Balancing the loss of normalcy with the welcome respite from his fast-paced career: our next set of Quarantine Questions goes to baritone Brett Polegato.
What is something you’ve lost to the pandemic?
“This isn’t something I have lost so much as something I am in the process of losing: the ability to visit those colleagues around the world who have become close friends over the years, and they are legion. It is clear to me that the ease of travel which we enjoyed before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic will no longer exist, even when life returns to ‘normal.’
“I have always considered myself incredibly fortunate to feel at home wherever my contracts took me because of these friendships. They have helped me through the difficult times, as well as the celebratory ones. It never occurred to me that perhaps I wouldn’t get to see them face to face in the future. For now, we connect via technology: FaceTime, WhatsApp, iMessage, etc., and I am grateful for that. I hope that the world which awaits us will allow us to travel affordably. I have so many friends I need to hug.”
What have you done with your unexpected time that makes you grateful?
“I am grateful that I have the time to take long walks, explore this great city of ours – I live in Toronto – and to clear my head. Being present in the moment has helped me to deal with the stress of an uncertain future and the inevitable sadness and unease that comes with it. I have become keenly aware of the unending multi-tasking that the pre-COVID-19 world demanded of us, and for the first time in years, my mind isn’t swirling with the million things I have to do before my next gig.
“While it is more than a challenge to have no income at the moment, I welcome this quiet period to reassess my priorities, and I hope that the future will be less hectic for us all.”
Brett Polegato
Jenna is the editor and co-creator of Schmopera. She also writes for The Globe and Mail and Opera Canada. She’s a pianist and vocal coach, and working with singers is how she fell in love with opera.
