Christophe Dumaux

Ciekiewicz shines in the title role of Manitoba Opera's Susannah
ReviewI hope that Ciekiewicz gets many more opportunities to sing this role. You won't hear it sung better anywhere, and her outstanding dramatic ability helped us feel the heartbreak of Susannah's anguish and confusion.

Death in Venice: a near-perfect production
ReviewAt first glance, this opera based on the Thomas Mann novella of the same name doesn't lend itself to the stage which could, in part, be the reason Britten sat with the piece for so many years.

A perfect-fit Figaro in UofT Opera's Nozze
ReviewIncredible music, a beautiful set, and even stunning costumes too. Lisa Magill perfectly rounds out the production with her classic designs. She successfully fits the designs to the 18th century, and manages to have everyone looking their absolute best.

Rightly uncomfortable: FGO's Don Giovanni
ReviewThe over-the-top, 50's-horror-movie vibes of the opera's finale? Go ahead and laugh (some in the audience did). But an aria cataloguing thousands of victims of rape; a rapist sharply calling a survivor of his violence "You bitch!" – we should feel uncomfortable laughing at these moments.

TAP:EX Augmented Opera lives up to its name
ReviewAs opera, and theatre in general, is forever evolving with the times, it's quite exciting to see new, cutting-edge approaches being used so successfully.

Check out: the Irish Art Song Project
Editorial“Even though I was brought up speaking Irish Gaelic, it didn't occur to me to commission composers to write on Irish Gaelic texts,” says Ní Mheadhra. “Colonization does weird things to a country.”

Patience rewarded in Oper Frankfurt's Tamerlano
ReviewThe characters begin as caricatures. Tamerlano (Lawrence Zazzo), a sadistic Southwestern oil baron who's a cross between Yosemite Sam and Daniel Day Lewis's tics in There Will Be Blood, has a grin (and mustache) glued to his face.

A Don Giovanni with style in Chicago
ReviewFor generations of (male) musicologists, the character Don Giovanni has been something of an egalitarian sex god. These academics propped up their vision of Don-G-as-political-progressive with weak evidence, citing his willingness (compulsion?) to sleep with any woman, even fat, poor, and old ones.

A family-friendly fan favourite: Minnesota Opera's Barber
ReviewProps must be given to Minnesota Opera for scheduling this family-friendly fan favorite, the seats were certainly filled. Hopefully the next generation of opera goers were hooked during this brief run!

Grand opera & cloudy politics in Il Postino
ReviewIt's a sour and tragic ending for an otherwise delightful love story. Moreover, the political subplot of the opera has a vagueness to it that leaves you wondering what its point of view is.