Schmopera's Faves of 2013

Editorial

Selfishly, I chose to wrap up the year with a list of my favourite tidbits of operatic delight. Included are my favourite renditions of great moments in opera.

Listening to: Ileana Montalbetti, soprano

Interview

Canadian soprano Ileana Montalbetti is on the rise. A graduate of the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio Program, she bravely dives into challenging roles like Elettra, Leonore and Antonia. Ileana shone most recently in Canada as Ellen Orford in the COC's production of Peter Grimes.

“A sweet girl on the podium can make one’s thoughts drift toward something else.”

Editorial

Ah, classical music. Old-fashioned to the bone. It's almost charming, except we still need to write articles about the plight of the female conductor and the female composer. Young Russian conductor Vasily Petrenko basically said that the male players in the orchestra wouldn't be able to control themselves if they had to look up at the podium and see a pretty lady there.

Stephen Fry's latest charming appearance at the Royal Opera House

Humour

I think this event was a groundbreaking step forward in making opera accessible to a new generation. Moderated by our favourite Stephen Fry, the Intelligence² debate was whether Richard Wagner or Giuseppe Verdi reigned as an operatic master.

Muppets at the opera

Humour

There is this fascinating relationship between opera and the Muppets.  Considering that The Muppet Show follows the blueprint of the classic revue show, it’s not that odd; revues are built on sophisticated satire of anyone or anything famous at the time.

Another Opera Apologist (Part 3)

Op-ed

Terence Corcoran, in his grossly closed-minded article inspired by the COC’s 2013 production of La clemenza di Tito, found himself so distraught by the sight of two women kissing (that head-turning product of opera's "pants role" tradition) that he suggested we throw out all of opera with the bathwater.

Another Opera Apologist (Part 2)

Op-ed

Because one can’t defend opera without defending all of its porous plots: right off the bat, let's start in defence of the stupid public. In what I imagine are the thoughts of the average first-time operagoer.

Another Opera Apologist (Part 1)

Op-ed

It's simple enough: there's something just neat about it. People are up on stage doing weirdly supernatural things with their voices. Voices of all sizes and shapes, too; beautiful, floating sopranos and, big, hollering baritones.