW ROSSINI VALUE PRICING BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE/ SEE ALL SIX ERWARTUNG OPERAS BARTÓK/SCHOENBERG FROM $169 canadianopera.ca

BMO Financial Group Pre-Performance Presenting Sponsor Official Automotive Production Sponsor Production Sponsor Falstaff, Don Giovanni Opera Chats & BMO Financial Group of SURTITLES™ Sponsor Madama Butterfly The Barber of Seville and The Barber of Seville Student Dress Rehearsals supported by Falstaff underwritten in part by

Madama Butterfly originally made possible by John A. Cook Die Walküre originally made possible by Kolter Communities

Photo: Gary Mulcahey

Date: Mar 10, 2014 Job#: Filename_ Version# COC13604_OperaCanada_Spring_FP_FNL Client: COC Build/Artist: Josh/Josee Campaign: Spring Season Acct. Mgr: Melissa Ad#: Insertion Date: Spring 2014 Pub: Opera Canada Ship Date: Feb 28, 2014 559 College Street, Suite 401 Ad Size: 8.125” x 10.875" # Colours: 4C Toronto, ON M6G 1A9 416-323-3282 Bleed: .125 Safety/Live: .625 Line Screen: 100 lpi File Built at: 100% (1:1) PMS PMS INK DENSITY FOR NEWSPAPER: 240 INK DENSITY FOR MAGAZINE: 300