The psychology of an audition

How-to

On top of the fun of singer-pianist telepathy, I've gotten pretty good at the game of guessing which are the auditioners will ask for. In most auditions, opera singers present a list of about 4-6 arias; they choose which they want to start with, and after that the panel selects a second choice. The goal is for the singer to start with something they do very, very well, and for the auditioners to learn as much about that singer as possible in a two-aria span.

My WTF lightbulb moment

Editorial

Artists love it when they hear an artist of another discipline speak about their work, their struggles, and their (many) moments of insecurity. It's amazing when actors have stories that resonate with writers, when writers' plights are relatable to musicians. We get to hear common tales of working hard without any recognition, of taking depressing jobs to pay bills, of getting That Big Opportunity, and whether or not it led to anything interesting.

Opera Lyra and the Five Stages of Grief

Op-ed

There has been a distraught and saddened buzz in the opera community ever since Opera Lyra announced an immediate halt of its 2015-2016 season due to severe budget shortfalls. As the opera world absorbs this difficult hit, reactions on social media are evolving in line with the five stages of grief.

Bocelli & Grande: could be an opera duo, except they're really, really not

Op-ed

So, Andrea Bocelli has "graced" us (and probably a BILLION wedding receptions hence) with a new duet called "E Piú ti Penso", and although it is kinda sorta pretty, it's totally rubbing me the wrong way. It has all the proper ingredients: string ensemble, a video shot through a soft-filtered lens, a pretty pop princess, and it's written by Ennio Morricone. MORRICONE!!!

Lynx Project: on the road with art song

News

The members of Lynx Project point out a thought that has lingered vaguely in my head since my university years: art song is rare to hear outside of an academic setting. Founded by three singers and one pianist, all graduates of the Eastman School of Music, Lynx Project is about bringing more art song to more people. It's a simple goal, and they plan to give "intimate and inclusive performances [which] challenge the traditional form of an art song recital."

Marshall Pynkoski on Armide: "Love is amoral."

News

It's a twist on a tragic love story that seems progressive for its 17th century creation. "By the end of the opera no one wants to feel hate more than Armide, but her tragedy is that she can now only feel love. There are no winners and no losers: love has annihilated everyone."

Opera Lyra's "immediate shutdown"

News

"Our core problem is that revenues have not grown to cover the costs of presenting high quality opera on the stage of the National Arts Centre. There are challenges in all revenue areas, including: major shortfalls in commercial sponsorships, modest shortfalls in private philanthropy, reductions in funding from the federal and provincial governments and, recently, weaker ticket sales."

Aria guides: Una voce poco fa

How-To

For the next in our series of Aria Guides, we're nodding to all the mezzos (and a few sopranos) with "Una voce poco fa" from Il barbiere di Siviglia. This is a cornerstone aria for many young mezzos, and one of the few chances they have to show off coloratura and play a girl. It's also an aria full of options. Ornamentation, cadenzas, high or low keys; there's no "right way" to sing rep like this.

Talking with directors: Christopher Alden

Interview

American opera director Christopher Alden is in Toronto to direct Pyramus and Thisbe, a new opera by Barbara Monk Feldman based on the very old story of Ovid's. Canadian Opera Company General Director Alexander Neef had the idea to create a triple bill, pairing Monk Feldman's opera with two works of Monteverdi: Lamento d'Arianna (the only remaining fragment of his lost opera, Arianna) and Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda.

Rags to Reasonable's Personal Finance Holy Grail

News

My pal Chris Enns is a hardworking tenor, and creator of Rags to Reasonable, a blog about personal finance geared towards artists. He created this fantastic document, The Big Book of Back to School, which is a wicked one-stop link for all your questions about budgets, working as an entrepreneur, and managing your happy factor as well as your money.