NATIONAL CAPITAL OPERA SOCIETY Newsletter February 1993 SOCIETE D'OPERA DE LA CAPITALE NATIONALE Bulletin fevrier 1993 P.O. Box 8347, Main Terminal, Ottawa, Ontario KlG 3H8 c.P. 8347, Succursale principale, Ottawa (Ont311o) KlG 3H(; Laura Dziubaniuk, first winner of the Brian Law Opera Scholarship. Story on page 2. Summary of forthcoming local events La traviata, by Verdi Production by 10, 12, and 8:00 pm The Opera, Opera Lyra 13 March National Arts Ottawa Centre To Russia with Music NCOS Gala: 15 May 7:00 pm Shelley's, dinner, auction, 11 Holland Ave and concert (at Scott) 1 Laura Dziubaniuk wins the first Brian Law Scholarship On the evening of 21 January a very exciting while scholarships of $100 were awarded to event took place-an event of which all the both Marcos Pujol and Daniel Taylor. members of the NCOS and the wider opera Ms Dziubaniuk had sung Monica's waltz community can be proud: the first com­ from The Medium, by Menotti, Pamina's aria petition for the Brian Law Opera Scholarship from The Magic Flute of Mozart, and took place in St Andrew's Presbyterian Rusalka's aria from Rusalka, by Dvorak. Church, involving four distinguished jurors She has studied music and voice at the and four chosen finalists. University of Ottawa (Bachelor of Music in The jurors, Stuart Hamilton and Rosemarie Vocal Performance) and at the Kiev Landry of Toronto, Iwan Edwards of Conservatory, and has appeared in Opera Montreal, and Brian Law from his new home Lyra productions in 1991 and 1992, as well in New Zealand, had agreed to be with us, as with the Cantata Singers and in Opera and a difficult job they had. Because of Studio Guild concerts; and we remember her illness, soprano Maria Knapik-Stramko had performances for our own NCOS spring to withdraw from the competition at the last galas. moment. However, soprano Laura This first competition featured a talented Dziubaniuk, baritone Marcos Pujol, and assembly of young singers and a very counter-tenor Daniel Taylor presented a capable jury. It is our goal to continue to varied program of operatic selections drawn build the endowment fund from its present from four centuries of opera repertoire. They level of some $6 000 to $15 000 to support then nervously waited with the assembled this worthwhile endeavour. We seek your audience while the jurors made their decision. assistance in these efforts as we reach for all The jury chairman, Stuart Hamilton, those who support opera, both in the private announced the winner and the runners-up. and corporate communities. This way, we We were then privileged to have Brian Law will be able to draw on these resources down present the first scholarship award to Laura the road to stage further competitions. Dziubaniuk (pictured on our front page), BC NCOS Spring Gala Your tickets are here for To Russia with Music Please mark your calendars for Saturday 15 year, all will have a deliciously Russian May 1993, the date of our annual fund': flavour. raising dinner. This will be a very important The setting is Shelley's at 11 Holland Avenue event for us; it should be the main source of (Holland Cross). Ample parking is available funds for the work of the Society, including free underneath the building; the car park is the Brian Law Opera Scholarship. We need very well lighted, and it is easy to park near your help in making this a success. the equally well lighted entrance to the Since the theme for the evening is Russian, building proper. Shelley'S is owned by we have planned some special music for you. Dave Smith, our caterer and auctioneer, and The first winner of our Brian Law Opera is ideal for special events such as ours. The Scholarship, Laura Dziubaniuk, will delight price is right, allowing us to keep our ticket us with Russian folk songs, romantic songs, price to $50 (including GST) per person. and songs from opera. We also hope to have Please plan to come and bring some friends. some musical surprises for you. Tables can be booked for groups of 8. We Those who came last year enjoyed the dinner, will be happy to arrange tables for singles. silent auction, live auction, and music. This We are counting on you; please complete the 2 form below and join us on the 15th May. among you!)-works this way: items are on See you there! display with a sign-up sheet for bidding; you If you have items to donate to the auction, may return and raise your bid at any time; the please contact Marjorie Clegg at 594-2988 winner is the person who has bid the highest (evenings). Smaller items are welcome for when closing time arrives. the silent auction, which-for those of you Me who have never heard of one (and I was Praise for our Newsletter Weare very pleased to have won an award of guild [sic] will receive a Certificate of recognition for our Newsletter. Here is what Recognition for this. Enclosed is a copy of Opera Guilds International says in its own · the National Capital Opera Society's newsletter of January 1993: "I want to take newsletter. In my next mailing I will include this opportunity to congratulate the National a copy of the Montreal guild's newsletter." Capital Opera Society and the Opera Guild of And here is a copy of the certificate, sadly Montreal who have won recognition from reduced in size and grandeur. OGI for their outstanding newsletters. Each OPERA GUILDS NNTERNATIONAL Recognizes 7L J;d~aL ~.Jd ~~Y; for the ~~~ in the 3 ~ . .._... _----------- ------­ La traviata: Opera Lyra Ottawa's exciting production There are many reasons to welcome the two years ago, and Maria Knapik-Sztramko, staging of La traviata on 10, 12, and 13 who was prevented by illness from singing in March. This is Opera Lyra Ottawa's first the recent finals for the Brian Law Scholar­ production to be presented on the stage of the ship. Opera itself. No matter how successful The Opera Lyra Orchestra and Chorus previous operas staged in the Theatre have (Laurence Ewashko, Chorusmaster) will be been, the Opera offers many advantages­ under the direction of Maestro Yves Abel, from a larger orchestra pit and better Music Director of L'Opera Fran~ais de New backstage facilities, to the more obvious one York. It almost goes without saying that this that an opera should be seen and heard in an is one of Verdi's greatest works and one of opera house, especially if such an excellent the most popular operas of all time. In the one is available. words of Charles Osborne, the great bio­ NCOS members will welcome the news that grapher of Verdi, it is "one of the world's this is a traditional interpretation of the great music dramas." The drama is achieved famous love story based on the novel by by using the music to underline the passion, Alexandre Dumas,fils, who drew his main the folly, the fragility, and, above all, the character from a real Paris courtesan. Sets towering strength of Violetta. are from the Austin Lyric Opera, and It would be a pity to miss this opportunity to costumes from Malabar, in Toronto. The see and hear a live performance. As in the entire production is under the direction of past, some of the members of the NCOS Jeannette Aster, whose productions of La Board of Directors are meeting in the Cafe Cenerentola and The Magic Flute are only after the 12 March (Friday) performance for two of her most recent local successes. But, dessert and a drink. Any member, even if in naturally, the main interest lies in the casting the company of a non-member, is welcome to of the singers. Opera Lyra Ottawa is join this group. dedicated to producing opera with Canadian Tickets for the production are $23, $32, $42, singers. Fortunately, Maria Pellegrini $52, and $60, plus GST, and can be pur­ (renowned for her interpretation of the main chased at three places: role) is to return to her home town, after some years of absence, to sing Violetta. Opera Lyra Ottawa, 2 Daly Ave, Ottawa Joining her, in the role of Alfredo, will be (613) 233-9200 Guy Belanger, artistic director of the Opera Ticketmaster (613) 755-1111 de Quebec, and recently the star of Les contes NAC Box Office, in person d'Hojfman in Paris. The third main character, Alfredo's father, will be sung by Ifyou think that these prices for a live opera Peter Barcza, who sang this role with the performance are high, then you haven't been New York City Opera last season and who speaking lately to anyone who buys tickets was heard in the Opera RSVP concert a year for hockey games or rock music concerts. ago. See you at the Opera Among the other singers, NCOS members MK will remember Marcia Swanton from her role Opera quiz as Tisbe in La Cenerentola; in this opera she sings the part of Flora. Without mentioning In Festival Ottawa's sensational production all the minor characters, it should be pointed of La traviata in 1978, who sang the roles of out that two members of Opera Lyra Ottawa's (a) Violetta, (b) Alfredo Germont, Associate Artist Program known to NCOS (c) Giorgio Germont, and (d) Gastone? See members will appear on stage: these include page 9 for the answers. Alex Fleuriau-Chateau, who sang at our Gala MK 4 ~~---------------- "The great creator and master of Russian opera" Detlef Gojwy, Russian Opera To participate in the World Festival which What is it that attracted me so much to The was a part of Expo 67 in Montreal, the Soviet Invisible City ofKitzeh? The first scene in government sent over its greatest artists to the forest is one of the most beautiful and perfonn its greatest operas at the newly powerful evocations of nature in all music.