fall 2012 | volume 20 | number 1 allen moyer and mireille asselin and constance hoffman ambur braid the design of deceit exploring adele il trovatore’s 2012/2013 ensemble studio star quartet welcome! thank you a meSSaGe from General DIreCTor and farewell aleXander neef fall in love with opera to ARIAS For over 60 years ARIAS, formerly the Canadian Opera Volunteer Committee (COVC), and prior to that the Canadian Opera Women’s Committee (COWC), was integral in its volunteerism and support of the Canadian Opera Company, as well as one of the leading volunteer organizations for the promotion of opera in Canada. In 1947, a small group of Toronto women, led by Jean A. (Mrs. Floyd) Chalmers, formed an “Opera and Concert Committee.” Its focus was to promote performances at the Royal Conservatory of Music, as well as opera in general throughout the city. During a successful eight-day festival in 1950, they mounted La Bohème, Rigoletto, and Don A gift to our friends Giovanni at the Royal Alexandra Theatre and Editorial Board: later that year, when Herman Geiger-Torel robert lamb, and Nicholas Goldschmidt wished to create Photo: bohuang.caPhoto: Managing Director a new opera company, Jean Chalmers was roberto mauro, As I look back on my first years with a stable and stimulating presence with Artistic Administrator there with her committee members to help. the COC, I am proud of what we have our celebrated orchestra and chorus Jeremy elbourne, The company was then called the Opera accomplished together since my and is actively engaged in bringing Director of Marketing Festival Association of Toronto and in 1960 Claudine Domingue, appointment here and I am humbled them to even greater heights. All of officially became known as the Canadian Director of Public Relations Opera Company. by the confidence that our patrons, these advances serve and complement Christie Darville, donors, board members and this the spectacular opera house we Director of Development Over the decades, ARIAS has worked wonderful company have in me. call home. Editors: tirelessly with one goal in mind: to Thursday, October 18, 2012 Suzanne vanstone, As you know, the last four years have My contract extension through the Senior Communications Manager, Editorial, COC promote and support opera in Canada and been about increasing the company’s 2020/2021 season has brought me an Gianna Wichelow, assist gifted students with scholarships. 9 p.m. international reach and reputation – overwhelming number of kind words Senior Communications Manager, Creative, COC Fundraising activities included the Opera engaging world-renowned, visionary and congratulations, and reaffirms my Editors E-mail: [email protected] Shop, fashion shows, musicales, book sales, directors and conductors, and creating commitment to the present and future Design: endeavour art sales, Arias magazine, and an annual productions that welcome esteemed of excellence at the COC. This long- Contributors: nikita Gourski, Development Opera Ball. In addition, countless hours Communications officer, oC C; Jon Kaplan, were devoted to serving food at rehearsals, casts with a formidable Canadian term consistency allows us the chance Senior Theatre Writer at NOW magazine; presence – and this will continue to to lengthen our planning cycles maria lioutaia, former Publicist, CoC; hosting visiting artists, introducing them be a priority. These years have also even further, explore new repertoire, Claire morley, Communications assistant, to the city and generally making them feel buy tickets at operanation.ca CoC; vanessa Smith, School Programs as comfortable and as welcome as possible been about taking the necessary time develop new pieces, and take manager, CoC; Suzanne vanstone, Senior # to form lasting relationships and deep advantage of unique and wonderful Communications manager, editorial, CoC during their stay. operanation roots within our community. And, we partnerships with other artists and all information is correct at time of printing. ARIAS has supported the COC by annually are fortunate that our Music Director, opera companies, both in Canada sponsoring a performance or an entire Presenting VIP Dinner Official Media front cover: preliminary costume sketch of a Sponsor: Sponsor: Fragrance: Sponsors: Johannes Debus, continues to provide and abroad. female chorus member by costume designer production, and its donations over the years constance hoffman for the COC’s new production of Die Fledermaus, 2012. to the company have totalled over $6 million. Our fall season is a perfect distillation of these plans: a large It was also a generous capital campaign number of Canadian singers onstage; no fewer than three supporter with a gift of $600,000 to the Jackman building of the Four Seasons Centre for the opera stars making their role debuts with us – Ramón Vargas save time, save paper… Performing Arts. Family Il Trovatore Die and save the CoC mailing and printing costs! and Russell Braun in and Michael Schade in view Prelude online at coc.ca/Publications. It is with great appreciation and tremendous Fledermaus; and, with Fledermaus, a witty, new production Sign up at coc.ca/Prelude with your Patron thanks that we acknowledge this closing Event Sponsors: number no later than December 31, 2012 to of an opera and a genre that we haven’t produced in over 20 indicate that you no longer wish to receive a chapter of ARIAS, but we well know that its years. I couldn’t imagine a better way to start the next era in hard copy of Prelude. If we do not hear back indelible stamp will be on opera and opera from you, we will mail your regular issue of singers for many years to come. the COC’s history! Prelude in January 2013. we thank you. Photo by Mario Miotti. Dress by J. Mendel, Necklace and Bracelet by Tom Binns, Heels by Sergio Rossi. All available at The Room. Location courtesy of 2 Prelude magazine La Société. Creative: Endeavour totally brilliant and inspired music, nor just because of the crazy, frivolous the design of deceit New Year’s Eve entertainment. It is a wonderful story with terrific characters and situations that resonate with allen moyer and constance audiences down through the ages and has a lot to say about society, hoffman eXplore die fledermaus relationships and marriage. We look forward to presenting this work in a new light to our audiences.” By SuzannE VanStonE For further insights into Die Fledermaus, please see Suzanne Vanstone’s interview It is always a great moment for our so much, and we wanted to take a new at the home of Prince Orlofsky, where “A Fresh Fledermaus” with COC music company to have the opportunity look at it. It’s like mounting Così fan disguise and deceit are the order director Johannes Debus and director to create a new production for our tutte – you can do a production that is of the day, Falke begins to exact his Christopher Alden in the fall house program, audience, and it has been Alexander completely lighthearted and slightly revenge upon Eisenstein. The creative available online at coc.ca/publications. Neef’s goal, since his arrival, to flippant, or you can do a production team sees him as a pseudo-therapist, Allen Moyer Constance Hoffman regularly introduce new productions that also acknowledges the pain and a Sigmund Freud. Moyer says, “He to the COC’s repertoire. This fall we betrayal that is part of being an adult brings a sexual aspect to the forefront present Johann Strauss II’s delicious and falling in love.” The team wanted of Eisenstein’s and Rosalinde’s “We are fortunate that the COC has like entertainers with elaborate Die Fledermaus, which has not been to see what lay behind the froth and reality and the problems with their a wonderfully large theatre because headdresses (a Weimar version performed here since 1991. fluff and champagne. relationship become more obvious.” we wanted to use really broad of Busby Berkeley), as well as brushstrokes,” Moyer says. “The women who are experimenting by Set designer Allen Moyer (Nixon Moyer says that at the core of the Hoffman, too, is interested in the costumes will be amazing. They are trading places and taking clothes in China) and costume designer opera are the real, the imagined, and fantasies of infidelity. “When you so personalized, fanciful, sexy! We from the men. And also, of course, Constance Hoffman Julius( Caesar) the “almost” infidelities amongst strip away the sitcom aspects of always thought that Orlofsky’s party the bat and the bat image flits discuss a few of the visual aspects several of the characters, with the the situation and just look at the in Act II was similar to the one in through the whole design. There is of this production as well as what primary focus on the relationship relationships, that’s where the story the filmEyes Wide Shut.” The fact always this consciousness of that influenced some of their design between Eisenstein and his wife starts to take hold. Who is Dr. Falke? that the role of Orlofsky is a woman memory of Falke’s – his agenda choices. All the members of the Rosalinde. As such, one of the What is his relationship to this couple playing a man further informed and his embarrassment iterated in creative team were interested, from dominant pieces of furniture onstage and particularly his experience of their treatment of this scene. There different ways.” the start, in presenting a well-known is their marriage bed, and although it being humiliated and abandoned is a bit of a throw-away line in Act I The creative team took their work in a fresh, relevant way. They shifts during the course of the opera, it in the street? It is a potent, horrible that often gets ignored when Falke inspiration from several different felt there was great potential in is always present.