Rusalka: Opera at its most operatic

Review

The last act brought the curse to its deadly conclusion. I could sense the audience collectively grimacing as Rusalka wandered onstage, knife in hand and feet bloodied. The pristine white floors became stained with pools of red where she discarded her silvery heels. The imagery and music made it clear. There will be no happy ending for the poor nymph.

An Insightful, Relevant Look At Divas

Review

But of course, I would be remiss if I did not mention Arielle Rogers as Sisieretta Jones. Arielle Rogers had easily the most to do throughout the night: Sisieretta eventually became the emotional core of the evening, and that is no small task.

Don't miss: the RCM's unsettling double-bill

Interview

"This piece shows us the extremes of real life relationships: friendships, dysfunctional marriages, unrequited love, toxic relationships, marital rape, etc. It explores how humans react differently to emotional and physical abuse, stress and loss. It really does cover a lot of ground for a work which is only 45 minutes or so in length!"

dell'Arte Opera nods to Mozart & Salieri in 2018

Interview

"Because it's such a long process, and because of the intensity of the repertory/festival format at the end, our training regimen is quite intense for the singers. Some come away truly ready to leap forward in their careers; others in the ensemble and smaller roles get a real taste of what it takes to do things well - the tremendous amount of work and commitment required."

The Rose Elf: Hot Times In The Cool Catacombs

Review

Early in the opera the lovers share a moment in which they assume the role of rose petals and enfold the elf, quite literally, within themselves. It was a wildly passionate action, which, like the presence of a life-size elf, distorts our sense of reality, even within the confines of this dark fairy tale.

Talking with singers: Megan Marino

Interview

"We just had our first work-through, and I'm done; none of those tears are forced, they're just human. In this production, by the time we get to the end, it's set up so that the audience can most relate to Suzuki's journey and reactions. They see everything from her vantage point. She knows how it's all going to end from the moment the Americans enter the house, but stays the course."

Shining a light: Toward Tomorrow

Review

Ko's rendition of Yentl's "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" and "A Piece of Sky" were both touching and fraught with emotion to open and close the show. Her aria "Elle a fui, la tourterelle" had wonderful moments of pathos, and her floated high notes were bright and brilliant.

Simulacrum: Futuristic angst and dance

Review

Broadly interpreted and playing to the opera's self styled emphasis on technology, Simulacrum is about the conflict between man and machine. More specifically, it is a story of futuristic angst told against a backdrop of techno-existentialism.

Don't miss: The Other Side of the Sea

News

Werner is a Paris-born soprano with an extraordinary predisposition for creativity. Aided by a short gig as an au pair in the UK, and studying music at Cambridge University, the native French-speaker now also speaks fluent English. It's her bilingualism that inspired The Other Side of the Sea, a piece which uses the metaphor of the sea "to explore the tension of an identity split linguistically".

Opera 5's Barber: fab singing & Spanish flair

Review

One great concept is putting guitarist Andrew Cloutier into the action. He plays all the recitatives - a perfect sound that piques interest without pulling focus - and he plays a wordless role as the accompanist to Almaviva's serenades to Rosina, and to Rosina's singing lesson with "Don Alonso".