This week’s Artist of the Week is Canadian tenor Matthew Dalen. To celebrate the legendary voice of La Divina, Matthew is joining Orchestre symphonique de Laval in their upcoming concert Tribute to La Callas on Feb 28 (info and tickets here).
Matthew has had a busy last few seasons with appearances in the world premiere of Laura Kaminsky’s February with Opera on the Avalon, Hermann Göring in l’Opéra de Montréal’s world premiere of Bilodeau’s La beauté du monde, Roméo in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette for Opéra du Royaume and Beethoven’sSymphony No.9 with Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières. Upcoming for Matthew, he will be performing Mozart’s Requiem with Orchestre classique de Montréal on May 5 (info and tickets here), and Don José in Carmen with Orchestre symphonique de Trois Rivières on May 18 (info and tickets here).
We sat down with Matthew to talk and he was kind enough to share what people don’t know about the life of an opera singer, how he views success, and his new position as Artistic Director of the Peace Region Music Series.
What/who inspired you to sing ?
My elementary school music teacher suggested I join the Grande Prairie Boys’ Choir and I stuck with it from there.
Drink of choice?
An opera themed cocktail crafted by @thebartenor. He is great! You should totally feature his drinks… 😜
Favourite city that you’ve worked in?
Montréal, this was home for 5 years. The arts community and city itself are simply incredible. I feel like I have a well rounded understanding of Canada as an Albertan who was lucky enough to call Montréal home for some beautiful years.
Favourite place? (could be a travel question – could be your couch)
I recently visited Canadian land artist Peter von Tiesenhausen’s home in Northern Alberta. It was an incredibly inspiring visit, and it opened my eyes to new ways I could engage with my art. It was the artist pilgrimage I didn’t know I needed to make. It isn’t so much the place itself that is my favourite, but the idea of what it is had a profound impact on me. Do yourself a favour and give him a google.
If you weren’t a singer, you’d be ______?
I have considered starting a commercially viable cult, people are always looking for spiritual guidance and I could sell it to them tax-free.
Which opera role do you want to be singing right now?
Don José.
Which opera role do you want to be singing in 10 years?
A brand new role in a new type of opera that I end up developing with visual artists, story tellers, and musicians from the Peace Country.
Who is a singer you admired from the past?
Fritz Wunderlich, too bad he fell down those stairs…
What’s your favourite orchestral instrument? Why?
The violin is my favourite because it is easier to carry around than a cello, and you don’t have to count as much tacet as the horns and percussion.
What’s your favourite thing about singing with an orchestra?
My favourite thing about singing with an orchestra is the support. I feel like I am surfing on the sound. In practice we can become hyper fixated on the sound and sensations we are making. Every buzz or puff of air is either good or bad and we play a neurological game of “I ROCK – I SUCK”. The voice is a neurological instrument, when we have a stressed nervous system our voice is stressed. The support of the orchestra helps soften the “I ROCK – I SUCK” response, and we can more easily get into the “flow state”. That’s my pseudo-pedogogical answer… close your chords and take-it or leave-it.
What’s something most people don’t know about opera life?
We are self-employed business owners. We may enjoy a degree of freedom but also bear the major responsibility for managing our business and marketing our product (our art). A major challenge lies in developing a product that aligns with our beliefs and values, and marketing our authentic selves. Instead of contorting ourselves into what we believe the world wants us to be, we try to remain true to ourselves, ensuring our product and persona reflect our genuine principles.
What are you afraid of?
I am afraid of losing the best parts of myself for someone else. I love people, I love everyone. I care about people a lot and relationships mean the world to me. It is easy for others to take advantage of my love and trust, and I worry that the more it happens the more I will be afraid to love the most important people in my life. I work very hard these days to make sure I don’t lose my love of people because this is my favourite thing about myself.
Coffee or tea?
Coffee please!
Are there more musicians in your family? If yes, who and what do they play/sing?
Yes, my Dad played fiddle in a bluegrass band and that paid the bills in his early years, my Mom studied the flute and they were both very supportive of my singing career.
Where did you go to school?
Northwestern Polytechnic (where I am teaching now), University of Alberta, and University of Toronto.
Who/What is your favourite animal?
THE GIRAFFE!!! 🦒🤩❤️ They are one of the most inspiring animals in nature. They teach me about aspirational growth, the benefit of perspective, and humility. I love giraffes, I always will.
Which TV show did you binge-watch last?
I just crushed Narcos! It is important for me to mix in light hearted content in so things don’t get too heavy.
What is the ultimate goal of opera?
To stitch the soul back to the body with the arts.
Do you believe in fate?
I believe humans are story tellers. The story we believe about ourselves becomes our “Fate”.
What does success look like to you?
To me, success looks like waking up next to someone I love and trust completely, building a life and family with that person, and contributing to my community with whatever I have to offer. I am trying to live this success now. I am dating an amazing artist from the Peace Country, and I am giving back to my community through my new position as Artistic Director of the Peace Region Music Series. I think what success looks like should be allowed to change over time, but for now I feel proud of what I accomplish in a day.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MATTHEW DALEN
VISIT HIS WEBSITE
©Vivien Gaumand
As Hermann Göring La beauté du monde
l’Opéra de Montréal
©Stephanie Sedlbauer
©Stephanie Sedlbauer
Tribute to La Callas
Orchestre symphonique de Laval
Feb 28
CONDUCTOR:Simon Rivard
SOPRANO: Kirsten Mackinnon
TENOR: Matthew Dalen
BASS- BARITONE: Alexandre Sylvestre
COSTUME DESIGNER: Dominique Guindon
CHOIR:Laval Choir
CHOIRMASTER: Danny Wiseman
To mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Greek singer Maria Callas, the OSL is offering you an evening at the opera with an all-Italian program offering, among others, the two great arias, sung by the excellent Kirsten MacKinnon. These arias contributed to the fame of La Callas whose voice, talents as a tragedian and love life earned her the title of Prima donna assoluta. The program includes choruses from famous operas featuring the Chœur de Laval, prepared by its conductor Dany Wiseman and conducted in concert by Simon Rivard.
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