_{Artist of the Week} 20 Qs for Sara Schabas

Favourite city that you’ve worked in?
It’s not exactly a city, but when I was touring with Vancouver Opera’s The Flight of the Hummingbird we did a few performances at Art Spring on Salt Spring Island in BC. It was my first time on the Gulf Islands and it was utterly magical. 

What’s your favourite opera house?
I will always love the Vienna State Opera. When I was studying in Vienna with a grant from the Hnatyshyn Foundation, I would spend hours in line for 3 EUR Stehplatz (standing room) tickets. The Staatsoper feels both grand and intimate. Hearing the Vienna Philharmonic play Strauss and Mozart can’t be beat. 

Which opera role do you want to be singing right now?
Mélisande is one of my dream roles. One of my teachers likes to joke about how beautifully atmospheric Pelléas et Mélisande is… so beautiful that not a single person is awake at the end. Regardless! I’ll always be obsessed with this ethereal being and Debussy’s mystical sound world. Either that or Tchaikovsky’s Tatyana – a way too accurate depiction of a lovestruck, awkward teen who grows into a man-eating powerhouse. So satisfying.

Who is a singer you admire that is currently working?
I really admire singers who have carved their own paths within the business. I’m lucky enough to be pals/collaborators with a few I look up to very much, including the soprano-conductor Barbara Hannigan, soprano-composer Danika Lorèn (stay tuned for the opera we’re writing together!) and the soprano-pianist Rachel Fenlon.

What’s your ancestry?
My parents are both a mix of Ashkenazi Jewish and British ancestry. My mum was born in Johannesburg and grew up in Toronto with a British dad and a South African mum and my dad was born in Toronto to a dad from New York City and a British-Canadian mum. 

Are there more musicians in your family? If yes, who and what do they play/sing?
My dad was a professional French horn player in his twenties (he still busts it out from time to time), and my grandpa was a clarinetist and a music educator/administrator/historian. My uncle Aaron is a jazz pianist and composer (check out his Zombie Blizzard with Measha Brueggergosman!), and my partner is a jazz trumpeter and composer.

What’s your favourite mind-calming practice?
I’ve been a devoted practitioner of yoga since my early twenties and am also certified as a teacher. I find yoga so helpful for many parts of both my singing and voice teaching practises. Whenever I’m back in Toronto, I always make sure to take a class at Reunion Yoga and Pilates – Scotty and Erick are the best.

What’s your favourite movie?
I’m a sucker for When Harry Met Sally, The Sound of Music (my toddler nieces love it too), Moonstruck, and my siblings and I know all the words to My Big Fat Greek Wedding (a Toronto classic!). Another favourite is The Making of the West Side Story conducted by Leonard Bernstein, if that isn’t too niche. 

What’s the downside of being an opera artist?
Being away from family and friends.

What’s the best thing about being an opera artist?
Experiencing different cities and cultures like a local. I like to immerse myself in the culture of wherever I’m singing, be it Mainland China, the midwestern United States, British Columbia or Vienna.

What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
My partner and I are obsessed with Mon Lapin in Montreal. They do this crazy appetizer of leeks served like sardines in a can and an unforgettable noisette fennel dish. Worth the splurge! 

What was your childhood dream job?
I always wanted to be a multi-hyphenate author-actor-artist. I think my childhood self would be pleased with the creative career I’ve carved for myself. 

What’s a big investment for an opera artist, but totally worth it?
Developing strong collaborative relationships. One of the happiest things for me in recent years has been the partnerships I’ve developed with pianists and composers who are now some of my best friends. There is nothing quite like connecting artistically. And! If I can add a second one – working on languages! 

Do you have a funny joke for us?
Going off of my work on your languages comment, I’ve heard the joke (or perhaps truism) that opera singers speak many languages, all of them badly. (But hopefully with nice pronunciation!)

What nickname do your friends call you and why?
I’ve had a bunch over the years. A few faves are Schabes, Schabey-baby, Sarabi, Sars… Nicknames are one of my love languages and if we become friends, expect to receive a few.

Do you enjoy cooking? If yes, what is your best dish?
I do but I’m definitely known more for my baking! I make a mean challah. 🙂

The music industry is tough, and filled with rejection. How do you cope? Does it get easier?
Rejection is really difficult. But, I’ve come to realize that every rejection in my career led me down an avenue to which I’m better suited. Call me Pollyanna, but instead of calling a rejection letter a PFO (“Please-F***-Off”s, as they are colloquially known in the industry), I like to think of them as NIMHIs (“Not-In-My-Highest-Interest”s). 🙃

Does singing help keep you young?
Totally! We singers inhabit characters of all ages, and it’s so fun to reconnect with different parts of yourself. Plus, all that cheekbone-lifting we do is an excellent form of face yoga.

How old were you when you discovered opera?
I’m a bit unusual in that I’ve loved opera since I was four years old. My parents like to tell the story of putting a VHS of Bohème on for me and my brother when we were little. After Act One, apparently I came downstairs and told them: “Miti lost her keys.”  

What does success look like to you?
My definition of success is pursuing projects that feed and nurture my soul and align with my values, allowing me to share my art meaningfully with others. Success to me also implies a certain degree of work-life balance: living in a place where I have a strong community, many outside interests, and time with people who are important to me. 🙂