French-Canadian baritone Hugo Laporte is in Montreal, preparing to reprise the role of Conte d’Almaviva in Opéra de Montréal‘s production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, opening Sept 23. We caught up with him to reflect on early career beginnings, favourite composers, how he defines success and all things opera life. To Laporte, success is about “cultivating inner peace… and even better, sharing happiness with others!”
Canadian soprano Jacqueline Woodley is in rehearsals in Vancouver preparing to sing one of Handel’s most ambitious cantatas, Apollo e Dafne with Early Music Vancouver. We sat down with Woodley to chat all things opera – from early career inspirations to what it means to be brave in music, and how she defines success.
Canadian-Armenian bass-baritone Vartan Gabrielian is in San Jose, CA rehearsing for Opera San Jose‘s production of Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet and making his role and house debut as Friar Laurent. This week, he takes us to San Jose, CA and shares his favourite spots with us – from sunny coffeeshops to iconic flea markets, and everything in between.
Canadian soprano Mireille Asselin is in her hometown of Ottawa, ON reprising the role of Zerlina in the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, which opened June 15 and has one show left on June 17. She gives us a tour of Canada’s lush, green capital including her favourite spots and activities along the canal.
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.
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.
Canadian baritone Samuel Chan gives us a tour of beautiful NordDeutschland, showing us his favourite spots in Kiel. Chan has been a member of the Oper Kiel ensemble since 2020, and is currently debuting the role of Lescaut in the company’s production of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, runs to July 2.
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.
Join us, as Irish-Canadian mezzo-soprano Wallis Giunta brings us on a tour of beautiful, romantic Paris. She’s in Paris, preparing to reprise the role of Dodo in Opéra Comique’s production of Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s Breaking the Waves. The show opens May 28, and runs to May 31.
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.
