Elza van den Heever and the MET Orchestra: A stunning all-Strauss program
Nicole Brooks on Obeah Opera
InterviewThis weekend Nightwood Theatre presents the New Groundswell Festival, presenting new works of theatre through workshop productions and a series of play readings. One of the pieces being workshopped is Obeah Opera, created by Nicole Brooks and directed by Weyni Mengesha ('Da Kink in my Hair, Raisin in the Sun). Nicole is something of an artistic Renaissance woman, with credits as a filmmaker, playwright and director, and she'll appear in Obeah Opera as Tituba.
Study: classical music fans use more words, fewer swears
EditorialA cool find today: some stats about what kind of vocabulary is used by different music lovers. Reddit Timemachine put out a survey of music fans from various subreddits about Classical music, jazz, punk, reggae, etc. The results were based on searching for specific words in each subreddit, showing the different frequencies that word is used in different fan circles.
Substance abuse in the opera industry, yup. But why?
Op-edA few articles popped up recently about the problem of anxiety and depression amongst classical musicians. A survey done by Help Musicians UK sampled after 500 working musicians (about 20% of them singers), and found that 60% claimed to have suffered from a psychological concern such as depression and/or debilitating anxiety.
The Opera Workout
HumourSince we're amongst operaphiles, it's safe to admit that we listen to opera on and off the job. Daily commutes, housecleaning, cooking; they're all better with opera as a soundtrack. So, who here has listened to opera while working out? Hi, nice to meet you.
Forgiving Racism Onstage
Op-edAre we a forgiving bunch, us opera-lovers? There's a curious phenomenon of forgiving outdated social mores (racism, for example) in works of theatre and opera that we really like. It seems like fans of opera and musical theatre will look at plenty of bad onstage behaviour in their favourite show, and chalk it up to metaphor or "the way it was back then". It's oddly forgiving in a world which feeds largely upon criticism.
Mewsy goes to the Opera
HumourThis special collaboration between Schmopera and Claryon Fitzgibbon, author of the Erotic Novel in Tweets "Mewsy the Adulteress," is an exclusive preview of the first chapter of Mewsy: Part II, before it is tweeted to the public. Catch up on Part I at MewsyTheAdulteress.com, or follow @MewsyAdulteress on Twitter! Strong Adult Themes and Immodest Filth contained below.
I love this part...oh &#$*
HumourLet me share what I think is a common source of frustration for pianists learning operas. You're playing along (sight-reading like a pro), maybe missing a few notes here and there, but getting the general sound of the show, and you get to that really famous part in that opera. Like, "Ride of the Valkyries"/"Largo al factotum"/"Toreador Song" famous.
The Big COC Podcast, round three
EditorialWell, Schmopera is officially a veteran of the Big COC Podcast. Later this week, mark my third appearance on the COC’s official podcast, joining guests Opera Canada editor Wayne Gooding and arts journalist Catherine Kustanczy (Hyperalleric, Torontoist).
Coming up on the big stage
EditorialThis fall at the Canadian Opera Company, the stars come out. First to open on October 3rd will be that great last work of Giuseppe Verdi's, Falstaff. It's a co-pro with The Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), Teatro alla Scala, the Metropolitan Opera and Dutch National Opera; and because it's by Robert Carsen, it means we'll see stark visuals and a stripped-bare style of storytelling.
After the opera: spin-offs we'd go see
HumourI always love it when a supporting character in an opera steals the show. It's a tip-of-the-hat to the writing of the character, and to the singer/actor pulling it off. Sometimes these characters even stick with me longer than the leads; I imagine what happens to them after the main action has finished.