In a bit of operatic optimism, Canada just added a bit of competition to its management scene. Stratagem Artists, a boutique agency based in New York, has expanded into Canadian territory, and announced the addition of seven new Canadian artists to its roster.
Soprano Lucia Cesaroni, soprano Aviva Fortunata, mezzo-soprano Reilly Nelson, and baritone Phillip Addis have joined the Stratagem team, alongside tenor Adrian Kramer and bass-baritone James Demler, two Canadians already on the roster.
Additionally, Stratagem is welcoming a new group off-stage creatives from both sides of the border. Among the Canadians are conductor Robert Tweten, composer Cecilia Livingston, and director Aria Umezawa; they are joined by fellow conductors Geoff McDonald and Kamna Gupta, directors Ellen Jackson, Laine Rettmer, and Marcus Shields, and composers Lembit Beecher and Rene Orth.
Readers, this announcement is actually a bit personal to me, your friendly Opera Canada contributor: I’ll be coming on board with Stratagem Artists as Associate Artist Manager! It’s a new career venture for me, and something I’m looking forward to pursuing in tandem with my writing. Just like my work as a critic, representing these artists is about supporting and championing the amazing work that’s happening in Canada’s opera scene. I want to see it come back healthy and re-energized – if that sounds naïve, that’s alright. A dash of mid-pandemic positivity never hurt anyone.
So, with admittedly a good dose of personal bias, I encourage you all to go check out these Canadian artists; they have fresh media available on the Stratagem Artists website, and I’m personally very proud of their hustle.
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.
