News
6 Canadians who really need an opera written about them
A short while ago, Opera Canada asked our followers: which famous Canadians would make great opera roles? Einstein, Gertrude Stein, Charlie Parker, Anna Nicole - they've all got operas. And sure, we've got James Rolfe's Beatrice Chancy and Harry Somers' Louis Riel,...
Lauren Margison: “People are so exquisitely adaptable.”
This is the continuation of a new series of Q&As with the artists of Canada's opera scene. After our "Quarantine Questions" from the spring/summer of 2020, we're checking in once again with these artists as they share new perspectives on mid-pandemic opera. Next...
Say ‘Hello’ to the Spring 2021 Issue of Opera Canada!
Opera Canada Spring 2021 issue is about to be sprung! Exclusive subscriber-only stories include a deep dive into opera companies' use of orchestral reductions during the pandemic, cross-border opera audience share between the U.S. and Canada, a conversation about...
Canadian singers: whatcha working on?
Well, it's officially been too darn long since we heard (live) the gorgeous voices of Canadian opera singers, and we're out to change that. We're asking you, readers, to send us some soundbites: a phone recording of your latest practice session, a clip of the new aria...
Dear composer…dear singer, part III: Carla Huhtanen & Nicole Lizée
When you really think about it, the communication between an opera composer and an opera singer is a bit odd: each artist has spent years honing their very specialized craft, and they come together when it's time to do something extra-specialized – create a new opera....
Claire de Sévigné: “Get ready, be ready!”
This is the continuation of a new series of Q&As with the artists of Canada's opera scene. After our "Quarantine Questions" from the spring/summer of 2020, we're checking in once again with these artists as they share new perspectives on mid-pandemic opera. Next...
Verdi’s big week in history
As it turns out, readers, the month of March is a big one for Giuseppe Verdi. Packed into a six-day span are the anniversaries of the premieres of some of his most extraordinary works. So, it's time to celebrate, alla canadese, with a few glimpses of Canadian opera...
Joyce DiDonato and Ana Sokolović host upcoming UofT events
University of Toronto's music program is adding internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and composer Ana Sokolović to their March 2021 events line-up. Serving on a three-day program as the Stratton Visitor for UofT's Faculty of Music, DiDonato will be...
Dear composer…Rachel Krehm asks: To beam, or not to beam?
In a special instalment of our composer-singer advice series, we're diving deep into notating music for singers. Drawing on her own experiences in commissioning and performing new music, Canadian soprano and Opera 5 General Director Rachel Krehm offers up a critique...
Racial stereotypes in traditional opera: Opera Canada talks with Amplified Opera
What do we do with so-called "traditional" operas that contain racial stereotypes? How do we call ourselves opera lovers in the 21st century, when works like Madama Butterfly, The Magic Flute, and La fanciulla del West offer both extraordinary musical storytelling as...
Jonelle Sills: “I am choosing not to be lazy but to engage in conversations and ask questions.”
This is the continuation of a new series of Q&As with the artists of Canada's opera scene. After our "Quarantine Questions" from the spring/summer of 2020, we're checking in once again with these artists as they share new perspectives on mid-pandemic opera. Next...
The Wild Rose Opera Project: Exploring Mental Health through Opera
Edmonton Opera is set to create four short works focused on issues in mental health in an Albertan inspired collection called The Wild Rose Opera Project. Made possible by EPCOR's Heart + Soul Fund, four composers will be working alongside Pulitzer Prize winning...