Christina Aguilera's move into pedagogy

How-to

We don't know why it's so annoying that she does her "vocal scales" on the words "Ave Maria" (maybe it alludes to something a bit more classical). And ironically, her demonstration of the "wrong" way is easier on our ears than the "right" way, which upon hearing makes our throats sympathetically tighten.

Good ideas: Adult Summer Acting Intensive

News

Singers, you're all pros at making the most out of your summer education, and summer programs rooted in operatic and vocal training are a big part of that. At $450 (plus HST), the Summer Acting Intensive is an economical, focused approach to honing skills that are vital for any working opera singer. As opera companies continue the move towards producing chamber-sized operas in intimate venues, acting chops have become a necessity, rather than a bonus feature on top of a killer voice.

Talking with singers: Anna Devin

Interview

Devin feels "completely at home in Handel" and relishes the collaborative process of pulling the music off the page. "You can't actually be wrong; you can have a difference of opinion between you and the conductor, but there's nothing to say that you're wrong. And I quite like that, because it means we can have interesting discussions about why you should do one thing and why you shouldn't do another."

In review: Isis and Osiris

Review

As Isis, Cesaroni was a revelation. Her incomparable voice flew throughout the Jane Mallett with ease and aplomb, and I've said this before, she just gets better every time I hear her. Her darker colour belies the height and beauty she can achieve at the top of her register and every note is properly placed and spins and sparkles. Her characterization of (as she puts it) "the bad b*tch in charge" was a genuine treat.

Watch: Rolando Villazón brings Don Giovanni to life

Editorial

He talks with historians and experts about the public hype around Mozart's tale of Don Juan, hears the sound of period instruments, learns the dances of the day, and explores the dangers of special effects in the 18th-century. We find out what the audience ate and drank during the show, how they wandered around the theatre, chatting and singing along.

....AND she was an opera singer

Humour

She got bored with Sérannes, and began an affair with a young woman, whose parents responded by shipping the girl off to a convent. Julie responded in turn by stealing the body of a dead nun, putting it in her lover's bed, and setting the convent on fire so they both could escape. Three months later, Julie's lover had had enough, and she went back to mum and dad. Julie had been charged for her crimes in absentia, but the authorities apparently didn't catch her because they thought she really was a man.

Don't miss: She's The One

News

"Women are at the centre of each story in this programme," says Bardua. "Some are tied together by classic Canadian imagery, like tempestuous weather and isolation. Others are more intimate and personal - mother-daughter relationships, or questioning sexuality."

Opera 101 with Kristine Dandavino

Interview

On Sunday, April 10, Oshawa Opera will be taking us back to school with their upcoming Opera 101: What the Fach? Sixteen local singers and emcee Alexis Ward will take the stage, with Artistic Director Kristine Dandavino at the piano to bring us the highlights of the "standard canon". We had a quick Q&A with Kristine to find out more about this show.

Lost history: opera's most famous premieres

Humour

When a few late-night serenades ended in street brawls between amateur guitarists and the husbands of the ladies at these windows, the police gave up their bribes and banned strummed instruments played by young men after sunset.

Organizing your scores: a serious business

Humour

So, what's your method of choice? Maybe you're a strict Dewey Decimal supporter, or a die-hard Library of Congress fan. Maybe your system is simpler: "the pile on the piano over here" and "the ones not on the piano". And hey, if it works for you, let's not ruin a good thing.