The Artist of the Week is Canadian soprano Lara Ciekiewicz. She is in her hometown preparing the role of Micaëla for Manitoba Opera‘s upcoming production of Carmen, running April 13 -19 (info and tickets here).
Lara has had a busy season with performances of Kaminsky and Moore’s February i(a world premiere) n the role of Bartender with Opera on the Avalon and role and house debuts as Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music for both the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and The Citadel Theatre.Other recent appearances include Countess in Fargo-Moorhead Opera’s Le nozze di Figaro, Beatrice in the Canadian première of Heggie’s Three Decembers with The Little Opera Company ,Musetta in Edmonton Opera’s La bohème, Elle in Manitoba Opera’s La voix humaine, and Open Air: A Summer Festival of Music for Pacific Opera Victoria and the Victoria Symphony. Next for Lara, she’ll be workshopping Leslie Uyeda and Darrin Hagen‘s new opera Silence with Nuova Vocal Arts (click here to learn more about this project) and performing the role of Bird Woman in Rainbow Stage‘s upcoming production of Mary Poppins (tickets and info here).
This week Lara spared a few minutes to share with us how she is working on her braiding designs for her Easter paska, how she experiences the ups and downs of the industry, and what it means to her to be brave with music including some amazing hashtags #humblingandmagical #dothething #artforall. Read on to find out more.
Heels or flats?
Yes. …and utilitarian rubber boots for puddles, and the garden!
Which opera role do you want to be singing right now?
The truth is, I just want to be making good art with great people, and sharing that with folks. Role highlights that I’d love to keep growing with: Jenůfa, Tatiana, Susannah, Countess, Amelia Grimaldi, Alcina. Roles I’d love a crack at some day: Rusalka, Violetta, Manon, Marschallin, more new works.
Who is a singer you admire that is currently working?
In alphabetical order: Tracy Dahl, Will Liverman, Kelli O’Hara, Todd Thomas.
Who is a singer you admired from the past?
Nicolai Gedda
What’s your favourite thing about singing with an orchestra?
I think it’s the variety and quality of colours you get to play with. They are almost endless. The sensation of being engulfed in those acoustic vibrations, and propelled by that gorgeous sound is like nothing else.
Which role do you wish you could sing, but is not in your voice type?
Scarpia #TeDeum #allthebrass
What’s your ancestry?
Polish and Ukrainian. My paternal grandfather was Polish. My paternal grandmother, and maternal grandparents were all of Ukrainian descent. The cultural traditions in my family are Ukrainian. On that note – my Dad makes the best perogies!
Where did you go to school?
The University of Winnipeg, Canadian Mennonite University, and McGill University. I’m grateful to also be an alumna of NUOVA, the Banff Centre, the Brevard Music Center, San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program, and I’m a proud graduate of l’Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal!
What’s the luckiest thing that has ever happened to you?
Having loved ones that support me, and challenge me to be myself while dreaming big.
What’s the downside of being an opera artist?
Being away from loved ones, the inability to walk away from your instrument, and the precarity.
What’s the best thing about being an opera artist?
The people. I am so grateful for the joyful moments I have spent collaborating with the amazing folks that make an opera happen. These are the moments where I feel the agency to create bravely, while knowing my colleagues’ generosity and talents make me better than I could ever be on my own. It’s both humbling, and magical.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
Some years ago, my husband and I treated ourselves to a night at RAW:almond. It is a winter pop-up dining festival on the Assiniboine River in Winnipeg. For a series of evenings, some of the best local chefs, and invited colleagues from around the country create amazing, curated dinners. A tent is set up on the river to house both kitchen, and dining space. We sat family style. Our chefs were Dan Geltner and Alex Ragoussis from Montréal – along with chef Mandel Hitzer from Winnipeg (one of the creators of RAW:almond). Their inspiration for the dinner was what a hunter might eat over the course of a day – fish, game, cheese, and of course – maple syrup! It was gobsmackingly good. Creative, beautifully executed, and a delight from start to finish.
What was your childhood dream job?
I wanted to be a singer – a singer/songwriter to be precise!
Do you enjoy cooking? If yes, what is your best dish?
I do enjoy cooking, though my husband is the real cook in the house. I make some tasty soups – I love throwing together a big pot of stock, and turning it into something delicious. I make a pretty mean borscht, and I’m getting good at braiding designs for my Easter paska!
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Lead with your heart, not your sword and shield.
What does it mean to be brave with music?
I think for me, it ultimately means embracing vulnerability. Letting go, trusting your preparation, trying new things, embracing failure on the way to success, revisiting old things with new perspectives, releasing vibrations into the ether, bringing everything you can to a story so the audience can take what they need from it…without expecting a thing in return. Easier said than done, of course. However, the moments I succeed in doing this are often the moments where I feel like I’m flying. #humblingandmagical #dothething #artforall
LEARN MORE ABOUT LARA CIEKIEWICZ
VISIT HER WEBSITE
© David Cooper
Lara Ciekiewicz as Jenůfa for Pacific Opera Victoria’s Jenůfa
©R. Tinker
Susannah Lara Ciekiewicz as Susannah, with Michael Hendrick as Sam for Manitoba Opera
Carmen
Manitoba Opera
April 13 – 19
CONDUCTOR: Tyrone Paterson
DIRECTOR: Brian Deedrick
CARMEN: Ginger Costa-Jackson
DON JOSÉ: David Pomeroy
ESCAMILLIO: Daniel Okulitch
MICAËLA: Lara Ciekiewicz
MORALES/DANCAIRO: Johnathon Kirby
ZUNIGA: Giles Tomkins
FRASQUITA: Lara Secord-Haid
MERCÉDÈS: Barbara King
REMENDADO: Jacques Arsenault
THE SEXY THRILLER THAT SEDUCES THE AUDIENCE WITH EVERY NOTE
Carmen can have any man she wants, and discards them as easily as she does the cigarettes she makes. When she seduces the proud young soldier Don José only to cast him aside for the handsome bullfighter, jealousy ignites. José is pushed to the brink. Carmen’s tragic fate has been sealed.
Who can resist the sensuous music of Carmen? With its lavish score, brilliant orchestration, and Spanish rhythms, you will be powerless to resist the hit melodies and beloved music of the most popular opera of all time.
Features some of the most recognizable music including Carmen’s smoky Habanera, Don José’s Flower Song, and the rousing Toreador Song.
Sung in French with French dialogue; projected English translations.
Music Georges Bizet | Libretto Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy
(Based on the story of the same name by French novelist Prosper Mérimée.)
Content Warning
This production contains adult content including violence against women, murder, gun shots, and depictions of tobacco and alcohol use.
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