Artist of the Week
Artist of the Week 16 Qs for Charles Sy
Canadian tenor Charles Sy is in Stuttgart, Germany preparing to reprise the role of Il Conte d’Almaviva in Staatsoper Stuttgart‘s production of Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia (singing July 4, 6 and 10). The production opens on June 21 and runs to July 10. We caught up with Sy to reflect on opera, life lessons he’s learned along his career path, and how to cope with the music industry’s ups and downs.
Artist of the Week 18 Qs for Serouj Kradjian
Juno award-winning Canadian-Armenian composer and pianist Serouj Kradjian is in Toronto, preparing to present the world premiere of his opera and the latest commission from the Canadian Children’s Opera Company, The Nightingale of a Thousand Songs, created with Dora award-winning librettist Marjorie Chan. We sat down with him to chat sources of inspiration, lessons learned and what it means to be brave in music.
Artist of the Week 15 Qs for Teiya Kasahara 笠原 貞野
Nikkei Canadian settler Teiya Kasahara 笠原 貞野 is in Toronto, preparing to sing the roles of Priestess and Jules in the Canadian Opera Company‘s production of Kye Marshall and Amanda Hale’s Pomegranate. We caught up with them to chat all things opera—sources of inspiration, early career beginnings, and more.
Artist of the Week 34 Qs for Keri Alkema
American soprano Keri Alkema delighted Canadian audiences this month when she reprised the title role in the Canadian Opera Company‘s production of Puccini’s beloved Tosca. She sits down with us to reflect on her first singing lesson, her favourite opera house, opera roles she’d like to be singing in 10 years & more.
Artist of the Week 28 Qs for Quinn Kelsey
American Baritone Quinn Kelsey is in Toronto debuting the title role in the Canadian Opera Company‘s brand new production of Verdi’s Macbeth. We caught up with Kelsey, one of the world’s most celebrated baritones, to chat all things opera – from silly stage mishaps to “bromances”, and everything in between.
Artist of the Week 17 Qs for Joyce El-Khoury
Lebanese-Canadian Soprano Joyce E-Khoury is in Montreal, singing the role of Cio-Cio-San in Opéra de Montréal‘s reimagined production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, a role she debuted last season with Welsh National Opera. In this Artist of the Week, she reflects on her career in opera, shares how it all began, and what’s keeping her inspired.
Artist of the Week 22 Qs for Scott Rumble
Canadian tenor Scott Rumble is in Vancouver making his role debut singing Steuermann in Vancouver Opera’s new production of The Flying Dutchman, which opened April 29 and has two performances left on May 4 and 7. In this Artist of the Week, he reflects on what inspired him to sing, favourite operatic inspirations and more.
Artist of the Week 20 Qs for Andrew Haji
Canadian tenor Andrew Haji is in Calgary performing the role of Macduff in Calgary Opera's new Rachel Peake-directed production of Verdi's Macbeth which opened April 22 and has two performances left on April 26 and 28 (tickets here). The production also stars Italian...
Artist of the Week 27 Qs for Jean-Philippe Lazure
Canadian tenor Jean-Philippe Lazure is in Winnipeg this week preparing to sing Ferrando in Manitoba Opera’s reimagined “Canuck-rendition” of Mozart’s Così fan tutte. We caught up with Lazure to reflect on the beginning of his operatic career, what it means to be brave with music & more.
Artist of the Week 21 Qs for Hongni Wu
Our Artist of the Week is Chinese mezzo-soprano Hongni Wu. This week, she’s in Victoria, BC preparing to make her Canadian debut as Dorabella in Pacific Opera Victoria‘s Così fan tutte. She sits down with us to reflect on her career as an opera singer — favourite opera houses, how she prepares to get into character and more.
Artist of the Week 20 Qs for Colin Ainsworth
Our Artist of the Week is internationally acclaimed Canadian tenor Colin Ainsworth. He is in Toronto this week, opening Opera Atelier‘s long-awaited production of Handel’s The Resurrection singing the role of Saint John. We caught up with him to reflect on his career in opera, roles that had the greatest impact on him, dad jokes and more.
Artist of the Week 34 Qs for Rihab Chaieb
Rising star Tunisian-Canadian mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb is our Artist of the Week. Her 2022/23 season is a busy one, filled with anticipated returns and debuts. This week, she is in Geneva opening the world premiere of Christian Jost’s Journey of Hope/ Voyage vers l’espoir at Grand Théâtre de Genève singing La mère Meryem (running until April 4).