The Artist of the Week is Canadian soprano Meghan Lindsay, who will be singing the title role of Galatea in Handel‘s Acis and Galatea with Opera Atelier from October 24th to 27th (tickets and info here).
Meghan balances a diverse career as both a performer and creator. Along with her return to Opera Atelier, this season she will perform with Ottawa Chamberfest, Symphony New Brunswick, Scotia Festival of Music and HausMusique Montreal. She is also the Co-Director of the chamber music organization Collines-en-musique and Co-Founder of Hills Winter Music Festival.
This week, Meghan gives us a peek into her academic career, favourite repertoire and go-to mind-calming practice.
Favourite city that you’ve worked in?
Probably Amsterdam. I also love Berlin.
Favourite place?
The lake at my family’s cottage in Quebec. I’m convinced it’s magical.
Top 3 favourite operas?
Pelléas et Mélisande, Lully’s Armide, Der Rosenkavalier.
Which opera role do you want to be singing right now?
I tend to get fully immersed in whatever I’m singing at a given moment. Right now, I’m performing Galatea with Opera Atelier and am throughly enjoying the water nymph lifestyle. That said, Mozart’s heroines are my comfort zone, and I’m always drawn to singing them. Recently, I’ve been looking into Czech repertoire – Jenůfa and Káťa Kabanová are on my bucket list.
What’s your favourite orchestral instrument? Why?
Clarinet. My partner is a clarinetist, and hearing a clarinet in the pit reminds me of home. I’m pretty sure I know every clarinet excerpt by heart at this point. That may be one of the nerdier things I’ve said out loud.
What’s your favourite thing about singing with an orchestra?
Abandon. Collaboration. Connection. Pleasure. The list goes on.
Which role do you wish you could sing, but is not in your voice type?
Probably Don G. I think I would have swag.
What are you afraid of?
Not being able to achieve (and perhaps never wanting) balance.
What is one surprising thing that you have learned in becoming an opera singer? There are many ways to pursue this career, all of which require a great deal of integrity, ingenuity, sacrifice, and hard work. When I began singing, I was shown the more “traditional” path for building a career in the arts. I quickly realized that while I adore opera, I need to pair opera with other creative interests. I’ve always been driven by curiosity to create and produce, and I’m fortunate to have a couple of platforms that allow me to do so.
What’s your favourite mind-calming practice? I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s practicing. I find it really meditative.
Where did you go to school?
Glenn Gould School for my undergraduate, Opera Studio Nederland and Glimmerglass as YAPs, master’s degree in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership at Carleton University (where I am now on faculty), and I’m finishing up my PhD in cultural studies at Queen’s (where I am also on faculty!)
Where’s your favourite coffee shop?
Campenelli’s in St. Henri, Montreal.
What’s the downside of being an opera artist?
Sacrifice. At times, we sacrifice time with family for work. At times, we sacrifice work for family. Opera is a complicated art form; we even sacrifice our own values and beliefs.
What’s the best thing about being an opera artist? It’s a magical place to play with identity. We get to embody other characters and breathe life into music that otherwise would only live on a page. I also love working in a group, meeting new people, and forging close ties in a short period of time.
What was your childhood dream job? I went through a phase where I wanted to be a manatee. I’m not quite sure if that counts as a job.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Dominos cheesy bread and Selling Sunset. Best served together.
Do you believe in ghosts?
Of course.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
Most folks close to me know this, but I have been actively engaged in research, writing, and consulting for the nonprofit sector for quite some time. I tend to keep this side of myself separate from my career as a performer, but they are becoming increasingly entangled. I have done far too much research on “impact measurement” in performing arts organizations, so feel free to reach out if you ever want to know more! I also co-lead a chamber music organization called Collines-en-musique.
What is one very popular thing that you have no interest in?
Unfortunately, social media. I see its value. I just have no interest in it.
Do you approach singing and/or upcoming projects differently today than you did at the beginning of your career?
Absolutely. I think I used to be more tentative, nervous, and keen to please. While I’m sure some of those habits creep in occasionally, I’m more interested in the joy and connection that singing brings. We are so deeply privileged to do this work. We get to feel, play, and create new worlds. I used to be worried about losing that. I’m no longer worried. Being an artist is such a deep part of my soul, that I will always find an outlet.
What is the ultimate goal of opera?
To remind us of what feeling feels like.
When was the first time you cried at the opera?
Call me basic, but La traviata gets me every time.
What does it mean to be brave with music?
Listen and breathe with sincerity. Study a score, but also remember that your interpretation is what brings it off the page.
Do your on-stage experiences also feed into your personal life? Absolutely.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MEGHAN LINDSAY
VISIT HER WEBSITE
© Rachel Fenlon
In Berlin
© Rémi Thériault
Acid and Galatea
Opera Atelier
October 24 – 27
ACIS: Antonin Rondepierre
GALATEA: Meghan Lindsay
DAMON: Blaise Rantoanina
POLYPHEMUS: Douglas Williams
CHOREOGRAPHER: Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg
ARTISTS OF ATELIER BALLET TAFELMUSIK BAROQUE ORCHESTRA
CONDUCTOR: Christopher Bagan
NATHANIEL DETT CHORALE CONDUCTOR: Brainerd Blyden-Taylor
Opera Atelier announces the opening of its 2024/25 season with a fully-staged production of George Frideric Handel’s beloved and widely accessible opera, Acis and Galatea, at Toronto’s historic Elgin Theatre from October 24-27, 2024. The production will showcase two notable company debuts from French tenors Antonin Rondepierre as Acis and Blaise Rantoanina as Damon, as well the return of two audience favourites, soprano Meghan Lindsay as Galatea, and bass baritone Douglas Williams as Polyphemus. The ravishing pastorale, which was Handel’s most popular opera during his lifetime, will feature new choreography by Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg performed by the full corps of the Artists of Atelier Ballet, and will be accompanied by Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra on period instruments, conducted by Christopher Bagan, and the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, under the direction of Founder/Artistic Director Brainerd Blyden-Taylor.
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Máiri Demings is Opera Canada’s digital content specialist. She’s also a mezzo-soprano who has sung with Tapestry Opera, performs regularly with VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert and Toronto Operetta Theatre, and is one half of duo mezzopiano with pianist Zain Solinski.
