CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY Winter 2014 Per forman ce COS ÌFAN TU TTE OR, THE SCHOOL FOR LOVERS CONTEN TS 4 SIR THOMAS ALLEN: A MUSICAL LIFETIME WITH COSÌ BY GIANMARCO SEGATO 18 TEN THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT VERDI'S A MASKED BALL BY NIKITA GOURSKI 22 THE COC IS THRILLED TO PRESENT OUR 2014/2015 SEASON Discover our six operas on the following pages: Top: A Masked Ball (Berlin Staatsoper, Falstaff , pg. 22 2008). Photo: Ruth Walz Madama Butterfly , pg. 24 Bottom: Preliminary costume sketch for the COC's new production of Don Giovanni , pg. 26 Così fan tutte by set and costume Die Walküre , pg. 27 designer Debra Hanson The Barber of Seville , pg. 28 Bluebeard’s Castle/Erwartung , pg. 29 CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY Winter 2014 Per forman ce n CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY EDITORS: Gianna Wichelow, Senior Manager, Creative and Publications; Claire Morley, Associate Manager, Editorial n RJ PERFORMANCE MEDIA INC .: PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER: Joe Marin o n CEO: Frank Barbosa n SECRETARY TREASURER: Rajee Muthuraman n FINANCE: Gina Zicari n NATIONAL ACCOUNT DIRECTORS: Danny Antunes, Gary Bell, Tom Marino, Paul Radford n ART DIRECTOR /DESIGN: Jan Haring a n Cover images: Così fan tutte: Preliminary costume sketch by set and costume designer Debra Hanson for the COC's new production of Così fan tutte. A Masked Ball: Catherine Naglestad as Amelia in the Berlin Staatsoper production of A Masked Ball, 2008. Photo: Ruth Walz Canadian Opera Company’s edition of Performance magazine is published quarterly by RJ Performance Media Inc., 2724 Coventry Road, Oakville, Ontario, L6H 6R1. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written consent is prohibited. Contents copyright © Performance Inc. Subscriptions available by contacting publisher. Direct all advertising enquiries to 2724 Coventry Road, Oakville, Ontario, L6H 6R1 or phone 905-829-3900, Ext. 222. Catch up with blogs and enjoy COC Radio at coc.ca. 3 A MU SICAL LIFETIME WITH COS Ì SIR THO MAS ALLEN BY GIANMARCO SEGATO n an age in which superlatives such as legendary production, EMI recorded his I“unforgettable,” “legendary” and “greatest” Don Giovanni in 1984 – now considered the are thrown about indiscriminately, few definitive account of Mozart’s notorious would argue Sir Thomas Allen’s status womanizer. For close to four decades he as the pre-eminent lyric baritone of his has been the baritone of choice for star generation. He has earned this title most conductors such as James Levine, Riccardo especially for his iconic interpretations of Muti, Georg Solti, John Eliot Gardiner, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva, Colin Davis and Simon Rattle. Allen has Figaro, Papageno, Guglielmo and Don not only mastered the fine balance between Alfonso, both onstage and in the recording singing and acting needed to be a great opera studio. Following his appearances at the singer, but stands as a master interpreter Glyndebourne Festival in Sir Peter Hall’s of the art song, especially in the English 4 Canadian Opera Company 2013/20 14 Season imagine finding a caregiver who loves opera! %%%Xe[ZXe_\cgn`k_d\[`ZXce\\[j# ZfemXc\jZ\eZ\#d\Xcj#Zc\Xe`e^#j_fgg`e^# cXle[ipXe[g\ijfeXcZXi\% :Xcclj]fiX]i\\#elij\Ëj_\Xck_&ZXi\ Xjj\jjd\ekXk_fd\fin_\i\m\i\cj\ZXi\ `je\\[\[%K_\i\ËjEfGcXZ\C`b\?fd\¿ Celebrating 14 years of service Tel: 416.483.0070 Toll Free: 1.855.483.2273 www.LAServices.ca Sir Thomas Allen: A Musical Lifetime with Così Preliminary costume sketches for the character of Don Alfonso for the COC's new production of Così fan tutte , by set and costume designer Debra Hanson and French repertoire. He now passes on to do that and read it as a singer, prepare his expertise to the next generation of and pencil it up and do the things that all artists, giving masterclasses worldwide singers do. And the score chosen was Così , including, since 1996, at his own Samling though I didn’t learn the role [Guglielmo] Academy, located in Allen’s beloved native at the time, maybe just one of the arias country in North East England. perhaps. After that he [Lockhart] became Sir Thomas Allen’s association with music director at Welsh National Opera Mozart’s Così fan tutte goes as far back and one of the first things I did with them as his student days in the 1960s when he was a touring version of Così . That goes came to the attention of the great British back to 1970 or something like that.” vocal pedagogue, James Lockhart. “One Allen’s first Così role, Guglielmo, is often of the things I worked on with him was how regarded as a rite of passage for the budding to go through a score. He taught me how lyric baritone. “I think the reason why we as 6 Canadian Opera Company 2013/20 14 Season Sir Thomas Allen: A Musical Lifetime with Così Preliminary set maquette for the COC's new production of Così fan tutte , designed by Debra Hanson a breed feel that way is that it doesn’t seem questions during the course of it in the to have the emotional maturity of a role way Donna Anna has, or had to sing the like that of Ferrando [with whom Guglielmo long-breath lines that Don Ottavio has. schemes to prove the infidelity of their And similarly, Don Alfonso doesn’t have respective fiancées]. The relationship those great [vocal] demands made of him. Guglielmo enjoys with Dorabella is one The thing is to use those moments when of pure pleasure rather than the [more you’ve seemingly not been asked to do emotionally deep] way Ferrando latches onto much… when in fact you are actually doing Fiordiligi. Musically as well, of all the Così a lot. Then it’s a question of listening to roles, Guglielmo is the one that tends most what others are doing, and causing action towards the buffo [comic].” The other three and reaction in them by just being there; young leads sing some of the most sublime , by setting a plan in motion, sowing a seed grand and emotional music Mozart ever of doubt or whatever it might be. A lot of wrote but Guglielmo’s “vocal opportunities it is just sitting down, crossing your legs are just not on the same level.” comfortably, having a cup of coffee whilst On the other hand, Allen relishes the you’re watching everything going on. That’s entirely different demands made of Don the way it often pans out. I have no qualms Alfonso, Così ’s philosopher and cynic, and about that – I don’t crave great lengthy the role which brings him to the COC this stentorian arias – I’m very happy to just winter. He draws some fascinating parallels pull the strings and watch the others dance between Alfonso and Don Giovanni, the to my tune!” Mozart role with which he has the closest Having mastered Così ’s two low-voiced association. “It’s a strange thing about male roles, Allen has taken the next logical Mozart. If one looks at Don Giovanni step and can now be found directing musically, he isn’t all that demanding – Mozart’s effervescent comedy in addition it’s an endurance test and you have to sing to Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro very loudly at the end of the piece. But and The Magic Flute for companies such you’ve not been asked great musical as Scottish Opera, Arizona Opera and 8 Canadian Opera Company 2013/20 14 Season Sir Thomas Allen: A Musical Lifetime with Così Boston Lyric Opera. For the latter he not Having lived with Così for over 40 years, only directed Così but simultaneously Allen has witnessed a huge sea change played Don Alfonso, an undertaking which in attitude with respect to the piece. There required “eyes in the back of your head. might have been a time when critical It’s not easy, but not impossible either.” opinion denigrated the opera for its In Boston he opted to perform the opera perceived immorality and frivolity, but in in English, wanting the text to have an a post-Freudian world fascinating avenues immediate impact on the audience. For have opened up to explore the “lessons Allen, communication through music – of love” which lie beneath its undeniably its actual sounds, pitches and dynamics – frothy exterior. As Allen reasons, “It’s no are definitely the singer’s responsibility, longer possible to regard these characters but even more important is the performer’s simplistically, as no more than decorative ability to personally connect to the text 18th-century porcelain figurines.” This is and enliven it for the audience. By using an especially true of the opera’s ambiguous English translation for his Boston Così , he ending – do the original couples “kiss wished the singers to experience the words and make up,” returning to their original first, rather than second-hand. “Using one’s partners, or are their relationships damaged own language is a distinct advantage. forever? Allen feels the answer is found I don’t care how seriously and intensely in Mozart’s score itself: “You start thinking you work with a second or third language – surely [the two couples] can’t just return there’s nothing like getting back to one’s to everyday life as a result of the lessons own – it’s in your DNA. Also, the colours that have been learned. In a way, Mozart that become available to a singer for indicates this in the finale which is in the expression are that much more telling. very basic key of C major.