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Home , Barbara Dever, Christa Ludwig, Endrik Wottrich, Laura Claycomb, Marquita Lister, Melanie Diener

NATIONAL CAPITAL SOCIETY • SOCIÉTÉ D'OPÉRA DE LA CAPITALE NATIONALE Newsletter • Bulletin Summer 2001 Été

P.O. Box 8347, Main Terminal, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 3H8 • C.P. 8347, Succursale principale, Ottawa (Ontario) K1G 3H8

CALIXA COMES HOME!! by Tom McCool alixa Lavalée is best known as the composer many that is high praise indeed. (Lavalée was a con- of “O Canada” but this is not his only claim to temporary of Offenbach and lived in Paris for a time.) Cfame. Lavalée had a long and varied musical ca- Like Offenbach this opera has bouncy melodies, rous- reer as composer, performer and teacher in Canada, South ing choruses, the occasional soaring aria and some America, Europe and the United States. One of his lesser- truly funny moments. This production was enhanced known accomplishments is the comic opera, La Veuve, by the excellent playing of the orchestra and by a cast which was performed last month by Le Théâtre who could not only sing but had the ability to engage lyrique de Hull. the audience. Both the music and the libretto were well La Veuve received its premiere in New Orleans served by the performers. On top of that the costumes in 1881 and subsequently was successfully staged in Chi- were superb! On the down-side, while La Veuve is cago and a number of other American cities. The opera Offenbach-like it, alas, is not Offenbach. It does have then was billed as The Widow. This was entirely appro- the positive attributes mentioned above, but it does priate as the libretto was in English. Lavalée, born in not have the same sparkle that characterizes most of Verchères, Canada East (Quebec) in 1842, was living in the by the Parisian master. One major problem the United States at the time and, with La Veuve is that it has a in fact, died in Boston in 1891. plot so preposterous and so con- After initial success the opera voluted that even Gilbert & disappeared and was not redis- Sullivan might have rejected it. covered until some 20 years ago. But then, who goes to an opera Despite its English language ori- because of the plot! gins the piece has a definite This is the fourth time FrenchBrian feel, partly due to the fact in the last few years that I have that the setting is the south of attended a production staged by FranceLaw and the fact that there is Le Théâtre lyrique de Hull a ballet in the second act. Also, and each time it has been at a of course, the language is different location. Because of French! However, until this re- the high quality of their produc- cent production in June, the op- tions, including La Veuve, this era was never performed in company deserves a permanent French. Lavalée himself never home. Hopefully, the Maison heard the piece in his first lan- de Culture in Gatineau will guage! I think he would have serve this purpose. They also been pleased by the produc- deserve credit for offering a tion staged by Le Théâtre repertoire that is not otherwise lyrique de Hull. I know that accessible to opera aficionados the capacity audience enjoyed in the National Capital region. it immensely. Next year they plan to stage La Veuve has been de- Chabrier’s L’Étoile. I intend scribed as Offenbach-like and for to be there. Summer 2001 NEWSLETTER • BULLETIN Été 2001

PRESIDENT’S REPORT: National Capital Opera Society Annual General Meeting, June 10, 2001

he millenium year was one of hard work and retrench- The work being undertaken by Opera Lyra ment. With an eventually enlarged Board of Direc- Ottawa has grown in excellence. I’m sure we all Ttors it was an encouraging year that made us all feel enjoyed their offerings over the past year and that we could accomplish more. We continue to demonstrate many of us are private supporters. We advertise our devotion to opera in its many facets by concentrating on events in our Newsletter, and I know that you all the three major areas of the Society’s focus: the Brian Law read that great publication. Similarly, if other Opera Scholarship Competition; our support for opera in its events are brought to our attention where opera is many forms, whether they be, for example, Opera Lyra Ot- the focus, they find their way to the Newsletter. I tawa, Opera Breva, or the National Arts Centre; and third, applaud the work being done in making the News- our commitment to enhance the opera environment through letter a most enticing publication. activities for you, our members, and your friends and col- “Opera alla pasta” became a term associ- leagues. Unfortunately, our success in the generation of funds ated with a video showing of one of the world’s to finance our support, be they private dollars, corporate dol- opera classics at St. Anthony’s followed by a very lars or community dollars is a major part of this. good pasta dinner with all the trimmings and fu- The realization that a corporate fundraising campaign elled by the club bar. It makes for a pleasant Sun- to augment the Endowment Fund for the Brian Law Opera day afternoon and presently we are arranging the Scholarship has weighed heavily on the Board throughout next season. There is more and more going on in the year, and it is only into the year 2001 that we are starting the region to spice our opera lives, and these spe- to make slow progress on this undertaking. Our revised plan cial afternoons add much in their own way. from 1999 focuses the competition in “prime time”, presents The year was one of preparation for the a former winner in a short recital during the jury’s delibera- 2001 Brian Law Opera Scholarship with quite a tions, and follows the competition with an audience-wide few prospective entrants into the competition. It reception (with your help) – all serving to clearly say that takes several months of work to contact singers, this is a special event deserving of the attention of the music organize a preliminary competition and work on community. The $2000 scholarship is generous – though the plans for the final concert competition. Some not as rich as we might like. Through a series of private of us were dogged by illness and were grateful to donations over the years we have given each non-winner a other Board members who extended a hand and small honorarium of $100 to help reduce costs. The endow- sympathy. The best thing about this particular ment fund generates some interest returns, but at today’s year was that Gordon Metcalfe joined us as the interest rates you can imagine the magnitude of the inter- Society’s treasurer. A long search came to an end. est paid. This year of 2001 is getting to be an excit- We applaud the many positive developments at the ing one. The Christmas programming at the NAC National Arts Centre with its dynamic Conductor and Music features Brian Law as conductor of Handel’s Mes- Director. Excitement continues to pervade the place, and siah and among the soloists will be baritone Gerald one gets the feeling that the various programs rank far above Finley and counter- Daniel Taylor. We have the concerns of buildings and the many elements that go into made inquiries and are in the process of setting up a the Centre. I try to attend the public meetings of the Board special “Meet Our Friends, The Stars” reception af- of Trustees under their dynamic Chair, Dr. David Leighton.. ter one of the performances. Brian has a lot of friends Unfortunately that type of meeting has ceased and meetings still in town and we would like to honour him and have turned into presentations by the Director-General and the other two singers with a fund raising event where various other Department heads. This approach presents they could see everyone and enjoy some goodies. useful information but lacks the input gained from planned We are planning a tribute to Canadian singers with discussions of facets of the Centre’s plans and ongoing busi- a dinner, music and silent auction as another fund ness. More about the NAC later. raiser in the new year..

2 Summer 2001 NEWSLETTER • BULLETIN Été 2001

It was my pleasure to be invited by the NAC In this millenium plus one year let us all look to their launch of the summer “Great Composers’ Fes- to the future – all sharing our love of opera with our tival”. After the many announcements about the enthusiasm for all the arts in their many forms. Centre’s exciting program for young instrumental art- ists and aspiring conductors, Maestro Zuckerman took Thank you. the stage. After speaking about the summer schedule he started to muse about the future and said that he is working on seeing OPERA at the summer festival down the road. My clapped response, along with that of Hamilton Southam, was instant and prolonged. In N.C.O.S. Board of an ensuing conversation Maestro Zuckerman suggested that they must be given time, that it was very expen- Directors sive (as if we didn’t know), etc. I told him that we President Bobbi Cain primarily needed the music and the singers, that any Board Members elaborate staging was secondary, and that well-cho- Pat Adamo Renate Chartrand reographed concert encounters can be just as stirring. Murray Kitts Dan Levin He was quite interested. So, you never know what the Donald Metcalfe Peggy Pflug future may hold with a magician at the helm. Gerda Ruckerbauer Jean Saldanha I speak of people I have come to know and Torontow respect – those on and around the Board of Directors. The president was elected at our Annual Gen- — Pat Adamo, whose arrangements were key to the eral Meeting. The additional offices will be Opera alla pasta events, and, who along with Ute Davis, filled at our next Board meeting. takes great pictures; — Renate Chartrand, whose specialty is publicity gen- eration and distribution; Opera Lyra Ottawa Guild and CBC Radio — Kurt Fuerst, who was an interested supporter; present — Murray Kitts, who did some publicity and the Newsletter; A Day with Stuart Hamilton — Dan Leeman, who was a terrific helper at the video showings and with the Brian Law planning; Saturday, November 10, 2001 — Donald Metcalfe, who has earned a reputation as a Auditorium, National Library roving scribe for the Newsletter; 395 Wellington Street — Gordon Metcalfe, who has taken over the Treasurer’s job; — Peggy Pflug, who is expert on the food end of plan- Program ning events and throws great barbeques; 9:30 a.m. Coffee and registration — Gerda Ruckerbauer, who paints great pictures and 10:00 a.m. Master class makes innovative decorations; Noon Light Lunch — Jean Saldanha, who has worked so hard as boad secretary, and is now membership secretary; 1:00 p.m. Opera Quiz Norma Torontow, who has been my right-hand vice- 2:30 p.m. Stuart Hamilton lecture president and worked on events; — and Tom McCool, who is working with Murray producing a newsletter full of great information. $40 ($35 for Guild members) To all others who helped, our thanks. This has been a busy year for everyone, and without such Information: Adele Kline (260-2804) support it would have been much less successful that Pre-registration essential it has been. I thank all these people.

3 Summer 2001 NEWSLETTER • BULLETIN Été 2001

AN OPERA GOER’S DIARY by Donald Metcalfe

he 2000—2001 opera season has ended with an the number of production (nine) but also with the cast- embarrassment of riches in this part of the coun- ing. The first was at Covent Garden in 1978 with Ttry particularly for opera fans who enjoy works Stuart Burrows in the title rôle, Janet Baker as that are rarely heard. Idamante, and conduting. Of course, Opera Lyra Ottawa has given us IL Then in 1981 in Ottawa under Mario Bernardi TROVATORE in a fine production, but other operas I have we had George Shirley, Benita Valente, Mark Du attended have included much less conventional fare. Bois, and Pauline Tinsley in the cast as well as a young First in Toronto there was the Canadian Opera singer who appeared as a spear carrier, Ben Heppner. production of ’s BILLY BUDD, based on The following year at the Met I saw the Herman Melville story. conduct a star-studded performance with Pavarotti, The staging did not quite match the spectacular Ileana Cotrubas, and Hildegarde effort that I’ve seen twice a few years Behrens. ago, but the singing was exemplary, featuring Russell In the present COC production we were for- Braun in the title rôle, with Nigel Robson as Captain Vere, tunate in having our Canadian Michael Schade in the and Jeffrey Wells as John Claggart. title rôle. He was perfect in that part, as was Polish The problem with this opera is that it is written , Elzbieta Szmytka (last season’s Melisande) exclusively for male voices, and consequently there is in the rôle of Ilia and French soprano Isabelle Vernet no love interest. There are few arias and ensemble num- as Elettra. bers, the opera consisting entirely of recitatives with the Once again Richard Bradshaw has managed well with principal musical interest concentrated in the orchestra. agood choice of singers and a very acceptable pro- Britten’s emphasis is on the drama and he recruits every duction. musical means at his command to point up the personal On April 28 in I attended Canadian tragedy of the protagonist. Richard Bradshaw recognized composer Claude Vivier’s opera KOPERNIKUS. This this and offered us, as conductor, an appropriately sym- is not an opera I would recommend to the casual op- pathetic approach to the score. The scenery and costumes era fan. Since we have so little opportunity to see were from the Welsh National Opera and Opera Australia. Canadian content I felt obliged to take it in. The ninety minute piece, with an eight musi- cian orchestra conducted by Olivier Dejours in the appropriately smaller Salle Maisonneuve of the Place des Arts, offered no actual story, and has little to do with the title character. Rather there is Agni and around her gravitate real and mythical beings taken from history: Lewis Carroll, Merlin, a witch, the Queen of the Night, a blind prophet, an aged monk, Tristan and Isolda, Mozart, and others, making the opera a bit confusing to say the least. The friends with me thought that it was prob- ably a workshop production and didn’t justify a trip from Ottawa. I thought differently, and as I’m not The following evening, April 18, I attended a new that familiar with Vivier’s music I would like to have production by the COC of Mozart’s rarely heard an opportunity to hear the work again in the future . I’ve been lucky with this opera, not only with and pass judgment then.

4 Summer 2001 NEWSLETTER • BULLETIN Été 2001

ties. Equally effective was Amonasro sung by Mark Delavan whose baritone voice and physical presence were quite splendid. Louis Langelier’s Radames was less attractive, although he did man- age the famous aria Celeste quite acceptably. Mezzo soprano Barbara Dever as Amneris had a huge voice but the sound was not al- ways that pleasant. This was the twentieth AIDA I have attended beginning in 1965, also in Montreal, with K O P E R N I C U S conducting and Jon Vickers as Radames. Debussy’s PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE which I at- The Montreal Symphony ended its present sea- tended on May 12, once again in the Salle son on May 30 with a stunning concert version of Maisonneuve, was anther matter altogether. Al- Strauss’ ELECTRA featuring South African-born Eliza- though apprehensive about the size of the orchestra beth Connell in the title rôle and Charles Dutoit con- pit in this small hall for an opera that requires a large ducting the one hundred and fifteen musicians in the band of musicians, everything worked out admira- orchestra and a singing cast of fifteen on stage. I had bly under the direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin and heard Elizabeth Connell before in this opera in New the Orchestre Métropolitain. York under , but she sang the part of the The principal rôles: Pelléas – Marc Boucher, sister, Chrysothemis, and Eva Marton was Electra; so Mélisande – Nathalie Paulin, Golaud – Dion it was a pleasant surprise to hear this soaring voice in Mazerolle were sung well and took advantage of the the main rôle, offering us all that we should expect in intimacy of a smaller venue. this demanding portrayal of an obsessed person. A friend once referred to this opera as prob- ELECTRA was the first collaboration between ably the most boring opera he had ever heard , music Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal. In this opera, the to put you to sleep before the end of Act I. At the most complex score he ever wrote, the composer came first performance that I attended back in 1972 at the closest to atonalism; but it was made very clear in the Met I would have agreed had it not been for the Met final bar what direction he would take in the future: a debut that night of as Golaud with resounding C major chord pointed surely towards his Colin Davis conducting. Since then I have grown to next opera, . love this opera and as the Montreal production was The other soloists did very well indeed, particularly my seventeenth it has remained one of my favourites. Judith Forst as the mother, Klytemnestra; Françoise Pollet as One of the most meorable performances was in Vienna Chrysothemis; Alan Held as Orestes; and Siegfried Jerusalem in 1990 with the Statsoper under Claudio Abbado and suitably assuming the neurotic part of Aegisthus. Frederica von Stade and Christa Ludwig in the cast. The greatest praise, however, must be reserved On May 28 I attended the restaging of the for the Montreal Symphony and Maestro Dutoit for this Opéra de Montréal’s 1994 production of Verdi’s AIDA marvellous evening, my only regret being that I didn’t no doubt in honour of the centenary of the composer’s attend both performances. death. Victor de Renzi conducted the Orchestr It was my eighteenth ELECTRA including three Métropolitain with an entirely new cast of singers. featuring in the title rôle (Vienna, New Marquita Lister was fine in the title rôle displaying a York, Stockholm) but the Place des Arts concert will lustrous soprano voice and accomplished acting abili- have to rate high on my list of the best.

5 Summer 2001 NEWSLETTER • BULLETIN Été 2001 OPERA LYRA’S TRIBUTE TO VERDI by Murray Kitts ot only was the production of IL Tyrone Paterson proved once again TROVATOREa fitting tribute to the great that he is a skilled opera conductor and the Nopera composeron his anniversary year orchestra responded well. The chorus was but it was, in my opinion, the best performance of an especially improved over past productions. opera ever delivered by Opera Lyra. The sets from New Or- The singers were all leans were appropriate to the first-rate and this applies to melodramatic nature of the those in minor parts as opera. Costumes were fine well. The advance pub- except for the nuns in Act licity for Barbara II who looked more like Livingston prepared Bedouins (their cos- the audience for an tumes were probably outstanding inter- quite authentic, but pretation of looked strange). I Leonora.John half expected them MacMaster was ex- to throw off their cellent as Manrico. robes and reveal Yalun Zhang as the themselves as Count di Luna has Manrico’s men in a powerful if some- disguise. what rough voice, Stage Di- but quite adequate rector Ludek Golat for the part. kept the action moving It’s a little un- although I was not con- fair to judge the acting vinced that the Gypsy abilities of these three up women should be solicit- against those of Sharon Gra- ing around the guards at the ham as Azucena. Verdi expert beginning of Act I. Julian Budden says “...a singer who The lighting was on the whole cannot capture and hold her audience with quite good except in the scene where this most rewarding of mezzo-soprano roles has Leonora mistakes the Count for Manrico; no business on the operatic stage”. This is in that received a laugh from the audience no way to diminish the vocal and dramatic reading the surtitles because the stage was achievement of Sharon Graham but perhaps fully lit. puts the acting skills of the other principals in It was fashionable for some years for perspective. They just don’t have the same op- critics to denigrate Il trovatore but now it is portunity in their roles. recognized as one of Verdi’s greatest achieve- Taras Kulish as Ferrando and Gary Remigio ments. Bravo Opera Lyra! Viva Verdi! Pereira as Ruiz were both impressive. A special I hope all our members noted that “brava” to Isabelle Lacroix as Ines. Isabelle was the financial support of the National Capi- one of the outstanding contestants in the most re- tal Opera Society was acknowledged in the cent Brian Law Opera Scholarship competition. program.

6 Summer 2001 NEWSLETTER • BULLETIN Été 2001 On the Horizon...

Peter Grimes Sept 15, 17, 20, 22 & 26

Nabucco October 20, 22, 24 & 27 Nov 3, 5, 8, 10, 14 & 17 Black & White Opera Soiree Feb 16, 2002 Gala December 2 La Bohème April 13, 15, 17 & 20 La Traviata Feb 9, 11, 14, 16, 20 & 23

Tosca March 9, 11, 14, 16, 20 & 23

Thérèse Raquin April 24, 27, 29 & May 2

L'Elisir d'amore June 1, 3, 6, 8, & 12

Il tabarro & Cavelleria rusticana Sept 20, 23, 26, 29 Oct 2 & 5

Bluebeard's Castle & Erwartung Sept 21, 25, 27, 30 Oct 3 & 6

Giulio Cesare in Egitto Dec 3, 5, 7 & 9

Salome Jan 18, 23, 27, 31 Feb 2 & 5

Il viaggio a Reims Jan 22, 24, 26, 30 Feb 1 & 3

Boris Godunov April 5, 9, 11, 14, 17 & 20

Julius Caesar in Egypt April 6, 10, 12, 16, 18 & 21

7 Summer 2001 NEWSLETTER • BULLETIN Été 2001 SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT THE OPERA

ESTONIAN NATIONAL OPERA, TALLINN July 14, 2001 (Dargomizhsky) September 1, 2001 Roberto Devereux (Donizetti) Conductor: Paul Mägi Conductor: Marcello Viotti Cast: Nadia Kurem, Leonid Stavitski Cast: Edita Gruberova, Carlos Alvarez, Mati Körst, Riina Airenne Enkelejda Shkosa, Ramon Vargas

PALAIS GARNIER, PARIS , BRUSSELS July 21, 2001 (Handel) September 8, 2001 (Verdi) Conductor: Conductor: Cast: Anne Sofie von Otter, Laura Claycomb, Cast: Jean-Philippe Lafont, Sylvie Valayre, Maria José Trullu, Richard Croft Erwin Schrott, Marco Berti, James Cornelison

TEATRO COMUNALE, BOLOGNA MUNICIPAL THEATRE, LAUSANNE July 28, 2001 May Night (Rimsky-Korsakov) September 15, 2001 Luisa Miller (Verdi) Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski Conductor: Corrado Rovaris Cast: Agata Bienkowska, Vladimir Matorin, Cast: Giorgio Surjan, Cesar Catani, Maxim Mikhailov, Dariusz Stachura, Svetlana Vassileva Stefano Antonucci, Annalisa Raspagliosi

CONCERTGEBOUW, AMSTERDAM , MILAN August 4, 2001 Saint-François d’Assise September 22, 2001 Il Trovatore (Verdi) (Messiaen) Conductor: Ricardo Muti Conductor: Reinbert de Leeuw Cast: Salvatore Licitra, Barbara Frittoli Cast: Heidi Grant Murphy, David Wilson-Johnson, Leo Nucci, Violetta Urmana Stuart Kale, Quentin Hayes, Gordon Gietz

NATIONALTHEATER, MUNICH THÉATRE DES CHAMPS-ELYSÉES, PARIS September 29, 2001 Falstaff (Verdi) August 11, 2001 Pénélope (Fauré) Conductor: Zubin Mehta Conductor: Pinchas Steinberg Cast: Bryn Terfel, Lucio Gallo, Rainer Trost, Cast: Isabelle Vernet, Luco Lombardo, Guy Fletcher, Elizabeth Futral, Marjana Lipovsek Gilles Cachemaille, Sylvie Sullé

BAYREUTH FESTIVAL 2001 , DRESDEN October 6, 2001 (Wagner) August 18, 2001 Cora und Alonzo (Naumann) Conductor: Antonio Pappano Conductor: René Jacobs Cast: Inga Kalna, Bernarda Fink, Cast: Jean-Philippe Lafont, Melanie Diener, Sandra Moon, Stephen West, Peter Seiffert, Robert Dean Smith

VIENNA STATE OPERA 2001 August 25, 2001 Die Jakobsleiter (Schönberg) October 13, 2001 Die Meistersinger Conductor: Michael Boder von Nurnberg (Wagner) Cast: Franz Hawlata, Hubert Delamboye, John Dickie, Conductor: Wolfgang Bankl, Kirsten Dene Cast: Clemens Bieber, Emily Magee, Gianni Schicchi (Puccini) Michelle Breedt, Robert Dean Smith, Endrik Wottrich Conductor: Michael Boder Cast: Grace Chan, Stuart Howe, Zheng Zhow, Zhu Ge Zeng Cast: Leo Nucci, Juan Diego Flórez, Angelika Kirchschlager

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