News
Opera Canada visits Manitoba Opera! Nov. 13, 2017
While visiting a prematurely wintry Winnipeg this past weekend, I had the pleasure of meeting with Larry Desrochers, General Director and CEO of Manitoba Opera and their Director of Marketing, Darlene Ronald. They took me on a backstage tour of the Centennial Concert...
Sex, sadism, blackmail: Nico Muhly on why Hitchcock’s Marnie is an explosive heroine
Brittle, bullied and blackmailed into marriage, Marnie inspired a Hitchcock classic and now a new opera. Its composer Nico Muhly unravels a twisted tale of childhood trauma, toxic guilt – and a woman who is both hunter and hunted Marnie screams for an operatic...
Famous Canadian Mezzo-sopranos and Contraltos
We cannot speak of our mezzo-sopranos and contraltos without starting with Maureen Forrester, considered to be one of the 20th century’s greatest contraltos. Born in 1930 in Montreal and deceased in 2010 in Toronto, she starred on the world’s most famous stages. She...
Profile: Susan Platts: Mahler, Mentors and Music Education
British-born Canadian mezzo Susan Platts has been delighting audiences around the world with her expertise in art song; her first solo album of songs by Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms earned her critical acclaim. Known for her Mahler...
‘The Rubies’: 17th Edition of the Opera Canada Awards, Oct. 30, 2017
On Mon. Oct. 31, Opera Canada Publications held its 17th annual Opera Canada Awards, a.k.a. the 'Rubies'. Each year, this event honours three outstanding contributors to opera in Canada, or those who further the cause of Canadians working in opera abroad. The 2017...
Amusing Old Movie Becomes Engrossing New Opera
In it he replaced the spoken words of the film with recitative, arioso, aria, and an occasional orchestral interlude, the building blocks of opera. Technically, it was not an easy job because Morganelli’s music had to fit into the exact timings of the film. In April...
Calgary Opera announces appointment of new resident conductor Kimberley-Ann Bartczak
Calgary Opera has announced the appointment of a new Resident Conductor and Repetiteur, Kimberley-Ann Bartczak*. A native of Montreal, Quebec, Kimberley-Ann Bartczak is a conductor, pianist and vocal coach. She is on staff at Opera on the Avalon, an alumni of...
Singing Stars: The Next Generation—IRCPA
Ten young professional singers have been selected to perform in Singing Stars: The Next Generation, Nov. 6 at Zoomer Hall, Toronto, presented by the International Resource Centre for Performing Artists, a service organisation for Canada’s musicians. The 10 singers are...
Charles Osborne obituary
By Barry Millington for the Guardian (UK) As literature director of the Arts Council of Great Britain during one of its most turbulent periods, Charles Osborne, who has died aged 89, will be remembered by many for his coruscatingly witty memoranda and public responses...
Kicked out for being gay then rescued by opera: writer Garth Greenwell’s extraordinary awakening
By Garth Greenwell for the Guardian (UK) I became an opera singer because I failed ninth-grade English. I was a terrible student, lazy and without any apparent gifts, and my mark fell further because shortly before semester’s end my father discovered I was gay and...
The need for more diversity in opera
Equity insists that a diverse range of performers should be auditioned for every production, writes Hilary Hadley. The Golden Dragon was a poor choice of target for criticism, say Professor Sue Clegg and Derek Howl We were interested to read your editorial (A...
National Capital Opera Society announces winners of its Brian Law Opera Competition
NCOS is delighted to announce that the first prize of $5,000 was awarded to soprano Jennifer Olenic. Second prize ($3,000) went to bass-baritone Joel Allison and third prize ($1,000) to soprano Jeanine Williams. The three remaining finalists, soprano Carolyn Beaudoin, baritone Ryan Hofman and mezzo-soprano Danielle Vaillancourt were each awarded $500.