When art is not enough: opera & activism

Editorial

Opera has always had a close relationship with moral dilemma and ugly human behaviour. We can watch an opera about corrupt leaders, prejudicial hate, or fatal sexism - and still, when the curtain falls there always looms the question, "then what"?

Sick singers & when it's best to shut up about it

Editorial

Singers, if you show up to a coaching or a rehearsal and you feel the urge to tell your coach or conductor that you're under the weather, ask yourself this: what do you expect will be the outcome of your volunteering this information?

The practice tip you don't want to hear

Editorial

That's where slowness comes in. It's the great magnifying glass, the exposer of weak spots. It's in slow practice that you find the crux of the problem, the ignored detail, the missing piece that makes the difference between a section of music that's hit-and-miss, and one that's consistent like a Swiss watch.

The one must-pack item for any summer program

Editorial

Spontaneity counts for a lot, especially in an environment that seems like it's all about first impressions. So singers, as you pack your bags and board your flights for your summer program(s) of choice, don't forget to add to your repertoire binder some Gerswhin or some Sondheim or even some inappropriate Puccini.

#Doras2017: "yes, and..."

Editorial

None of this is to minimize the work and merit of the 2017 Dora Award nominees. Yet it's a list that's desperately incomplete. Perhaps the juror qualifications exclude too many people with knowledgeable and unbiased connections to the Toronto industry. More importantly, maybe the TAPA membership qualifications are prohibitive to what much of Toronto's opera and theatre scenes can manage.

"Why is it ugly?" & other good questions about new opera

Editorial

After all, opera isn't just music, and it isn't just theatre. If it's well-written opera, the music we hear is directly connected with the action and text. I often wonder: if people had heard famous film scores - Psycho, Star Wars, etc. - without having ever seen the films, would they find the music appealing? Would they find the Imperial March catchy, or full of wrong notes? If they thought those sawing strings from Hitchcock's shower scene sounded screechy and ugly, could they be blamed?

Arts education teaches better manners, & more preaching to the choir

Editorial

What I'm saying is that confirmation bias is an issue, particularly in a corner of the internet like Schmopera. The people who don't know they're being rude with their phones likely aren't reading this. The people who think arts education is a waste of money certainly aren't seeking out opera-centric blogs. That asshole at the concert today will never read this and feel shame.

"A very Bohemian undertaking": AtG's La bohème

Editorial

Poverty - and the limited options that come with it - is a major theme in the original story of 19th-century Paris. Today, young people across Toronto still have the same limitations, particularly those who choose to pursue the arts. "There are a lot of constraints on their ability to live," says Mokrzewski. "Bringing [La bohème] into this context exaggerates, almost, the underlying class stuff that was happening."

Success & hype: the first season of Opera Pubs in Toronto

Editorial

The success of the Opera Pubs brings to light something that is - and should be - considered seriously among operatic circles across the globe: the potential for circular gratification among those on the inside. In Toronto, the audiences of most operatic events include familiar faces - fans, colleagues, and friends of those involved in the show; these are a beautiful group of folks, full of support and delight for the work done in their city. But any opera company worth the hype is constantly seeking audiences full of new faces, an ever-widening pool of interested listeners.

Moving on & up: 3 ways my old career prepared me for my new one

Editorial

In my own experience, coaching singers is kind of like journalism. There's a foundation of knowledge that continues to grow, but with every new singer - and every new story - there's the possibility of having your mind changed.