Curiosity and the Met

Op-ed

Human curiosity should be to opera companies what human insecurity is to the beauty product industry. We all want to snoop, take behind-the-scenes tours, figure out how that magician created that cool illusion. Hell, even I often prefer to watch a show from backstage. It's special, and unique.

Mutiny at the Met?

Op-ed

If you're reading this, you're probably already aware that the Metropolitan Opera is in trouble. This Thursday, the contracts of 15 unions are set to expire, and the negotiations between the unions and the Met's general manager, Peter Gelb, seem to be going nowhere good.

Everything I know about the piano, I learned from singers

Op-ed

Well, maybe not everything, but my title isn't tongue-in-cheek. I'm aware of the stereotypical opinions about singers that are held by instrumentalists within the classical music scenes; I won't say they're not there for a reason, but there's opportunity for learning between these seemingly polar points of origin in music. Now, singers and pianists work closely together within the opera industry; but when you really think about it, it's an odd pairing.

The heart and the art

Op-ed

Some people really do thrive on this kind of life; others find themselves at a crux, in which they seriously weigh all the things they love against each other. Some people take matters into their own hands by starting their own opera company in whatever city they damn well please. They open a teaching studio, or even admirably straddle the worlds of day-jobs and opera gigs. But some of us are simply stubborn, and we want to do what we want to do; our homesickness and loneliness can, in some cases, be outweighed by the true love of our art.

Elitism, Irony, and The Phantom of the Opera

Op-ed

Guys, maybe we are a little elitist... So. On quartz.com recently there was a piece by a young soprano named Chelsea Feltman entitled "Don't Ask a Young Opera Singer These Three Questions". This piece has kinda been written before, but that's fine, and there were some pretty funny animations done about it from a stage actor's perspective circling around about four years ago.

Who cares what? Bring on the why

Op-ed

If I were the artistic director of my own opera company, I'd probably enjoy putting up whatever shows I please. There would be a lot of Britten in my seasons. The question would be, would people want to go see the shows I like best?

Banff and new buddies

Editorial

Well, it's happening. Yesterday, the whole cast and crew of #UncleJohn moved into their new digs at the stunning Banff Centre. It was a day of informally bumping into each other over meals and self-guided orientations. I caught Leporello going over his patter outside Le café, and talked business over beer with maestro Hargreaves.

Lighting #UncleJohn: Jason Hand

Interview

Lighting designer Jason Hand is no stranger to AtG. His lighting design was nominated for a Dora Award for Figaro's Wedding. With _Pelléas et Mélisande_ freshly closed, #UncleJohn will be the second al fresco performance in a row for Jason. I asked him about his work; he spoke eloquently about joining forces with Joel Ivany, hiking in Banff, and working with the sunset.

In review: When the Sun Comes Out

Review

Thursday, June 25th, I made my way to the healthily air-conditioned Ernest Balmer Studio, home of Tapestry New Opera to see the Toronto Concert Premiere of Leslie Uyeda's opera When the Sun Comes Out. #WorldPride2014. Originally produced in Vancouver on August 5, 2013 and commissioned by the Queer Arts Festival, _When the Sun Comes Out_ tells the heart-wrenching story of what happens to those unfortunate enough to live where they can't love freely.

Desdemona Down

Op-ed

After an impressive media tempest, soprano Tamar Iveri will not be appearing as Desdemona in Opera Australia's upcoming production of Otello. OA made the decision to replace Tamar after the singer's homophobic remarks were made public.